Happy Anniversary

 to two of the rare ones...

Dave and Sandra in Ronda, Spain

 ~ Love Changes Everything ~

Michael Ball
*Michael Ball and II Divo*

Five Things to Say in marriage
1. I love you
2. I'm sorry
3. I forgive you
4. I made a mistake
5. You're safe with me

Blessings ~ 22 years of friendship and love, including 16+ years of marriage ~

I'm Taking the Day Off...

~ me, being silly in Ronda, Spain ~

to celebrate my BiRtHdAy...the big big big SIX O!

In the meantime, check out Rural Women Rock.

Blessings ~ another birthday ~ good times ~ great memories ~ God's blessings ~

I'm Baaaacccckkkk....

 ~ S2 and S1 ~

Well, praise God, the computer is working! Being human, I'd love to take credit but all I did was pray, a lot, and pull plugs and push buttons.

This will be a short post because I'm still up to my eyebrows dealing with estate, paperwork, corporations and people who want me to do something PDQ but when it's me asking, I'm reminded of molasses in January. You're as tired of hearing me say it as I am of saying it but...I'm exhausted and I'm only three months into this mess. How do people manage who have children, jobs, etc.? When do they cram in all that's required when someone dies? I'm struggling and feel like I'm always slipping behind and never catching up. As I continue to struggle, the grief slips into the background until it will not be denied and then I'm a week, crawling on hands and knees again, just to survive. And so it goes.

The photo above is of my BFF, Sandra, who lives in Myrtle Beach. We've been friends for more than thirty years and are alike in so many ways. We share the same first name and the same middle initial; she's a tad bit older than I and she's ever so much more clever but we dearly love each other. I wish we could see each other more often but we make good use of the time we have together.  Recently, I had business in MB and stayed with S2; we had such a good time. Dave would call me S1 and the other Sandra, S2 so the nicknames have stuck, at least with the two of us. It's one of our Dave memories that we share and it helps bring healing. The best time, for me at least, was walking on the beach and, to commemorate the day, I asked a passerby to take our photo. The last holiday Dave and I had was at MB and FL; this visit with S2 was bittersweet but also cathartic. The day was perfect: sunny, a trifle warm and an ocean breeze; more good memories in the making; bless God for His healing mercies.

~ birdie, birdie, birdie ~

Did you know, in each state, there's a department to find out if you have "lost property"? True. I've done a search in my MIL's name, Dave's name, my name, Daddy's name...heck, even Dave's first wife's name! and found lost property for all! The paperwork is horrific but it's my money and I want it; in Virginia you look here.

Are you familiar with "bundling"? That's when your -hahaha...your, get it? it's not yours, it's theirs and they do all within their power to take and keep your money...especially if their name begins with V!- I mean, someone has to pay that CEO his $350 MILLION a year; as if he's worth it, ya think? Not!

oh goodness. I think I fell off my bandwagon. 'Scuse, please. Anyway, if the phone company wants you to bundle your telephone, i-net and television...DON'T DO IT! Why? Because, when one of the contracts comes up for renewal, they renew ALL the contracts and keep you in contract hades for the rest of your life; how nasty rude!

Did you see where Whitney Houston passed away? I always felt a kinship with her because her Mom is Gospel singer Cissy Houston -absolutely LOVE Cissy and her amazing voice- and raised Whitney in a Pentecostal Holiness church. We share similar beginnings as my maternal Grandfather was a Pentecostal Holiness preacher. He was a circuit rider preacher and would take me with him to his little country churches, a different one each Sunday. In good times, he'd be paid with a ham at Christmas and during lean times, a dozen eggs. The offering plate never held much money but the garden produce was always lavish in the summer and the love of his congregations always in evidence. You know, it's silly, but when Whitney wasn't doing so well, I cried buckets for that girl and prayed for her as well. Who knows what demons she couldn't shake; what hell grabbed her and wouldn't let go. My heart just breaks for her Mama and family. 

Good news...Queen Elizabeth, age 85, celebrates sixty years on the throne this year; 60 years, can you imagine! She's been Queen since 6 February 1952, longer than I've been alive and in a quote released from Buckingham Palace said, "I hope that we will all be reminded of the power of togetherness and the convening strength of family, friendship and good neighborliness, examples of which I have been fortunate to see throughout my reign." She's such an amazing role model and it always bothers me when people make fun of her; rudeness always offends and, fortunately, when it's on television, I can click the offenders out of hearing and sight. God save, and bless, the Queen!

My short break is over; it's back to paperwork I must go. As Elisabeth Elliott said, "you are loved with an everlasting love and underneath are the everlasting arms."

Blessings ~ love ~ friendship ~ duty ~ service ~ family ~ faith ~