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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, August 17, 2010

Letting Go of History

It's too early for a nap right now but my eyes are weary. I think this is because of the brightness of the sun today, not a cloud to be seen when we did our water aerobics. Awesomeness! Boy, will I ever miss that class when it's too cold to be in the pool....This a.m. I was sort of sleeping until 8:30 or so, waking up earlier, then drifting in and out for a while. Even had one of those goofy dreams, this time about going to the funeral home to have a medical check-up. I guess that is in case the news is not good! Who knows with dreams??
Mary Lew, my book and movie lender, celebrated her birthday today poolside, complete with a muffin 'cake' and candle!
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Here is Mary Lew listening to us sing for her before blowing the candle out. She did not want us to sing the entire song, but we did anyway!
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As pictured above, Mary Lew, one of my older friends at The Club, informed us it was her birthday today so we stayed to have lunch and even sang a song for her. Randy could not stay as he has a piano lesson on Tuesdays but three of us plus the lifeguard enjoyed her special day after water exercises were over. Both the other ladies are workers for The Club on occasion and so interesting to talk with. I should have some paper and a pen with me when they begin telling their stories!
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Mary Lew gave me "I Feel Bad About My Neck" written by Nora Ephron, the well-known screenwriter and author, which I finished late evening. Yay! I have read another book to the end this year, making eight thus far! As I closed it, I thought "Hmmm....that was good!!" particularly her closing chapter where she wrote about how much she misses her lady friend. Though having been married a number of times, and is at present, it is her best friend that she mourns for, thinks about five times a day, keeps her memorabilia handy. Yes, I get that, and I got all choked up thinking about it, how it will be for me when my dearest ones 'go home'. Knowing that my dearest ones are known to the Lord and know Him, too, makes the thought a bit easier to consider, but I really have the 'pity party' down to a science. It really is all about me! I am sure they would feel the same way, would miss me and all that, but the tears and sorrow will not, should not, be for me, but because their hearts hurt. Read this book, ladies!
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On that same topic, Nora tells about how she wore her friend's scarf or shawl all the time and even slept with it for a while after the death. She thinks about how on such and such a date they would be doing fall shopping in Paris, or see the opening of a show, or meet for lunch at Tavern on the Green. Those really would, will, be the type of things I would remember, too. Hmmmm.....You guys know who you are, I hope. I would like to rejoice over the times we did have, instead of the times we won't any more.
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This afternoon I had to stand on my head in the front hall closet to pull out my plastic bin full of albums. Pastor Kuske is taking his daughter to Watertown, WI for high school and offered to take my records that far for me. My niece will pick them up from Kuske's on Saturday and hold them for me until such time as the Schipper's come that direction and can get them. I transferred them into a wire basket, open-topped, to compact them, but it is wwaayy too heavy for me to lift. I have sent Justin a text message to see if he can take the bin to my car for me. If he cannot, I will have to ask one of my neighbors to do the heavy lifting for me. The bin is about 13 x 13" square, packed tightly from end to end with parts of my history. At first I was going to pick through them and keep some back because of the sentimental value but resisted that desire. Oh my goodness, this is really tougher for me than I thought it would be!!!!