On 9/11 and the following week, Tony, Gale, Kathy, Michael, Leesa and I were at Lake Powell cruising on a house boat.  One morning I wanted to do some exploring of the beach area while we were docked.  Gale decided to come along on this adventure which included some rock climbing.  She amazed me how it didn't phase her one bit carrying her 20 pound (+) purse, sloushing coffee cup (taking sips on the way) and sandles w/heels.  We had the best time!!!!

People say that chocolate is an aphrodisiac, that it is an antidepressant and a quick energy booster. I don’t think my mother really cared about the effects, she just loved the taste!  In our house, the rule was ALL CHOCOLATE is Gale’s!  If we were very, very, good she would dole out little pieces to us, but no one was in any doubt over whom the chocolate belonged to, nor were we courageous enough to eat it without permission!  I think Mom was a little shy about her addiction, or maybe she was just afraid someone would want her chocolate stash, but she would hide her stores of chocolate away from everyone and in little nooks in her car, the kitchen or her bedroom. If you came upon her eating some chocolate, she would carefully put it away in her purse or under a cushion nearby. We used to laugh and tease her about this, and she would simply shrug and respond with a disapproving look for interrupting her chocolate time.  Mom liked Hershey bars and truly adored truffles. She also made the most sublime chocolate fudge and would make it for us as special treats on our birthdays for special occasions.   Mom also loved peanut brittle, particularly the pink toffee patties, and she really enjoyed flavored popcorn but she LOVED chocolate and was a self-proclaimed chocoholic.  I found some funny jokes about chocolate I want to share. I think Mom would smile at some of them, and her eyes would twinkle when she got a chocolate gift, but in general, she didn’t talk much about why she loved chocolate - she just did.

A new British survey has revealed that 9 out of 10 people like Chocolate. The tenth lies. – Robert Paul

A chocolate in the mouth is worth two on the plate.

Anything is good and useful if it’s made of chocolate.

What is the meaning of life? All evidence to date suggests it’s chocolate.

Put “eat chocolate” at the top of your list of things to do today. That way, at least you’ll get one thing done.

Momma always said life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get. – Forrest Gump

Other things are just food. But chocolate’s chocolate. – Patrick Skene Catling

Too much of a good thing is simply wonderful! – Deborah Fox-Rothschild

A little too much chocolate is just about right.

Any sane person loves chocolate. – Bob Greene

Anything tastes better dipped in chocolate.

Chocolate doesn’t make the world go ’round, but it sure does make the trip worthwhile!

The best things in life are chocolate.

Chocolate is nature’s way of making up for Mondays and early mornings.

Coffee makes it possible to get out of bed, but chocolate makes it worthwhile.

Chocolate is not a matter of life and death – it’s more important than that!

If chocolate is the answer, the question is irrelevant.

Dip it in chocolate; it’ll be fine.

If you can’t eat all your chocolate, it will keep in the freezer. But if you can’t eat all your chocolate, what’s wrong with you?

Chocolate is a serious thing! – Counselor Deanna Troi, Start Trek: The Next Generation

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People say that chocolate is an aphrodisiac, that it is an antidepressant and a quick energy booster. I don’t think my mother really cared about the effects, she just loved the taste!  In our house, the rule was ALL CHOCOLATE is Gale’s!  If we were very, very, good she would dole out little pieces to us, but no one was in any doubt over whom the chocolate belonged to, nor were we courageous enough to eat it without permission!  I think Mom was a little shy about her addiction, or maybe she was just afraid someone would want her chocolate stash, but she would hide her stores of chocolate away from everyone concealed in little nooks in her car, the kitchen or her bedroom. If you came upon her eating some chocolate, she would carefully put it away in her purse or under a cushion nearby. We used to laugh and tease her about this, and she would simply shrug and respond with a disapproving look for interrupting her chocolate time.  Mom liked Hershey bars and truly adored truffles. She also made the most sublime chocolate fudge and would make it for us as special treats on our birthdays and special occasions.   Mom really liked peanut brittle, particularly the pink toffee patties, and she really enjoyed flavored popcorn but she LOVED chocolate and was a self-proclaimed chocoholic.  I found some funny jokes about chocolate I wanted to share. I think Mom would smile at some of them, and her eyes would twinkle when she got a chocolate gift, but in general, she didn’t talk much about why she loved chocolate - she just did.

Chocolate Jokes

A new British survey has revealed that 9 out of 10 people like Chocolate. The tenth lies. – Robert Paul

A chocolate in the mouth is worth two on the plate.

Anything is good and useful if it’s made of chocolate.

What is the meaning of life? All evidence to date suggests it’s chocolate.

Put “eat chocolate” at the top of your list of things to do today. That way, at least you’ll get one thing done.

Momma always said life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get. – Forrest Gump

Other things are just food. But chocolate’s chocolate. – Patrick Skene Catling

Too much of a good thing is simply wonderful! – Deborah Fox-Rothschild

A little too much chocolate is just about right.

Any sane person loves chocolate. – Bob Greene

Anything tastes better dipped in chocolate.

Chocolate doesn’t make the world go ’round, but it sure does make the trip worthwhile!

The best things in life are chocolate.

Chocolate is nature’s way of making up for Mondays and early mornings.

Coffee makes it possible to get out of bed, but chocolate makes it worthwhile.

Chocolate is not a matter of life and death – it’s more important than that!

If chocolate is the answer, the question is irrelevant.

Dip it in chocolate; it’ll be fine.

If you can’t eat all your chocolate, it will keep in the freezer. But if you can’t eat all your chocolate, what’s wrong with you?

Chocolate is a serious thing! – Counselor Deanna Troi, Start Trek: The Next Generation

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My Mom loved to dance she would swirl, stomp, sway and wiggle to the beat. I think she may have been the perfect dance partner. Because when I was little there would be a line of gentleman waiting for Dad to tucker out and give his permission to dance with Mom. She seemed to be able to dancewith and follow any partner effortlessly. These partners would always say she felt like a feather and was so light on her feet.  It’s funny because although I love music and can dance, I did not inherit her ability to follow a partner and make them feel wonderful like she did.  When people would ask me to dance, after they had danced with Mom, they would give me a strange look, tell me to… “let THEM lead!" and would visibly wonder how a light stepper could have a heavy stepper like me as a daughter. Sorry Mom, I guess too many individual dances on my part and playing the lead partner role with Leesa , Windy, friends etc (Laugh)  My grandmother (Pat) used to show me pictures of Mom and all her cousins in various dance recitals.  The costumes they wore were amazing  and you can see a little bit of what it looked like to watch Mom dance when you see Mattie dancing (smile).  I found this poem about feet like the wind and dancing with eyes closed that is what Mom did.

Dance

dance the river is there to rise
dance touch me and close your eyes
dance the winds will touch your feet
just dance and dance feel the beat

dance the river will find its mouth
dance east and west north and south
dance the river will find my lips
dance the poles to move my hips

dance the bees are dancing hives
dance the trees are swaying lives
dance the waves are breaking through
dance the sides for me and you

dance the birds are dancing flights
dance the stars are dancing nights
dance the currents dancing veins
dance in soils dancing grains

dance the last atom cutting a knot
just dance and dance until you cannot

Miroslava Odalovic

No one ever saw Mom (Gale) without a book in hand or strategically nearby. She read always. Mom  was a.... maybe I should say 'the'.. BOOK GIVER".  Every year she chose books for all the people in her rather large, extended, lot of family, friends and neighbours.  Sometimes she would be up late, on Christmas Eve, wrapping book gifts for nieces or nephews or cousins she hadn't seen for years and yet... somehow she always chose the right one! Every Christmas people would talk about the book she gave them the year before and how much they loved it.

Sometimes... you'd see a baffled look on someones face as they opened up their new book for the year ... maybe it was a topic they were unsure of , or a genre they didn't usually read, or even something they had read years before. Unphased she would tell them a little bit about the author, or the storyline or how she had enjoyed previous books from the same writer or had just read it again herself. Often she would pull out another book she had on hand and give them that too. The recepient would say thank you perhaps softly at first and then again louder and louder as they actually read and digested whatever literary feast she had selected just for them.

Mom chose books based on interests or need and never gave a book to a child she didn't like herself. She magically knew, just the book ,someone needed to; laugh over, reflect on, learn from, review, study with or even practice reading out loud with. A few times, I watched her picking out books and she just sort of had a 'feel', for which one would be just right right for who. I'm grateful she shared the magic gift  of reading with all of us . I imagine her heaven is bit like a library, with an endless trove of books, new and old ,outfitted with comfy chairs, plush sofas, big picture windows and great coffee. 

Did you ever see Mom without her bag? It was a rare sight she carried a bag with her everywhere and inside was everything. Chewing gum, title of good book, pen, pencil, rubber bands, someone's address, sticky notes, photos you name it ... and she probably had it. It might take awhile to find but it was there. Her bag was heavy and cumbersome and  at the top there were usually two novels one she was reading and one she was going to read again. For a few years, I gave her a new bag annually  and she would absolutely love each new one. Especially if it had pockets and places for things like her cell phone and books  and sturdy  sturdy straps ...she would move everything over to the new bag  in chunks !! (LOL) not listening to my comments about minimalisim at all... I miss her and that huge old bag and where ever she is I'd like to send her another I'm sure she's wearing the one she's got out xxxxxxxxxx