Celebrating a Life

I had to step back for a few weeks and just gather myself...

In March, my beloved Mother-in-law of 32 years died. It's hard to put her life in words but she was a remarkable woman.

Married at 15 and a mother at 16, she had a lively sense of humor, an extraordinary capacity for forgiveness and an often under-estimated 10th grade education. She lived for her children and eventually her grandchildren and great grandchildren. When I met her, she didn't drive and had never had a job. Yet she'd raised 3 children, kept a house, a yard, a checkbook and a smile on her face. After losing her first husband to cancer, she was left with nothing but a mortgage. She got a drivers license, cleaned houses for money, bought a car, got two jobs and finally found a career with excellent benefits where she worked for years before retiring. She met and married her second husband a little over a year after pulling her life together. As a couple, they worked hard, traveled, bought a beach cabin which she loved, and spoiled their grandchildren. After 18 years of marriage, she lost her second husband to cancer. By this time, she had her own health issues including a bad heart, which she rarely talked about. After a series of health scares early this year, from which she appeared to be recovering, the angels took her quickly and mercifully on a Saturday afternoon in late March.

I had the chance to talk to her twice in her last days. And it was comforting to know we'd said all we needed to say to each other before she left.

The one regret I do have is that I didn't hug her when I saw her earlier in the day before she left us. She looked uncomfortable and I didn't want to make her more so.

The promise I made myself after she left us was that I would try to say the words that should be said, hug as often as possible and appreciate my loved ones even more.

So if I haven't told you lately how much I appreciate you, consider yourself warned!

Hugs to all!

AG

By and By

I had started a number of posts a couple weeks ago. They are all still in draft mode as finishing them became the last thing on  my mind with a sudden and unexpected death in our family.

We're healing, but it's a slow process when someone is so beloved.

Just saying that I'll be back soon.

In the meantime, a bit of advice: Make sure you hug your loved ones. Always get that last hug in. It's so important.

AG

Dancing in the Desert

Somewhere in Nevada... I felt like dancing.

Lungs take note... you felt this good. Get with it.

AG out

The Gift of Blarney

When we were leaving Killarney in Ireland, TOG suggested we stop at Blarney Castle to kiss the Blarney Stone. It sounded like a wonderful side trip and we didn't have to be back in Dublin until late that afternoon. We saw some beautiful countryside along the way. Of course, Ireland is reknowed for it's beauty!

Blarney Castle is awe inspiring. I love the lookout tower next to it. There is still enough of the outer walls of the castle for you to imagine what it looked like hundreds of years ago.

Even though much of the interior is a ruin, it still lends itself to all sorts of whimical thoughts. When you look up and see where the wooden floors would have been and see the granduer of the carved doorways, it just tweaks your imagination... thinking of all those lives that inhabited these walls... the everyday events, the epic occasions... I think it helped that they had a fabulous harpist playing while we waited our turn for the stairs in the corner.

There are no pictures of TOG and I actually kissing the Blarney Stone atop the castle ruin, but it was a fun experience. They had a lovely older man with a thick Irish brogue who helps you lay on your back and lean over to grab the hand holds so you can kiss the stone. I think he said something like "lets see how this lovely kisses in the afternoon" as I was getting in position to lean backwards. But all I could think was how many people had kissed that stone before me and I puckered tightly to make the smallest amount of contact possible!

Where once upon a time the kissing of the Blarney Stone was a symbol of loyalty, somehow, the practice has evolved. Many believe it was supposed to give you the gift of gab. But during our visit, it was explained that the kissing of the stone actually transfers the gift of elequence to the kisser.

A year later, I'm rethinking my approach to the stone. I shouldn't have puckered so tightly. Had I made a little more contact, perhaps I would be a bit more elequent in my daily life.

Maybe the gift at Blarney Castle isn't just elequence, maybe the gift is the reminder to kiss wholeheartedly when the opportunity presents itself.

AG out!

The View

Remember that old saying about not saying anything at all if it wasn't nice?

I find it the easiest thing in the world to ignore my blog at times. Because I like sharing good news and if there hasn't been much, I pull back. I think I may be a turtle with my head in the shell. Except without the "pond smell".

The lungs are turds. They've been turds. They continue to be turds.

And that's all I have to say about my stupid lungs.

How are things in your world? Are you ready for the holidays?

Do tell! I shall live vicariously through your good news!

Precious

• My daughters, all three of them
• Ben in all his newborn glory
• My goofball dad
• my stepmom (who stopped cleaning long enough to have her picture taken)

Some things are just so precious...

These are the MOST precious...

Just sayin.

The Auntie/Niece Thing

Yesterday was The Old Goat's birthday. We had a party. When not playing with my grandchildren, I love to photograph them. Baby Alice adores K2. It's mutual. Last night they had a 'girl time' during Alice's belly time.

I almost sprained a knee getting over there to capture this...

I think they're kindred spirits!

AG out!

Marriage... and Valentine's Day

Here we are again.

Another Valentine's Day.

It often leaves TOG (The Old Goat) and I a bit at a loss to deal with the huge expectations surrounding the love fest.

Celebrate love?

Seriously?

For real?

Don't get us wrong. We love each other. But it's not something so fragile or unacknowledged that we need a day of celebration or everything will collapse in a heap of divorce papers.

The love we have for each other has been forged over years of marriage including bad dinners, busted budgets, raising 3 children (one with autism), changing careers, health issues, stubborn arguments and multiple instances of reaffirming that we did indeed want to remain in love and together for the long haul.... in spite of the fact that neither of us is the same person the other fell in love with so many years ago.

And you want me to buy him a Hallmark card?

Certainly.

As soon as I find one that encapsulates what he means to me. I gave up looking for that card long ago. And so did he.

It was so much more meaningful that he took a few extra moments this morning to sort through the sourdough turnovers I made last night looking for the perfect one to take for his lunch. Why? Because he's going to showcase it in front of his co-workers so they'll see how lucky he is to be married to me. You can't get that kind of feel good from a $2.00 card with a big red heart on it.

And for goodness sake, don't even think about sending me roses!

AG out!

Light Speed!

It can't be just me...

If I make the observation that my life is moving at light speed, I'm sure that other people must feel the same way. Right?

[at this point, she needs the reassurance, just nod]

There's so much happening at work in terms of funding.... technology... event planning... It's crazy I tell you!

There's a great deal happening at home too. From K3's final prcedures to planning for our trip, to trying to find the time to squeeze in a lunch date with a dear friend.

In all the hub bub (I love that word) my poor little blog is coming in a pathetic last place. And that's just the way it will have to be for now.

The good news is, I'm getting some help at work. My boss has engaged someone under contract to work on my PR stuff. I'm so glad she's there, I could just spit. I met with her Monday and she seems quite competent. Which gives me hope, because at this point, if I had to supervise someone that needed their hand held, I think I would weep tears of desperation!

Now, you tell me how crazy things are in your world! Go!

Lucky

I've decided that I must be luckiest person in the world.

To see this sight on a winter morning as you get on the freeway is amazing.

I'm so lucky to live in a world with such beauty.

Does everyone else on the freeway stop to look? Do they catch their breath? Soak in the warmth? Absorb the energy?

Yes. I'm a lucky person.

Lucky to be blessed with friends and family...

Work that matters...

And the ability to appreciate it all.

Wishing you a lovely Friday!

AG out!