It's Been a Long Time

I have not blogged for ages.   It's been a busy year.

Spring was beautiful.   The garden spot was moved to the back yard and after adding some good old country manure the seeds grew quickly.

Lettuce, raddish, cucumbers, beans, and tomatoes.  Oh yes, this was going to be a year. And the flowers seemed to flourish in the early warm weather.   Some of them were more beautiful than I could ever remember.

Ah, but that soon ended.   We had 2 1/2 inches of rain Mother's Day week-end and less than 2" since.   We water our plants and finally gave up on the beans as the rabbits liked them too and were much quicker at getting out there than I was.   Now the birds like the tomatoes and so it's never ending.

Summer is definitely here.   And the disasters are mounting.   Wild fires, hurricanes, and draught.  

A nephew in Colorado Springs may loose his beautiful home.   They are safe though and have family they are staying with.   Goodness, so many loosing their homes and nothing they can do about it.

Life goes on it seems, no matter what happens and we learn to go on too.   Sometimes it hurts but the strong find a way to get back in the path of life. 

BIG GAME DAY

Yesterday was the big day.    I had looked forward to this day for a long time and it was everything we had hoped for except Benjamin didn't feel like going.   In his place I took a neighbor boy, Nate,  with Jeremiah and I.  I think this smile tells about what Jeremiah was feeling.   Toward the end of the game he said he thought he might become a Titans fan but I really doubt that will actually happen.   Think momma Bear will squelch that idea quickly.

When we got there we realized how high our seats really were.   We were 5 rows from the very top of this stadium and we did not have nose bleeds but some oxygen would of been nice.  

Once we got acclimated to being up this high and realizing this was where we had to spend the game we settled down to have a good time.    We got some snacks and drinks and watched T-Rax, the Titans mascot do his stunts.    This was Jeremiah's first Pro Football Game so everything was new and the silly antics of T-Rax won all of us over quickly. 

The game was good.   It started out in favor of the Bears but the Titans soon ralied and finally pulled off a win by 1 point.   WHEW!!!!  

Below is a picture of took of the field from where we were.   We actually could see the players but if they had not shown the plays on the big screens I sure wouldn't of enjoyed the game as much.  

Daughter number one just left with her two in tow and the house is once again too quiet.   I think these two are very lucky to have a mom that will do just about anything within her power to make them happy.   I don't know many working mothers that would drive 16 hours in two days just so a son could go to a football game.   AND...in the process make an old woman pretty happy too.

I have to add a footnote here that Mark called this morning with good news all around.  He lives in Virginia Beach and was on our minds all week-end.   He was safe as the storm passed over him at his friends house.   They had a generator so watched a movie and played cards to pass the time.   Today he went back to the house he has rented and it was DRY.  Neighbors told him they only lost their power for about 10 minutes.   Sorry all in that area did not fare as well as he.  

IRENE

This Saturday Mark will be right in the path of IRENE.    That darned song keeps running through my mind.  It was popular when I was in high school and we used to skate to it at the roller rink.

The new path of this monster storm goes right over the top of Norfolk.   I'm hoping it moves back east. 

I wish he would leave the area but in my heart I know he won't.   His new squeeze is there and that's where he will stay.  

Suzette and Jordan are down in Pinehurst, N.C., a little safer but will have lots of wind and rain I expect.

So...as Kim is driving down here Sat. and later the boys and I are at the game Mark will be hanging on.   I hope they are safe.   So many people will be affected by this.  

I'm glad I'll have the game to keep my mind off it.

SHORTER DAYS

I know, the days are not getting shorter but our daylight hours are.   I LOVE to walk early in the morning before anyone else is up and out.  No cars coming over the small hills we have here - most of them drive in the middle of the road and go faster than they should in a small sub-division like ours. 

For several weeks I was able to leave our front door at 5:45, then a little later, now it's after 6 before daylight dawns and I can walk.

We have tall phlox beside our front step nd this beautiful black butterfly is there quite often in the afternoon.  The other day I decided he needed to be in a blog but he left when he saw me.  

I went out back to the deck and there he was, after the necter of a scraggly old verbena.  It must of tasted good for he stayed quite awhile.

We have a neighbor with a magnolia tree.   I think they are beautiful but a little too southern for me.   They bloom in the early summer but this one is blooming now.  I also have some creeping phlox poking their dainty blooms up when they are usually an early Spring bloomer.  I like them all - anytime they want to come visit.

WHAT TO DO

Most of you know I'm going to the Titan/Bears football game Saturday night with two of my favorite men,  Jeremiah and Benjamin.  

I am SO looking forward to this and the weather report looks good.   Since we are sitting in the top limbs of the trees I'm glad it isn't forcasting rain or worse yet a thunder storm.

So...that's one bridge crossed.  Another is parking.  A good friend has a parking pass on the grounds and is giving it to me and she will ride in with other friends.     I don't mind walking across the foot bridge but have only done it in sunshine, not 10:30 at night with two young men.

Then I kept thinking, what am I to do with these two if they have to use the bathroom.   Connie pretty much solved it when she said Benjamin knows he has to go in with her in public places.     Jeremiah has permission to go alone to the mens but will do as I ask.  We'll see what the situation is. 

So...we are all ready.  I know where the tickets are and time to begin to get excited.

Last night I did have a crazy dream.   I dreamed I was in this really big building and no one would let me use the bathroom.   I was running around asking people everywhere but they would send me in another direction. I finally woke up.    WHEW!!!!!  Ain't life grand?

Musical Instruments

After reading Kim's blog this morning Ted and I were talking about our own kids and their band instruments.

Kim started out with a trumpet but didn't seem to care for it so we didn't buy it.    Jill played the Viola for awhile but I wasn't very receptive of it and she finally just gave it up too.   Sorry Jill.

Connie had a clarinet and I have no idea where we bought it but I do know it was a conglomeration (that is a word)  of three different clairnets.     

When we moved to Brentwood she had a friend that played clairnet and I asked Connie if Angie's clairnet was wood or plastic.   She said "She has both".    I do remember Connie was first chair most of the time she played - even if her clairnet was put together from three others.  

Mark had a used saxiphone and then also played Tuba.   I wanted to play Tuba part of the time in Marching Band but they wouldn't let me.   I WAS A GIRL.  

STIRRED MEMORIES

I went to the library yesterday to get a book a friend had suggested.   On my way I was listening to NPR and they were interviewing an author, Gail Caldwell.  She was talking about the book "Let's Take The Long Way Home" she wrote about her friend, Caroline Knapp.  Caroline died of lung cancer but the story is about their deep friendship and love of dogs, each other, and life. 

It stirred memories of a good friend I lost 40 years ago.  I cannot believe it has been that long.   She, too, had cancer only it was everywhere in her body. 

Peggy was like a sister to me.  She knew me inside and out; the good, the bad, and the ugly and still loved me.  We met because we were both new in the neighborhood on Fell Ave and most of the other residents were older.   We started getting to know each other best when our two oldest went into Kindergarten together.   She could get up in front of a PTA meeting and talk like a pro.    I never did have the ability to do that.   I could tell her anything and knew it wsn't going to go any further.

My kids LOVED going there.   She let them walk on the furniture, play with anything, took us swimming at State Farm Park or took us out to her parents farm outside of Danvers.  They had a beautiful big front porch and every time I'd go if she saw me drive in she'd come to the door, open it and say "WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?"    I can see her yet.

This book is about the grief Gail went through when Caroline died.   I remember some of the same things happening to me.  Sometimes I would miss her so much.   I think there are times I still miss her almost as much.   We had the most fun together.  

We both watched soaps because we were stay-at-home mom's and that's what we did then.   One day we went to Danvers to her parents and missed one of our favorites.   When we got home she found out one of the main characters had died in the program that day.   She called me and was all upset.   I had to laugh, I said, "Peggy, it's a T.V. show"    We both would laugh at the silly things.  

When I went in to see her one time after I got pregnant with Mark she looked at me, gave me a hug, and said, "You are so happy pregnant, you glow"    

I still have friends but friends are like your children.   Each one is different and you love them all.   I've learned to hang on to the one's I have left.   At my age we really never do know what tomorrow will bring.