Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Yes, JUST DO IT!!
Today’s prompt was this: “What things will improve with age?” I do! And fine wine!
Do you optimize The world that is around you? Make it more lovely?
An Optimizer Smiles and laughs and spreads sheer joy You do that daily!
I thank you for visiting JanBeek today. May I ask a favor of you? My blood pressure was through the roof this week and we can’t figure out why! 204/84 … “Stroke City!”
Please pray with me that we (the doctors and I) figure out what’s causing it, OK? We’ve optimized by blood pressure medicine… Dear Lord, help it to “improve with age” – OK? Amen!
Bob & I went wine tasting with our son, Ty & daughter-in-law, Monika.
Winderotter Winery in Plymouth, Amador County, California has a wonderful selection of wines.
We tasted both reds and whites ended up taking some of each home with us.
Our visit to Runquist Winery, in that same area, was a delight, too.
Later, we returned to Placerville and had dinner at a delicious Thai Restaurant. Our grandson, Jordan, joined us.
If you’re ever fortunate enough to visit Amador County, I hope you will make it a point to visit those two wineries and enjoy a meal at the Tasty Thai. I know you’ll be as delighted as we were.
Now, I gotta get off my computer and join the fun. My family gives me a bad time when I am on the internet instead of interfacing with them!!
Have you missed me? We’ve had a whirlwind four days here in Switzerland. Each day from eye opening early mornings to collapsing in bed at night has been phenomenal. If you’ve been following me, you know it was the weekend of my oldest grandson’s wedding.
Let me take you to the church and two fairytale receptions. Sit back and enjoy!
The wedding was full of music, fun, smiles, tears, promises, family & friends. A choir sang, our daughter, De, and Chrissy (our youngest grandson) sang a duet with Nick ( the middle brother) accompanying on guitar. I even had a role by reading a message ( in English, thank God) that they prepared for me – a message if forever love and devotion. Then we all headed to the outdoor reception nearby where wine, hors d’oeuvres and music flowed. Mike played in his alpenhorn group.
Look carefully! I’m holding Mike’s hand. The group just played “Amazing Grace” and dedicated it to me!!!!
The second reception was a sit-down dinner after more wine, beer, and socializing in this gorgeous outdoor setting:
We woke this morning back in Vissoie. Ready to go on another adventure. See ya later! Thanks for sharing and visiting with me.
Yesterday our daughter, DeAna, drove us down into the Rhône River Valley, through Sierre, and up into the Alps on the other side to an area called Crans-Montana. It is where she & André lived 30 years ago when they first moved here. On the hillside e hind the restaurant André managed way back then are a few chalets. One of them, built in 1772, is owned by ZuZu & Célia. They invited us to spend the day there with them.
ZuZu (Christian Zufferey) was our AFS son in 1980-81. He is André’s first cousin. He and Célia prepared an amazing meal for us! The first plate was an outstanding eggplant quiche. The second plate was lamb (my favorite) and a ratatouille. All the vegetables they grew in their gardens here in this gorgeous high Alpine place.
The opportunity to be together again with ZuZu was so very special. After the meal we shared various liqueurs – also made by them using various fruits, etc. that they grew.
After our time there, De took us back down into Sierre where we had a nice visit with our friend, Christiane Rielle.
Then (as if day was not already blessed enough), we were treated by our DeDe and our grandson, Nick, to a wonderful dinner at Capri Restaurant in Sierre before returning to Vissoie for the night.
Then today we went on a guided tour of Sierre. Our grandson, Mike’s new bride, Tania, provided the tour. At the Sierre Tourisma Office, my buddy Terry found a hat for a souvenir… and I found a terrific pair of funky glasses that I could not resist!
Now you can see why I didn’t bring a pair of sunglasses with me on this trip. I needed THIS pair!!
Bob, Jim & Terry Groshong, our MT/CA best friends, learned all about the history of Sierre. There is the town hall behind the 4 of us. If you saw my post about Mike & Tania’s civil ceremony, it’s the same place where they were married last weekend.
Then Tania guided us to an old (1700s) chalet. Look at they key Jim is holding. It opened the cellar door where we did some wine tasting.
Next Tania drove us to Chateau Mercier where she explained the history and we tasted more fine Swiss wines.
Lovely Chateau Mercier has beautiful gardens, too. We walked around and admired them before going to Chateau Villa for Raclette dinner. Mike joined us there.
Mike & Tania’s church ceremony is Sept. 20, so we have another couple weeks here to enjoy the hills alive with family. Stay tuned!
Jim & Terry will leave tomorrow – so you can say farewell to them for now nit’s been wonderful to have them with us this week!
I can never tire of these beautiful Swiss Alpine views! Come back tomorrow. We’re going to take the bus down to stay with André’s mom. I’ll share those views with you, too..
Thanks for traveling vicariously with us! Bee 🐝 well, dear friends! See you tomorrow (God willing).
Check out my response to the #Bloganuary prompt #20. Click on the link above.
By the way, I love that photo of Bob back in his beekeeper days when he permed his hair. Don’t you? It was taken in our house in Modesto, CA with our Boston, Jacques. He had funny buck teeth (the dog, not Bob).
Do you know why Bob curled his hair? He hates to wear hats. As a beekeeper with naturally oily hair, bees loved to buzz in there and sting his scalp. The curls lifted the hair off the scalp and dried out the oiliness. The bees left his head alone. Interesting, huh?
I hope you enjoy the collection of photos I put on the Bloganuary site today.
Tell me, can you choose a favorite photo that you have taken?
Thanks for visiting JanBeek. See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Mi Familia is such a blessing We’re so glad we are here The trip was long and arduous But we traveled without fear
We knew God was with us Your prayers were felt for sure Thank you, God, for safety With You our trip was secure
God bless “Mi Familia!” It is so good to be with them! Monika, our daughter-in-law, is taking the picture. That’s Ruthie & Darrell, her parents, on the left. Our son, Ty, is at the head of the table there… and of course, Bob & me. We’ll be joined on Christmas day by our grandson, Jordan, and his family – – – and our granddaughter, Faith, and her husband. They are expecting their first child (a baby girl) in April. We are so excited for them!
Monika and Ruthie fixed a wonderful dinner last night: salmon and veggies and potatoes. Yum!
We spent time talking about our heritage and remarking about how much Ty looks like my dad, his Grandpa Sal. Can you see the resemblance?
Then we had fun giving Bob a bad time about his “honker!” See how he inherited his nose from his paternal great-grandfather Davis? That’s his dad’s mother’s father.
Prior to dinner we took time to toast “Cheers!” to all the family and friends who prayed us safely here – and gave thanks to God for answered prayers.
Outside the weather was chilly, rainy, and then foggy … but the spirit of Christmas was alive and well, warm and inviting.
Across the continent – and over the Atlantic to Switzerland, our crazy, fun-loving grandson, Nick (and his sweetheart Celine) celebrated the birthday of the King in their own way with a milkshake from the Burger King!
Don’t you love the way the internet shrinks the world and brings “Familia” into our lives from around the world?
Merry Christmas to you, my dear blogging friends. I pray that you have a meaningful, love-filled holiday with your family gathered round.
Remember the Reason for the Season… and bring that Christ Child into your family circle.
God bless you. Let me know what your Christmas plans are, okay? I look forward to hearing from you… and I thank you so much for following my blog. I post with you in my heart and prayers.
Bee Happy! Bee Well!
I send my love and hugs. Have a wonderful time with your family! See ya tomorrow (God willing) Love, JanBeek
What delights you? When you think of that word, what comes to mind? Here are a few things that delight me:
Unlike that chuckler, I actually delight in shopping in the mall with my husband.
I delight in a glass of wine with my dinner each evening. Just one…
It is delightful to return home – especially after being gone awhile.
No, I don’t delight in the prospect of being “old,” but I delight in friends who have a great sense of humor. I embrace the delight of laughter!
I delight in flowers… Every time of the year. Fresh flowers cheer me. I love having them near me.
I delight in prayer. I delight in the Lord. I delight in Susan Boyle singing this prayer of St. Francis of Assisi. I delight in music.
I delight in family. Time together is so precious. That’s “Mi Familia” on our son’s side up there. Below is our daughter with her hubby & mother-in-law. We delighted in our recent trip to Switzerland to be with them.
What delights you, my friend? Here’s that music I mentioned.
Some things that delight me … but not in order of importance are:
Are you blessed with a daughter who is your DollyWolly? We are! Today is her 54th birthday. Happy Birthday, DeAna Laura Beekman Solioz!
Born August 29, 1967, DeAna was given her name because it was as close as we could come to having the DeAngeles (my maiden name) carried on. Just drop the tail on the g and that’s how the spelling of DeAna came to be.
Here she is with her brother Tyroneeee… at about one month of age… always sticking er tongue out!
DeAna and me when she was about 8 or 9 months What a cute little button nose, huh?
Her second Christmas… with Santa and brother Ty
I love this picture of her as a 1st or 2nd grader. Sparkly eyes… healthy new front teeth… and perky pony tails. So cute!!
This is such a precious photo of DeDe with her Grandma Beekman <3
One of my favorites – – to show DeDe’s perky smile – about 8th grade, I think. Time flies!
And before you know it, she was getting married – and would soon move to Switzerland to live her life there as DeAna Solioz.
But we were very blessed to be able to put a bottle of our favorite Runquist wine in our suitcase, hop a plane, and spend time in Switzerland with her every other year (until COVID)!
Within 6 or 7 years, De and Andre’ had three sons – and watching Mike, Nick & Chris grow up has been a wondrous opportunity… (as they came here every other year during the first decade of their lives).
DeAna has retained her best buddy from her days at Downey High in Modesto, CA (and we have claimed her as or Daughter #2)… We treasure the times De returns to the states and we are able to celebrate happy times together with De and Laina. (That picture was 2019 before COVID) .
Recently DeAna had surgery… and it was hard being a mom with a daughter so far away at a time like that. But I sent her encouragement and love – like this meme:
And she sent me pictures to reassure me that she was doing OK. Thank God for the internet, huh?
Now De and Andre’ have a new restaurant and (God willing and the Delta variant doesn’t go crazy) we are going to be able to go there in October to see them and their place in person.
Happy Birthday, DollyWolly! We are so grateful to God for giving us such a wonderful daughter!
If you have the blessing of a daughter who is a DollyWolly in your life, embrace her once for me, wouldja?
And have a good night. See ya tomorrow (God willing) Hugs, JanBeek
“The fun part of getting not one, but two black eyes, is making up some wild, harebrained event that caused them.
Sky diving accident?
Or when they turn yellow… trying out for a clown part in an adaptation of a Stephen King novel.”
I think I could pull off a clown part in a Stephen King adaptation, don’t you?
I don’t need to wait til they turn yellow… just match the magenta with my lipstick, clothing, and earrings, and (as Derrick suggested) EMBRACE THE BRUISES!!
It’s getting better – don’t you think?
If you’re just tuning in to this messed up face saga, I need you to know that I got into a wrestling match with a tiger – and I won. The tiger ran off into the woods, never to attack a human again!
And if you believe that, you need to buy my latest novel… published by Porterhouse … available on your next steak.
If you can’t embrace sunglasses and hide the damage, then ya gotta smile and bare it, right?
And while we’re at it, I have another story to tell you:
You know I’d not be likely to buy a case of beer – but good wine, now that’s another story!
Now if you think I have any flawless dance moves left in me, I have a glass of Kool-Aid to sell you. I have waaaay too many birthday stories to tell – and a whole lot of receipts for the Kool-Aid I’ve sold.
… especially the body parts around my knees and ankles!
I’ve had my right knee replaced. How about you, you got any artificial parts so they make you go through the metal scanner at the airport? Bob & I both get the fun of being frisked every time we take a trip!
But, we’ve decided flying is a better way to go instead of driving these days. Driving requires sitting next to one another and trying to talk to each other. After nearly 60 years of marriage, what’s left to talk about? On a plane, if you’re lucky, you get the center aisle – and somebody new to talk to.
Seeing better was a perk of younger years. Hearing better is a perk of aging… but it takes a set of $4000 aids to do it.
As the birthdays pile up, we have to be sure we have our bifocals and our hearing aids before we leave home.
Next it’ll be our walking stick or a walker!!
Try not to lose your glasses or your car keys – That’s one of the problems we multi-birthday folks have. But that’s not as bad a losing your memory.
Did I tell you the story about how I got these black eyes? Oh, I did? It was back on the blog called EMBRACE HARD HEADS –
Remember?
You don’t?
Oh well… That’s a story for another day.
Do you have a story to tell? Come on, be a sport… Entertain me!
My friend, Lee, sent me a You.Tube video today. He said it was “worth your time and thoughts.” I agree!. It was narrated by a guy with a wonderful British accent. I bet it was created several years ago. The words in blue below are his. The red is my editorial comment about that item!
Whether you wear a $300. or a $3. watch, they both tell the same thing.
But the whole deal is, this watch does so much more than tell time! And it costs way more than $300. . Price tag = $539.98
Whether you carry a $300. or a $30. handbag, the amount of money inside is still the same.
This one actually is a $2,350. Guggi If you buy it, you’ll certainly have less money to put inside! Don’t you have better things to do with your money??
Whether we drive a $150,000. car or a $30,000. car, the road and distance are the same… and we get to the same destination.
But, the Ferrari is so much more fun! And you can certainly go faster! (If you survive at those speeds, that is)
Whether you drink a bottle of $300. or a $10. bottle of wine, the hangover is the same.
But Wine Spectator Magazine says, “It’s not as if wines that cost $10. or less are going to make you feel bad, or that wines that cost over $50 are never going to give you a hangover… How much wine you consume is the biggest variable…” So, in both cases, it’s the whole bottle? Not a good idea regardless of the price!
Whether the house you live in is 300 sq. ft. or a huge mansion with 30,000 sq. ft., loneliness is the same.
Yes, you can be lonely in a shack or you can be lonely in a castle. The size of the house has little to do with it. But, remember loneliness and alone are two different animals. Just because you’re alone doesn’t mean you have to be lonely. And just because you have a kajillion people around you doesn’t mean you feel loved. It has nothing to do with the size of your house… it’s the size of your heart!
Whether you fly first or economy class, if the plane goes down – you go with it.
True! But aren’t some seats safer than others? An article in the Huffington Post – when asked about the safest place to sit to a plane – wrote this, “Each incident or crash is unique. Impact could come from a nosedive, a water landing, or a runway collision. As a result there is no safest seat.”The good news in that article, though, is “Air travel is the safest form of transportation in the country.” Bon Voyage!! . .
In that same video sent to me this morning by my friend, Lee, this interesting addition was included:
