Happy Birthday Inland Empire Girl!!

Inland Empire Girl and Silver Valley Girl building a snowman the winter of 1968-1969.

Today is my sister Inland Empire Girl's Birthday. I send all my love across the miles up to her little piece of heaven up in Northeastern Washington state.

For being eight years apart, we have a lot in common, and many of the same interests.

We even sound alike. Our voices are very similar, and we talk alike when we speak. We have many of the same mannerisms as well.

Many of the choices I made in life were because I followed in my big sister's footsteps.

IEG played the flute, and so did I.

IEG was in Rainbow Girls, and so was I.

IEG acted in plays in high school, and so did I.

IEG attended the University of Idaho, and so did I.

IEG pledged the Tri Delta Sorority, and so did I.

IEG loves to write, and so do I. In fact, she has taught me an incredible amount about the craft of writing.

IEG loves to read, and so do I. She is always passing on books to me to read, and we had a wonderful used book hunt this summer.

IEG love to cook and bake, and so do I. We both have our own styles that we have adapted from our mother, but we both have lots of fun in the kitchen.

IEG loves to garden, and so do I. Her ever changing landscape up on Lake Roosevelt is a wonder to behold every time I visit. But I'm glad neither of us are afraid to get our hands dirty, as far as gardening goes.

IEG loves her animals, and so do I. Between the two of us, we have four dogs and nine cats. Pets have been a part of each of our lives for almost 30 years now.

IEG loves music, and so do I. She greatly influenced my taste in music. I spent hours when I was younger listening to her albums, such as The Carpenters, Carole King, Boz Scaggs and Elton John, to name a few.

IEG loves to watch movies, and so do I. She is quite the movie trivia buff, especially the older movies. I think one of my favorite memories of going to a movie with IEG was going to see "Dante's Peak" in Boise. This movie is a comedy by no means, but when a movie is filmed in the Silver Valley, and they change things up, put a volcano in Wallace, and cover it in ash, there tends to be a little humor in that, at least we thought so. The people in front of us, however, did not see the humor.

IEG has a strong faith in God, and so do I. It is always comforting to know that she and JEJ are always there to say a prayer for whatever is going on in our lives.

I'm glad I have such a wonderful sister, and wonderful friend.

Happy Birthday, Sissy. I hope you have a very blessed day and wonderful year ahead, because you deserve it!!

All my love....Silver Valley Girl