The weekend of a totally spontaneous woman.....

That title, for anyone who knows me, is actually NOT who I am!  I am anything but spontaneous, I like to know what I'm going to be doing way in advance so I can worry about what to wear.  So this past weekend the only plans we had were to have dinner at MIL's with a nephew and his wife who were coming to town for a quick visit.  That's fine, I know how to do that and exactly what to wear.  

Thursday night MIL called to say nephew and wife's plans had changed and they wouldn't be coming, leaving Friday night totally with NO plans.  Um, not that we have plans every Friday night.  We don't.

Friday morning as I was reading the paper like I always do, flipping pages and only stopping if I see something that looks interesting, to check the obituaries or to read the comics........ I saw the section listing the local weekend activities.  My attention was drawn to a play at our local theatre called They're Playing Our Song which just happened to star my hairdresser as the leading man.  I've told him over and over again that I would attend his plays, but never have, so a lightbulb went off in my head.

I called the husband and asked if he wanted to go and he reluctantly excitedly said oh, yes!  I called MIL who had been wanting to go and invited her to come along on our spur of the moment adventure.

That evening when the husband got home from work I told him how much I had been looking forward to going and how it perked up my whole afternoon and we should do this every weekend, just go somewhere without planning in advance!

My sweetie looked loving at me and said Do you want a boyfriend?  Thinking that he thought I needed someone more exciting, I quickly replied No, of course not!  To which he replied in turn Well, if you want to do this every weekend, you'd better get one!  I'm telling you, he's just a hopeless romantic that man!

The play was wonderful and who knew my hairdresser could sing? The woman who was the leading lady graduated with my oldest son and she was just a born actress!  WE MIL and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute.....and afterwards went to meet the cast and snap a quick picture.

My hairdresser, Eric Minter,  as Vernon Gersch
Casey Kivett Naggiar as Sonia Walsk

We also got to visit with Eric's wife and daughter for a little bit which was nice.

Hating to waste a perfectly good spontaneous mood, I called one of my almost daughters who was about to have a birthday and asked if I could come visit.  Saturday, it was off to Pen*acola for a visit with Mary Grace, Mikey and Grady.  I haven't seen them in a while and it was so good to visit and catch up on life.

Mikey and Grady

Mary Grace and Grady

Grady having fun at the seafood festival.

Grady giving Ellie a kiss

It was a great weekend, I even got back in time for Sunday night church.  The sermon was one I pray for our many and various children wherever they are.  It was from Deuteronomy 29:4 .  Lord, give them hearts to understand, eyes to see and ears to hear.

Not Goodbye, but see you later, dear friend

Yesterday one of mama's dear friends died.  They weren't friends as young women, probably never knew each other at all until they both moved in a retirement center near the same time.  

They became fast friends in the last part of their lives, the winter as it's sometimes called.  

Louise was a character.....earlier in her life she was a clown....literally.  She dressed as a clown for parties and such.  She and mama and another lady became close during the last few years.  When mama got to the point that she couldn't hold a book to read, Louise came down every night and read to her.  She did that until she became too short of breath to read aloud, then the other friend took over.

Louise never liked you to tell her how nice she was....she would give you her frown and say Now I am not nice!  But she was.  

It is an odd friendship that begins at the end of life.  In the young years, women talk about their children (now maybe they still did that!), about recipes and cooking, about their husbands, about their dreams and desires and goals.  I wasn't privy to their private conversations, but I would imagine they turned more around what was going on in their little community, their past, their grandchildren.

Louise and Margaret (the other Margaret as we call her) and Mama are pictured above along with my SIL at one of mama's birthday lunches.  Louise is in the melon jacket.

Louise was always dressed up and had her makeup just right.

Today she is clothed in the righteousness of Christ....in a more beautiful gown than any bride has ever worn.  Today she is drinking from the fountain that never shall run dry.
Yesterday Louise entered into the presence of Christ!

So, although it is sad for her family and friends because we will all miss her here on earth, it is a joyous day for Louise, one she had anticipated all of her Christian life.

At the bottom of her obituary, her children used this scripture....

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.  Psalm 116:15


Her funeral tomorrow will be held on her 90th birthday!

Too Random to Name

As days, weeks and months go sliding by

As dawn and sunset light the sky

My head turns fast, I heave a sigh.....

Why, time must you so quickly fly?

September is filled to the brim with birthdays in our family and friends.  So we celebrate in one way or another one birthday after another.  Actually, when you have a family as large as ours, there doesn't seem to be a month without birthdays.

I won't name them since I'd surely forget someone and that would be disaster!  

My life is so blessed with family and friends.....both old and new.

Some friends that I have only known a couple of years are special to me and called to ask me to come to a piano recital for four of their children.  I was excited to go hear these kids play, not expecting much since they have only been taking lessons for a year.

They were all great.  I enjoyed their recital so much and appreciated them asking me to come.....I'm not near my grandchildren and they're not near their grandparents, so it did us both good.

My Iphoto isn't cooperating with me so this post will be pictureless!

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Since I started watching Hoarders, I've cleaned out three closets and my computer desk.  My husband is so glad I started watching that show.  It scares me to think I'm just one piece of paper away from turning into a hoarder.  I may have exaggerated a little bit or a lot.  But those people had to start somewhere.
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Hunting season and football season....just a bit much.

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One of mama's good friends at the retirement center is very near death.  When someone there dies, they put the flag at half staff.  I didn't realize that I was holding my breath today turning in until I actually saw that the flag was standing tall!  So glad. It's hard on everyone there when one dies.

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I've been thinking a lot about how decisions and actions made and done when we're younger have life long consequences.   As an older person I think I watch the younger people and want to scream out....No, don't do that....you'll have to live with it all your life.  Then I realize that everyone has to make mistakes and learn in their own way.

There are times when I watch my children doing things that are going to have lasting consequences and although I have learned for the most part to keep my mouth quiet, my heart still aches for them and those that are affected by their decisions.

When those thoughts begin to take root, I try to stop and remember Philippians 4:8

Tomorrow is the Lord's day and I will be glad and rejoice in it!  :)

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to my beautiful and sweet mama.  Today mama turns 87.  

This is from her birthday three years ago.  She was still walking at that time.  

Each year brings new joys and challenges and mama has seen plenty of both.

Today we celebrate her life and her love for her family.

Mama and her sister, who turned 95 on the 6th, at last year's birthday lunch.  She's wearing the same shirt from her 84th birthday!  Frugal I'm telling you!

Today we celebrate the life you have lived and how you have loved us so much!  

And inside every woman of every age is the girl she was. 


Mary Margaret Anderson Duncan 


I love you

Odds and Ends....ups and downs

It seems as if days are slipping into weeks and weeks into months and I'm reeling.....literally this week.....from one to the other at terrifying speeds!  

I was easing from August into September when vertigo reared it's ugly head.  If you've never had vertigo it starts for me by feeling a bit off center.  Kind of like trying to walk on a boat when the seas are rolling.  Vertigo quickly progresses to dizzy with a capital D.   It puts you down.  Flat down.  Thankfully, I always have the medicine on hand and by the afternoon I was much better.  

So, putting that behind me...here are a few more pictures from Russell's birthday......just because I like them.  

Russell's Uncle Hugh stayed up late....6 p.m....to wish him a happy birthday.   An incredible man at 93...still driving.  

Russell's sister and his mother cooked a great birthday dinner.  Sue was visiting from No*th C*rolina which made it even more special.

I guess I thought I needed to hold him down so he wouldn't float away with excitement.....actually I have no idea why my arm was like this!

His favorite....lemon cheese cake.

Mikey obviously thinks he is king of the bed.  He had had a bath and was trying to reassert himself as my boss!  He's on Russell's pillow.
Mikey can jump onto anything and Jack can't.  It makes Jack have little dog syndrome!

I hope everyone has a happy and safe Labor Day.