Thursday, July 28, 2011

Discombobulated

Wow, I'm having a hard time getting back into the swing of things. I miss my friends more than I expected. Having your heart wide open is wonderful when you are around loved ones, but makes it much more difficult to say goodbye.

My best moment today was when my husband announced that he had a plan for us to visit all of the 50 states. I still love the relatively new idea that there is someone who considers me an integral part of his dreams for the future.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Home Again, Home Again

This morning I left home to go home. I just spent six days in my hometown, visiting people I love and soaking in the green and coolness of a Wisconsin summer. I felt like I was home, although thirteen years of living in Texas has made some of my inner Racine map foggy. I ate favorite foods, drove down to the lake to see the beach, the water, the lighthouse. I soaked in the plants, the architecture, the rabbits and robins. I enjoyed watching the rain pour down, and fluffy white clouds float through an outrageously blue sky. I marveled at the thousands of fireflies that lit up fields filled with growing cabbage and corn. Mostly, I hugged friends, talked and laughed with them, and then tried not to cry when I said goodbye to them (not altogether successfully, I might add). There is never enough time. I repaired a relationship that had been broken for thirty years. And sadly, one of the people I had meant to see passed away unexpectedly in her sleep yesterday. It makes the time I spent with my other friends all the more precious. With each connection and each loss, I become more and more likely to say I love you.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

I Think I'm Ready...

Today was a busy day. I'm tired enough to go to bed 4 hours earlier than normal so I can catch my morning flight tomorrow... Yoga, laundry, groceries, vet, banking, bill-paying, and packing... Still had a few moments to have a nice dinner with my husband at a local Cajun place. I'm a bit disappointed to hear that there are near-record-breaking high temps where I'm heading tomorrow - I was hoping to get a break from the triple-digit temperatures here in Texas. Somehow, I think that once I'm with my friends, I won't mind the heat.

I Am Officially on Vacation!

Today I got to have lunch with my cousin and her children, who are visiting from Nashville. Also in attendance were my parents, my grandmother, and my aunt and uncle. What a treat for all of us to sit at one table and laugh! Today was also my last day of work before I go on my trip to Wisconsin. On my first day there, I'll be reuniting with a friend I haven't seen in 30 years. After that, visits with high school friends (class of 1980), another friend I haven't seen in 20 or so years, and then one of the 3 brothers I mentioned yesterday. I can't wait to be with all of them in person. Facebook is amazing, and is the reason for many of these meetings. But you can't hug someone on Facebook. It's going to be great to have no responsibilities other than friendship for a week. I'm hoping to return with a positive attitude adjustment!

Monday, July 18, 2011

Music and Memories

Have you ever noticed how a piece of music can instantly bring you back to a certain place and time? Today I was listening to a CD recorded by good friends of mine, three brothers who had an amazing chemistry together, until two years ago when the youngest of the three passed away. When I listen to their music, I hear sounds so familiar that they are as recognizable to me as the voices of my three friends. There's a link from my heart to theirs whenever I hear them play. It's almost like hearing the voice of a lost loved one on a voicemail... It makes you think for a moment that he is still here. And for a moment, he is.

Quiet House on a Sunday Night

My husband and the dogs are all sound asleep, as I sit at my computer, formatting my new blog. My husband and I work different shifts, so the weekend is when we spend the most time together. As I count down the days to my solo trip to Wisconsin to visit old friends, he decided to spoil me rotten by cooking for me, taking me to a movie and out to eat, and spending a lot of time just hanging out on the couch with me. I'm always a little sad when he goes to sleep on Sunday night, and I think about the work week starting. My husband and I met at the age of 42, and I think our age gives a bit of an advantage over other recently-married couples. We are old enough to have a little life experience to help us make better choices. We really try to remember to ask how the other's day went, and say thank you for the things we appreciate. He often tells me that he's glad to be married to me. Even though we "work" at our marriage, it feels easy. I am a lucky girl!