A Wonder Full Day

Today's temperature was: 78 degrees

Today's humidity was:  58%

Sunny and breezy

==========================

I woke up feeling a bit rough again, but told myself to "Get it together, Girl" and I did.

Shower and load of dishes in the dishwasher, load of laundry...some games on Face Book and then....off to my hometown of Byron for lunch with the Old School Gal Pals.  Today we went to the Golf Course.  I used to practically live there for 20+ years of my life.  Organized the Tuesday Morning Ladies leagues and won the Club Championship one year.  I played my last round of golf in September of 1988 and haven't been back.  A lot of changes I was anxious to see.

Drove through town so I could see what they had done with our burned out down-town.  They have knocked all but two of the stores down and are filling in and smoothing out the land.  It looks weird, but it looks better than those burned out buildings looked.

 October 2012

 June 19, 2014

 The town still isn't sure what they want to do with that half-block on to the corner.  They really can't afford to rebuild.  Some developer may come in with the $$$--we are hoping they put the restaurant back where we used to always have lunch.  It did a good business and people came there to eat from as far as 50+ miles away.

Then I drove up a block to take a pix of my church

This church means a lot to me.  My mother's father was minister there from 1931-1935.  My parents were married there.  I was baptised there and confirmed, married, kids baptized and some married there--friends married there.  All my family members had their funerals there (and I will too) and friends funerals--on and on.  70 years ago, my Mother bought and planted all the pine trees around the church.

 Then it was on up two blocks to the golf course.

I got out and took some pictures.  The 1st hole.  Now--when I played,

it was a straight shot down the middle.  Now there are trees all along

the right side.  AND paved cart paths?  La Dee Dah!!

This is the same hole in 1982--you can see how the trees have grown

=========

There were ten of us for lunch and the one woman that we ALL dislike, wasn't there. 

<insert big smile>

We sat at round tables pulled up together, so we could all talk and hear--it was great.

Today was mainly to listen too and support our Dear Friend Beth, whose son recently died.  She told of his many accomplishments--the fantastic life he lived in The Czech Republic, all that he had done for the town he lived in...and more.  I thought I knew most of his history, but I found today, I knew very little.  He had a wonderful, giving, albeit, shortened life.

Then there was news of one Gal's grandchild's wedding...another ones news of her children and grandchildren who live in OK.  We have a newlywed in our group and she told funny stories of her hubby and his kids.  We had a small "organ" recital about our internal health problems.  We chatted about what kind of mementos we could safely lay on a grave marker of a loved one--without worry of the treasures being stolen.  We laughed about sex--whatever that is--well, maybe out newlywed friend knows.  There was laughter and tears and it was wonderful.   We always leave with saying, "Well--the good Lord willing, I'll see you next month!"

Then Bethie followed me out to The Farm so she could see how Susan has utilized the vintage fence Beth had given them and a vintage cultivator.  Even though Susan and Chuck are back in Binghamton, NY to meet their newest grandson, his parents home on leave from Germany, Susan said it was fine for Beth and I to come out.  I noticed that the men have the new metal roof on the horse barn, so I took a pix and sent it to Susan so she could see.

Bethie and I walked around the house and she could see, a lot of the perennials she gave Susan last fall, are now flourishing.

New metal roof on the horse barn.  The old roof was leaking and Susan and Chuck have ALL the old family antique machinery and furniture stored in there.

Then, coming back home, a half-mile, I stopped in to see Pammie.  Jen and family are in New Jersey and Pammie has this week off.  I noticed her gardens were looking good so I stopped in to chat and tell her how good the place is starting to look.  Jed Clampett has moved a lot of his rusted out cars/truck/junk out.

She had just divided and planted these Hosta's about two weeks ago.

...and then I remembered--I have wanted a photo of the

"Heart" stone that the mason put in the foundation,

when they built the house for my grandparents.

That was his signature, of sorts.  He looked all

over the farms until he found a stone, shaped like

a heart and he put it in every foundation of

every home he built.

I had bushes planted there and we didn't know that stone was

even there, until Pam and her hubs moved in and, in turn,

pulled out all the bushes!

Then Pammie told me that she is going to have "my" Crab Apple tree cut down (you can see it in the first pix--on the right edge) because it is dying, branches are splitting and of course, full of tent worms every spring.  She is going to have the Centennial Farm sign put in that spot.

I had quite forgotten that in less than 6 years--this farm will be 100 years old--in the same family for that time, and the State and Power Company will give you a Centennial Sign--like this one at Susan and Chuck's.

This is a big deal--at least to me.  I don't know many people who still have the same farm their ancestor's had 100 years ago.  

Then, in 2035, if my son is still alive, and he ought to be, his farm will qualify.  Of course, by then, Susan and Chuck will be dead and...who gets their farm?  Oh Gosh--I don't even want that thought to come into my mind.  I have worried about these farms and this land most of my life--at least the last 50 years--I just can't worry about what happens "after".

=================

This afternoon, on my way out, I stopped and dropped off a pair of sheets Pearl had me order from NoMoreRack.com.  She said she'd come down later to pay me.  So--when I heard her coming in my door at 7:00, I figured she was bringing me the $31.00. 

 Nope.

An hour later, her daughter stopped in with a bunch of stuff she had bought at an estate sale.  It is all Americana art work and that is not my particular decorating style, but I looked through it.  The daughter didn't want it--had already picked out what she wanted and didn't want any money for it either.  She was really determined that I pick out something because, "July fourth is coming and you need to decorate for it."

<not me>.

I will put out the God Bless America sign because it is metal

and the weather won't hurt it--for a little while.

I thought perhaps Susan would like the flag one made out of buttons--

she's all into the Americana stuff

All the time Pearl was here, she said nothing about the money--so you know what that means.  She has forgotten and I am going to have to bring it up.  I hate that!!!

============

Karen just called--she and Pammie and I are going to lunch tomorrow, in Brighton, and afterwards to a ballet recital at a ballet "camp" where Maddie has been in intensive ballet learning mode all week.  It should be fun.  

However--it is the same restaurant where Fred and I were going to have his 70th birthday party and our surprise wedding--but I didn't say anything about that to Karen.  I think I will be all right--I just won't think about the "what should have been" and concentrate on the "what is."

BORING!!!

Today's high temperature was: 75

Today's humidity was: 64%

Rain/Severe Thunderstorms/Rain/More storms

===================================

I could not stay asleep last night--I don't know why.  It was quite weird.  I'd fall asleep and then wake up twenty minutes later.  I did this three times.  Sat up and read for awhile.  Got back on the computer to check out the weather.  Took a Benedryl to help me sleep.  Last time I looked at the clock, it was 3:42.

I must have slept because I heard the storms that came in and just rolled over, put the pillow over my head and went back to sleep.  Another storm, when it was just getting light and I rolled over the other way and back asleep.

The alarm went off at 8:00.  I turned it off.  The phone rang at 9:00 to let me know that the A/C inspector guy wasn't coming.  I struggled out of bed and felt like my head was two feet wide--and it hurt--and my neck hurt.  I had a hard time walking and thought, "Did I have a stroke?"  NO.  I could still smile and talk and walk--I was just so wobbly from no sleep.

Then--I remembered.  Yesterday, I had promised Pearl that I would take her up to the other garden center to look for a Sapphire Blue Larkspur plant,  Since the A/C guy wasn't going to come, I called her and she answered the phone all chipper.  

"We don't have to go if you don't feel well," she said.

"No.  We might as well.  I won't feel any better sitting here in my chair.  I need to get out and move.  I'll be to pick you up at 11:00".

We drove up about half a mile and went on our search.  We told the kid what she wanted and he looked around, but they had none.  We were in the car, backing out, when he ran up to my window.  

"I think I found one for you.  It's dark blue...just like you wanted."  and he ran back toward the store and came back, lugging a pale blue Delphinium.

"NO! That's not what I want!" growled Pearl  "I want an L-something Delphinium."

"Larkspur," I said to him and then described it for him.

"I'm sorry," he said.  "We don't have any of those."

"Thanks so much for looking," I said and started to back out.  I thought he was such a nice young man.

"What's he doing...working in a garden center when he doesn't know the difference between Sapphire blue and pale blue!  He doesn't even know a Delphinium from an L-something Delphinium!"

"I didn't either when you were first talking about them."

"I saw the tag.  There was a word that started with L, before the word Delphinium."

"Was the word, Larkspur?"

"I don't know, but that picture you showed me is a Larkspur and that's what I want."

<okay, then>

"Maybe next spring we can find one."

===============================

I came home, did my Wednesday chores, watched my soap and fell asleep in my chair.

It seemed like just minutes, but it was 90 minutes later, I hear this BEEP   BEEP   BEEP coming from the TV.  Severe thunderstorm WARNING for Livingston County.

I ran into the room to look out and YOWSER--the clouds were roiling and moving fast--then the wind hit and the thunder crashed and we were in it for about 10 minutes.

I was having a heck of a time...trying to get my ear plugs in and tie the storm door to the inside door and the rain was slashing sideways onto the porch and in through the front door.  Maggie The Cat took off to hide under the bed and Buddy, just sat there and when I sat down in my chair to watch the TV warnings, he jumped up on my lap and promptly went to sleep.

It rained so hard for so long that the street out in front looked like a river!  
========================
Much to my chagrin, Maddie is interested in Mick.  They are "just friends"--yeah right.  He is a computer geek--does a lot of animation.  When I met him, I didn't hear his name so i repeated it.

"Nick?"

"No.  Mick...like Mickey Mouse."

<that's for sure>

Guess who he reminds me of?

Her Dad, who is also a computer nerd. 

That is probably why she is attracted to him?

When she could have this?

The girl is nutz!!!

    

Reading and Writing and Math

Today's high temperature was: 88 degrees

Today's humidity was:  54%

Sunny

=================================

While the rest of the world goes about its business, I am cooped up here in the air cooled and dried house.  Nothing to do but spend hours on the computer, or writing down lists.

An interesting read--not on the computer--that took up some of my time.  You know how the Liberals like to blame Global Warming on us humans?  I have maintained all along that it is a naturally, geological cycle, that occurred before, and will occur again--much like the Ice Age--which will also occur again.

Now, I don't presume to understand a lot of what I read, but, in essence:

The Earth's axis completes one full cycle of precession approximately every 26,000 years. At the same time the elliptical orbit rotates more slowly. The combined effect of the two precessions leads to a 21,000-year period between the astronomical seasons and the orbit. In addition, the angle between Earth's rotational axis and the normal to the plane of its orbit (obliquity) oscillates between 22.1 and 24.5 degrees on a 41,000-year cycle. It is currently 23.44 degrees and decreasing.

Similar astronomical theories had been advanced in the 19th century by Joseph Adhemar, James Croll and others, but verification was difficult due to the absence of reliably dated evidence and doubts as to exactly which periods were important. Not until the advent of deep-ocean cores and a seminal paper by Hays, Imbrie, and Shackleton, "Variations in the Earth's Orbit: Pacemaker of the Ice Ages", in Science (1976) did the theory attain its present state

A NASA brief that basically said, the advance/retreat of the glaciers and the cycles of the last 7 ice ages have to do with the earth's rotation on its axis. The NASA paper also said that a mini ice age ended a little less than 1000 years ago.

Climate Change is part of The Plan and it cycles through periods of gradual Warming and Cooling.  

Oh, BTW--something else I read, a Prius car uses more energy and causes more pollution than driving a Ford F150 truck.

That doesn't mean it's illogical to put up fields of solar panels and acres of wind propellers--other than, the wind farms cause more deaths of the once protected Bald Eagle than any other means.

So--do what you want.  It isn't going to make that much difference either way.
====================
Did some laundry and cleaned the bathroom--right on my schedule.  Watched my Soap and then off to the doctor's appointment.

I had quite a time getting out the drive, through the construction and out into traffic, but I made it.

I was last seen by my doc in October.  He wanted me to come back in February--3 months.  I told him, I'd be back in six months--it has been eight months.

There is nothing wrong with me.  I can't see the sense of taking up his time and mine to go every three months--just his protocol for Seasoned Citizens, as he calls us old guys.

He wasn't too pleased that I had changed my meds without consulting him.  I told him I was just experimenting and had found the dosages that worked best to keep my pulse rate up, BP down and dizzy spells away.

So--we talked and figured and haggled and I consented to taking the water pill--again (because my BP has gone up a bit)--but half what I took before and he lowered my Lisinopril from 30 mg twice a day to 20 mg twice a day.

He listened to my heart, lungs, carotid arteries and then said,
"Hit the road, Toad."  I got up to follow him out of the room,
"I'll be back, Jack."
"Be back in three," he said as he walked into his office.
"I'll see you in six."  I replied.
===========
The nurse, Michelle was just coming out of another exam room and I saw Merle and Pearl sitting inside.  I knew they were going to be there for a 3:00 appointment.

Pearl yells Hi and Michelle opened the door a bit.  "C'mon in and sit with us," said Pearl.

Just then,the doc came out of his office and I said, "Nope.  Can't.  I think there is some kind of HIPPA law against that sort of thing."

"There sure is!" he said.  "She'd probably try and diagnose you!"

As he closed the door, I heard Pearl say, "She already does that."

HAH!!

Monday Moaning

Today's high temperature was: 87

Today's humidity was: 53%

Sunny and muggy

==========================

Aren't they just adorable?

Pearl and Merle

They had this picture taken for their 60th wedding anniversary, which is coming up. 

Can you even imagine, when they were dating in high school, how the other kids teased them. 

"Oh--here comes Merraall and Peraaaall".

Pearl and I were planning on going to another garden center this morning to search for a Sapphire blue Larkspur for her front garden.  She woke up with vertigo and I woke up feeling rough AND, at 9:00 the humidity was already at 51%, so we decided to, "do it another time", as she said.

========================

I was in such pain Saturday morning when I woke up, that I couldn't straighten up.  I spent most of the morning walking around bent over at the waist.  This old body isn't used to three hours of walking up and down a hilly lawn, 15 steps up to the deck and back down and back up and....., picking up sticks with Little Boy and in general, moving almost continually.  Even my thighs, calves, feet AND hips hurt.  

Bethie had given me some Trillium and Jack-In-The-Pulpit plants and I knew I had to get them in the ground.  I took two Advil and figured, as long as I was hurting so bad, bending over and digging and planting them couldn't hurt.

That's all I did all day Saturday.

I went to bed Saturday night at 11:00 and didn't wake up until 11:00 Sunday morning!  Sciatic nerve was still giving me fits, but everything else was just sore--not painful.

So--this morning, I felt pretty good.  Still sore, but not as bad.  It is a real pity that it takes me 3 days to rest up from a 3 hour party.  GEEZ!!  This body is getting old!!

So, after I talked to Pearl, I scooted dragged around and got the bedroom cleaned, sheets and whites laundered, dried put back on the bed, or folded and put away.

Then I noticed that my toilet flusher thingie was broken again.  The cobbled up fix I put on it last fall, had rusted and broken.  So, I had to get out my tools and cobble up another fix.  It flushes now, so that's all that matters.  I sat down to watch my Soap, which is really good lately.

It was getting so hot in here, that I turned on the A/C and after my Soap, I drove on up to put some money in the bank.  I don't know what happened this month, but I do not have enough money to pay the end of month bills.  

"They" are resurfacing the road out in front of the park.  The main road to get from here to...anywhere.  Down from four lanes and a left turn lane to just two lanes.  I had one heck of a time trying to get out into traffic and turn right to get into Brighton.  Now I am worried about how I am going to get out and turn LEFT tomorrow to get into Howell and a Doctor's appointment.  

Maybe I will just turn right--go down to the next traffic light, turn right, turn around in that church drive-way and come back out with the light and head left (west).  It might just be easier in the long run.

We have had the most perfect weather all this spring.  I do not like this hot, humid weather.  I like it in the '70's with a humidity of nothing over 30%.  I hate being closed up inside and like to have my windows and doors open.  Not only that...we have some heavy weather headed this way and you know how terrified I get with the severe thunderstorms.  

I wish they made a Thunder Shirt for people, like they do for animals.

I wish this park had a storm shelter.

I wish I wasn't so scared of so many things.

Oh, BTW--Dar saw my Face Book post about my awful experience at the Brighton Meijer store where she works.  Apparently she showed it to the manager and the manager of that store called me today to hear my side of the story.  She offered me a five dollar gift card and I told her, "No thanks.  I don't want it.  I don't want anyone to lose their job either.  This isn't the first time this sort of thing has happened in your store, and so....I will just shop at the Meijer store in Howell from now on."

That gave her fits!!!  Like their store is going to miss my $250.00 a month expenditure?  Perhaps it will make for a better atmosphere of customer service in her store? 

Then and Now

June 14, 1957

June 1981                                  

Go you Chicken Fat Go    

  

June 13, 2014 

Now--you just tell me who has weathered the storms of the last fifty-seven years better?

<although he has not had ONE storm>

You're dang tooting!!!

I win!

I know--it's not nice, but sometimes, I don't recognize that man.  

Where did that handsome football/basketball/baseball pitcher/Army Corporeal go?

He looked rather stunned when he saw my slim figure walking down the steps towards him yesterday.  I'll just bet he was captivated by my beauty and....I'll just bet he wishes he hadn't pushed me out of our marriage.

At least, that what I tell myself.  LOL

Where Do I Begin? Madeleine's Graduation Party and Much More

A Short Story--No--a Novel :Length Story

Friday the 13th, the night of a full moon............

.......should have given me a clue as to what the evening would bring...but then...I'm not superstitious.....

I arrived at Karen and Mark's at 4:00--I wanted to help get the last minute things done.  Good thing--chaos reigned!

Maddie wanted an "all outside party"--the temperature was hovering around 62 degrees, with a west breeze of around 50 mph, putting the wind chill at near 35!!! <only kidding, but it was cold>

 Instead of having the food inside (as they normally do), it was out on the deck.  Her "board" and all her neat awards, were out on the deck--flying around in the wind and landing, who knows where.  IT WAS SO DANG WINDY/COLD UP THERE!!!

Ever the subtle (?) Gramma, I took Maddie aside and said, "Honey, it is blowing so hard out there on the deck, it is going to blow out the canned heat under the food trays and all the food will be cold.  I think it might be better to have the food inside and people can eat outside." (I sort of lied because I don't think the canned heat thingies would blow out....but)

"I think that's a good idea, Gramma."

Just then the other grandparents arrived and I enlisted the help of Grandpa Rivard to carry the food servers back into the kitchen and set them up on the island.  The worthless Grandma Rivard (oh, yeah, there's another story in there), stood and watched while sipping on her ever present glass of wine.

"Elaine, could you help me carry in the plates and napkins...and stuff?"

"Sure.  Where is it?"

"Outside on the deck."

"Oh...I don't know.  It's so cold and windy and I didn't bring a sweater.  I don't know if I could take it.  I just can't believe how cold it is and....."

"Well, the sun is out, it isn't raining or snowing.  It's Maddie's graduation party, so...let's thank God for that and enjoy ourselves."

I scurry out to the deck...back and forth--got it all set up like I remember the other kids parties and VOILA--problem solved.

I cut up my Mississippi Mud Brownies and put them on a nice, round crystal platter I had--on top of three lace doilies.  Oh BTW--the brownies (always a hit) were all gone within the first hour.

I helped Karen stir the Alfredo and Red spaghetti sauce, made sure the bread sticks weren't burning, ran down to the basement kitchen to bring up the salad fixings, along with oldest Grand daughter Helene who had flown in from LA for the party.

Grandma Rivard sat at the kitchen table, sipping on her second glass of wine..."It's June!  I just can't believe how cold it is.  I wish I'd brought a sweater."

Karen: "I'll get you one of mine, Mom."
<grinds my goat that she calls her Mom>

I look at Karen who just, rolls her eyes as she walks toward her bedroom.

"Well, it isn't going to get any warmer by talking about it "Let's get some pictures of the Grandparents with Maddie, before everyone gets here," says I.  Trying to divert this woman's mind-set...which isn't easy.  I smiled when I remembered the comment my ex made the first time he met her.  "Boy--that woman is drifter than a cumulus cloud!"

<I have seriously wanted to slap that woman, on numerous occasions, in the last 33 years>
============================

Then Maddie got her head band on

you can see how hard the wind was blowing

Everything was ready at "Four Fifty-Eight" as Karen noted and people started coming in.  I retreated to the deck and was going down the stairs to go sit on the front porch, protected from the wind where I could see all the arrivals and whom should I meet coming up the stairs?  The Love of my Young Life...the ex.

"Gary, how are you doing?" I asked with a big smile.

"Well right now, I'm trying to figure out how to get up all these steps!" he laughed.

I took another step down and hugged him.

"By the way...Happy Birthday last month.  We're getting old, aren't we?"

"Yep.  Happy Birthday next week.  We ARE getting old."

"Yeah, but one good thing--you will ALWAYS be thirteen months older than me!"

"Not too many years left," he said.  "I guess the secret is...trying to figure out to live the rest of those years."

"You're right.  You will be living them on the golf course and I will be living them with my cats."

We hugged again and I proceeded to walk to the porch--I won't deny, a tear was trying to escape.

I had a great vantage point, as every guest came passed me to enter the house.  My ex sister-in-law and hubbies (I love these people) hugs and kisses all around.  My Pammie and Mark, sister Susan and Chuck, her son and his family.  

Lo and behold, my step sisters and their families (and they acted glad to see me, but then again, they have always been fake people. This whole problem with Jen started when my 2nd cousin read what I had posted on my blog, called the step brother-in-law and told him to read it--which he did--then told Jen to read it.)

I glanced down at the tent where people were eating and I saw Pammie and.....sitting across from her was....Andrew?  Jennifer's oldest.  Did he ride with Pam?  No.  I hadn't seen him come in.

Who are they looking at?

There's Alex and.........it's Jennifer, putting a head band on Elise, who is holding....Evan!

OHMYGOSH!!

What do I do now?  Run and hide?  Sneak through the house, out to my car and leave?  No--sneakily take a picture and stay on the porch.

They started up the hill toward the house. Jennifer looked great.  She must have lost 50#. 

I could hear the theme song from Chariots of Fire playing in the background.

My heart was pounding so loud it made my hands shake.  

Elise ran up on the porch to give me a hug, Alex came shyly along, Evan looked at me like he had no clue and Jen?

"Hi Mom.  Evan, say Hi to Mimi. You remember, Mimi?"

<well of course not.  He hasn't seen me in a year>

She handed him off to Elise.  I stood up and she gave me a hug and one of her "air" kisses.

"You look great, Mom."

"So do you!  You have lost a lot of weight!"

"Yeah.  No matter what I did--Nutri-system, fives miles a day on the treadmill..I just couldn't lose.  So I went to the doctor.  He did some tests and put me on Thyroid pills and....the weight just started falling off."

"I'll bet you feel better too."

"It has really helped.  I'm not as tired and emotional as I used to be.    We're going in and get some food.  Are you coming too?"

"No.  I'm not hungry right now.  I'm going to wait until the crowd thins out a bit."
<I couldn't have eaten even if I had wanted too>

"Okay.  See you later."

Just then I saw Pammie walking out to her car--she looked over and waved to me like, "follow me", so I did.

We hid out and had a cigarette.

(don't judge--I needed one!)

Back into the house where Elise came up for a hug and I had to take her picture.  She is ten and getting very tall.

She was headed out to the back yard to swing, so I followed along.  Down the big  hill.  No photos...because I was too busy and, didn't really think.  Wish I had now.

Alex (7) was kicking his soccer ball all around, so I stopped and asked him if he was playing and where.  Then saw Andrew up on the hill, playing Lacrosse with a bunch of older kids--he is 12 and nearly as tall as I am.  He saw me and came over for a hug and we chatted.  Then...I saw Evan (2 1/2), with Pam, picking up sticks to put in the fire pit.  I walked over.  

"Whatcah doing, Evan?"

"I cleaning up mulch.  I get stick off dat tree and put dem in the fire pit for Aunt Karwen."

"Can Mimi help you?"

"Yath." he says as he toddles back toward the mulch.

I could see he was picking up the small little branches that had fallen on the mulch from the trees overhead.  He was very intent on his job.  Back and forth we walked.

"Good job, Mimi," he says at one point.

I reached down and picked up a couple of pieces of large sized mulch--big 3 inch hunks of wood, and started walking back toward the fire pit.

"NO.  MIMI.  We don't put dat mulch in dah pit...just the widdle bwanches off dah twees!"

"Oh.  Sorry.  I didn't realize it was mulch."

"Yath.  See--it is differwant."

Back and forth--back and forth.

Then I needed a rest, and spotted some small pieces of wood strips that Mark had thrown in the fire pit.  I picked up a long one, laid it over my thigh and broke it in two.  Well--that was noticed.

"Evan...do you think you are strong enough to break these?"

...and he leaned into the pit, while I held the seat of his pants, came up with a really long one, nearly put my eye out when he brought it out....put it over his thigh and snapped it in half.

"ALL RIGHT!  GIVE ME FIVE!"

Which he did--really hard--taking me almost to my knees because he hit my arthritic right hand.

He commenced to keep breaking the thin strip of wood...

"Mimi has to go up to the house.  Okay?  See ya later. Can I have a hug?"

I bent down and he reached up and-------Heaven!

"Bye, bye, Mimi.  See wu waiter."

==========================

Then I spied this going on at one of the tables under the tent.  My son talking earnestly to his Dad and my ex brother-in-law.  It must have been funny as they were laughing---while I surreptitiously took their picture.

I'm sorry I didn't get a picture of my ex's wife, but...didn't want to scare you.  She is not even 70 as yet and her skin looks like an alligator's.  Her face has crevices and wrinkles that would rival the Grand Canyon.  All that golfing and sun bathing in the warm climes of Florida every winter.  HAH  

<You're a mean one, Judith Miller--you're critical, crass and vengeful>

Back in the house and saw Jen stirring a big pot of spaghetti at the stove, so I went over.

"Is Eric coming over?"

"Yes.  He had to work and then take the car in.  He said he'd be here around seven-thirty."

I glanced at the clock on the stove--6:45.

"Okay...well I am going to head home."

"Don't worry about it, Mom."

"No.  I don't want to make it uncomfortable for Eric.  Besides, I'm getting tired.  It was wonderful to see you."

"You too, Mom."  and, when she reached over to hug me, I whispered in her ear, "I love you Sweetie." and she gave me an extra hard hug.

I went through the house, out onto the deck and lawn to hug and kiss kids and grand kids and friends goodbye, gathered my stuff and out to the car, realizing at the time that I hadn't eaten a thing!  Too distracted I guess.  

I drove home, smiling and repeating over and over....

THANK YOU, GOD.  THANK YOU, GOD.  THANK YOU, GOD!

The End

or maybe not?

.