Dena is going to be Sixty (60).

What are you going to do when you have a sixty year old angel??? Love her with your whole being. How many women can get her way as they stands toe to toe with the "captains of industry", sits at the bedsides and graves as her parents die, listen to horrible tragedies told to her by frightened, suffering friends and then 'on a lark', lay down in the snow and make 'snow angels' as if she were six and this is her avocation and her first frozen precipitation. Everyone loves her and she loves them in return, warts and all.

She loves flowers, so the flower fairy gave her 60 roses and "one to grow on". I'm sure she is in the photo somewhere???

Dena is at least as much fun to give a gift to as any child I have ever had the privilege to watch receive a present. That is the best part of it for me.

The oddly and overly wrapped gift in the photo is a hard backed photo album created by apple books and me. It is quite beautiful, if I must say so myself. It is after all a collection of the "Life and times of Dena Olivia Takmajian-Pierce". We expect the movie to follow this summer. :)

It took many weeks and hours to assemble the photos and learn how the create the book. It was even lost to the world in a computer 'fart', but I overcame this momentary setback and rebuilt the book from scratch for my sweet wife. I think she likes it.

When we got to Ramone's El Dorado last night, they were going to close the doors at 4:30 pm because of the snow and very cold (single digit) temperatures. When we left at 7:30 pm the restaurant was still half full and people still coming in. Who'd have thunk it ???

We were the first one to arrive and for a very short time it looked as if it was going to be a "Mary Tyler Moore Party".

Dena, (still blind as a bat when it comes to her mate), has the most beautiful eyes and smile, Always. Thank God for Dena and thank him sharing her with me.

Mark and Carrie, who shared their house with us at Christmas, joined the crew to wish Dena a happy birthday. We are always happy to see them.

Jose' our long time friend at Ramone's, takes care of our every need. The margaritas flow like a river (well at least a cold stream). Our place is reserved every week and we need to call Jose' so that he will not worry if we can not get there. He knows what I will order and usually chooses the best and freshest delight for Dena.

Crash (Debbie) and Phil helped to put this small secret together. Crash is one of Dena's oldest freinds, that is not to imply that she is in anyway "old". Deb would do anything for Dena and was glad to take over responsibilities for the 'Gayla Gala'. Her sweet smile and easy demeanor belies the strength and wisdom under the surface. Phil is a good match her and friend to us.

Kathy and Frank are possibly the uber partiers. They are great parents and grandparents. Their son is a stellar student, mostly do to their dillagence. Kathy is another of Dena's oldest friends who have a much longer history that I with her. Kathy and Dena walk together in the coldest or hottest or just most miserable of days and seem to not notice the weather. Dena is a good listener and Kathy is . . . well, Kathy.

It sure took long enough!!!!!

Sorry to leave you hanging these months. (Like anyone would be pining away for my new posts.) I have been busy, lazy and depressed. My sister's husband died suddenly in November, immediately after getting Dena home from Birmingham where she kept watch (with nieces Cynthia and Laura) over Dena's sister-in-law, still recovering from open heart surgery. Pat is still in the hospital, going on over two months. Dena was home no more than an hour, before I was called to go back to Florida.

My sister is better and growing stronger everyday. Dena's, Pat will be needing your prayer for a long time to come.

There is always a silver lining in dark clouds. The good news that I could not speak of in

November is that Dena's niece, Monica (43 years old) is having an a baby. This follows on the heals, (well probably not that close together) of the pregnancy of her sister, Leigh Ann, (two years younger) giving birth to a beautiful baby boy, Patrick, on May 26th, (1990). Patrick will be a cousin, finally as he is about to be twenty. The cousins will have to figure out some kind of arrangement. Patrick can use the new baby to help pick up "chicks" and maybe the "chicks" can help him change the diapers. :)

Grandma, Clara, is ecstatic. She can put her well-honed skills at QVC and the Shopping Channel to good use to but everything in the world for the new G-baby. Now, in our old age, we can come up with money, it is called a reverse mortgage.

We were all concerned about the Immaculate Conception. It is very hard these days running down "Angels", who visit girls in the night, to get them to pay child support. As we all know, "Angels" do not have a social security numbers and their last known addresses are sketchy at best.

But then, we found that, in fact, Monica's boy friend, Mike, is a very good friend of "said Angel" and is willing to be a stand-up guy take over the responsibilities. Mike is also an itinerant carpenter, but not from the same U.B.C. local.

To his credit, he is a former solider in the United States Marine Corp and a veteran from the "Desert Storm War". He shares responsibilities raising his first son, is hard working and seems to be an all around good guy. Everyone likes him very much.

He displayed a large amount of his 'courage under-fire', as he proposed to Monica in front of the immediate family on Christmas morning, There was a long silence, because we know that our Monica is very particular about men. She took a breath and said "yes". Mike thankfully got off his knees and joined the rest of us as we cheered, cried and laughed, (to break the ice).

When asked about plans to marry, Monica replied "I'm just engaged" (a very big step for her & Mike). I'm sure they will work out some arrangements and we are all anxious to be at that celebration.

I hope you all had a kind and civil Christmas and remembered those less fortunate. It is after-all the cardboard box, not the presents that lasts.

LOve, Pirate