Sadie, Sadie, Married Lady

Thought for the day: In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit. [Albert Schweitzer]

Hi-ya. How the heck are ya? Me? I am fan-freaking-tastic!

It's no secret that my inner fire took a bit of a hit when Mike died. Y'all know exactly what I'm talking about, because you've probably experienced similar low spots in your lives. Bottom line, I thought my life was over, too.

I was wrong.

Man, was I ever wrong. 

Enter Larry... that person who rekindled my inner spirit. 

I'm a lot of things, but I'm no fool. On 2/22/22... at 2:22... I married this fantabulous man under a big ol' oak tree in our back yard.

It is no exaggeration to say our joy is even bigger than that tree.

Some of you have asked how we met. Well, we actually met more than 20 years ago, when he, Mike and I all belonged to the same amateur radio club. We all got along famously and shared lots of laughs and conversations together back then, but the real story begins when he sent me a private message via Facebook last May 3. He'd been widowed for nine years and had recently moved back into the area and wanted to see if I'd like to chat on the radio sometime. 

After exchanging a few messages, I agreed to talk on the phone the next day. Oh, we did. We talked... and laughed... for more than two hours. Then we went out to lunch on the 5th... the first time we'd seen each other face-to-face since 2003 or so. From the time I opened the front door and we stood there grinning mirror image grins at each other through the screen door, I was a goner. 

Can you say... instant connection?

 It is inexplicable how much alike we are. I swear, he's a male ME. (Or since he's older, maybe I'm a female HIM.) No matter. We can... and DO... talk about anything and everything. We can... and DO... share the same kind of sense of humor that keeps us on our toes and laughing. Somehow, this wizard of a man sees what's in my heart and knows what I want without me breathing a word about it... sometimes, before I even realize I want it. Then he moves heaven and earth to make whatever I want a reality. It's unbelievable! We spoil each other rotten, have boatloads of fun every day... and every day, we thank our lucky stars that we found each other. That we rescued each other and fanned each other's inner flames and turned them into a conflagration, (A slight exaggeration... our indigestion isn't all that bad...)

Yes. I am lucky. Very very lucky. And I know it.

So is he. (Hey! What am I... chopped liver? HA)

So anyhow, our wedding was low-key, stress-free., and joyous. In other words... perfect. My wonderful son-in-law even wore his kilt for me! WooHOO. And the weather? Perfect. The day was perfect in every way.

As you can see, I wore purple. One of my friends asked me if I was gonna wear white, and I told her no. As Mae West said, I used to be Snow White, but I drifted. So purple seemed more fitting. My mother's favorite poem was When I am Old, I Will Wear Purple. I'm old. We both like purple. So there ya go! 

Too bad you couldn't be there. Gee, if only there were a way to make it feel like you'd been there to share it with us, ya know? What could that be... what could that be? Hmmm, how about an unedited video? Think that'd do the trick? Enjoy. Or not. No skin off my nose either way. HA

The healthiest response to life is joy. [Deepak Chopra]

Man, am I HEALTHY!!! [me]

I believe laughter is a language of God and that we can all live happily ever laughter. [Yakov Smirnoff]

So far, so good! [me] Life is good.

                               Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.

 

A New Year and a New Life

 Thought for the day: It is utterly false and cruelly arbitrary to put all the play and learning into childhood, all the work into middle age, and all the regrets into old age. [Margaret Mead]

Hi, guys. Remember me? I sure remember you.

Mea culpa.

I know. I've been the world's absolute worst at keeping in touch, but in my defense, Margaret Mead was absolutely right...

I may be o-l-d, but there is zero room in my life for regret, because I'm too darned busy squeezing every drop of joy from each day, and that means lots and lots of playing and learning.

And it's been A-W-E-S-O-M-E! I'm pretty sure I even smile in my sleep.

But alas ...writing is one of those things that, at least for now, has fallen by the wayside.And that includes blogging. But I haven't forgotten you guys, and I hope you haven't forgotten me yet.

image courtesy of Bored Panda

So here I am... just peeking in to ask you

HOW THE HECK ARE YOU DOING??? 

It seems like there's been one after another after another Covid outbreak... maybe in your country, your state, your city... and it makes me think about you guys and worry about your welfare. Australia, in particular, has been sweltering under unbearably high temperatures, and I can't help but wonder how the lovelies Sue and Elsie are doing. So I'm here to check on you. And to fill you in on what's happening with me.

image courtesy of Bored Panda

Me?

I'm cooooool.

Ridiculously laid-back.

Unbelievably happy.

See? Don't I look happy? (And hey! Short hair now!)

That's 'cause I AM happy.

Last summer, Larry took me to visit some of the important people in my life. This is my niece/goddaughter, who lives in Maryland. We also spent a few days with my cousin at her beach house in Delaware. Wow, if THAT wasn't something! She and I went swimming at the very same place we used to swim as kids. (I must confess: I ACTED like a kid, too. Got swamped in the waves so many times, the lifeguards kept me under special surveillance, I'm sure.) It was SOOOOO much fun! 

Check out these pics of my cousin and me:

 

This was taken in about 1953 or so.

 

the summer of '65

last summer

 

This is the same cousin who was gonna travel to Italy with me. Alas, Covid said otherwise. Not sure if or when we'll get to take that trip, but it was beyond awesome to spend time together at the beach again. We may be old, but we haven't changed in the ways that matter. It was as though no time had passed...

We've already been to AL several times to visit my older son and his family and to FL to visit Larry's daughter and my younger son and his crew.  We've also visited with my brother and his sister. Wherever I wanta go, whatever I wanta do... somehow, Larry makes it happen. Even the things I don't say out loud. It's as though he sees inside my heart. As my cousin told me, "Everybody needs a Larry." And I thank my lucky stars I've got mine.

When we're home, we spend a few hours every day enjoying this...

Yes, the felt IS blue!

We even learned how to play a (smaller-sized) version of snooker, which is a lot of fun, albeit a tad annoying at the beginning of each rack, when you have to play with finesse and strategy. (I just wanta make balls! HA)  Right now, we're hooked on shooting straight pool. 

We've also been playing every kind of game imaginable. Even have a tabletop ice hockey game, which is a whole lot more fun that I expected. 

We've been learning a lot of stuff, too. But you don't wanta hear all that. Besides, there's something ELSE I want to tell you. 

Something reeeeeeally cool. And unbelievable.

Ohmigod, I'm getting married!!!

Really! This sassy old broad, who thought my world ended when my husband died, is so happy, it's a wonder my heart doesn't explode and send a shower of sheer sparkling joy all over the world. The youthful bloom of first love is fabulous, but I abso-doggone-lutely guarantee that love at my age is even better. I promise you.

Get this... we're gonna take the plunge on 2/22/22... at 2:22, of course. How cool is THAT? Oh yeah... that date happens to fall on a TWOS-day. HA! Dontcha love it? As my daughter Sunshine said, "That's TWO-bular!" Hmmm, the jury's out as to whether or  not I should wear a tutu... 

image courtesy of Bored Panda

No promises, but I'm gonna try not to be such a stinker about keeping in touch. To those of you who've contacted me in one way or another over the past six months, I thank you. Even though I was a major butthead about responding, your efforts were truly appreciated. 

I've said it before, but I'll say it again: 

You guys rock!

 

 

 

 

                                Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.

   

                                                                

image courtesy of Bored Panda

That last picture has absolutely nothing to do with this post whatsoever. I just thought it was funny. Gives a whole new meaning to "bubble butt."

Out of Sight, But Not Out of Mind

 Hey, guys.

Yeah, I know it's been a long time... nearly three months. Sorry about that, but I've been.... shall we say... occupied.

In a good way. 

Believe it or not, there's a wonderful new man in my life, and I'm so happy, I feel like a giddy teenager. We're acting like teenagers, too. We're so happy, it's nuts. I had no idea something like this was even possible. Not for me. When Mike died, I thought I was done. Kaput. Done for. I figured my raison d'etre was simply  to clean out my house and get things in such good order, it'd be easier for my kids to handle things when I kick the bucket. A personal life for me? Forget it... I expected only to live for my family and friends. I was just gonna be spinning my wheels and coping as best as I could until I stopped breathing.

Screw that.

Turns out, the universe wasn't done with me, and I'm not done living yet. Forget that whole stupid notion of merely biding time until I shuffle off from this mortal coil. No way. Thanks to Larry, I'm more alive than I've ever been, and I feel like ME again. Our plan is to squeeze as much pleasure from each day, each moment, as we possibly can... together. For the past few weeks, we've been splitting our time between our two houses, but I'm gonna be moving in with him in a month or so. My daughter Sunshine and her hubby are gonna move into my house. WooHOO! Yeah, I know... it's a lot, isn't it?

But it's absolutely right, and I'm so freaking excited about the future, it's ridiculous. (And not just because of Larry. In October, my cousin and I are going on a trip... to ITALY!) I honestly didn't know it was possible to be this happy. Please don't interpret any of this to mean I didn't love Mike. I did. But quite honestly,  between you and me, it wasn't always easy. Being a grunt in Nam changed him in ways from which he never fully recovered. I know he loved me as much as Nam would allow, but Larry loves me unconditionally and accepts everything about me. We are so much alike, loving him almost feels like loving myself. 

So THAT'S what I've been doing. Just to show ya what kind of guy Larry is, he's the one who suggested I write some kind of a post to let you guys know how I'm doing. And here I am. (He's VERY smart...)

Update on the house: last weekend, we finished taking down the last of the antennas and towers. WooHOO! The local club has removed a ton of stuff to sell at upcoming hamfests and whatever. They should make a pretty penny on all of that gear, and it'll be going to the club's education and scholarship funds... which is doubly cool, because I helped established those things when I was the club's president.

 When the weather turned warm, I jumped into gardening with both feet. Felt good to be outside, and for some reason, I didn't feel as alone outside as I did when I was within the confines of the house. One of the gardens I created is for dahlias. A couple are just now starting to bloom. Can't wait to see them in their full glory... even if it's as a visitor to my daughter's place... 

Life is good. It is truly good, people. I hope it's been treating you as well. Really. What's new with you? Dunno if I'll ever get back to blogging as I used to do it. Maybe, but who knows? I've got lots of trips to make... lots of hiking to do... lots of new things to discover. Being an old broad ain't half bad. I feel blessed beyond belief.

Love you guys. Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.