upload a picture of you and your spouse/significant other for your avatar if you have one.. I mean spouse or other or I suppose a picture.
Bullfrogspad-Ponds-fish-friends
Bullfrogspad-Ponds-fish-friends
Ponds, fish and friends
Message [Page 1 of 2]
3 Re: To celebrate Valentine's Day Fri Feb 12, 2010 1:49 pm
Freddie Peepers
Minnow
Here we are in Milwaukee at the ballgame
4 Re: To celebrate Valentine's Day Fri Feb 12, 2010 3:03 pm
Esther
Chatterbox
You ain't funny McGee. Nice picture Freddie. How many years? Here's the story of how Pete and I got together.
December of 1982, my X betrayed me one last time after a year and a half of that behavior and I asked him to leave. Seeing I had known what was going on all that time, I had been studying scripture and counseling with, let's see, three different people, Pastor Vander Lugt, a marriage counselor, and a professor, Dr. Wood at what is now Cornerstone. He did some marriage counseling. By the time I asked my X to leave, I had spent all that time grieving and hitting bottom. Shortly after he left, I signed up for a divorce seminar put on by a group connected to the Christian Reformed church. They discussed every part of divorce, legal things, children, and finance.
As I had known Dave Rundhaug for about 30 years at that point from church, I also was a friend of Marcia, Dave's wife, Pete's sister. And because of that relationship, I had met most of their family members, including Pete. I knew that Pete's wife had left him a few years before so called him to suggest he take the divorce class. We talked for a while about our situations and he told me he had bought a '76 white Corvette. We talked a little longer but he wouldn't go to the class. So I went by myself and found it very helpful.
A few months later, in church, Marcia asked me how I was doing and did I get out. Yah, right, I have no job and little money as child support for two kids then was $40 a week, but sure I took the boys to my folk's for dinner the previous Sunday so said I was getting out. She said, "NO I mean to socialize." So of course I hadn't. You know, when you have a big "D" on your forehead, couples who were couple friends before don't know how to relate anymore. So she told me she would get some couples together and we'd go to a restaurant as a group. Then she told me what was planned and asked if it was OK to pick up Pete who lived closer in town than we did. "Sure, I know he's alone so maybe he'd like to get out too." LOL.
So that night, Kelly came running when it was about time to leave and said, "Marcia is in the driveway." I couldn't understand why she would come to pick me up as I had a car. She mumbled some cockeyed comment about Dave coming home late and still was in the shower and she thought she'd pick me up. "OK, well that is your problem because now you'll have to bring me home." I said. So we are driving down the hill approaching her house and there in the driveway was a white Corvette. I stopped talking as I realized who it was, and she layed her hand on mine and said, "I hope you don't think I'm trying to set you up with Pete or anything." "Well I guess it is too late to worry about that as you are driving too fast for me to get out of the car."
Bill and Jeanne Bartlett, Jack and Pat VandenBerg, Dave and Marcia, Pete and I all loaded into Bartlett's van with the guys in the front and the gals in the back. When we arrived at the restaurant, they of course all coupled off and left two seats together where we were expected to sit. Fortunately there was enough conversation that we felt pretty comfortable there. Then the waitress came with the bills. When she went to give me mine, Pete said, "I'll pay for her's." I said loudly, as it turned out the others had all stopped talking to see what was happening, "No, I'm paying. This isn't a date." Talk about rude!! But he insisted and I thought it would be smart to let him seeing I really didn't have much money to spend on a nice dinner. Besides everyone had been sneakily watching us all night to see how we were getting along and I didn't want to do anything real stupid.
So we went back to Dave and Marcia's for dessert and coffee. Along about 10:00 I told Marcia she'd better take me home as I had to be up at 6 to get to my part time catering job. She turned red and said, "Well just a minute, I'll get Pete. He might as well drop you off on his way home." Uh huh, so innocent. He took me home and we talked a little in the car.
The next morning at 6, the phone rang and there was Marcia. "Well, what did you think." So I told her he was nice enough but I didn't think he'd work out for me because he seemed so shy. Turns out, she had called him that same morning and asked if he liked me enough to take me out eventually. He said he did.
Two weeks went by and he asked me out. I think that was in April. Now----neither of us were divorced so I called Pastor VanderLugt who knew both of our stories....."WHAT shall I do. I don't want people to think we had been seeing each other all along." He suggested we meet either in our homes, at Dave and Marcia's or in a restaurant where acquaintances wouldn't be likely to see us until the divorce was finalized. So he took me to a restaurant and came back here and talked and talked and talked. I suspect I did most of the talking. LOL. When he left, he gave me a quick peck on the cheek and zoomed out the door and down the steps before I realized what was happening. You know when you haven't dated in 20 years, you kind of don't know what to expect.
A few weeks went by and he began to call on the phone and we'd talk. As warmer weather approached, he took me out to Lake Michigan and we spent Saturday together and he said he had something to tell me. "Did you know that I smoked?" I said that I had asked Marcia but she had said she thought he had quit. Uh huh, she also knew he started up again but didn't tell me that. So I just off the cuff said, "I wondered if you did and I just knew I wasn't going to marry anybody who smoked." He said he would quit if I wanted him to. I told him I wasn't his mother and if he thought he should quit then he'd better do it.
A few weeks later he told he he finished that pack of cigarettes and never smoked again. My divorce was final the second week of June and his was in the works and finalized shortly. We then began to date often when our kids would be at their other parent's home.
Sometime the next April or May, Pete called me and said that the owner of his house had told him that it had been sold and he'd have to move. So we began talking about moving and where would Cindi go to school and wondered how she'd take a move. Then somebody said it was silly to put off our getting married later in the fall and move in my house and make him have to move twice and Cindi possibly change school twice. I said to him, "Are you proposing to me?" He said, "UH, AH, Yeah I guess so." I don't know if I ever really answered him as we immediately began making plans. I made mention of an engagement ring and he said, "Oh, I didn't think you'd want one." "Come on, I'm a female and they always like to wave a shiny diamond around to show off." So we went to a store and found the tiniest diamond they had and he bought it. I didn't care if it was tiny. I'm practical and figured we would need money for other things before this was all over.
June 26, 1984 was a Thursday and Pastor Herbert VanderLugt married us in Dave and Marcia's yard on the river side. There was just our immediate family in attendance and Mike and Marcia had set up a nice little punch bowl and some snacks by the house. They took their plants out of the house and put them by the chairs to make it more homey. Cindi "stood" up with me and Kevin "stood" up with Pete. The girls at work had ordered a bridal bouquet for me and I had gotten boutonnières for Cindi and the guys. While the wedding was taking place, I think that Pat VandenBerg had come down and decorated the Corvette and hung a just married sign on it. I think she had been instructed to not TAPE anything to the precious car. LOL.
Then we all went to a buffet restaurant so the kids could have their choice of food and we had requested the use of one of their rooms to be in private. My cousin had made a little wedding cake and we even had presents.
We spent Friday and the weekend in Traverse City. I don't even remember what we did. We had to be home Monday because we had to take care of all of our kids as one of their mother's had surgery that week. And we both had to go back to work. Poor Cindi was stuck again with her two brothers and Kelly too. Kevin at that point was living with his dad.
But that is the story of how Pete and I were thrown together by little miss innocence. But I'm so glad it happened. Somehow, he has put up with me for over 25 years now and we just get along so well. I have learned a lot over the years and he is so patient. He truly is a good man and shows his love for me in so many ways.
December of 1982, my X betrayed me one last time after a year and a half of that behavior and I asked him to leave. Seeing I had known what was going on all that time, I had been studying scripture and counseling with, let's see, three different people, Pastor Vander Lugt, a marriage counselor, and a professor, Dr. Wood at what is now Cornerstone. He did some marriage counseling. By the time I asked my X to leave, I had spent all that time grieving and hitting bottom. Shortly after he left, I signed up for a divorce seminar put on by a group connected to the Christian Reformed church. They discussed every part of divorce, legal things, children, and finance.
As I had known Dave Rundhaug for about 30 years at that point from church, I also was a friend of Marcia, Dave's wife, Pete's sister. And because of that relationship, I had met most of their family members, including Pete. I knew that Pete's wife had left him a few years before so called him to suggest he take the divorce class. We talked for a while about our situations and he told me he had bought a '76 white Corvette. We talked a little longer but he wouldn't go to the class. So I went by myself and found it very helpful.
A few months later, in church, Marcia asked me how I was doing and did I get out. Yah, right, I have no job and little money as child support for two kids then was $40 a week, but sure I took the boys to my folk's for dinner the previous Sunday so said I was getting out. She said, "NO I mean to socialize." So of course I hadn't. You know, when you have a big "D" on your forehead, couples who were couple friends before don't know how to relate anymore. So she told me she would get some couples together and we'd go to a restaurant as a group. Then she told me what was planned and asked if it was OK to pick up Pete who lived closer in town than we did. "Sure, I know he's alone so maybe he'd like to get out too." LOL.
So that night, Kelly came running when it was about time to leave and said, "Marcia is in the driveway." I couldn't understand why she would come to pick me up as I had a car. She mumbled some cockeyed comment about Dave coming home late and still was in the shower and she thought she'd pick me up. "OK, well that is your problem because now you'll have to bring me home." I said. So we are driving down the hill approaching her house and there in the driveway was a white Corvette. I stopped talking as I realized who it was, and she layed her hand on mine and said, "I hope you don't think I'm trying to set you up with Pete or anything." "Well I guess it is too late to worry about that as you are driving too fast for me to get out of the car."
Bill and Jeanne Bartlett, Jack and Pat VandenBerg, Dave and Marcia, Pete and I all loaded into Bartlett's van with the guys in the front and the gals in the back. When we arrived at the restaurant, they of course all coupled off and left two seats together where we were expected to sit. Fortunately there was enough conversation that we felt pretty comfortable there. Then the waitress came with the bills. When she went to give me mine, Pete said, "I'll pay for her's." I said loudly, as it turned out the others had all stopped talking to see what was happening, "No, I'm paying. This isn't a date." Talk about rude!! But he insisted and I thought it would be smart to let him seeing I really didn't have much money to spend on a nice dinner. Besides everyone had been sneakily watching us all night to see how we were getting along and I didn't want to do anything real stupid.
So we went back to Dave and Marcia's for dessert and coffee. Along about 10:00 I told Marcia she'd better take me home as I had to be up at 6 to get to my part time catering job. She turned red and said, "Well just a minute, I'll get Pete. He might as well drop you off on his way home." Uh huh, so innocent. He took me home and we talked a little in the car.
The next morning at 6, the phone rang and there was Marcia. "Well, what did you think." So I told her he was nice enough but I didn't think he'd work out for me because he seemed so shy. Turns out, she had called him that same morning and asked if he liked me enough to take me out eventually. He said he did.
Two weeks went by and he asked me out. I think that was in April. Now----neither of us were divorced so I called Pastor VanderLugt who knew both of our stories....."WHAT shall I do. I don't want people to think we had been seeing each other all along." He suggested we meet either in our homes, at Dave and Marcia's or in a restaurant where acquaintances wouldn't be likely to see us until the divorce was finalized. So he took me to a restaurant and came back here and talked and talked and talked. I suspect I did most of the talking. LOL. When he left, he gave me a quick peck on the cheek and zoomed out the door and down the steps before I realized what was happening. You know when you haven't dated in 20 years, you kind of don't know what to expect.
A few weeks went by and he began to call on the phone and we'd talk. As warmer weather approached, he took me out to Lake Michigan and we spent Saturday together and he said he had something to tell me. "Did you know that I smoked?" I said that I had asked Marcia but she had said she thought he had quit. Uh huh, she also knew he started up again but didn't tell me that. So I just off the cuff said, "I wondered if you did and I just knew I wasn't going to marry anybody who smoked." He said he would quit if I wanted him to. I told him I wasn't his mother and if he thought he should quit then he'd better do it.
A few weeks later he told he he finished that pack of cigarettes and never smoked again. My divorce was final the second week of June and his was in the works and finalized shortly. We then began to date often when our kids would be at their other parent's home.
Sometime the next April or May, Pete called me and said that the owner of his house had told him that it had been sold and he'd have to move. So we began talking about moving and where would Cindi go to school and wondered how she'd take a move. Then somebody said it was silly to put off our getting married later in the fall and move in my house and make him have to move twice and Cindi possibly change school twice. I said to him, "Are you proposing to me?" He said, "UH, AH, Yeah I guess so." I don't know if I ever really answered him as we immediately began making plans. I made mention of an engagement ring and he said, "Oh, I didn't think you'd want one." "Come on, I'm a female and they always like to wave a shiny diamond around to show off." So we went to a store and found the tiniest diamond they had and he bought it. I didn't care if it was tiny. I'm practical and figured we would need money for other things before this was all over.
June 26, 1984 was a Thursday and Pastor Herbert VanderLugt married us in Dave and Marcia's yard on the river side. There was just our immediate family in attendance and Mike and Marcia had set up a nice little punch bowl and some snacks by the house. They took their plants out of the house and put them by the chairs to make it more homey. Cindi "stood" up with me and Kevin "stood" up with Pete. The girls at work had ordered a bridal bouquet for me and I had gotten boutonnières for Cindi and the guys. While the wedding was taking place, I think that Pat VandenBerg had come down and decorated the Corvette and hung a just married sign on it. I think she had been instructed to not TAPE anything to the precious car. LOL.
Then we all went to a buffet restaurant so the kids could have their choice of food and we had requested the use of one of their rooms to be in private. My cousin had made a little wedding cake and we even had presents.
We spent Friday and the weekend in Traverse City. I don't even remember what we did. We had to be home Monday because we had to take care of all of our kids as one of their mother's had surgery that week. And we both had to go back to work. Poor Cindi was stuck again with her two brothers and Kelly too. Kevin at that point was living with his dad.
But that is the story of how Pete and I were thrown together by little miss innocence. But I'm so glad it happened. Somehow, he has put up with me for over 25 years now and we just get along so well. I have learned a lot over the years and he is so patient. He truly is a good man and shows his love for me in so many ways.
5 Re: To celebrate Valentine's Day Fri Feb 12, 2010 3:30 pm
fishlipsmcgee
Jabberjaws
Lovely story, Esther. Happy Valentines Day to you & Pete.
8 Re: To celebrate Valentine's Day Sat Feb 13, 2010 10:55 am
bullfrog
Master Bullshitter
Thank you Esther, we are truly birds of a feather. Scallywags, rouges and scoundrels we are. We somehow found the perfect match in this wide world. It is amazing to me how we wound up together separated by many miles yet connected by so many similarities.
She is no Daisey, beautiful as she is and I was not exactly a model citizen, yet we are a perfect match for each other.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
She is no Daisey, beautiful as she is and I was not exactly a model citizen, yet we are a perfect match for each other.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
9 Re: To celebrate Valentine's Day Sat Feb 13, 2010 12:54 pm
Esther
Chatterbox
I wish I could be perfectly true to your last paragraph. God knows!!
10 Re: To celebrate Valentine's Day Sat Feb 13, 2010 4:58 pm
fishlipsmcgee
Jabberjaws
Everyone here looks like they are truly in love and the pictures are all great except of course Fishlips who is hiding behind a couple of weirdo liberals................come on Fishlips, we showed you ours now you have to show us yours..................and that goes for all the rest of you members here that haven't posted yet...............
except for the ones who already posted of course...........they make the thread most worthwhile :[IMG]http://i2[/quote]
Hey, who you callin' a couple of weirdo liberals? Haha Take another look at that picture and tell me who you think it is![ex[giggle]](/users/3011/10/21/46/smiles/71265.gif)
Anyway, I am not comfortable posting my picture on the internet so I will have to remain "faceless". Ever since I posted those nude pics on my Facebook page.....![ex[blushing]](/users/3011/10/21/46/smiles/95110.gif)
![ex[lol]](/users/3011/10/21/46/smiles/134428.gif)
except for the ones who already posted of course...........they make the thread most worthwhile :[IMG]http://i2[/quote]Hey, who you callin' a couple of weirdo liberals? Haha Take another look at that picture and tell me who you think it is
Anyway, I am not comfortable posting my picture on the internet so I will have to remain "faceless". Ever since I posted those nude pics on my Facebook page.....
11 Re: To celebrate Valentine's Day Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:41 pm
fishlipsmcgee
Jabberjaws
That's ok we saw you in your little elf costume at Christmas time and oh yeah my neighbor has those pics of you from Facebook pinned up on his shop wall ![ex[woot]](/users/3011/10/21/46/smiles/528157.gif)
[/quote]
Happy to hear that SOMEONE is enjoying them. tee hee
So..... any guesses who I'm hiding behind in my avitar? Anyone???
[/quote]Happy to hear that SOMEONE is enjoying them. tee hee
So..... any guesses who I'm hiding behind in my avitar? Anyone???
12 Re: To celebrate Valentine's Day Sat Feb 13, 2010 8:04 pm
rosebud
Jabberjaws
The only picture I have of Robert & me together is one I posted on another thread. When we take snapshots, one of us is always the one behind the camera. 
14 Re: To celebrate Valentine's Day Sat Feb 13, 2010 9:35 pm
fishlipsmcgee
Jabberjaws
That's ok we saw you in your little elf costume at Christmas time and oh yeah my neighbor has those pics of you from Facebook pinned up on his shop wall [/quote]
Happy to hear that SOMEONE is enjoying them. tee hee
So..... any guesses who I'm hiding behind in my avitar? Anyone???[/quote]
Fishlips why do you keep asking us who you are hiding behind..............are you being sarcastic or are my eyes failing me that it is not Michelle and our prez? I suppose you could have pasted different heads on them like Tiger Woods and some singer as my eyes aren't that good but looks like Mic and the prez to me[/quote]
No, I'm not being sarcastic, It is not the Prez & MIchelle. Can you guess who it is??? PS I didn't paste different heads on them, but it is someone impersonating them. Hint hint
[/quote]Happy to hear that SOMEONE is enjoying them. tee hee
So..... any guesses who I'm hiding behind in my avitar? Anyone???[/quote]
Fishlips why do you keep asking us who you are hiding behind..............are you being sarcastic or are my eyes failing me that it is not Michelle and our prez? I suppose you could have pasted different heads on them like Tiger Woods and some singer as my eyes aren't that good but looks like Mic and the prez to me
[/quote]No, I'm not being sarcastic, It is not the Prez & MIchelle. Can you guess who it is??? PS I didn't paste different heads on them, but it is someone impersonating them. Hint hint
15 Re: To celebrate Valentine's Day Sat Feb 13, 2010 10:12 pm
fishlipsmcgee
Jabberjaws
Ok it is you and your DH ![ex[happy]](/users/3011/10/21/46/smiles/991700.gif)
Larry Graves? Or Michael Bryant? Or Ron Butler? Vernetta Jenkins?
I found this on the net http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/WDFiH8sKXgj/Celebrity+Impersonators+Gather+Convention[/quote]
NOooooo....
Larry Graves? Or Michael Bryant? Or Ron Butler? Vernetta Jenkins?I found this on the net http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/WDFiH8sKXgj/Celebrity+Impersonators+Gather+Convention[/quote]
NOooooo....
16 Re: To celebrate Valentine's Day Sun Feb 14, 2010 12:00 am
Freddie Peepers
Minnow
I agree about the pics...they are my favorite part of this and other forums that I frequent.
The people are what make this a fun place to come and I really enjoy putting a face with a persons post
Here's Mrs. Peepers and Chuck watching me fill the bird feeders on a winter day
New coat for Christmas
At the ballgame in Pittsburgh
The people are what make this a fun place to come and I really enjoy putting a face with a persons post
Here's Mrs. Peepers and Chuck watching me fill the bird feeders on a winter day
New coat for Christmas
At the ballgame in Pittsburgh
17 Re: To celebrate Valentine's Day Sun Feb 14, 2010 5:09 am
Bartender
Minnow
I suppose I'm gonna have to get a new Photobucket account. Mine is so close to being at capacity, it is slower than molasses in the wintertime! I have too many things I don't want to delete, yet I'm not about to start paying to use them, either. I think I will. I'll be back!
18 Re: To celebrate Valentine's Day Sun Feb 14, 2010 8:35 am
bullfrog
Master Bullshitter
Bartender wrote:I suppose I'm gonna have to get a new Photobucket account. Mine is so close to being at capacity, it is slower than molasses in the wintertime! I have too many things I don't want to delete, yet I'm not about to start paying to use them, either. I think I will. I'll be back!
Bartender laughs hard, I like that. We all got together for Halloween one year to go to the "Haunted Hotel." Here's a shot of Bartender standing next to my wife sharing a laugh. We go way back, Bartender and I. We have rode in the back of ambulances together. Sometime it turned out good, sometime it didn't. But dammit, when she laughs, she laughs.
The best of friends, I'd trust her with my kid's lives. Just look at that serious expression on her face.
The girls... I hope that you don't mind Andi.
Me and Freeway. I'm zoned out on Hydrocodone recovering from an injury fighting a fire. Freeway was taking care of me.
My friend Felipe the musician and myself in Cozumel. No cocaine was used this night.
My Baby..
19 Re: To celebrate Valentine's Day Sun Feb 14, 2010 10:59 am
fishlipsmcgee
Jabberjaws
Rush Limbaugh and Oprah Winfrey :
" />[/quote]
20 Re: To celebrate Valentine's Day Sun Feb 14, 2010 2:08 pm
Bartender
Minnow
Bartender laughs hard, I like that. We all got together for Halloween one year to go to the "Haunted Hotel." Here's a shot of Bartender standing next to my wife sharing a laugh. We go way back, Bartender and I. We have rode in the back of ambulances together. Sometime it turned out good, sometime it didn't. But dammit, when she laughs, she laughs.
Good gravy, Ditch!!! These fine folks are gonna *think* I've got a big mouth, or sumthin'!! I don't remember exactly what was said, but thank goodness I had just been to the restroom, because, I promise ya, I think I nearly peed my pants just then!!! (No alcohol had been consumed by me that night)!
Everyone needs a good laugh now and then. Thanks to good friends, life is a bit easier.
None of us should take life too seriously. In the end, no one gets out alive anyway. What a world!
21 Re: To celebrate Valentine's Day Sun Feb 14, 2010 2:14 pm
Bartender
Minnow
Me and my Everything. He is my best friend, my soul mate, my lover and confidante; he is my Better Half:
22 Re: To celebrate Valentine's Day Sun Feb 14, 2010 2:34 pm
rosebud
Jabberjaws
Wow, Bartender! He has beautiful blue eyes! He even LOOKS like a keeper! ![ex[nod]](/users/3011/10/21/46/smiles/753239.gif)
23 Re: To celebrate Valentine's Day Sun Feb 14, 2010 3:11 pm
Esther
Chatterbox
Awwww, I can just picture or I mean hear you laughing I bet. Some people have a hearty laugh.
24 Re: To celebrate Valentine's Day Sun Feb 14, 2010 6:08 pm
fishlipsmcgee
Jabberjaws
[/quote]fishlipsmcgee wrote:Rush Limbaugh and Oprah Winfrey :
[/quote]
25 Re: To celebrate Valentine's Day Sun Feb 14, 2010 9:56 pm
fishlipsmcgee
Jabberjaws
Rush Limbaugh and Oprah Winfrey :" />[/quote]
[/quote]
[/quote]
[/quote]
[/quote]
[/quote]
[/quote]
[/quote]
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