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| View of the Highest End |
July 30, 2016
Porch Phase 2 - Underpinning, Gates and Post Caps
My wonderful carpenter guys, Paul and Donald, finished up the porch underpinning. They made gates - 3 of the them - and new post caps, too. It looks fabulous, but is not truly complete. I'll wait a month or two for the wood to cure, then I'll add deck sealer. Picture the new wood much darker - the same color as the rest of the porch, so it won't stand out so much. I've wanted underpinning (a.k.a. skirting) for so long - pretty much since we moved in (2008).
July 8, 2016
Belle of the Ball
No one has asked me yet if I'm seeing anyone, but I wish they would because I have my answer all ready and it's the absolute truth! I am seeing LOTS of guys - Charlie, Daniel, Forrest, Randy, Andrew, Kevin, Tim, Tray, Bobby, and Marvin, to name a few. Just today, my most recent guy (Kyle) sent me this photo he took in Albuquerque.
July 2, 2016
Annie's Wound - Back Braces and Butt Cream
Yesterday was fun. Today has started out crazy. It's barely 8am and I am already exhausted. Annie has a gross, messy wound on her neck and it's driving her crazy.
I had to figure out something to keep her from scratching it raw.
I had to figure out something to keep her from scratching it raw.
July 1, 2016
Yoga Love
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| I did not take this photo while at class. It was taken at home. |
Yesterday, I went to my first yoga class. I have gotten into yoga before, but did it at home using workouts I had onVHS tapes (and later DVDs). I thought I knew a bit about what to expect from those. I was a little afraid that I'd struggle to keep up and would end the 90 minute session feeling a bit sore. That was not the case at all! The class I took was fabulous. It was slow, allowing for deep stretches and plenty of time to ease into positions. (My DVD yoga lessons all change positions too fast. Drives me crazy.) By the end of the class, I felt FABULOUS and today, there is no trace of soreness whatsoever.
My other concerns turned out to be non-issues, as well.
June 26, 2016
Can't Cut the Rope
My friend, Susan, is moving. Yesterday, I took my truck to her house to help her deliver a few items she was giving away. She had four young men helping to load and unload. A huge shelf was loaded onto my truck. I had rope in the truck for tying items down. The truck always has rope in the bed. One of the young men tied a knot so tight that it was almost impossible to untie. It was suggested that the rope be cut and I nearly hyperventilated.
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| "It's just rope. Cut it." Then, sensing my reluctance (major understatement), " I'll buy you new rope." They had no idea how close I was to passing out! |
My Latest Dream House
It's no secret to my friends and family that I have dreams of moving to a smaller house in a less secluded location in a few years. It's fun to browse house plans and imagine myself in them one day. Here's one I came across recently thats seems nice. It's a little larger than I want.
June 11, 2016
NO MORE Latex-Backed Rugs!
A few months ago, I put a latex-backed rug on the screened porch deck, right by the door. I moved everything off the porch earlier this week for the deck to be pressure washed. The hardest thing to move was a stupid rug. It had a rubber backing, which had stuck like super glue to the porch. I tried scraping the latex off and it wouldn't budge. I crossed my fingers that the pressure washing would be able to remove it. Nope. It didn't do a thing. ^%$#@! I need to get all that mess off within the next week because all my porches are scheduled for staining and painting.
June 9, 2016
Getting Ready for Major Porch TLC
This was long past due! This month, I'm having my house pressure washed and getting the porch stained and painted. It has been looking terrible. I'm also getting an underpinning on the house. I'll post more about that once it's done.
The last few weeks, I have been cutting back all the bushes around the house. I had to work around two bird nests with babies. I didn't disturb either oil the babies had flown away. I had let my bushes grow fairly large, which I didn't like, just so it would block the view under the porch. Now that I'll have an underpinning, I can keep the bushes small. I also wanted to cut everything back so it'll be easier for everyone to work on the porch.
This week I needed to get everything off the porch for the pressure washer. Understand - my porch is a wrap around - 3 sides. It's big. I liked big porches until I priced having it stained and painted. I had it decorated. It didn't feel like too much until I had to move it all off. I can tell you this, I won't be putting all that stuff back. It's time for a purge!
The last few weeks, I have been cutting back all the bushes around the house. I had to work around two bird nests with babies. I didn't disturb either oil the babies had flown away. I had let my bushes grow fairly large, which I didn't like, just so it would block the view under the porch. Now that I'll have an underpinning, I can keep the bushes small. I also wanted to cut everything back so it'll be easier for everyone to work on the porch.
This week I needed to get everything off the porch for the pressure washer. Understand - my porch is a wrap around - 3 sides. It's big. I liked big porches until I priced having it stained and painted. I had it decorated. It didn't feel like too much until I had to move it all off. I can tell you this, I won't be putting all that stuff back. It's time for a purge!
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| 3-Sided Wrap Around Porch |
June 3, 2016
A Two-Susan Day
Today was a Two-Susans-Day. It started with a memorial service.
The first Susan was Susan T and it was her memorial service I attended. I spent a great deal of time around her back in the 80's. There was a group of us who hung out at The Elks Club pool practically every day one or two summers. Looking back we were an unlikely group. We had quite an age range and we certainly had a lot of different personalities. I'm really not sure how much we all had in common, but somehow we formed a close connection that remained over the years even though many of us seldom see the others. Susan was a very important part of that group. So was Ruth Adamek, who passed away a few years ago. Those two ladies knew how to be happy.
Happy people know connecting with friends and family is the most important thing and if you can do it with a sense of fun and joy and love, then you'll truly have a wonderful life, no matter what comes your way. Susan and Ruth were so full of joy... always. Wherever they were was sure to be a happy place. The Elks Club pool was an incredibly happy place to be back then.
Late this afternoon I kept thinking about how Susan T lived and suddenly sitting at home relaxing by myself seemed completely wrong. I am incredibly lucky to have a bunch of great friends. I'm thinking I'd like to start seeing them more often. Ordinarily, I like to do my playing and running around during the day, but even though it was late in the day, I picked up the phone and called Susan H. She's my YES Friend. If she has spare time, she will always say yes to a friend. She's always ready for fun. It was perfect timing. She had time to spare and was close by. We were able to fit in a fabulous ride in her new paddle boat, a thrown together dinner and a fun movie.
The first Susan was Susan T and it was her memorial service I attended. I spent a great deal of time around her back in the 80's. There was a group of us who hung out at The Elks Club pool practically every day one or two summers. Looking back we were an unlikely group. We had quite an age range and we certainly had a lot of different personalities. I'm really not sure how much we all had in common, but somehow we formed a close connection that remained over the years even though many of us seldom see the others. Susan was a very important part of that group. So was Ruth Adamek, who passed away a few years ago. Those two ladies knew how to be happy.
Happy people know connecting with friends and family is the most important thing and if you can do it with a sense of fun and joy and love, then you'll truly have a wonderful life, no matter what comes your way. Susan and Ruth were so full of joy... always. Wherever they were was sure to be a happy place. The Elks Club pool was an incredibly happy place to be back then.
Late this afternoon I kept thinking about how Susan T lived and suddenly sitting at home relaxing by myself seemed completely wrong. I am incredibly lucky to have a bunch of great friends. I'm thinking I'd like to start seeing them more often. Ordinarily, I like to do my playing and running around during the day, but even though it was late in the day, I picked up the phone and called Susan H. She's my YES Friend. If she has spare time, she will always say yes to a friend. She's always ready for fun. It was perfect timing. She had time to spare and was close by. We were able to fit in a fabulous ride in her new paddle boat, a thrown together dinner and a fun movie.
Sometimes hanging out with a good friend is the most important thing you can do. Susan T would agree.
May 20, 2016
Water... With a Little Something Extra
I've been pushing myself to drink more water. I've come up with a few things to help me stay on track.
The best thing is getting back on track with infused waters. To make an infused water, you simply add one or more ingredients to the water and let it sit for a couple of hours. Two or three ingredients are really all you need to make something fabulous. The one above is cucumber mint. I made that yesterday.
The best thing is getting back on track with infused waters. To make an infused water, you simply add one or more ingredients to the water and let it sit for a couple of hours. Two or three ingredients are really all you need to make something fabulous. The one above is cucumber mint. I made that yesterday.
May 8, 2016
Are you OK?
Yesterday, was Rudy's 1 year gone "angelversary" (as Sharon C. puts it). I decided spend the day on my own, incommunicado. If I had talked to a bunch of people, they all would have done the, "Are you OK?" thing (because that's what we ALL do, right?). When I answer that question a number of times, after a bit, I'm not OK because each time I answer, I think about my situation too much.
To answer the question, I am both OK and NOT OK. I'm sad and missing Rudy like crazy EVERY SINGLE DAY, but dealing with it very well and spending time with friends and focusing on the good things in my life. It is what it is. * Rudy's gone. I'm still here. We are not supposed to waste our lives, so I will figure out how to make the best of it.
Unfortunately, the move left some tracks in the yard. They aren't as bad as they look. Mostly, it's a trail of broken grass and the next time I mow, it shouldn't be too noticeable.
To answer the question, I am both OK and NOT OK. I'm sad and missing Rudy like crazy EVERY SINGLE DAY, but dealing with it very well and spending time with friends and focusing on the good things in my life. It is what it is. * Rudy's gone. I'm still here. We are not supposed to waste our lives, so I will figure out how to make the best of it.
I worked outside most of the day. It was truly the best way to handle the day. I dug up and moved an overgrown border of monkey grass. (NO MORE MONKEY GRASS BED BORDERS NEAR THE HOUSE!) I had to work on it in sessions. Whew! It's much easier to dig and separate if the ground is damp. The ground was a bit dry, so I watered it well and waited. I had to repeat the watering a number of times in order to get all of those stubborn clumps out of the ground.
In between sessions of monkey grass digging, I mowed a bit of grass. After finishing a couple of sections, I parked the mower in front of the house to run in and get my good earphones. When I came back out, it wouldn't crank. It just makes a sad clicking noise. The battery. Shoot.
What to do? I was determined to deal with it on my own. The mower doesn't need to stay in front of the steps. It was too heavy to push myself. I could move it a few inches at best. Think. What would Rudy do? He'd pull it with the tractor, but the tractor is gone. I didn't want to use the truck. I wondered if the John Deere mower would pull it. The Skag mower is heavier than the John Deere, but it was worth a try. I found Rudy's heavy duty chain and connected the two mowers. It was slow going and a strain on my sweet John Deere, but I finally got it moved to a section of driveway where it could be worked on easily.
Unfortunately, the move left some tracks in the yard. They aren't as bad as they look. Mostly, it's a trail of broken grass and the next time I mow, it shouldn't be too noticeable.
I still have lots of yard work to do around the house - especially trimming bushes. Some of the bushes will have to wait. I discovered a nesting mama bird in one of them!!!
Happy Mother's Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Happy Mother's Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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* Actually, Rudy is not completely gone. I feel certain he's still hanging around because of all the crazy signs I keep getting that are often too spot on to be coincidental. I still talk to him and I can practically hear what he'd have to say about most everything.
May 7, 2016
One Year Without Rudy - Happy Memories Are Best
Rudy died one year ago - May 7th at 9:15 am. I have tried to write this post over and over. I write, delete, and repeat the next day. Nothing I write seems good enough. The 11 month post was hard. I thought maybe if I worked on the one year post over the course of the month, it wouldn't be so bad. It didn't help. It's difficult because I keep thinking of this time last year and it was all pretty horrible.
I'm taking the pressure off myself and won't post a tribute to Rudy. Instead, I will write about two miscellaneous things on my mind - one serious and one funny.
The serious point I want to make is for anyone who is grieving or anyone with sad memories. The thing that has served me best (kept me from losing my mind) this whole year has been to push away bad memories. I recently learned the newest grief research backs me on this.
My favorite widow book so far, Saturday Night Widows, explained that grief is similar to post-traumatic stress disorder.
From the start, I didn't want to dwell on the awful things Rudy had to go through or how awful that made me feel or how wrong life is without Rudy. Remembering horrific times is nothing but self-torture. I wanted to focus on the good times. The good memories are the ones I need to reinforce! Maybe that's one of the reasons these "anniversary posts" are so hard. They are reminders of bad times.
Stopping the negative thoughts that pop into my head is not easy. Bad experiences have a way of searing into your brain, don't they? During the last 6-1/2 months of Rudy's life, he suffered one awful thing after another. As soon as I realize I'm thinking about those bad times, I remind myself those memories are not helpful and Rudy would not want them to define his life. I make myself picture Rudy looking happy. Rudy would want to be remembered for the happy times!!!
Now for the funny part... John Prine was one of Rudy's favorite musicians. On more than one occasion (long before Rudy got sick), he told me and his sister, Nancy, he'd like John Prine's song, Please Don't Bury Me, played at his funeral. We'd all laugh as we imagined what the reaction would be. When it came time to choose the music for Rudy's "Celebration of Life Party", Nancy thought we should honor Rudy's request and play this song. His sister, Linda, was not in favor, to say the least. If I had thought for a minute that Rudy had been serious, I would have insisted on it being played, but I knew he had been joking. Also, he had said on a number of occasions, the most important thing at a funeral was to do whatever might comfort those who were grieving. Playing this song would not have comforted Linda and might have shocked a few others as well! We found other songs to play that ended up being perfect. I think this one year anniversary might be a good time to present the crazy John Prine song. It's a bit irreverent and perfectly captures Rudy's warped sense of humor. He'd like nothing better than to be remembered with a smile! But darn it, I'm crying as I write that. I sure do miss him and his sense of fun. I can't imagine ever again having as much fun as I did with him.
I'm taking the pressure off myself and won't post a tribute to Rudy. Instead, I will write about two miscellaneous things on my mind - one serious and one funny.
The serious point I want to make is for anyone who is grieving or anyone with sad memories. The thing that has served me best (kept me from losing my mind) this whole year has been to push away bad memories. I recently learned the newest grief research backs me on this.
My favorite widow book so far, Saturday Night Widows, explained that grief is similar to post-traumatic stress disorder.
"It used to be that trauma victims were encouraged to talk about the events that had triggered their condition, to get it out of their systems." Recent studies have shown "talking about trauma, or even thinking about it too much, can reinforce disturbing memories."
From the start, I didn't want to dwell on the awful things Rudy had to go through or how awful that made me feel or how wrong life is without Rudy. Remembering horrific times is nothing but self-torture. I wanted to focus on the good times. The good memories are the ones I need to reinforce! Maybe that's one of the reasons these "anniversary posts" are so hard. They are reminders of bad times.
Stopping the negative thoughts that pop into my head is not easy. Bad experiences have a way of searing into your brain, don't they? During the last 6-1/2 months of Rudy's life, he suffered one awful thing after another. As soon as I realize I'm thinking about those bad times, I remind myself those memories are not helpful and Rudy would not want them to define his life. I make myself picture Rudy looking happy. Rudy would want to be remembered for the happy times!!!
Now for the funny part... John Prine was one of Rudy's favorite musicians. On more than one occasion (long before Rudy got sick), he told me and his sister, Nancy, he'd like John Prine's song, Please Don't Bury Me, played at his funeral. We'd all laugh as we imagined what the reaction would be. When it came time to choose the music for Rudy's "Celebration of Life Party", Nancy thought we should honor Rudy's request and play this song. His sister, Linda, was not in favor, to say the least. If I had thought for a minute that Rudy had been serious, I would have insisted on it being played, but I knew he had been joking. Also, he had said on a number of occasions, the most important thing at a funeral was to do whatever might comfort those who were grieving. Playing this song would not have comforted Linda and might have shocked a few others as well! We found other songs to play that ended up being perfect. I think this one year anniversary might be a good time to present the crazy John Prine song. It's a bit irreverent and perfectly captures Rudy's warped sense of humor. He'd like nothing better than to be remembered with a smile! But darn it, I'm crying as I write that. I sure do miss him and his sense of fun. I can't imagine ever again having as much fun as I did with him.
April 27, 2016
Cut the Cable - Part 2
I cut the cable today! I loaded the cable box and all the cords in my basket and turned it all in. Oddly, they didn't even try to talk me out of it or ask why. The only cable TV I've watched in months was the last season of Downton Abbey. Netflix and Amazon seem to be all I need these days. More than I need, actually. I watch what I want, when I want, with no commercials. No scrolling through an endless TV Guide and still finding nothing worth watching. I've particularly liked NOT watching the news or keeping up with politics this year. I originally intended to avoid news for a year, but I think I'll hold off even longer.
I have actually been thinking of doing this for some time. At one time, we had 3 cable boxes for TVs around the house. I had already turned in two ages ago, but held off turning in the last one till I was truly sure.
Last spring I looked up all sorts of information about cutting cable. I wrote about my findings here - Cut the Cable Part 1. By the way, I have a Roku 3 and just love it. If you have a smart TV, you won't need that at all. I don't have a TV antenna and probably won't get one.
This is one more step in simplifying my life. It feels good.
I have actually been thinking of doing this for some time. At one time, we had 3 cable boxes for TVs around the house. I had already turned in two ages ago, but held off turning in the last one till I was truly sure.
Last spring I looked up all sorts of information about cutting cable. I wrote about my findings here - Cut the Cable Part 1. By the way, I have a Roku 3 and just love it. If you have a smart TV, you won't need that at all. I don't have a TV antenna and probably won't get one.
This is one more step in simplifying my life. It feels good.
April 22, 2016
Saying Goodbye to Uncle Clyne
Clyne Veal died today. He was one of the most influential people in Rudy's life.
I began hearing about Clyne (and his sweet wife, Lorene) soon after Rudy and I started dating. Rudy's family is quite large, but it became obvious that Clyne was a VIP in the family. Over the years, he justified that high regard over and over.
Clyne was a humble man and lived simply. He didn't have to. He could have bought anything he wanted. He was soft spoken. He had all sorts of things to brag about if he'd been that type of person, but that wasn't in his nature. Thinking about those sentences, I can't help feeling they are inadequate. The thing is, his nature is what was so admirable. It's what made him so loved. He didn't need to be loud and out-going. He didn't need to bring attention to himself. People were drawn to him. No one wanted to disappoint him. They wanted to make him proud. Interestingly, if someone did do something "disappointing", most often Clyne seemed to see it as a lesson.
Clyne was a World War II vet. His war experiences were like something you might see in a movie. He served on the USS Emmons. The Emmons was attacked by five kamikaze planes and sunk in April of 1945. Clyne was the second from the last to get off the ship. He saved the captain's life. The captain was in such bad shape (from burns I think) that for years Clyne assumed he hadn't lived. But he did. Clyne was interviewed by a number of newspapers for his 90th birthday. You can see more about that HERE.
Rudy came up with the wonderful idea to give Clyne a cap with the USS Emmons emblem on it. Of all the gift giving I've seen over the years, I do believe that was the all time best. There was no doubt it was appreciated. He hardly left home without it for the next 5 years. Many times Lorene and Clyne would be out eating and a stranger would see that cap and secretly pay for their meal to thank him for his service. I remember hearing about it the first time it happened. They were so amazed and absolutely delighted!
Clyne liked keeping things simple. He was Rudy's biggest mentor when it came to the simple life, though Rudy was never able to come even close to Clyne's simple style. He was frugal and careful. There was nothing fancy about Clyne Veal!
He gardened up until a few years ago. Most of those years, he plowed using a mule. A mule was far better than a tiller! Clyne's mules and horses were always fun to see when visiting. I imagine those mules were more than happy to do whatever Clyne wanted them to do. Even Clyne's animals seemed to be enchanted with him.
One thing I always thought significant about Clyne's gardening was that he didn't believe in planting the summer crops till after Mother's Day. Many people are in such a rush to plant. Clyne wanted to be certain frost would not undo his work. He was an incredibly patient man. To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
Clyne was a hard and diligent worker. For a number of years he raised chickens. Lots and lots and LOTS of chickens. His barn was huge. Rudy and his brother Jimmy used to spend summers with Clyne and Lorene. Rudy helped some with the chickens and was awed by how much work that involved. He'd ask Clyne about how he could continue to work that hard day after day. I don't know the exact answer, but the takeaway was that you just focused on what you were doing at the moment and you kept going. Rudy said Clyne was never in a big hurry, but he was incredibly steady and long lasting. The long lasting part is certainly true in more ways than one. He lived to be 95.
Staying with Lorene and Clyne was a memory Rudy treasured. Other cousins in the family stayed with them, too. The female cousins always wondered why the boys were so lucky. The girls weren't left out actually. They had fun at the same time with other aunts and uncles. Clyne knew how to keep boys out of mischief and teach them a lot at the same time.
Rudy used to go hunting with Clyne. They'd start the day quite early with a huge breakfast from Lorene. Lorene's biscuits were also a memory Rudy treasured. Rudy would stick a few extra in his pockets and off they'd go. Anyone who knows Rudy knows that he was NOT a hunter. He couldn't kill a thing unless it was threatening someone he loved. Clyne went pretty light on hunts with Rudy. Mostly, they just went out and ran the dogs and let them chase some things.
Rudy was with Clyne when he bought THE truck. The 65 Ford pick up.
By the way, I still have the wagon Clyne built and later gave to Rudy. Rudy had helped him build it... or rather Clyne let him think he was helping. Actually, I think Rudy paid more attention to Clyne's building skills than anyone realized. The chassis had been an Army ammunition carrier that was pulled by a jeep. It's wonderful. It, too, is something I hope will stay in the family. If any of you Veal's are interested, let me know! It's a beauty and is still in GREAT shape. You have to promise to keep it and cherish it! You can read more about the wagon HERE.
Clyne was quiet spoken. I loved to watch him at family reunions. He was usually back from the crowd just a tad, but watching him was like watching a beloved king holding court. Everyone made sure to go talk to Clyne. He could be funny, too. And astute. I often would hear him say things that I considered profound. Usually just a short sentence that spoke volumes.
Clyne and Lorene were married for 67 years. They were hardly apart during that time, right up to the end. Clyne waited till Lorene was back in the room to take his last breaths. Their anniversary was last Saturday. Just before they got together, Clyne had been dating another girl. Lorene explained to Clyne why that girl wasn't right for him and the rest is history. If you know Lorene, get her to tell you the story. It's really funny!
Another reason Rudy loved being around Clyne and Lorene is because they were so happy with each other. Rudy loved watching Clyne tease Lorene. He loved how they stayed totally smitten with each other over the years. Clyne loved Lorene with all his heart til the day he died. No. That's probably wrong. I'm sure even in Heaven, he loves her still and will be watching over her. He'll expect his whole family to show her the love he no longer can. And we will. She's so sweet and fun. It's not hard to love Lorene.
Some would say that Clyne and Lorene didn't have any children of their own. Ancestry.com would certainly say that. But it wouldn't be true. They had dozens. He was sort of the father of the family. It's hard to explain the truth of that, but if you know any of the cousins in the Veal clan, you've probably heard them try to explain the Clyne mystique. It's just impossible to come up with the right words for how loved he is and how connected we all feel to him.
If it's true that your loved ones greet you when you go to heaven (and I believe it is), then Clyne was greeted by a huge crowd. HUGE. He was loved by so many and a good many of those are no longer here with us. I know Rudy and Jimmy were there as well as too many others in the family. I started counting who all would be there to greet him, but I ran out of fingers and toes. I'm certain it's an amazing reunion. But here on Earth, we're going to miss him so much.
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| Clyne and Lorene |
I began hearing about Clyne (and his sweet wife, Lorene) soon after Rudy and I started dating. Rudy's family is quite large, but it became obvious that Clyne was a VIP in the family. Over the years, he justified that high regard over and over.
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| The Veal clan - that's Clyne in the Navy uniform I told you it was a large family! |
Clyne was a humble man and lived simply. He didn't have to. He could have bought anything he wanted. He was soft spoken. He had all sorts of things to brag about if he'd been that type of person, but that wasn't in his nature. Thinking about those sentences, I can't help feeling they are inadequate. The thing is, his nature is what was so admirable. It's what made him so loved. He didn't need to be loud and out-going. He didn't need to bring attention to himself. People were drawn to him. No one wanted to disappoint him. They wanted to make him proud. Interestingly, if someone did do something "disappointing", most often Clyne seemed to see it as a lesson.
Clyne was a World War II vet. His war experiences were like something you might see in a movie. He served on the USS Emmons. The Emmons was attacked by five kamikaze planes and sunk in April of 1945. Clyne was the second from the last to get off the ship. He saved the captain's life. The captain was in such bad shape (from burns I think) that for years Clyne assumed he hadn't lived. But he did. Clyne was interviewed by a number of newspapers for his 90th birthday. You can see more about that HERE.
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| Clyne in his USS Emmons hat |
Rudy came up with the wonderful idea to give Clyne a cap with the USS Emmons emblem on it. Of all the gift giving I've seen over the years, I do believe that was the all time best. There was no doubt it was appreciated. He hardly left home without it for the next 5 years. Many times Lorene and Clyne would be out eating and a stranger would see that cap and secretly pay for their meal to thank him for his service. I remember hearing about it the first time it happened. They were so amazed and absolutely delighted!
Clyne liked keeping things simple. He was Rudy's biggest mentor when it came to the simple life, though Rudy was never able to come even close to Clyne's simple style. He was frugal and careful. There was nothing fancy about Clyne Veal!
He gardened up until a few years ago. Most of those years, he plowed using a mule. A mule was far better than a tiller! Clyne's mules and horses were always fun to see when visiting. I imagine those mules were more than happy to do whatever Clyne wanted them to do. Even Clyne's animals seemed to be enchanted with him.
One thing I always thought significant about Clyne's gardening was that he didn't believe in planting the summer crops till after Mother's Day. Many people are in such a rush to plant. Clyne wanted to be certain frost would not undo his work. He was an incredibly patient man. To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
Clyne was a hard and diligent worker. For a number of years he raised chickens. Lots and lots and LOTS of chickens. His barn was huge. Rudy and his brother Jimmy used to spend summers with Clyne and Lorene. Rudy helped some with the chickens and was awed by how much work that involved. He'd ask Clyne about how he could continue to work that hard day after day. I don't know the exact answer, but the takeaway was that you just focused on what you were doing at the moment and you kept going. Rudy said Clyne was never in a big hurry, but he was incredibly steady and long lasting. The long lasting part is certainly true in more ways than one. He lived to be 95.
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| A number of generations learned things from Clyne - including how to make whistles from a branch. |
Staying with Lorene and Clyne was a memory Rudy treasured. Other cousins in the family stayed with them, too. The female cousins always wondered why the boys were so lucky. The girls weren't left out actually. They had fun at the same time with other aunts and uncles. Clyne knew how to keep boys out of mischief and teach them a lot at the same time.
Rudy used to go hunting with Clyne. They'd start the day quite early with a huge breakfast from Lorene. Lorene's biscuits were also a memory Rudy treasured. Rudy would stick a few extra in his pockets and off they'd go. Anyone who knows Rudy knows that he was NOT a hunter. He couldn't kill a thing unless it was threatening someone he loved. Clyne went pretty light on hunts with Rudy. Mostly, they just went out and ran the dogs and let them chase some things.
Rudy was with Clyne when he bought THE truck. The 65 Ford pick up.
Clyne sold the truck to Rudy in 1998. Rudy was so proud to have it. After Rudy died, the truck went to Daniel. I hardly thought it was possible anyone could love the truck more than Rudy, but I believe Daniel has proved that wrong. The truck is really wonderful, but more than that, it's a piece of family history. No amount of money would have persuaded me to sell this truck outside of the family, though many offered to "take it off my hands".
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| Clyne's wagon |
Clyne was quiet spoken. I loved to watch him at family reunions. He was usually back from the crowd just a tad, but watching him was like watching a beloved king holding court. Everyone made sure to go talk to Clyne. He could be funny, too. And astute. I often would hear him say things that I considered profound. Usually just a short sentence that spoke volumes.
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| Clyne and Vicki, 2006 reunion |
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| Lorene |
Another reason Rudy loved being around Clyne and Lorene is because they were so happy with each other. Rudy loved watching Clyne tease Lorene. He loved how they stayed totally smitten with each other over the years. Clyne loved Lorene with all his heart til the day he died. No. That's probably wrong. I'm sure even in Heaven, he loves her still and will be watching over her. He'll expect his whole family to show her the love he no longer can. And we will. She's so sweet and fun. It's not hard to love Lorene.
Some would say that Clyne and Lorene didn't have any children of their own. Ancestry.com would certainly say that. But it wouldn't be true. They had dozens. He was sort of the father of the family. It's hard to explain the truth of that, but if you know any of the cousins in the Veal clan, you've probably heard them try to explain the Clyne mystique. It's just impossible to come up with the right words for how loved he is and how connected we all feel to him.
If it's true that your loved ones greet you when you go to heaven (and I believe it is), then Clyne was greeted by a huge crowd. HUGE. He was loved by so many and a good many of those are no longer here with us. I know Rudy and Jimmy were there as well as too many others in the family. I started counting who all would be there to greet him, but I ran out of fingers and toes. I'm certain it's an amazing reunion. But here on Earth, we're going to miss him so much.
April 8, 2016
Somewhere Over the Rainbow is a Heart
In yesterday's post, I described a rainbow incident that happened around a year and a half ago. Here's what I wrote - I attempted to find a good photo of Rudy for the DURING time period, but they all made me cry, even the ones where he was smiling. This photo was taken Nov 23, 2014. Rudy was at home, sick as could be. I was on my way home, I think from the pharmacy picking up yet another unit-nausea medication. I was losing my mind and in the midst of a really good cry. Suddenly, I saw a rainbow. It was fabulous. I stopped and took some photos of it but the rainbow wouldn't show up at all in any of them. None. I kept snapping over and over trying to get it to show up. What did that mean? I was sure it meant something. Looking back, maybe it meant I was seeing hope when there was absolutely no hope at all. The invisible rainbow experience did help me that day. I become so preoccupied with the oddness of it that it put an end to my meltdown. I pulled myself back together and was able to go back home and focus on what needed to be done. It's heartbreaking to think how sick he was that week. That was definitely one of the worst weeks of his illness.
Here's the photo of the rainbow that wouldn't show up -
Every time I looked through the missing rainbow photos, my focus was always on looking at the sky for any shadows that might have been a bit of the rainbow. There's something in the photo I completely missed.
My friend Shirley commented on it on my Facebook page. She saw it right away. It's a cloud shaped like a heart.
The crazy thing is, ever since Rudy died, she and I have seen a ton of heart clouds. Shirley sends me photos of them from all over - in Georgia, South Carolina, Canada, and even New Zealand. Shirley gets around! She sees them while she's in boats or cars or planes, or just walking about. I see them, too. You may think us crazy, but they always seem to be signs from Rudy. They seem to appear when I'm having a low moment. I find it interesting that we never saw this heart til now.
Here's one I saw in January -
One day as I was walking, I pondered these "signs". My first thought, when I get a sign, is usually that I'm so sure it was a sign from Rudy, but my second thought is often skepticism. I just reading into it what I want to see. I have a good imagination, but I also have a very realistic side.
One day recently, I let myself think about the possibility that it was real. So many miraculous things happen here on earth. There's more to life than we could possibly know. So how would it work if Rudy wanted to send me a little comfort? It seems like it would be pretty easy to send a cloud sign. One cloud could be seen from many vantage points. I could be most anywhere on my property and appreciate a cloud. Plus, if need be, a cloud could be blown here or there for better viewing.
A feather would be harder. First, a bird would have to be in some sort of distress to lose that feather. It would fall in a particular spot on the ground and trickiest of all, I would have to go to that exact spot and look down just in time to see the feather. When I walk with my dad, we almost always walk the fence path. Same path every day. But, I never find feathers when I'm walking with him, at least not yet. When it's just me, I vary my route. I wander around. I cut through and across and explore the property. We have 12 fenced acres to walk and I cover it all. What direction I head is mostly based on whims. So, if Rudy is putting a feather out for me to find, how would he know where to put it? A few weeks ago, I was pondering this. It occurred to me that maybe my whims were not my own. Maybe Rudy guided me. I thought to myself, right now I might just head over to here, so did Rudy put that thought in my head? Then a crazy thing happened. As soon as I finished that thought and headed in that new direction, I took 4 steps and there was a feather. So I ask you, is this just a coincidence? I think not. You can believe whatever you want to believe. I'm certain Rudy is with me. Often. And whenever I have doubts, he convinces me it's real.
By the way, I hear Rudy in my head all the time. I can hear what he'd say about lots of things. It's not always good. He still complains when I use my left foot on the brake. He was never a fan of my driving.
Here's the photo of the rainbow that wouldn't show up -
Every time I looked through the missing rainbow photos, my focus was always on looking at the sky for any shadows that might have been a bit of the rainbow. There's something in the photo I completely missed.
My friend Shirley commented on it on my Facebook page. She saw it right away. It's a cloud shaped like a heart.
The crazy thing is, ever since Rudy died, she and I have seen a ton of heart clouds. Shirley sends me photos of them from all over - in Georgia, South Carolina, Canada, and even New Zealand. Shirley gets around! She sees them while she's in boats or cars or planes, or just walking about. I see them, too. You may think us crazy, but they always seem to be signs from Rudy. They seem to appear when I'm having a low moment. I find it interesting that we never saw this heart til now.
Here's one I saw in January -
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| I especially love when the heart cloud is the only cloud in the sky. |
Here's a heart photo from Shirley. It seems to have two hearts, actually. She's sent me a couple of others that are even more spectacular and I can't find them on my computer. Daring. I've been organizing photos lately, but still have a ways to go. I used to be known for my organizational skills, but I seem to have blown my reputation since retiring.
I also have been finding feathers. I usually find them when I'm walking the dogs. I never find them when I'm with my dad. I only find them when it's just me and I'm usually deep in thought. I've been keeping them for the last few months and have them on display in a pretty glass jar.
One day as I was walking, I pondered these "signs". My first thought, when I get a sign, is usually that I'm so sure it was a sign from Rudy, but my second thought is often skepticism. I just reading into it what I want to see. I have a good imagination, but I also have a very realistic side.
One day recently, I let myself think about the possibility that it was real. So many miraculous things happen here on earth. There's more to life than we could possibly know. So how would it work if Rudy wanted to send me a little comfort? It seems like it would be pretty easy to send a cloud sign. One cloud could be seen from many vantage points. I could be most anywhere on my property and appreciate a cloud. Plus, if need be, a cloud could be blown here or there for better viewing.
A feather would be harder. First, a bird would have to be in some sort of distress to lose that feather. It would fall in a particular spot on the ground and trickiest of all, I would have to go to that exact spot and look down just in time to see the feather. When I walk with my dad, we almost always walk the fence path. Same path every day. But, I never find feathers when I'm walking with him, at least not yet. When it's just me, I vary my route. I wander around. I cut through and across and explore the property. We have 12 fenced acres to walk and I cover it all. What direction I head is mostly based on whims. So, if Rudy is putting a feather out for me to find, how would he know where to put it? A few weeks ago, I was pondering this. It occurred to me that maybe my whims were not my own. Maybe Rudy guided me. I thought to myself, right now I might just head over to here, so did Rudy put that thought in my head? Then a crazy thing happened. As soon as I finished that thought and headed in that new direction, I took 4 steps and there was a feather. So I ask you, is this just a coincidence? I think not. You can believe whatever you want to believe. I'm certain Rudy is with me. Often. And whenever I have doubts, he convinces me it's real.
By the way, I hear Rudy in my head all the time. I can hear what he'd say about lots of things. It's not always good. He still complains when I use my left foot on the brake. He was never a fan of my driving.
April 7, 2016
Eleven Months - Before, During and After
While organizing and cleaning out photos on my computer, I have realized my adult life seems to now be divided into three eras - before, during, and after Rudy's cancer.
BEFORE. Lung cancer apparently takes a long time to show symptoms, so when I see photos of Rudy from anytime before 2014, I wonder, Did he have a tumor then? Was he at stage 1 or 2 or 3? Could he have been cured if it was discovered then? His face looks a bit tired in that photo. Why didn't I notice and send him to a doctor? The answer to that last one is that he was working really long hours and his tired look was easy to attribute to the fact that he had every reason to be tired. I wonder too, how I could have been preoccupied with mundane things and not realize that time was running out for happiness. How could I have acted like it would last forever? When I catch myself second guessing about the past, I try to think about something else. Second guessing is a sure road to insanity. I might actually be close to that destination right now. I'm hoping to head in a different direction, but there doesn't seem to be a map. Also of note, all of these questions are stupid. Of course I had no way of knowing what was in store. We were both just living normal lives. A normal life doesn't include foreseeing doom or worrying about what awful thing may happen. That's no way to live. But in grief, my questions don't have to be smart, nor do they need to make sense.
DURING. The Facebook newsfeed now picks random posts from a year before to show on your newsfeed. That's fine if the previous year was happy. It's not fine when it was a nightmare. Can that feature be turned off? I don't want to be reminded. (Actually, It can't exactly be turned off, but you can block date ranges and people! I blocked about 2 years!) One popped up today showing a post I had shared last April about the joys of blowing bubbles. Luckily, it wasn't a photo showing Rudy sick with a month left to live. Still, a post about bubbles??? How silly. I know exactly what was going through my head. I tried so hard to look for joy while Rudy was sick. I was so determined to be positive for him, as if that were incredibly important. I wanted to make his time as pleasant as possible. I didn't think he needed to see me falling apart. (I fell apart privately. I wonder if he ever knew how often I did that.) I wish I'd talked more to him about the deep stuff. I wish I hadn't hidden so many of my feelings. That's a huge regret. We did have some deep conversations. Those were the ones I value most. Why didn't we do it more? Truthfully, he couldn't talk for long, especially in the last months. It would bring on a bout of nausea. Also, I never wanted to be the one to bring up the heavy stuff. I waited for signs he wanted to talk. He was probably not wanting to burden me. Huge regret. Huge. Thoughts like this are yet another road to insanity. Apparently, all my roads lead there.
AFTER. I have gone through so many phases of grief in the 11 months since he died. I have tried to be positive and to know that one day I will feel alive again. I understand that grief is a series of highs and lows. I've heard that the highs and lows are extreme at first, but slowly the waves become less drastic. As you can probably tell from this post, I'm feeling a little out of sorts these days. I don't want anyone to worry. I know I'll perk up. There's not a thing anyone can do to help. I don't need to be taken off and distracted. This has nothing to do with boredom. I'm not bored by any means! I just need to work through these emotions. I'm a bit reluctant to talk about it, but I'm going to do it for the widows who read my page. These monthly grief posts seem to help other widows feel less alone. There are other widowed bloggers that have written posts that helped me. I'm paying it forward.
What does this low feel like? Here's what I'm feeling. It's emotion based, rather than sensible. I hope it's not the truth, but it feels true right now. It feels like real life is over for me. Rudy was the love of my life and there's not likely to be another. I will be left living a half life and entertaining myself as best I can for the rest of my days, without any one person to confide in. I will never again be happy-go-lucky. I will never again be able to casually say goodbye to anyone without wondering if there will be some catastrophe before we see each other again. There have been too many deaths and serious illnesses in the last year to people I know - of all ages. I've been shaken over and over (I have even fallen apart over people I'd never actually met who died unexpectedly - friends of friends.) My negative thoughts really need to be snuffed out.
The line from Joni Mitchell's song is so true -You don't know what you've got till it's gone. So much is gone from my life without Rudy. Lately, I've been thinking about how it felt to be carefree and think my life would most likely be about the same tomorrow as it was today. I've been thinking about how it felt to make plans and set goals with a reasonable certainty that I could make it happen. That there will be more time with the people I love. We all know that one day, people we love will pass. We know in our heads that for some, it could possibly be an early, unexpected death, but we tell ourselves the people we love most won't pass until they have lived a good long life. But once a person loses someone really dear to an untimely death, I don't think it's possible to live carefree again. I could be wrong. Maybe I'll get over that weighty feeling. I try. The worry is exhausting. But, this isn't my first experience with untimely deaths. In the past, I came back from that fear over time (it takes years). I doubt I'll get over it this time. On the other hand, maybe I'll give up the worry completely and learn to throw caution to the wind and accept that I can't control a darned thing in life. I might as well get on with life with a screw-it attitude and have some fun. That's my be-fearless pep talk. It's what Rudy would say, only his language would be a bit more colorful. Sometimes, this pep talk actually works for me.
Here's a weird little thing. You might think I'm crazy for even thinking about it. I'm not into palm reading, but many years ago, I learned a tiny bit about it. Enough to identify a few lines on my hand. Not much more. I remember looking at my lifeline and wondering about it. It's long, but there is a big gap in it. The line virtually disappears for a little over a quarter of an inch. I remember thinking that I really didn't want to hear what anyone had to say about that because it sure didn't seem like it would be a happy thing. Maybe there's something to palm reading because I must be right smack in the midst of that gap. It makes sense. I am missing right now. Not really living. I go through the motions. I laugh and have adventures with friends. Stay busy. I look normal, act normal, and function really well considering. But I am not really present. I seem to be observing myself, rather than being myself. I'm a Stepford widow. I'm faking it till I make it. The life line does reappear and actually looks really great on the other side of the gap. Hopefully, that means I'll find myself eventually. It's just hard to picture it right now.
So. This is a real downer post, isn't it? But I'm a positive person, dammit, so let me end with happier things.
One thing that saves me during the worst of my alone times is Netflix and Amazon Prime. I should write them a thank you note. I don't even watch regular TV or cable anymore. When I am feeling too low, I can turn on whatever series I'm working through and it takes me away... without commercials. My latest series has been Call the Midwife. It was really good. I also watch about everything put out by BBC and/or PBS. I've gone through a number of series in the last year. Some of my other favs - The Good Wife, Grace and Frankie (season 2 premieres May 5th!), and surprisingly for me, Orange is the New Black. That last one is crazy. Can't believe I watched it. It's so unlike my normal viewing preferences. It has put me on the straight and narrow and I'm determined to stay out of prison, but should I ever go (for a crime I obviously did not commit) I would stay safe by helping the ladies write parole letters and coaching them on what to say at their hearings. Apparently, you need a skill or a commodity to survive in prison! Can you tell I spent some time working this all out (just in case I go completely nuts and take up a life of crime)?
I have all sorts of projects going on around the house. The biggest projects involve landscaping and painting. There are plenty of things that need to be attended to. I know I'll feel much better once these things have been taken care of. I have to keep this house up until I move to my little dream cottage.
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| When illness is involved, I think there is a third - DURING. |
BEFORE. Lung cancer apparently takes a long time to show symptoms, so when I see photos of Rudy from anytime before 2014, I wonder, Did he have a tumor then? Was he at stage 1 or 2 or 3? Could he have been cured if it was discovered then? His face looks a bit tired in that photo. Why didn't I notice and send him to a doctor? The answer to that last one is that he was working really long hours and his tired look was easy to attribute to the fact that he had every reason to be tired. I wonder too, how I could have been preoccupied with mundane things and not realize that time was running out for happiness. How could I have acted like it would last forever? When I catch myself second guessing about the past, I try to think about something else. Second guessing is a sure road to insanity. I might actually be close to that destination right now. I'm hoping to head in a different direction, but there doesn't seem to be a map. Also of note, all of these questions are stupid. Of course I had no way of knowing what was in store. We were both just living normal lives. A normal life doesn't include foreseeing doom or worrying about what awful thing may happen. That's no way to live. But in grief, my questions don't have to be smart, nor do they need to make sense.
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| Taken July 29, 2014. Our world would crash less than two months after this photo was taken. Ignorance was bliss. |
DURING. The Facebook newsfeed now picks random posts from a year before to show on your newsfeed. That's fine if the previous year was happy. It's not fine when it was a nightmare. Can that feature be turned off? I don't want to be reminded. (Actually, It can't exactly be turned off, but you can block date ranges and people! I blocked about 2 years!) One popped up today showing a post I had shared last April about the joys of blowing bubbles. Luckily, it wasn't a photo showing Rudy sick with a month left to live. Still, a post about bubbles??? How silly. I know exactly what was going through my head. I tried so hard to look for joy while Rudy was sick. I was so determined to be positive for him, as if that were incredibly important. I wanted to make his time as pleasant as possible. I didn't think he needed to see me falling apart. (I fell apart privately. I wonder if he ever knew how often I did that.) I wish I'd talked more to him about the deep stuff. I wish I hadn't hidden so many of my feelings. That's a huge regret. We did have some deep conversations. Those were the ones I value most. Why didn't we do it more? Truthfully, he couldn't talk for long, especially in the last months. It would bring on a bout of nausea. Also, I never wanted to be the one to bring up the heavy stuff. I waited for signs he wanted to talk. He was probably not wanting to burden me. Huge regret. Huge. Thoughts like this are yet another road to insanity. Apparently, all my roads lead there.
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| I attempted to find a good photo of Rudy for the DURING time period, but they all made me cry, even the ones where he was smiling. This photo was taken Nov 23, 2014. Rudy was at home, sick as could be. I was on my way home, I think from the pharmacy picking up yet another unit-nausea medication. I was losing my mind and in the midst of a really good cry. Suddenly, I saw a rainbow. It was fabulous. I stopped and took some photos of it but the rainbow wouldn't show up at all in any of them. None. I kept snapping over and over trying to get it to show up. What did that mean? I was sure it meant something. Looking back, maybe it meant I was seeing hope when there was absolutely no hope at all. The invisible rainbow experience did help me that day. I become so preoccupied with the oddness of it that it put an end to my meltdown. I pulled myself back together and was able to go back home and focus on what needed to be done. It's heartbreaking to think how sick he was that week. That was definitely one of the worst weeks of his illness. |
AFTER. I have gone through so many phases of grief in the 11 months since he died. I have tried to be positive and to know that one day I will feel alive again. I understand that grief is a series of highs and lows. I've heard that the highs and lows are extreme at first, but slowly the waves become less drastic. As you can probably tell from this post, I'm feeling a little out of sorts these days. I don't want anyone to worry. I know I'll perk up. There's not a thing anyone can do to help. I don't need to be taken off and distracted. This has nothing to do with boredom. I'm not bored by any means! I just need to work through these emotions. I'm a bit reluctant to talk about it, but I'm going to do it for the widows who read my page. These monthly grief posts seem to help other widows feel less alone. There are other widowed bloggers that have written posts that helped me. I'm paying it forward.
What does this low feel like? Here's what I'm feeling. It's emotion based, rather than sensible. I hope it's not the truth, but it feels true right now. It feels like real life is over for me. Rudy was the love of my life and there's not likely to be another. I will be left living a half life and entertaining myself as best I can for the rest of my days, without any one person to confide in. I will never again be happy-go-lucky. I will never again be able to casually say goodbye to anyone without wondering if there will be some catastrophe before we see each other again. There have been too many deaths and serious illnesses in the last year to people I know - of all ages. I've been shaken over and over (I have even fallen apart over people I'd never actually met who died unexpectedly - friends of friends.) My negative thoughts really need to be snuffed out.
The line from Joni Mitchell's song is so true -You don't know what you've got till it's gone. So much is gone from my life without Rudy. Lately, I've been thinking about how it felt to be carefree and think my life would most likely be about the same tomorrow as it was today. I've been thinking about how it felt to make plans and set goals with a reasonable certainty that I could make it happen. That there will be more time with the people I love. We all know that one day, people we love will pass. We know in our heads that for some, it could possibly be an early, unexpected death, but we tell ourselves the people we love most won't pass until they have lived a good long life. But once a person loses someone really dear to an untimely death, I don't think it's possible to live carefree again. I could be wrong. Maybe I'll get over that weighty feeling. I try. The worry is exhausting. But, this isn't my first experience with untimely deaths. In the past, I came back from that fear over time (it takes years). I doubt I'll get over it this time. On the other hand, maybe I'll give up the worry completely and learn to throw caution to the wind and accept that I can't control a darned thing in life. I might as well get on with life with a screw-it attitude and have some fun. That's my be-fearless pep talk. It's what Rudy would say, only his language would be a bit more colorful. Sometimes, this pep talk actually works for me.
Here's a weird little thing. You might think I'm crazy for even thinking about it. I'm not into palm reading, but many years ago, I learned a tiny bit about it. Enough to identify a few lines on my hand. Not much more. I remember looking at my lifeline and wondering about it. It's long, but there is a big gap in it. The line virtually disappears for a little over a quarter of an inch. I remember thinking that I really didn't want to hear what anyone had to say about that because it sure didn't seem like it would be a happy thing. Maybe there's something to palm reading because I must be right smack in the midst of that gap. It makes sense. I am missing right now. Not really living. I go through the motions. I laugh and have adventures with friends. Stay busy. I look normal, act normal, and function really well considering. But I am not really present. I seem to be observing myself, rather than being myself. I'm a Stepford widow. I'm faking it till I make it. The life line does reappear and actually looks really great on the other side of the gap. Hopefully, that means I'll find myself eventually. It's just hard to picture it right now.
So. This is a real downer post, isn't it? But I'm a positive person, dammit, so let me end with happier things.
One thing that saves me during the worst of my alone times is Netflix and Amazon Prime. I should write them a thank you note. I don't even watch regular TV or cable anymore. When I am feeling too low, I can turn on whatever series I'm working through and it takes me away... without commercials. My latest series has been Call the Midwife. It was really good. I also watch about everything put out by BBC and/or PBS. I've gone through a number of series in the last year. Some of my other favs - The Good Wife, Grace and Frankie (season 2 premieres May 5th!), and surprisingly for me, Orange is the New Black. That last one is crazy. Can't believe I watched it. It's so unlike my normal viewing preferences. It has put me on the straight and narrow and I'm determined to stay out of prison, but should I ever go (for a crime I obviously did not commit) I would stay safe by helping the ladies write parole letters and coaching them on what to say at their hearings. Apparently, you need a skill or a commodity to survive in prison! Can you tell I spent some time working this all out (just in case I go completely nuts and take up a life of crime)?
I have all sorts of projects going on around the house. The biggest projects involve landscaping and painting. There are plenty of things that need to be attended to. I know I'll feel much better once these things have been taken care of. I have to keep this house up until I move to my little dream cottage.
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| I'm considering some big changes to this area at the side of the house. - much more involved than just trimming bushes (which is what I'm doing in this photo). And by the way, that 3 ft star on the porch is coming down. I need a change. |
March 16, 2016
Favorite Cary Grant Movies
Anyone who knows me well, knows that I love old movies. My favorite ones tend to be light and funny. When I watch a movie, I want to feel happy! This list is for my niece, Kelly. She and I have watched some great old movies together over the years, but I was surprised today to find out how many of my favorite Cary Grant movies she's missed. Cary is definitely one of my favorite actors. I tend to like his lighthearted, comedy-romance movies best. I have watched all of these many times. Here are some of the best, in no particular order. The descriptions are from Google.
This classic romantic comedy focuses on Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn), a Philadelphia socialite who has split from her husband, C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant), due both to his drinking and to her overly demanding nature. As Tracy prepares to wed the wealthy George Kittredge (John Howard), she crosses paths with both Dexter and prying reporter Macaulay Connor (James Stewart). Unclear about her feelings for all three men, Tracy must decide whom she truly loves.
Jerry (Cary Grant) and Lucy (Irene Dunne) are a married couple who doubt each other's fidelity: Jerry suspects Lucy and her music teacher (Alexander D'Arcy) of spending an evening together, and Lucy is convinced Jerry lied about a business trip. When the jealous pair file for divorce, both rush into new relationships, but quickly realize their love never died. The soon-to-be-divorced husband and wife then both scramble to spoil each other's chances for newfound romance.
After his wife, Ellen (Irene Dunne), disappears at sea, Nick Arden (Cary Grant) waits seven long years before finally marrying the lovely Bianca (Gail Patrick). As luck would have it, Ellen suddenly reappears in Nick's life during his honeymoon with Bianca and informs him that she's been shipwrecked on a desert island. Nick is overjoyed to see her, but becomes insane with jealousy when he learns of her only island companion -- the handsome Stephen Burkett (Randolph Scott).
Dejected by his efforts to raise money to build a cathedral, Bishop Henry Brougham (David Niven) beseeches heaven for guidance, and is visited immediately by Dudley (Cary Grant), who claims to be an angel. Henry is skeptical, then annoyed when Dudley ingratiates himself into the household as his assistant -- and worse, wins the attentions of Henry's long-suffering and kindly wife (Loretta Young). When Dudley continues to intervene in Henry's struggles, the bishop decides to challenge heaven.
George (Cary Grant) and Marion Kerby (Constance Bennett) are a young, happy-go-lucky couple who love to party. But after a car accident kills them both, they discover that they haven't done enough good deeds to earn a trip to heaven. To remedy this problem, they decide to help their old uptight boss, Cosmo Topper (Roland Young), live a little. While Topper begins to take their ghostly advice and enjoy life for a change, his controlling wife finds her husband's laid-back behavior infuriating.
Famous theater actress Anna Kalman (Ingrid Bergman) has resigned herself to her single life, believing that she has missed her chance at meeting a husband. Weary of socializing in Europe, she returns to her London flat, where her sister Margaret (Phyllis Calvert) and diplomat brother-in-law Alfred (Cecil Parker) invite her to a banquet. She demurs until Alfred's banker friend, Philip Adams (Cary Grant), arrives and a flirtation begins. Their romance blossoms -- but he's already married.
Cathy Timberlake (Doris Day) is en route to a job interview when a car transporting businessman Philip Shayne (Cary Grant) covers her in mud. He sends his assistant, Roger (Gig Young), to apologize, but upon meeting Cathy, Roger knows that she would be a suitable match for his boss. Despite their mutual attraction, Cathy and Philip want different things. Philip wants a fling, while Cathy wants a marriage. As they travel to exotic locales, their differing motivations are put to the test.
When hard-charging New York newspaper editor Walter Burns (Cary Grant) discovers that his ex-wife, investigative reporter Hildy Johnson (Rosalind Russell), has gotten engaged to milquetoast insurance agent Bruce Baldwin (Ralph Bellamy), he unsuccessfully tries to lure her away from tame domestic life with a story about the impending execution of convicted murderer Earl Williams. But when Hildy discovers Williams may be innocent, her reporter instincts take over.
Every Girl Should Be Married
Holiday
Arsenic and Old Lace
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer
Monkey Business
To Catch a Thief
North by Northwest
Suspicion
Notorious
An Affair to Remember
Father Goose
Operation Petticoat
Houseboat
This is not a complete list of his movies. There are plenty others, including some people may be surprised not to see here. I recommend Googling Cary Grant to see more.
My TOP Favorites
The Philadelphia Story
1940
This classic romantic comedy focuses on Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn), a Philadelphia socialite who has split from her husband, C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant), due both to his drinking and to her overly demanding nature. As Tracy prepares to wed the wealthy George Kittredge (John Howard), she crosses paths with both Dexter and prying reporter Macaulay Connor (James Stewart). Unclear about her feelings for all three men, Tracy must decide whom she truly loves.
The Awful Truth
1937
Jerry (Cary Grant) and Lucy (Irene Dunne) are a married couple who doubt each other's fidelity: Jerry suspects Lucy and her music teacher (Alexander D'Arcy) of spending an evening together, and Lucy is convinced Jerry lied about a business trip. When the jealous pair file for divorce, both rush into new relationships, but quickly realize their love never died. The soon-to-be-divorced husband and wife then both scramble to spoil each other's chances for newfound romance.
My Favorite Wife
1940
After his wife, Ellen (Irene Dunne), disappears at sea, Nick Arden (Cary Grant) waits seven long years before finally marrying the lovely Bianca (Gail Patrick). As luck would have it, Ellen suddenly reappears in Nick's life during his honeymoon with Bianca and informs him that she's been shipwrecked on a desert island. Nick is overjoyed to see her, but becomes insane with jealousy when he learns of her only island companion -- the handsome Stephen Burkett (Randolph Scott).
The Bishop's Wife
1947
Dejected by his efforts to raise money to build a cathedral, Bishop Henry Brougham (David Niven) beseeches heaven for guidance, and is visited immediately by Dudley (Cary Grant), who claims to be an angel. Henry is skeptical, then annoyed when Dudley ingratiates himself into the household as his assistant -- and worse, wins the attentions of Henry's long-suffering and kindly wife (Loretta Young). When Dudley continues to intervene in Henry's struggles, the bishop decides to challenge heaven.
Topper
1937
George (Cary Grant) and Marion Kerby (Constance Bennett) are a young, happy-go-lucky couple who love to party. But after a car accident kills them both, they discover that they haven't done enough good deeds to earn a trip to heaven. To remedy this problem, they decide to help their old uptight boss, Cosmo Topper (Roland Young), live a little. While Topper begins to take their ghostly advice and enjoy life for a change, his controlling wife finds her husband's laid-back behavior infuriating.
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| Constance Bennet reminds me so much of Kelly's daughter, Eiligh! |
Indiscreet
1958
Famous theater actress Anna Kalman (Ingrid Bergman) has resigned herself to her single life, believing that she has missed her chance at meeting a husband. Weary of socializing in Europe, she returns to her London flat, where her sister Margaret (Phyllis Calvert) and diplomat brother-in-law Alfred (Cecil Parker) invite her to a banquet. She demurs until Alfred's banker friend, Philip Adams (Cary Grant), arrives and a flirtation begins. Their romance blossoms -- but he's already married.
That Touch of Mink
1962
Cathy Timberlake (Doris Day) is en route to a job interview when a car transporting businessman Philip Shayne (Cary Grant) covers her in mud. He sends his assistant, Roger (Gig Young), to apologize, but upon meeting Cathy, Roger knows that she would be a suitable match for his boss. Despite their mutual attraction, Cathy and Philip want different things. Philip wants a fling, while Cathy wants a marriage. As they travel to exotic locales, their differing motivations are put to the test.
His Girl Friday
1940
These are fun, too -
In Name OnlyEvery Girl Should Be Married
Holiday
Arsenic and Old Lace
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer
Also noteworthy, because Rudy enjoyed them -
Bringing Up BabyMonkey Business
More Cary Grant Classics
These are also very good. They should be seen at least once. Many of them are the more suspenseful movies he made with Hitchcock. Excellent movies.To Catch a Thief
North by Northwest
Suspicion
Notorious
An Affair to Remember
Father Goose
Operation Petticoat
Houseboat
This is not a complete list of his movies. There are plenty others, including some people may be surprised not to see here. I recommend Googling Cary Grant to see more.
March 11, 2016
Freaky Widow Statistics and Building a Tribe
I just read an interesting article geared to widows. The article led with some statistics I find mind boggling. According to the US Census, half of women over the age of 65 are widows. HALF? Are you kidding me? Also significant, only 8% of widows in the 55 to 64 age range remarry. Only 2% widowed over the age of 65 remarry. Those stats set the stage for the main point of the article. Widows of a certain age may not find romance, but we can still have a good life.
The article didn't focus on widows lamenting the loss of romance. Instead, it talked about how many widows were instead finding incredible new interests and having loads of fun with friends. There is a trend for widows to band together and have loads of fun. They travel together. Sometimes they share housing or live close by so that they can watch out for each other. The article called them tribes of widows. I like that! It's usually a group of at least 3 or 4 good friends with a "shared sense of loss that often only other widows can understand."
Many widows don't even want to remarry. I'm well aware of that point of view from reading so many widow blogs. They had a wonderful life with their husbands and since finding anyone half as good is next to impossible, they made the most of the freedom of living on their own. One widow in the article made an interesting point, saying, "Marriage is a much better deal for men." That made me laugh.
You may be wondering how I feel about this whole subject on a more personal note... Frankly, I can't even imagine dating and going through that whole tedious process. I may find some fellows to hang out with as friends, but it seems pointless for me to worry about dating and possibly remarrying. I'm not ruling it out (I've learned to never say never), but I'm not going to spend any energy being concerned or sad about it.
Instead, I think I'll focus on building my tribe and finding fun things to do, just like the article describes. I really like that idea. There's no reason this next chapter has to be dull. I think with time, I will likely come to appreciate the benefits of living on my own. There are pros and cons in any situation and since I'm now living on my own, I might as well figure out what makes that a good thing. You know the drill - If life gives you lemons, make lemonade...
I would even welcome widowers to my tribe (as friends). Ladies are much better at dealing with loneliness. We band together with friends to get through it. Widowers usually get scooped up (really fast - within the first year!) by single ladies bearing casseroles. I wouldn't win any points for my casseroles, so if I were trying to catch some vulnerable widower, this strategy would never work for me. If guys don't choose to remarry, they often stay by themselves a bit more than is healthy. They, too, could benefit from being part of a tribe.
You know, as I think on it, I already belong to a number of different tribes. I get together with friends from high school and college, teacher friends, neighbors, family... I could stay really busy. And yet, most of my friends are married. I clearly need one more tribe - a tribe of widows. The thing is, this is a tribe I don't wish any of my current friends to join. I hope they won't be widowed for a long, long time.
I refuse to end this post on a sad note. So, here's something more - finding a tribe is just part of the equation. Finding interesting things to do is also important. There are a number of activities I already do with friends - eating out, seeing shows, and my new fav, hiking... But I want to expand that list. I need more. I just haven't figured out what.
If you see me trying out some odd things in the future, you'll know I'm just experimenting. Since I no longer care for things I used to like, it seems logical that I might like things I was never interested in before. Right?
The article didn't focus on widows lamenting the loss of romance. Instead, it talked about how many widows were instead finding incredible new interests and having loads of fun with friends. There is a trend for widows to band together and have loads of fun. They travel together. Sometimes they share housing or live close by so that they can watch out for each other. The article called them tribes of widows. I like that! It's usually a group of at least 3 or 4 good friends with a "shared sense of loss that often only other widows can understand."
Many widows don't even want to remarry. I'm well aware of that point of view from reading so many widow blogs. They had a wonderful life with their husbands and since finding anyone half as good is next to impossible, they made the most of the freedom of living on their own. One widow in the article made an interesting point, saying, "Marriage is a much better deal for men." That made me laugh.
You may be wondering how I feel about this whole subject on a more personal note... Frankly, I can't even imagine dating and going through that whole tedious process. I may find some fellows to hang out with as friends, but it seems pointless for me to worry about dating and possibly remarrying. I'm not ruling it out (I've learned to never say never), but I'm not going to spend any energy being concerned or sad about it.
Instead, I think I'll focus on building my tribe and finding fun things to do, just like the article describes. I really like that idea. There's no reason this next chapter has to be dull. I think with time, I will likely come to appreciate the benefits of living on my own. There are pros and cons in any situation and since I'm now living on my own, I might as well figure out what makes that a good thing. You know the drill - If life gives you lemons, make lemonade...
I would even welcome widowers to my tribe (as friends). Ladies are much better at dealing with loneliness. We band together with friends to get through it. Widowers usually get scooped up (really fast - within the first year!) by single ladies bearing casseroles. I wouldn't win any points for my casseroles, so if I were trying to catch some vulnerable widower, this strategy would never work for me. If guys don't choose to remarry, they often stay by themselves a bit more than is healthy. They, too, could benefit from being part of a tribe.
You know, as I think on it, I already belong to a number of different tribes. I get together with friends from high school and college, teacher friends, neighbors, family... I could stay really busy. And yet, most of my friends are married. I clearly need one more tribe - a tribe of widows. The thing is, this is a tribe I don't wish any of my current friends to join. I hope they won't be widowed for a long, long time.
 |
| I have so much fun with the friends I have now! |
If you see me trying out some odd things in the future, you'll know I'm just experimenting. Since I no longer care for things I used to like, it seems logical that I might like things I was never interested in before. Right?
