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No longer on the river and, again, an empty nester. Back to living on Fleming Island and making some more friends!

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Sunshine on my shoulders....

...and pounding on my head! Not in my head, over my head. We were "informed" that the roof work would begin early in the day when it wasn't quite so hot out and they have been true to their word. At first I wondered what was making the noise in my river room but, upon investigation, realized its coming from above. I'd have sworn it was right outside my bedroom doors, that's how close it is. I wonder how the top floor people are handling it....surely its preferable to having to mop up running water when it rains!
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Pastor sent the needed information for the newsletter so I have plenty to keep me busy this morning. Late morning is the best time to catch John at the cemetery so will head that way about 10:30. We talk a long time usually and will need to be back on the Island by noon to have lunch with my boy. I don't know yet if I will have to pick him up or not. It depends upon who drove today, Jesse or Justin.
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Last night was just lovely on the sun deck and I shared my cheese curds which most found quite interesting. One of the Realtors came out for a while, all dressed up in her "house showing" clothes. The bad news was: her appointment failed to show up! She put 93 miles on her car for the meeting and then was stood up....no wonder she gets so upset!
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We had some excitement while sitting out there, too, last night. Our neighbor on the end of the promenade had recently been released from the hospital. His granddaughter and her baby were staying with him for a bit to help get him settled, and a home care company had representatives arrive to check him over. While they were up there, we watched the comings and goings with some interest. The others, who know the situation better than I do, insisted that he belonged in an assisted living home rather than in his condo, where he'd also benefit from the social aspect. All of sudden we could hear sirens approaching and then saw the rescue squad pull up in front of the building! The home care gentleman came out to tell us that rescue was coming and that Manny had called them himself! While the home care people were there to help him!!!!! Oh, yeah, that's his style all right.
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Again we watched a new parade as the EMT's and firemen went down to his condo, and don't you know---I knew one of the guys! Later, when the fuss was over and they left without Manny, Kyle and his partner came in for a .50 tour of my house. The moon was just rising and they were blown away!
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Here's the thing though---it just gives me the willies to hear the sirens and then have them pulling up in front of my building like that...at one point, Hugh made a joke that besides the rescue squad and the ladder truck, a helicopter was circling overhead. That did it.....but no one noticed the tear escaping down my cheek. That terrible night when Timmy died (you knew I was going to bring that up, didn't you???!!!) I cannot remember hearing the sirens, but when I hear them now, it all comes rushing back. It's not my fault, and I don't do it on purpose, it simply happens. BUT, I hung in there on the sun deck to watch what was going on upstairs....still nosy!
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Today is the funeral service for a young man who was hit by a freight train last week. His buddies and he were fishing on a train bridge near Hwy. 220 and tried to make it off before the train got there. Two kids jumped but one didn't get off in time. He had great promise as a football player, which is all over the news, what a great ball player he was and his college career coming up, etc. I'll bet his mama's heart simply breaks because her son is gone, not that his career in football was cut short! That sort of bugs me....as though his value in life was how well he played sports. Oh, I know, I know......I tend to nit-pick about stuff like that, but having experienced something similar in my life, I'd mourn the lost child more so than the missed chance of football playing!