The rain continues here…daily. We had a couple periods yesterday of some heavy showers. It’s beginning to stand in the pastures some which isn’t real good on the cows. They have areas though to get out of the standing water.

It won’t stand long in normal situations, but in wet times such as these, there’s just nowhere for it to go. A couple dry, sunny days and it’ll be outta here. Next week the rain chances drop off considerably.

It really affects us in the business we’re in, which is paving. We also do sealcoating, lot striping, etc., but with the rain chances being so high like they are now, well, it’s better to sit it out instead of pushing our luck. Better safe than sorry.

The garden is taking a hit as well. Man, those little guys are beginning to suffer pretty heavily from a too much water standpoint. In times like these I’m wondering why in the heck didn’t I just bed em up…just in case? LOL!

Anyway…

My purpose with the post today is quite simple.

As a lot of you guys know, Judi and Brian, of “The Canada Free Press” had asked Deb and I about doin this site…Ridin Out the Recession. We agreed.

This started, I believe, at the end of Jan. of 2011. We talked about recipes, food storage, canning, tough economic times, and things she and I had done in this regard.

Well, the two of us both liked (okay LOVED) to talk, tell tales, jerk a chain or two, and even go back to “the day” of when we were growing up and we loved sharing some of those memories with you guys.

Through this, Deb had commented to me on numerous occasions of the enjoyment this site had brought to her. She used to tell me that because of the site, she had stopped, looked back, and relived things in her past that literally brought a smile to her face, and I now know, put one into her heart as well.

This became Deb’s motto… “Keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!”

We were so blessed to have been involved in such an endeavor because it was something we worked on…together.

If you look back at some of our posts in the beginning, you’ll see very quickly that we not only loved pickin at others, but THRIVED at the opportunity to…pick at each other! Laughin at ourselves was almost, but not quite as good as laughin at someone else! LOL!

We were…in our environment!

Then, April 1, 2011, our lives changed…forever…

Anyway, Deb and I had started, actually pretty much had completed about 80% of a cookbook. We were literally on the verge of publishing it, but somewhere along the line, during her ordeal, it came to have little importance…to me mostly.

Deb became the center of my universe. Her happiness and wellbeing became THE priority in my life. Nothing else mattered.

Looking back now, right here this morning, I’d not have done it any other way.

My point is this…

SO MANY of you guys became our friends! Many, part of our extended family.

This whole thing has been pretty tough. Finally, I’m beginning to get my feet back on the ground, and focus is becoming a part of my life once more.

A couple weeks back, the thought came to me to “suck it up” and finish this book. BUT, by doing so, it too would help me heal. The reasoning is simple.

Its chock full of the very things that she and I were enjoying so much….always did.

Cooking obviously is one of these, BUT, laughing is the main reason. I started looking back, rereading this dern thing and there it was… a “smile on my face, and one in my heart!”

She still blesses me, to this day! That little heifer!

Then I got to thinking on it some. It was gonna be something to do with Dub and Deb as the title, but then it hit me, that’s not what it REALLY ought to be about…Dub and Deb.

You guys had supported us, prayed for us, worried about us, and believe it or not, had literally CARRIED us through some very, very, difficult times. I’ve said this how many times now? I’m sure some of you may be getting tired of hearin it, BUT…it’s fact!

So, it dawned on me this needs to be titled, “Deb and Friends.”

It needs to be about her, and the friends she came to know and love, and she did…she loved every one of you guys!

Again, the book is all but finished, but I got to thinkin (which is dangerous in most cases), that if you would like to participate in this, we’d love for you to!

For those who’d like, if you guys would send in just a couple recipes, I’d be thrilled for you to do so, and I know, without a doubt, my better half would too! They’d be put in her book, and very much appreciated.

For those who don’t, it’s no biggie. I understand how busy you can get in today’s world. It is not a problem in the least, as I said, we’ve got recipes in it already runnin out our ears. Some of these would be “scrapped for now,” and any recipes you send would go in their place.

If you feel moved to share any of your recipes, just e-mail them to us at dubanddebs@gmail.com. Once more, let me thank you in advance.

Let me take a couple other moments to share a part of Deb’s dream.

She also has put together a book she wanted to share as well. It is her story of her fight against the cancer she had.

It’s not preaching to you in any way, but only sharing her battle. Her ups and HER downs. The difference God made in her life, and HIS help in the decisions she made in regards to her treatments.

Most know the outcome in the end, but it was more than that. It was her drive, her will to beat it, her quality of life that she lived, and she lived it to the fullest! It also was about the blessings she received from God, and in the end, she received the greatest possible blessing he could have given her…eternal life!

It tore me up when she passed, and it still does, yet I’ve come to understand how selfish of me this was. SHE IS at God’s side. I could ask for no greater gift for her than this.

Anyway, one day I’ll put that out for her as well. The time for me to finish that one up isn’t now. I’m not sure I could do it to the best of my ability, and I won’t do it any other way. I need a little more time.

BUT, Deb had a dream, and I’ll share just a part of that dream with you today.

She loved our place here rurally. We’d lived on a lake not far from here prior to our purchasing this land and building our home. We loved our neighbors and still do, yet Deb stated to me on several, actually a lot of times, of how blessed she was for God to have given us the opportunity to live here.

Although she loved our neighbors at the lake, she said she could not have dealt with her cancer there. She needed times to be alone, and here, she had that.

She’d take walks, look at the beauty of God’s creation, hear the birds singing, even watching the plants and trees grow off, and how lovely nature was. During some of these walks she’d tell me that she’d, “hit a knee,” and talk with God.

She explained this could happen anywhere, and she had the peace and solitude to “hit her knees” basically anywhere or anytime she felt the urge. She talked of God blessing her through our place, and how much it did to keep her spirits high.

So, Deb envisioned something here on the place. Something for her to share with others, to try to give back part of the blessing she’d received.

She explained that the day of her diagnosis was the toughest day she’d ever imagined. We found out her cancer was terminal, and that in the end…it would get her. It was devastating.

But here was Deb, going through this, but worrying about others. She wanted to help them, best she could, after their own diagnosis. She wanted to start something here on her place…

She wanted to build two cabins. Not large, maybe 1 bedroom, a bath, kitchen area and sitting room combined. Through this, others could get away from the “rat race,” and enjoy 2-3 days of quiet. A place to gather their thoughts and possibly leave here with…a game plan.

Free of charge.

She wanted a place where others could come and share the same peace and solitude she’d had, here…on her place. If they’d like, they could work around the garden with her, and even juice with her if they were interested.

They could talk about God, and HIS importance in your life, and to be honest, that’s exactly where she told me she’d gotten this idea of a couple cabins…FROM GOD!

I promised my wife during her last couple of days that even though she wouldn’t be here to physically see her dream, I WOULD SEE that this happened…her cabins. Her dream would come to pass, and…IT WILL. I promised her it would.

So, with her cookbook, I’ll see that half the proceeds, if there are any, will be put into an account strictly for her dream. If there aren’t, I’ll still see her cabins become reality, though it may take a little longer.

I just thought I’d share a part of Deb’s vision with you guys today. She was truly a good Christian woman, who’s heart was the biggest part of her. She was, and is, loved by all who knew her!

I want you all to have a great day, and God Bless! Be sure…to keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!

Doug “Dub” Bronson

I have to tell you guys what a pleasure doing this site has been. Yeah, there are times it seems as if there just aren’t enough hours in the day in regards to all the irons Deb and I have in the fire, but that’s part of life.

I know without a doubt that what I have to say suffers from time to time on account of other things going on, but I have to tell you…all the good we’ve received by doing this, far, far outweighs any bad. You guys have been just great!

When I let out about Deb’s cancer, I was stunned by the goodness you guys put out there for us. Your thoughts, concerns and prayers, literally overwhelmed us! On top of this, I know, in my heart, that your kindness has helped Deb immensely in her fight, and is one of the reasons she’s done so well! Thank you all again!

Without a doubt, the main reason we keep on with our site…is the ability to converse and share with so many wonderful people. The sharing of ideas, recipes, and even laughter. But far more than anything else is the ability to share prayers in each of our regard!

Sadly yesterday, we’ve found out that one of our very good, well actually, a very dear friend is once more faced with adversity from this terrible disease. I won’t use their names as I’m not sure yet if they’d feel it appropriate at the moment.

Most that have read our column for any length of time will know immediately who she is, but once more, I’ll keep it under hat for now. If she feels okay with it, I’m sure she’ll let you know, but I just would like you to say a prayer in their regard.

God too knows who I’m speaking of, and he will know where these prayers are directed!

The reason I’m letting out this news is that throughout Deb’s fight, she has been standing beside Deb since day one, and as she likes to say, “Holding Deb’s hand from afar.”

Because of this, and the type of person this lady is, I humbly ask you guys for prayers on her behalf as well. She has been through a long struggle in her own right with this disease, for years and years, but several months back was given an all clear!

Deb and I were ecstatic over such great, and deserved good fortune! It couldn’t have happened to a better person! Yet, we just found out that her husband was just diagnosed with cancer as well, and as far as we know at the moment, his prognosis is not good.

So once more, say a special prayer for this family. They have been through adversity before, and now it just tears our hearts out to find that once more, they are faced with this disease again.

I want her to know this morning just how much she’s meant to us since we’ve been blessed by her reaching out to us, and her literally becoming a part of our family, just as we feel we’re a part of her own.

Her thoughts, her laughter, her advice, concern and prayers were, and still are such a blessing, and this morning Deb and I both feel, not only feel, but KNOW, prayers are so helpful!

So to our friend, please know that this is but one way we feel we might could help you guys out…through prayer. Prayers from all our other friends out there strung together to help you guys through a tough, tough time.

Miracles happen daily. Keep the faith, look up, and know in your heart that you are loved by so many! God Bless you and yours! We love ya’ll, and are only a phone call away.

“Holding your hands from afar…”

Dub and Deb

Deb and I have a very dear friend who lives in Mississippi. Shoot, I call her Mississippi bout half the time. Anyway, after I put up on the site that Deb had been diagnosed with cancer, the response of concern and prayers was almost overwhelming to us.

You guys showed us so much love and affection that we couldn’t believe that two people could be so blessed. You all were literally “heaven sent.” Thank you all so very much!

We also were contacted by others that had family members, friends, and even themselves who were also fighting this dreaded disease. Some of these are no longer here with us, but have gone home to meet our Lord. God Bless them.

But through our meetings and conversations with other cancer survivors, and cancer victims, we noticed something right off the bat…these people became family. Honestly, the network we’ve experienced are literally family.

It’s amazing, but it’s true. A common bond, a common fight, and a common foe.

There’s also been several of you who have become really, really close to Deb and I both. One of you is Gerry, in Canada. Another is Ken, out in Texas. What great people these guys are. Loving and caring to Deb and I both, but both lost their wives to this disease.

To Gerry and Ken…we love you guys! Thanks for everything, your support, your love, your concerns, and your prayers. They don’t make em much better than you guys! God Bless ya’ll.

Mississippi falls into this same category… “one of the best!” She contacted us and expressed her love and concern for Deb and I both as well…with a twist.

It seems Sandra had been fighting cancer since 1998. What a “tough cookie” number one, but what a gentle and caring person she has been for Deb. Deb and I talked last night a little, and she expressed to me how appreciative she was over the fact of Sandra coming into our lives.

Sandra has kinda led Deb through this process of fighting cancer, although Sandra opted for chemo treatments. She kept Deb abreast of what to look for prior to treatment, Deb took one chemo, and what to look for afterwards.

She has been a rock for Deb, and has helped to keep her up, and answers any questions Deb may have. What does the blood test mean, what veggies or fruits aid the fight, and in general, just letting Deb know that although we’ve never met personally, besides speaking on the phone, she has a friend who’s involved in the same fight…holding her hand every step of the way!

Sandra, by the way, was diagnosed, CANCER FREE, I believe this past Nov…again after having contracted this disease in 1998! Good for you Sandra, and God Bless you! GREAT NEWS!!

Sandra sent us an e-mail that she says she wrote years ago, A funny, ha-ha look at life. Pre-conception, life itself, and after-life. It also involves a message…a message that there is a God, and by trying to live life as best we can, there are rewards in our after-life.

She has a few kind words for Deb in this that she’s added at the end of her story. Thanks again Sandra.

Let’s go ahead and see what Sandra has to say…

Heaven and Earth and the Reality of it All

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Before Life…

There is a bureau in the before life that you have to approach before you get a soul and move onto earth into a person to those people infanticipating a first member or subsequent members into their families. It’s almost like any government bureaucracy found on earth anywhere any place.

I really don’t remember the name of the guy at the heaven .gov department, he just filled out forms. The line was very long and filled with many, many souls working toward the end and at every desk you stopped to get more paperwork. The paperwork was burdensome and heavy and you struggled through the line to get to the end so you could be born to those parents infanticipating.

At long last you were at the front of the line and met GOD. And GOD said ” give me your book of Life” I looked around and could not find such. God said what are you carrying and I said “paperwork from Heaven.” God said “Good Heavens, don’t you know that is your book of “LIFE”. No, nobody told me.

During that meeting before I was issued to the infanticipating parents, I had an in service meeting with my GOD.

My interjections in the meeting were:

“You are are kidding”

“I don’t think I can do that”

“You’ve got to be kidding me!”

“How did that get in there”

No wonder I have lived the life I have, argumentative child that I was.

And God said “NOW FOLLOW THIS BOOK OF LIFE AND ALL THAT IS IN IT. WHEN YOU RETURN TO US YOU WILL HAVE SOME REALLY BIG WINGS, BIG, BIG WINGS WITH LOTS OF BEAUTIFUL FEATHERS IN THEM”.

That’s where the feathering my wings with good deeds comes from DUB & DEB

The other part of the story not told prior to getting in the lineup in the Before life part, IS…

I personally think of The making of human beings similar to a manufacturing plant.

I personally think that my particular person was made on a Friday. You know, Friday weekend coming up, low stock on parts, hurry up and getter done so we can go home kinda thing.

1. The trunk department had a kinda little trunk but it had a moderate size butt.

They said this will do.

2. The leg department had some short legs, chunky little thighs and some calves and ankles that my Mother would die for. (My mother was into calves and ankles because when she grew up that was the best part of a woman’s body. Little did she know).

3. Going through the mammary gland department not much to choose from there. (I will tell you they could not have been too bad, because daughter has always bemoaned the fact that my gene pool did not extend to her. Have always told her when she is ready for boob job just wheel me in next to her and I will share, kinda like donating a kidney).

4. Going through the head department, only kinda small one left. They said you know this does not quite meet standards, but let’s throw in lots of hair and those great big Deer in the headlights eyes. You know those great big brown ones that are moist all the time. Every time you look at them they look like they are gonna cry. Nobody wants them. Got those.

5. Dam-med Unions. Even God has them.

6. So made it through the put together part and the orientation part and popped out on to the scene at the grand lighted stage of our favorite Infirmary with myself. The doctor said “It’s a girl” Daddy said “It’s grand, healthy baby girl”

Mama said “There must be some mistake, I wanted a boy, and it ain’t very cute”

The Post Script to this story is Mother and Aunt were great movie goers at that time and had ordered a clone Shirley Temple.

My father coming from a family of ten was a realist and took what he got. IT’S BEEN A GRAND LIFE and I have never been disappointed!

Again to you, so there. My story and sticking to it. These are my words and thoughts. Can only share them with the shrinks far, far away. Talking about Deb and her tiny body brought this up. Deb might have a tiny body but her heart and mind are as a Goliath. Ask her and she will tell you what that means.

Thinking of you and Prayers your way.

Post Script to this: Not long after writing this Sister in Law in Arizona called and we had a discussion about this and she just cracked up. She said I had grand delusions and the way she had lived her life she only expected to get trainer wings. We had such a great laugh.

Wrote this a long time ago and have been through much since. After what I went through the last year I do believe that I am not finished doing my list of good deeds. So I am going to hang around a little longer and when I am done I will have the biggest, fluffiest, sexiest white wings ever seen. Soooo big they will cover me up and I probably won’t be able to fly. Fly? Fly where?

Think I will try to entice the archangel Michael with my fluffy wings since he has been my designated guardian Angel since I was born. Catholicism really showing there.

Mississippi: Hope Deb’s apt. went well.

Deb’s appointment did go well, Sandra. Another perfect blood test!

Also, when you do get those big, beautiful wings you so long for, many of them will have come from the amount of goodness you’ve shown to Deb and I both! You have truly been a blessing. We both love you for it!

Well guys, we hope you enjoyed this today. Thank you once again for droppin in to visit with us. God Bless you and yours, and Deb says to be sure and keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!

Dub and Deb