Alison was a big fan of Donny Osmond when she was young (age 12 - 13).  Alison had a poster of Donny Osmond over her bed, and would give Donny a kiss goodnight when she went to bed.  We lived in Alexandria, Virginia at the time (1972), and Alison and I shared a bedroom downstairs near our rec room.  I remember Alison wanting to play Donny's music and me wanting her to take the music off so we could go to sleep. 

I remember that Alison liked the song Puppy Love:   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI2hgm65WhE 

and the song Go Away Little Girl:  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp95lt1lHMQ
  
Alison and I went to an Osmond family concert at the State Fair in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on August 6, 1972.  I remember that it was a lot of fun, and of course Alison was so happy to see Donny Osmond in concert.  

In 1976/1977 while we lived in Newport, Rhode Island, and Coronado, California, Alison and I would watch the Donny and Marie tv show (Marie was a little bit country and Donny was a little bit rock n roll):  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AfXznngjGw

Alison would love it that Mom and Dad are now in Las Vegas at the Donny & Marie Show (Flamingo Hotel 1/22/2015) - more than 42 years after Alison and I saw the Osmonds in concert at the State Fair in Allentown, Pennsylvania.  

I found a picture that Alison had of Donny Osmond (it might have been a picture of the poster over Alison's bed).  At the Celebration of Life we had for Alison on March 1, 2014, we displayed the picture of Donny Osmond along with a bouquet of Alison's flower pens.  We also played a short clip of Donny's song Puppy Love.  Memories!

   
    
       

I remember one time I was at home, either in my teens or early 20s, and I heard my mom call out my name from her bedroom so I went to double check what she needed.  When I got to her room the lights were off and I heard her sleepily say "Get me a cup of coffee" however it was nighttime and I wasn't sure why she would want a cup late at night.  I looked a bit closer and realized she was talking in her sleep.  Even in her sleep she had wanted her coffee!

During Reiko's visit from Tokyo I gave her a small bell that Alison would have wanted her to have.  It is a very special bell that had drawings of Mount Fuji and a Kyoto temple.  Reiko rang the bell and said "Alison thank you - I remember you." 

I also showed Reiko and her friend Norie two flower pen bouquets with the flower pens Alison made and they thought they were beautiful.  

Alison loved gardening, and over her lifetime had become quite expert in all aspects such as soil preparation, sunlight, water and fertilizer requirements for different plants. I would like to think that she acquired her love of gardening, in part, from observing and helping me. When we lived in Virginia, I had a modest sized garden (vegetables and flowers) in our back yard which I enjoyed working in and Alison helped me out with various tasks, during the three years we lived there.

When Alison and her family moved to San Diego, they lived in several different homes. Most of them did not have space for in ground gardening. At those homes, she always grew plants in containers  and her patios, small though they were, became works of art  as a result of her various container arrangements. In one home they lived in, in Solana Beach on Seabright Lane, there was a very large back yard. This enabled her to  plant a large garden in which she planted both vegetables and flowers. She enlisted the help of everyone in her family, but it was her pride and joy and she derived much enjoyment from working the garden and enjoying the fruits of her labors. Here is a photo of that garden, and Alison and Jennifer rightfully showing their pride in such a work of art.

After the Celebration of Life today, it rained really hard, but the sun came out for a bit.  JP and Peter were on their way home when they called to tell us that they had seen a double rainbow from the freeway, and that they believed this was a greeting from Alison.  A short while later, we (Pete, Dee and Cindy) were also able to see the double rainbow from our backyard.  Thank you Alison for letting us know you are watching over us from heaven above!  We love you! 

This is one of three German Chocolate Cakes baked by Cindy in honor of Alison for the Celebration of Life.  Alison loved this cake so much that we always baked it for her birthday.  We had many flowers at the Celebration of Life, including those displayed in the picture (the orchids from Audrey, the daffodils from Jeff, Caroline, Michelle and Jon, and the tulips from Dee).   

One of Alison's hobbies was collecting Barbie's and boy did she collect a lot over the years! I think the last time we counted it was close to 200.  She would buy them new or at garage sales.  It got to the point that we told her - no more Barbies! But then she would find a good one while garage sailing and sneak it back to me and tell me "Don't show that to your father, put it in with the rest."  Ha.  We went through them and organized the clothes and she looked to see what year they were made and labeled and categorized all of them. 


Now that they have been passed on she had written that she would like us to play with them and then donate them when we are done.  For her memorial/celebration of life I spent an afternoon going through them to seperate out some immediate donations and then to dress and get ready some to display at her celebration.  I think she would have really liked seeing me going through and dressing them and getting them ready.  I also picked one out to give to my friend Gosia's daughter Sophie for her 7th birthday along with some clothes.  This is a picture from her opening the gift.  I think she really liked it which was cute.  I am hoping the other Barbies that we donate and give away will also bring some smiles.