Category: Friends

Super Bowl LVII is Here!
Friends · My Thoughts

Super Bowl LVII is Here!

Larada Horner-MillerLeave a comment

Football fan? Yes, I am, but my team is not playing in the Super Bowl! My husband’s team is—the Philadelphia Eagles. So, we drove to Phoenix, Arizona to take part in the pre-game NFL Experience. No, we couldn’t afford to go to the game, but the NFL Experience was a blast.

How We ended up in Phoenix?

My brother is a super fan of the Denver Broncos—me too! When the Broncos went to the Super Bowl seven years ago, my brother has a big regret. The big game was in San Diego, California, and he lived in northern California. He regretted not going to their promotional week and has repeated that to me!

So, a month out from the Super Bowl, I warned my husband: The Eagles were winning, the Super Bowl this year is in Phoenix—7 hours away, Lin’s best friend, Bob, lived in Phoenix, and you don’t want to regret it!

When the Eagles won the NFC championship to go to the Super Bowl, I started googling the promotional week. Bob called and the plan fell into place.

Following Bob’s suggestion, I signed up for the NFL Experience on Thursday, February 9, 2023 at 6:00 PM—it was a go! Bob and his wife, Linda, had tickets for Saturday, February 5 and planned to get the lay-of-the-land.

What I Had to Do to Go!

Then I remembered after doing that, I was supposed to go to a church training from Monday to Thursday, the same week. I emailed the leader of that and explained my situation and asked if I could rollover my registration to next year. She replied immediately, saying I could!

Then I texted my pet sitter to see if she could take care of my 20-year-old cat! It was a go!

How It Unfolded

On Wednesday, February 8, 2023, we left home for Phoenix about 10:30 AM. We stopped in Grants, New Mexico for lunch at the Subways. To beginning our journey, I ordered a “Philly Cheese Steak” in honor of the Eagles.

After an uneventful and pleasant trip, we arrived at Bob and Linda’s house about 7:00 PM. We caught up and focused on the big event we faced the next day. They filled us in on what they had learned on Saturday—their day had been great but crowded!

 What the day looked like

Bob & Lin on the back side of the stadium!
Bob & Lin on the back side of the stadium!

On the morning of our big day, Bob toured us around Phoenix. We drove closer to the stadium and pulled in to the back of it and got pictures. After returning to their home for a brief break, we left their house at 3:00 PM, to be sure to get in on time. The couple we were meeting at the Food Court were easy to find.

Bronco repeat Super Bowl ring from 1998.
Broncos’ 1998 Super Bowl ring when they repeated winning!

Our first stop was to see the past Super Bowl rings. The line was long, but Bob and Linda told us the crowd wasn’t as large as Saturday. As we waited, we looked at jeweled helmets displayed by division. How amazing! When we finally moved up in line to see the rings, the size blew me away—so much larger than I could imagine!

Being the Bronco fan, I took pictures of each of our Super Bowl rings, and I also took pictures of the Eagles’ Super Bowl rings, too. Seeing the names of all the football heroes, I loved it!

To fully experience this NFL Experience, it’s participatory. So, all of us tried to throw a football through the letter “O” of a large display of Lowe’s. From there, two of us tried to kick a field goal.

The halls were full of historical displays that we didn’t have time to read. We ended the night in the NFL store, the size of a warehouse. It had three parts: Super Bowl LVII attire, Eagles, and Chiefs attire. I bought Super Bowl LVII clothing: a light jacket, a hat and a t-shirt. My husband stayed in Eagles’ section. What fun!

My Super Bowl hat & shirt!
My Super Bowl hat & shirt!

Finally,

What an amazing experience! I didn’t take any Broncos shirts, but our friends told us on Saturday, fans wore paraphernalia for whatever team they loved! So I borrowed a Broncos’ shirt and Bob, Linda and I supported our Broncos! Of course, Lin proudly wore his Eagles’ stuff!

PS – I had hoped to get this done before the end of the Super Bowl, but I didn’t! The Chiefs won, but I wouldn’t exchange our memories at the NFL Experience in Phoenix for anything!

News, News, News!

A Winter meme of five of my books!
All available at my website: laradasbooks.com or Amazon.com

~For me, it’s Christmas all year long! Here’s a variety of Christmas greetings from Flippo & Neeca, featuring his song, “When It’s Christmas Time in Texas”: https://youtu.be/mpJCUGffU3A

Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? meme
Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy a chapter!

~My new book, Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? WON the 2022 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards in the Body, Mind & Spirit Category. Have you bought your copy yet? Vist my website: laradasbooks.com or at Amazon.

Just Another Square Dance Caller: Authorized Biography of Marshall Flippo
Baby, it’s cold outside! Read about Flippo inside where it’s warm!

~Have you bought a copy of Flippo’s biography yet? Believe it or not—it’s been three years. Go here for your hardback or paperback: https://www.laradasbooks.com or at Amazon.

A Reunion Reborn!
Colorado · family · Friends · My Thoughts

A Reunion Reborn!

Larada Horner-Miller2 Comments
Football game at the Branson-Trinchera Reunion
Football games and
Ice cream and dessert social at the Branson-Trinchera Reunion
Ice cream and delicious desserts!

Last week on Saturday, August 27, 2022, the Branson-Trinchera Reunion saw a rebirth after being canceled for two years because of the pandemic. The creative committee came up with a different format, which attracted younger alumni.

So, this is how the day looked! The celebration started off at Branson’s new amazing football field with two games—first the junior high and then the high school. Many alumni circled the football field to cheer on both teams. We didn’t have football when I was in school. In fact, the football field is where the baseball field used to be!

The senior class manned the concession stand and provided needed refreshments on a hot day. What fun I had talking to old friends in the cafeteria—hugs galore!

After the two school games, there was an alumni flag football game. Several recent graduates stood in front of me and my car during the game, eager to get back on the field. As the high school game drew closer and closer to its finish, they put on their cleats and stretched muscles, ready to get on the field once more. During this game, the festivities began in the gym with an ice cream and dessert social. The committee provided the ice cream; the alumni brought the delicious desserts.

Keeping with tradition, the committee displayed Tom Cummins’ amazing historical photo collection and land plats. Many alumni with their families strolled by the photos, and I heard exclamations and shouts when someone recognized a relative.

The atmosphere of lifelong friendships and storytelling filled the air. What a pleasant experience! We only had a few “ole timers,” but people clustered around them to show their love and respect. The sad truth—we don’t have many “ole timers” left!

Kaylinn Gilstrap, a professional photographer, added an art show to the festivities, with its opening reception on August 13, 2022 from 3:00—6:00 PM and its closing reception coinciding with the reunion from 5:00—7:00 PM. This art show added quite an artistic flair to the traditional reunion. Many people ventured up to the old County Garage building to view the amazing artwork from many local artists and alumni.

I served on this committee for about twenty-five years, and we had seen a major decline in attendance. The “ole timers” were passing away. Many alumni from the 60s, 70s and 80s, for whatever reason, chose not to attend the reunion, and I don’t understand why. I love the fact that we had it this year—maybe different, but we had it.

When I first saw the flyer announcing a change of date and format, I have to admit I was skeptical. I couldn’t see how our elderly alumni could attend the football games, then stay for the social time with ice cream and desserts. I thought it would be too long! It worked!

Finally, it wasn’t the old format, but is that so bad? This innovative committee worked hard to provide the event we all love—a time to get together with family and friends. You can’t beat that.   

And now looking towards 2023 and the future. Next year we will celebrate 100 years for the Branson school. What a time to celebrate! (The black-and-white picture is the original Branson School!)

~WATCH MY NEW INTERVIEW on Douglas Coleman’s show dated August 5, 2022.

~MY FIRST AUDIOBOOK IS AVAILABLE: Go to Audible to buy my first audiobook, Let Me Tell You a Story. I’m working on Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? but have gotten stalled with shingles.

~Do you listen to podcasts? Here are three podcasts with interviews about my new book & some Flippo stories:

Just Another Square Dance Caller: Authorized Biography of Marshall Flippo meme. Reunion
Grab a last drink on the beach with Flippo & enjoy!

~Have you bought a copy of Flippo’s biography yet? Believe it or not—it’s been two years. Go here for your hardback or paperback: https://www.laradasbooks.com or at Amazon.

~For me, it’s Christmas all year long! Here’s a variety of Christmas greetings from Flippo & Neeca, featuring his song, “When It’s Christmas Time in Texas”: https://youtu.be/mpJCUGffU3A

~Wish You Were Here: A Novel by Jodi Picoult, one of my favorite authors, deals with the COVID pandemic in fiction as opposed to my nonfiction book. Check it out! Interesting story!

Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better meme. Reunion
Read, reflect and respond!

~I’m not afraid of tough subjects like the coronavirus. Yes, I get people are tired of hearing about it, but. . . Visit my website to find out about my new book, Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? and my other five books and three cookbooks: https://laradasbooks.com

Sixty-nine tomorrow—It’s my birthday!
Baby boomer · family · Friends · My Thoughts

Sixty-nine tomorrow—It’s my birthday!

Larada Horner-Miller4 Comments
Happy birthday - sixty-nine

I turn sixty-nine years-old tomorrow and wonder about how quickly I got here! Let me ponder life at the end of my sixth decade.

At each major birthday in my life, I’ve advanced easily, without regret or any desire to be younger and go backwards. I have always felt age was an attitude and looked forward to the future with anticipation! Often, I still feel sixteen inside!

Turning Thirty

My Watermelon with Crepe Paper
Me in Grandma’s Undies

When I moved from twenty-nine to thirty, my family gathered together at my parent’s home in Branson and celebrated with a watermelon (crepe paper around it). Watermelons have always been my favorite fruit and my young nephew giggled as he presented it to me. They also gave me a survival kit for me that included a pair of my grandma’s underwear (see picture above) and a set of false teeth. And then my Aunt Willie added to the festivities and decorated a cake which said, “One foot on the grave and one on a banana peel!”

Turning Sixty

Sadly, when I turned sixty, Mom had just died, so my heart broke on my birthday because I found out she had big plans for my big birthday that year. But I enjoyed being with Lin, my brother and Aunt Willie. Mom always made birthdays memorable, and Lin continues to do that.

Turning Sixty-Nine

My beautiful birthday bouqet - sixty-nine
Beautiful birthday bouquet from Lin

Yesterday morning, Lin brought me a beautiful bouquet to start my birthday celebration; he said! Last night he forewarned me I needed to be dressed and ready to leave here at 5:15 PM for dinner tomorrow night—mysterious and so much fun!

At sixty-nine, I have had an amazing life, filled with much heartache and so much joy. Isn’t that what many people experience in this life? Last November, I came up with a resounding motto when I took part in a blog challenge where I posted blogs daily for the month of November. That motto is “a baby boomer with a purpose.”

You might wonder what that motto means to me. When it hit me so sharply last year, I felt deep down that described who I am. Yes, I’m a baby boomer, and just because I’m a designated “Senior Citizen,” I’m not done!

I’m not done with

  • Challenging myself—I continue as a lifelong learner.
  • Growth—My Christian beliefs grow daily. My spiritual life expands.
  • Adventure—In Lin, I have the perfect life partner to look at life as an adventure.
  • Writing—I’m working on my seventh book and have three poetry books and a fiction in the queue.
  • Traveling—Lin and I have two cruises planned for this year and more trips for 2023.
  • Dancing—I will dance ‘til I die because Harold and Elva Horner were my dancing parents!

So, as I face the end of my 60s, I look back and marvel. Yes, I have had several health issues over these last nine years, but I have had so many blessings. And I choose to focus on the blessings—my late-in-life writing career, my delightful, dear husband, my brother and family ranch and my exceptional family and friends. During these last nine years, I have hundreds of hilarious memories with each of these people and on our family ranch.

So, yes, as a part of being fully alive, I take part in a variety of sites in the social media world. On LinkedIn.com, I met another senior with a purpose, Idessa Toney, whose website, Seniors with a Purpose, and her YouTube channel, captured my attention. Idessa and I share a passion for living life now, no matter what age. Be sure and visit her website.

As much as I love my parents, I remember them so old at sixty-nine. Is that true or my perception only? My dad had breathing issues, and he started downhill about this age. He died at seventy-eight. At sixty-nine, my mom had been a widow for a year, burdened with the loss of her life partner. I had the privilege of being closely connected with her until her death at eighty-four. Yes, I feel much younger than I remember them to be!

Finally,

Tomorrow I age one year, but I look forward to my last year in my 60s. I trust my God to provide a memorable, fun-filled year. Then, look out 70s, because I know they offer adventure, life and surprises. I opt for it all!

How do you feel about aging? Do you dread a certain age? Do you have a motto?

~WATCH MY NEW INTERVIEW on Chat & Spin Radio, Friday, June 24 at 1:00 PM. Join us for a lively discussion of my books!

~MY FIRST AUDIOBOOK IS AVAILABLE: Go to Audible to buy my first audiobook, Let Me Tell You a Story. I’m working on Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? but have gotten stalled with shingles.

~Do you listen to podcasts? Here are three podcasts with interviews about my new book & some Flippo stories:

Just Another Square Dance Caller: Authorized Biography of Marshall Flippo meme

~Have you bought a copy of Flippo’s biography yet? Believe it or not—it’s been two years. Go here for your hardback or paperback: https://www.laradasbooks.com or at Amazon.

~For me, it’s Christmas all year long! Here’s a variety of Christmas greetings from Flippo & Neeca, featuring his song, “When It’s Christmas Time in Texas”: https://youtu.be/mpJCUGffU3A

Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? meme

~What happened to you in 2020-2021 during the coronavirus pandemic? Do you care? Are you on a spiritual path? Do you want to heal from the horrible effects of the pandemic of 2020? Visit my website to find out about my new book, Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? and my other five books and three cookbooks: https://laradasbooks.com

New Year’s Eve Memories & Shenanigans!
Dancing · family · Friends · Holidays · My Thoughts

New Year’s Eve Memories & Shenanigans!

Larada Horner-MillerLeave a comment
Happy New Year Ev'es

New Year’s Eve 2021 is here! I always get nostalgic thinking of past New Year’s Eves, so I’d like to share some with you.

New Year’s Eve With Bub & Lela

My brother, Bub, and his wife, Lela were my favorite New Year’s Eve partiers! For a couple of years, we went out to a bar in Clearlake Oaks, California and danced to country and western music. They followed one band and became good friends with the whole band and their spouses, so it felt like family.

My sister-in-law, the perfect playmate, dressed up with me, and we sprayed glitter in our hair and out the door we went. After doing that a couple of years, we became known as the “Glitter Girls.”

When the bar closed, we often went to someone’s house to continue the party—being in our early thirties, we had the energy to stay up late, drink a lot and keep going. One year, we came home after the party at someone’s house and went through all their pictures. We finally went to bed around 5:00 AM.

One year, I rode out to California with a friend on Amtrak. We woke up New Year’s Eve morning in the party car, and we had a party day traveling to Sacramento.

Square & Round Dancing on This Night

When I started square dancing, I loved to dance on New Year’s Eve with the tradition of ending the year with a dance, then starting the new year with another one.

For a couple of years, my ex and I drove to Raleigh, North Carolina, to spend Christmas with his brother and then attend a round dance festival at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina that ended on New Year’s Eve. During the festival before the holiday, Charlie Lovelace and Wayne and Barbara Blackford taught us some gorgeous higher-level dances. I loved being on the beach, too.

I had gotten into the habit of calling Mom in Colorado on New Year’s Eve—so, not thinking, I called her from Myrtle Beach when we got back to our room to wish her a “Happy New Year.” I didn’t realize it was late in Colorado, but she didn’t blink an eye! She was so glad to hear from me.

For several years, my ex and I went to Green Valley, Arizona, for New Year’s Eve. They served a delicious sit-down dinner, and then we square and round danced. We have so many friends in Arizona; it was a delight to celebrate with them there.

After Lin and I got together, we celebrated many years at the Albuquerque Square Dance Center with our Albuquerque square dance family. They got into the habit of observing the New York time of celebrating the New Year at 10:00 PM, our time, so we became used to an earlier night on New Year’s Eve.

Unique Night for New Year’s Eve

The most unique New Year’s Eve was Marshall Flippo’s last square dance in Green Valley, Arizona in 2017. About twenty-five callers came from all over the United States to see their mentor and friend call his last dance.

Flippo called a fun-filled dance. During the night, I saw groups of callers watching him on stage, emotions mixed for everyone.

During the amazing night, Flippo handpicked his music. He sang, “Another Square Dance Caller.” He shared a heartfelt thank you to everyone in attendance and ended his final dance with the song, “I’m Leaving Here a Better Man.” I’m sure that’s how he felt that night!

Larada Horner-Miller, Just Another Square Dance Caller: Authorized Biography of Marshall Flippo, (2020): 327.

What made that New Year’s Eve dance so unique—anyone there witnessed the end of an era with Flippo ending his square dance calling career. I felt honored to be there!

The Last Few Years on New year’s Eve

For a variety of health reasons of ours, we’ve been at-home the last few years on New Year’s Eve—not my idea of how to spend this holiday. And yes, during the pandemic last year we watched TV to ring in the new year.

Finally,

I enjoy celebrating the end of the current year and the anticipatory feelings of the new one coming. Putting on a silly paper hat, blowing a horn and throwing up confetti make me feel celebratory, but I love to observe this festive night dancing and being with friends.

Do you celebrate New Year’s Eve? If so, how? What is your favorite New Year’s Eve memory?

Here’s Christmas greetings from Flippo & Neeca, featuring his song, “When Its Christmas Time in Texas”: https://youtu.be/mpJCUGffU3A

Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? New Year's Eve meme

Visit my website to find out about my new book, Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? and my other five books and three cookbooks: https://laradasbooks.com

EXCITING NEWS HERE!