41 years old, 41 years gone

Hard to imagine him 82. My Dad forever 41.

The day was a usual Friday for me today. Busy day at work, after an unexpected 4 day work week.

I had Wednesday off and puttered around the house in the morning and picked Mom up by 11:30. She and I rode to Columbia Mall. I had gifts to exchange there and she patiently waited in the car reading, her knee was bothering her and she did not want to walk a lot. I found an Aveda store and picked up a few things for me and a treat for Tim for Valentine's day. I exchanged my gifts and we rode home. A lovely day with Mom.

Then Friday the 10th came. It seems to always sneak up on me. I remember the day well. It was a warm sunny afternoon and Dad was waiting for me to get home from school. It was Valentine's week and I was excited making my Valentine box. He was in the bed in the downstairs bedroom, he could not go up a flight of steps anymore, he got to winded. He kissed me and told me he loved me, the rest is a bit of a blur. I know Mom had our rocks out that we had finished tumbling from a Christmas present. Kate came over with a catalog for the summer classes at the University of Maryland. Dad was always bettering himself. The ambulance was in the driveway. Dad was so quiet, I remember him there on the stretcher in the living room, he seemed so still. Then he was in the ambulance.... Mom drove away following the ambulance. Kate and I did the laundry from his bed. He never came home that time. The funeral is a blur except for all my camp fire girl troop there in their uniforms and Ken Crowley. He had just played the scare crow in an Einstein Theater production of the Wizard of Oz and I was so impressed with him. I made a pipe cleaner pink heart to put in his coat pocket in the casket with him. Mom had a hard time deciding about weather to keep his wedding ring or not. She did and I am eternally grateful.

I really have no recollections about life from then until well into Junior High school.

My heart was broken, I was lost and lonely. Thank heaven for Mom, she for me and me for her. We became inseparable. I was the first latch key kid in my world. Everyone else had a Mom at home. I did not, she was at work. We did fine, my Mom and I.

And now, 41 years later, I am blessed to still have my Mom, to spend an unexpected day off with. To giggle with, spend time with and do the things together that we have always loved to do.

I miss you do much Dad. As usual, I'd love to sit and have a meal with you. I know you are with me often... I've sent many people to see you. Most recently Tim's Mom, Aunt Lois, Darlene, Mike, even Emily Blanche!

I have my Tim who is a constant companion and comfort to me. Thank you for sending him my way.

I love you Dad.
I love you too Momma.

Life and blessings

It seems in life no matter what I do there is always someone who takes things the wrong way. No matter who I have spoken to, everyone has the same problem. Why do people get upset and not talk to the person they are upset with? How can someone fix a wrong or explain their thoughts if no one lets them know there is something wrong.
I shall go on living the best life I can and know that I deal with others the way I want to be dealt with. Like it or not. That is how I am.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. A good model to live by
I try to be willing to say anything to someones face that I say to another about them to others. But sometimes that is not the best thing to do.

I have a wonderful, thoughtful, considerate husband who I am blessed to have in my life.
I am lucky to have my Mom still, she is an inspiration for me to be like when I am 88!
My sisters are my best friends and will always be. They can make me mad, but we get over it and always have each others back.
My brother blessed this family with 6 children who keep me on my toes. As adults they have each grown into individuals who I love and am proud of each of them in their own way.
My other niece and nephew hold a special place in my heart as well, each of them I have been blessed to live near in their youth.
I am blessed with many friends, and count many of them as family.

Perhaps this is a lesson to make me appreciate all that I do have and know I am indeed blessed.

Count your blessings, name them one by one. You'll be amazed at the glory in your life.

Hello February 2012

This will be just my thoughts:

• Where did January go? This seems to be a recurring theme with me. I cannot believe it is Feb. 1! Hardly any snow this winter and today it was 72 degrees!
• I have a new fangled computer. Mine died about 2 weeks before Christmas which gave Santa Tim the opportunity he had been waiting for to give me my gift early. He almost absolutely cannot wait till Christmas morning to open presents. My hard drive fried, and he could hardly wait to give me this wonderful new fangled laptop with all kinds of bells and whistles that I am still learning. If anyone wants "facetime" with me, I now have a camera and I will be here at the appointed time to talk....once I figure out this "easy application!"
• I had been having difficulty opening my own blog, but I seem to have overcome that issue. Now I just don't have any one's address. SO, if you want to e-mail me them I'd appreciate it, though no one seems to be "blogging" these days as facebook has taken over the world.
• Tim has been at his new job the appointed 90 days, so I guess he will be there a while.
• Mom has had a tough winter. She had a pacemaker placed December 20, 2011! Doing just fine from that. Now last Thursday she chipped off half her front tooth opening a creamer....now has a new tooth too! Has to be tough to be 88. But she is working busily away on her new stained glass project for Kate. A beautiful entry door panel with 5 iris. It will be breathtaking like all her other work.
• Tim and I are back to our weekly weekend trips to Rehoboth Beach. It is so nice to get away to our "other" house. We seem to putter and relax quite well out there. It is nice Eileen and Joe are in Lewes now and Pat is out much more often.
• My office is still ahead of me, but I am winning the race. Tim also bought me a neat desk to scan all my papers. Now to learn how to use that too.

That seems to be all for now. Time for bed and another day at work.