To all my friends here on Da, I apologize for the long
absence. It's been quite a year!

Things at the bar are doing well. It's still fun, although
it's a lot of work owning a business like this. We have a
great staff and many wonderful customers who are becoming
frinds and extended family.

To top everuthing off...I'M PREGNANT! That's right, after all these years (my son just turned 16 on Sept 1st) I'm having another baby. My due date is Dec 23. We have about 8 weeks to go now. It's another boy, James Harrison Bell. This is a lot harder at 43 than it was at 27...lol.

Life is good. Marriage is wonderful. Time is limited.

I don't know when I'll find time to check in here again, but know that
I miss you all and think of you often.

Much love,
Heidi

Wow! The New Year has really started off with a BANG! On January 11th, I bought a bar. It's a cute little dive neighborhood bar called The Firelite Lounge. I love it and things are going well so far. If that wasn't enough, on January 26th, after 12 years of friendship and more, I married the love of my life. I have a new husband and stepson and I've never been happier in my life.

I promise to get some pics up as soon as I get some from the people who were snapping away. It just figures that mine was the only camera not there that day...lol. But I know got a lot of great shots, as did my best friend (and now cousin) Donnette.

Love and happiness to all!

Ric and I have set our wedding date for January 26, 2008. That means I have only 5 weeks and 2 days left to get everything planned and executed. We plan to have a small gathering of family and close friends to witness the ceremony, which will be held at our home and officiated by my father, and then a blow out redneck party at Riley's Irish Tavern here in Tucson.

Wish me luck on pulling everything together in such a short time. And everyone help me in my efforts to get Theresa here to stand up for me.

Love to all and Happy Holidays!!!

Ok, it's time to brag a little. I have to tell you about this wonderful man of mine and what a lucky woman I am to have him in my life.

Ric is a karaoke host. He works nights while I work days. This isn't necessarily an ideal arrangement for alone time, but we manage. Anyway...this week, while I've worked my ass off at the office (shoving 5 days worth of work into 3), this incredible man of mine has scrubbed our house from top to bottom getting ready for our Thanksgiving guests. He has dusted everything, cleaned all the ceiling fans, he's moved all the furniture and vacuumed under it, cleaned both bathrooms, cleaned up the backyard, he was even washing windows when I got home yesterday. Today he chopped all my veggies for tomorrow, finished the tile in the kitchen, stripped the beds and washed the sheets and comforters, vacuumed AGAIN, and is doing a show tonight.

I feel terribly guilty about all the work he's done, but he said I didn't have time with everything else I have to do and working. He said he "wants our house to be tip top for my girl and her friends on our first Thanksgiving together."

All this on top of a sick "wife" and a little one with a bad ear infection. He's a prince among men and the king of my heart. I truly am a very lucky woman.

My beautiful niece, Nevada, delivered a gorgeous healthy baby girl yesterday. Her name is Grace. She was 7 lbs 6 oz and 19 1/2 inches long. I won't be posting pictures because her mommy doesn't want pictures "floating around cyber space". But believe me when I say she is a truly beautiful baby.

I'M A GREAT AUNT!!!!!