The Times They are a Changin' ...

2017

A New Year.

My first New Year married to Patrick Gilmore.

I never would have dreamt that after moving away from California so many years ago that my path would ever cross Patrick's path again in my lifetime, but as we know things change.

I had a crush on Patrick from the first time I met him, back in 1970.

He was my first date ever ... and it was the best date.

We doubled with Randy Jones and his girl at the time.

Pat borrowed a Camaro from a friend to take us out in style.

We drove to the Queen Mary thinking we were having dinner at a French restaurant on board, and while we girls waited on board for the boys to check in for our reservation they came out with frowns on their faces and told us the restaurant had messed up our reservations and we couldn't eat there.

So off we went, starving of course to find some other place to eat.

Driving down PCH Patrick stopped on the side of Bolsa Chica Beach,

he asked me to go out and grab a map out of the trunk for him, because he knew where he wanted to take us, but wasn't sure what road to take.

I thought for sure something was up so Randy got out with me ...

and when we opened the trunk there was a picnic basket.

The boys had planned all along to start a fire in a fire pit at the beach to grill us dinner.

We had steak, salad and dessert which I believe was Smores.

We also celebrated with Martinelli's sparking grape drink,

we were only 16 and 17 years old, and Mormon.

Pat was a gentlemen all night, 

we walked down the beach and talked, 

it was dreamy.

When he brought me home I never got a good night kiss, we were both too shy.

I joke now that I had to wait 33 years for that kiss,

but it was worth it.

We've moved away from Long Beach and are currently living in South Coast Metro.

It's a small 2 bedroom condo, but I love it, it's just the perfect size for us.

I never want a big house again, they're way too much work.

Morgan is living with us right now as is my sister,

it's tight, tempers flare sometimes, but we're making do.

Pat and I hope to save some money and be able to buy a place of our own eventually.

The only sad news I have is that we no longer have our amazing President Barack Obama.

I knew it was coming ... I had hoped that his replacement would be Hillary Clinton,

but that was not to be.

We've turned the clocks back 100 years and the biggest clown ever got voted in, Donald Trump.

He's a horrible person.

I won't go any further talking about him here other than to say, let's hope that we figure out the error of our ways and vote the idiot out in 4 years, and we'll pray that he doesn't get us all killed in the meantime.

Hoping that the New Year will get better, it started off with both Patrick and I sick with colds and flu, and we hope that our friends and family all find love, hope and prosperity in the days to come.