"Has your life brought joy to the lives of others?"

They are likely not even to their cars yet but I can't help but write about watching "The Bucket List" with my lady friends! One of them, Kristi, had never seen it before which made it all the more special to see again. It took every inch of me not to recite the movie, slipping up only a few times, but I did make sure to point out things which would come up later in the movie, that type of thing. When it was over and I was mopping up, Judy C., my BFF announced more than once that this movie was worth seeing a second time (probably 50th time for me!). Kristi liked it, too, for which I rejoice. Of course, I had to regale them with the story of the first time Martie, Linda J., Justin (poor Justin....), and I saw it 2007. Oh, how we cried, Justin less obvious than we ladies, and when we had collected ourselves sufficiently, Linda said something that made us start all over again. Patient Justin sat back down again while we cried some more, and, boy, we looked like heck when we left that theater! A week later I went again to see it with Twila, Jean, and Madeline with the same thing happening, tears all over the place! We just had to go to TGIFridays and have a drink!

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Kristi has not seen "Freedom Writers" yet either, nor has Judy so that will be our next showing. Instead of cooking for them, as was my original plan, I bought sandwich meats and hard rolls plus some macaroni salad and carrot raisin salad to have with it. I had been at the cemetery a long period of time this afternoon after cleaning at church, so by the time I left there, I decided no cooking! A cold supper sounded good to me. The temps outdoors were in the high 80's and quite muggy, so much so the A/C felt good in the car. I had talked for nearly an hour with Mike at the cemetery, telling him all about the Stand Up for America event last night at UNF. He and I used to talk regularly when I was there almost daily, and today, when we parted company, Mike said, "You should come around more often for a visit" and he did not mean just to Timmy's grave site. Aw, nice! I laughed and said, "But I am doing so much better...." and he said he knew that, but they missed me. Again, aw, nice!

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Last night's event was absolutely fabulous, as I was telling Mike. Afterward, Justin and I went to 5 Guys. As Justin and I shared a hot dog and some fries, I told him that I loved the event, but did not really know what I had heard. As though I was still trying to process it all. Lots of information was shared, some of it, much of it, frightening, but also a fair dose of optimism from our friend, Clark Howard. We talked for a long time, even though the place was closing, which was fine since we were dining "el dente", Linda!

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One of those 'in the house' at the event was a candidate for senator, Marco Rubio, but he was classy enough to not draw any attention to himself. Unlike the candidate running against Corrine Brown, whose last name happens to be Black, which we find ironic. I am in her district, much to my embarrassment, due to the gerrymandering. Oddly enough the opposite side of Hwy. 17 is NOT hers, but my side is. This district goes all the way down the river to the suburbs of Orlando and points north into Duval. Absurd!

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As I mentioned, I had the opportunity to serve this a.m. by vacuuming at church, and paced myself well in order to spare my back and hips. While there I worked on a couple bulletin boards since I will not be at GS for worship tomorrow. The Sunday school children are singing "I Am Jesus' Little Lamb" so it is just as well that I am not at GS because I know that would blow me away. It might still be an emotional day tomorrow, spending even more time with my Justin, coming back here after church for lunch at The Club. Watching "The Bucket List" with my lady friends might have drained some of those reservoirs and I will manage nicely.

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Happy Mom's Day all you mamas out there!