What's your favorite non-heart-related event?

[knightfan2691]

Just curious as to what your favorite event is that does NOT pertain to your heart issues....

Mine is coming up next Saturday, February 25. The church I attend in Batavia IL is hosting its Annual Spaghetti Dinner. It has done so ever since I can remember, even back in the late 1970s when my grandfather was the pastor. When I started attending the church in the early 1990s, I was surprised to find that they were still hosting the dinner. It's a wonderful event that brings out church members and community/area residents for an evening of delicious spaghetti, fine desserts and wonderful fellowships. I look forward to it every year ... and I just about cannot wait until next weekend!

So...how about you? What do you look forward to that does not involve your heart specifically?



Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker
MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/
"I know there’s so much more to life" ... Vonda Shepard ... 'Searchin' My Soul'

[geebee]

Mine would have to be "Taste of Cincinnati", Memorial Day weekend. This is a street festival that has food from over 50 of the local restaurants. It is the type of function you have to fast for a few days before going to truly appreciate all there is to offer.

[Missy]

I like the apple and chili festivals that we have in NM. It is always lots of fun and get to sample the goodies and buy. We also have the balloons here in our town and several other NM towns. The biggest being in Alburquerque. It is really something to see. So I guess I have two or three favorite things.
It is really nice that you like this spaghetti dinner so much that you can absolutely say it is your favorite thing.
I think I might like to go there if I could. You make it sound great! I will always wonder what the spaghetti is like!!!
Have fun and enjoy the food and friends.

[mntbiker]

Every other Saturday my sons and I do what we call "A daddy day out". We leave mom at home to relax (or go shopping). The boys pick the activity they would like to do and we are off for the day. Sometimes we hike, sometimes we ride bikes but it is always a special day for me to enjoy my sons. There is nothing else that could possibly come close to these days and I wouldn't miss them for anything.

[LUVMyBirman]

Our town has anual St. Patty's Day parade and celebration. Great tradition we look forward to:)

[knightfan2691]

Wow!

Some cool ones thus far ;).


And, Missy, come on up here if you want ... have a few days to plan.

Heh...and, actually, that goes for anyone ... if ya'll want to come to the Spaghetti Dinner ... would be cool to see you there :).

[Ross]

Pondering how to take over the world!

[epstns]

Well, I was going to answer simply "dinner" but then I read some of the replies and realized that my answer fit the wrong question. . .

I'd have to say that for the past several years my favorite "events" have been the "dad and daughter" weekends my daughter and I take. A couple of times a year, we leave mom at home and take off for the weekend. Sometimes we go to familiar cities where we have friends or family (like St. Louis or Terre Haute/Indianapolis), but sometimes we pick another city and just aim the car at it. We make up our own itinerary as we go, and just have fun. I find that the "windshield time" (old salesmens' term) when we are just riding in the car is perfect for those conversations you need to have but cannot allow to be interrupted. (I'm sure other parents know what I mean.) My "little one" is now 19, and I realize that these weekends will soon end, as she fashions more and more of her own life, but so far we both still enjoy them.

[Mary]

Sex. . . .can I consider that an event, Cort?

[Granbonny]

Any weekend that involves being with my Grandchildren..:) :) :) :) I have one asleep now (Day off from school, President's Day)......They are so sweet and innocent ( when they are asleep):p :p ..but, keep me young at Heart:) :) Bonnie

[Karlynn]

Sex. . . .can I consider that an event, Cort?


Mary - now you're just depressing poor Cort.

Gosh, there are so many! One would be German Fest in Lincoln Square where my niece lives.

[Blanche]

Cort:
What an interesting, thought provking question. At first, I was thinking of a holiday, festival, national celebration, and the like. Then steve posted and I made my decision. Our favorite, Al's and mine, is the birthday of our one and only child, Alex who will be 33 years on March 9.

When we married, we planed on many children. Later we were told there would be none!!! Alex was born one week before my 31st birthday, and it is likely he was conceived on my mum's birthday. His birthday always signals to me that when doctors run out of choices, divine intervention is always possible.

Regards,
Blanche

[knightfan2691]

*sighs*

My dearest Mary, Karlynn is correct ... that is a rather depressin' topic. However, if you can guarantee I'll finally find out about that event of which you speak within the next couple weeks, I will let you count that as an event ... fair enough? ;).

Heh...if only it were that easy ... he he he.



Ross, I thought that was mine to do ....



Steve, Those weekends sound great. I'd bet my Dad would say the "father/daughter" dances that he and my sis used to go to when she was in HS. They both seem to remember those fondly. Sadly, while she was in HS and going to those dances, I was in college ... and not around to see that interaction between them.


Bonnie ... ah, to have Presidents' Day off again ... enjoy those grandchildren!



Blanche,

Wow ... what a neat reply and event for you and your husband ... and, I'm guessing, your son as well ;).

As for your comment about when doctors run out of choices ... divine intervention is possible ... if you have an opportunity, I'd suggest you take a peak at Naomi Judd's book _Love Can Build A Bridge_. In it, she discusses the disease that took her from the stage she had shared with her daughter for nearly 8 years. And, often, she talks about willpower and how individuals can build up their own immune system by thinking positively, etc. ... and believing in divine intervention.

[BDMc]

Cort, What a delightful thread to find! I like the sound of everybodies posts... Mine would have to be my sailing club's Annual Island Hop(Excluding last years). We sail small catamarans from Gooseberry Neck in Westport Mass. to the Elizabeth Islands and Marthas Vineyard, stopping for lunch and usually a swim. The boats are so fast that with the right wind we can easily sail 30 miles or more, and be back in time to have a great cookout at the beach. One year we had lobster salad and steamers in addition to all the regular cookout foods! For me it doesn't get better than that! You can check out the pics at www.thebeachcats.com, under catamaran pics, in the Team Goose Album.:D Mary, you are one hot bird despite that Antarctic climate. It's either all the dancing, or all the... Brian;)

[geebee]

Cort, What a delightful thread to find! I like the sound of everybodies posts... Mine would have to be my sailing club's Annual Island Hop(Excluding last years). We sail small catamarans from Gooseberry Neck in Westport Mass. to the Elizabeth Islands and Marthas Vineyard, stopping for lunch and usually a swim. The boats are so fast that with the right wind we can easily sail 30 miles or more, and be back in time to have a great cookout at the beach. One year we had lobster salad and steamers in addition to all the regular cookout foods! For me it doesn't get better than that! You can check out the pics at www.thebeachcats.com, under catamaran pics, in the Team Goose Album.:D Mary, you are one hot bird despite that Antarctic climate. It's either all the dancing, or all the... Brian;)
Brian,
Do you sail Hobie Cats? I used to race Star Boats (based out of Greenwood Lake in northern NJ) in the Northeast and we had a group in the yacht club that raced Hobie's. They always scared me because of tipping over. The Star boat has a huge keel and it took almost an act of God to flip (never was in one that did flip). Hobie's are sure impressive to see moving and I always thought the harness looked liked fun. Not much hiking needed on a Star boat, just a lot of trimming. I was lucky in that I always managed to miss the boom and I am sure I would have had some serious injury if it hit me (being on coumadin) but the fun overpowered any danger.

[Debster]

Cool thread! My favorite activity is anything involving travel-road trip, train, plane, don't care-just getting the heck out of Dodge for awhile with my family! :) Deb

[Superbob]

Great thread, Cort! Conjures some delightful memories (not even counting Mary's ;)

My favorite would have to be a Fourth of July bluegrass festival in the Virginia countryside.

[Georgia]

I look forward to our summer outdoor theater here - warm nights, crickets & tree frogs, stars, cooler full of beer, seeing old friends, watching (usually) great musicals. It harkens back to older times when everyone went outside to escape the summer heat instead of holing up in the air conditioning. There are only four shows each summer so I treasure each of them.

[PamO]

Scottish Festival up in Estes every summer!!

[Rain]

Hey Cort!

How ya doin? :D

My favorite is the fourth of July. Every year we have a family reunion at the lake. Those of us with boats bring them, some of us camp out for the weekend on the lake. It's a three day blast!! :D Friday night my two sisters and I always make Navajo Tacos........ can you imagine doing that at the lake?!! :eek: :eek: We've been doing it since before my mom died.... must be like ten years now.

Ya all are invited this year!! Bring your boats and jet skis!!

[knightfan2691]

*grins*

What cool and interesting responses today! Woo hoo! See ... this is the type of "character building", "relationship building", "connections (can you say networking? ;)) thread that is needed every now'n'then ;).


Rain ... ssssooo good to see ya again ;). I'm OK ... still having abdominal pains that the doc thinks is irritable bowel syndrome made worse by work stress ... hate the call center job so "desperately" trying to find a new job ;). otherwise...things are good! Hope all is well for you!!!!!


Memories and fun ... what a cool combo ;).

[Ann L]

Fun thread! This will be the forth year for making wonderful new memories of the past ones. About this time of year, I finish the compilation of a fairly long movie that mostly spotlights our kids and grandkids. It's got music, transitions, and production.

What makes this such a neat annual event for my husband and I is when we get together with them all to watch it. Throughout the year we hear, "Stop taking so many pictures." "Please put that video camera down!" But that all changes for them when our kids and grandchildren watch it and faces light up, with all the laughter, and hearing the pleas of the older grandchildren to "play that part again" where we videod them getting into mischief. Funny how our grandsons especially delight in that part. :o Really gets to me when the super busy mom's in our family get those teary eyes as they reflect on how fast the babies are growing up.

[geebee]

Hi Ann,

So - another night owl.;) :D ;)

You are so right about family movies. Even those of us who hate having our pictures taken can be excited and even vain when it comes to seeing things that tell stories of our lives. What a priceless gift you are giving your family.

[Ann L]

Hi Gina,
Maybe should go to PM for this, but I'll make it quick. So you sail? Wow, my husband and I want to learn that as he's originally from Hawaii and we hope (soon) to find out if he can retire. If so, we'll be in our area 1/2 the year and if all works out, in Hawaii the other half. Of course, we want to learn to sail. Question... where do we start?

Also wanted to say how neat it is to get to know a bit more about the folks on this site. I so respect the paths many of you have traveled ....

[knightfan2691]

Ann,

I believe that is what is known as "the power of family pictures" ;). My grandmother (mom's mom) LOVED family photos, and my grandfather (as we found out after Gram died) felt the same way.

[geebee]

Hi Gina,
Maybe should go to PM for this, but I'll make it quick. So you sail? Wow, my husband and I want to learn that as he's originally from Hawaii and we hope (soon) to find out if he can retire. If so, we'll be in our area 1/2 the year and if all works out, in Hawaii the other half. Of course, we want to learn to sail. Question... where do we start?
WOW - 1/2 the year in Hawaii - how great is that? My SO and I almost bought property on the big island a few years back but made another choice. Not sure it was the right choice but, hey, live and learn.
I learned to sail from fellow members of a yacht club community where I used to live. Since there are a few lakes around here, you might find opportunities to learn on one of them. I would try calling or visiting one of the boat dealers around as they may have some suggestions. I am sure you can learn in Hawaii. I remember seeing quite a few places to rent sailboats when I was there.

[Ann L]

Hi Knightfan... nice to meet ya. What's so neat about pics, especially taken by our parents & ancestors, is an inside view of what caught their eyes ... and their hearts. Aw yes, those wonderful Hearts.

I hope that the best Events in all of our lives are captured not only in our hearts but on media too. Never put much thought into that until I saw the effects of our family "documentaries". As a sidenote, my husband has been preserving his family's old photo slides (remember them?) by photographing them with a digital camera. Then they are downloaded into a computer and digitally improved. They come out nicely. The slides were fading and even had something moldlike growing on them from being improperly stored through the years.

Ok... back to the main Events! (I do get sidetracked sometimes :rolleyes: )

[knightfan2691]

*nods*

Nice to meet you, too, Ann.

And, no, I wouldn't call that a "sidetrack" to the main thread ... after all, it is an event ;).


I remember going through all of the photographs Gram had saved ... both as they were preparing to leave the house here in Elgin (in September 2001) that they'd lived in since 1983 and while they were living in Mt Morris ... and then again, even as Aunt Chris and I went through Gram's scrapbooks. I've always enjoyed looking at old photographs ... see how people looked/lived back then. Course, you can bet that an old pic with an old car in it captures my attention quite easily/quickly ;).

[Ann L]

I know I've already had my turn but can I give ya another favorite event? Oh, good! :p .... like Gina said, Cincy has these street-festival food tasting events that are too too good, but my new fav outside of the home would be our Scottish Festival. I hear that there is a push to bring more of them across the country. Being a musician, I couldn't believe my ears this past summer at the quality of playing there. Ok, this sounds chinsey, but it was so inexpensive to hear playing that actually brought standing ovations.

[knightfan2691]

Ann (and everyone else),

You can give as many favorite events as you want ... the more, the better :).