Today is another landmark in the lives of my retired groom and his bride.  48 years ago today he and I were on the road to the beginning of a family that would immediately take us on the adventure of our lives.  We thought that marriage was the beginning but that just joined two very in love self absorbed  people that were now opening their hearts, their home, and their lives to the most loving and beautiful baby we ever saw.  As we drove to the little civil war hospital that looked like Robert E. Lee could still be a patient from the outside, we were both excited and too happy to be fearfull. That day I was lucky to get to the one and only delivery room that the hospital had, before the 6 other women who delivered at almost the same time.  The room was small with only room for me, two nurses and a little space left for the Dr. to squeeze in when he arrived. Fathers -to-be didn’t seem to have a place in this holy room of birth even though they were part of God’s plan of new life through His miracle of conception.  But my retired groom didn’t wander far.  The nurses told me they watched him pace and at times stand with his ear to the door that separated us, with his Brownie Camera in hand hoping to document what he could of this wondrous day.  The nurse said he heard me cry out (no epidural back then)  and then asked them what the noise was and they told him my water broke and new life was on its way.  They said he went down to his knees, they thought in prayer, until he heard a baby’s cry.  The wait wasn’t too long.  Thinking the process from walking in the front door to your arrival was no more than 2 hours.  I can’t even imagine how he reacted to seeing his child.  When they brought our little girl into us the tears flowed and he could barely see through the lenses of his camera to get a picture. There we no hospital pictures back then either. We were over the moon and today 48 years later as I think about that day and all the days of our lives with you, I know that God’s love and graces where given to us in abundance in you.  This was the beginning of our totem pole. My retired groom holding his retired bride and now his little girl up in thankful praise to God.  As we have aged our totem pole has risen even higher with my retired groom insuring our safety and care with his strong and loving foundation

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET SUSAN!🎈🎁

FYI. The Dr. Charged $150 for all the prenatal care and delivery and 4 days in the hospital $150.  I think dad paid all in full as we were discharged from the hospital. $300 total.  Unbelievable today but I think I have the bill somewhere.

Hopfully history will forgive the American people for putting the future, hopes and dreams of all, in the hands of a self centered, twitter happy idiot. Waking each morning to a new ego ranting or non-presidential tweet makes me feel we’ve handed the wheel to Ahab, a monomaniacal captain, whose only concern is for finding Moby Dick. In this case Moby in this president’s mind is the biggest, the best, most loving, glamorous seniario of love and attention to build his already over-inflated ego.  He thinks, like Ahab, in his narcissistic mind that he can enact his will and remain immuned to the checks and balances of our democracy. Muntiny, IMO, should soon emerge in the form of Impeachment and sooner then later before this unhinged captain damages or worse, sinks and renders our Nation less than what our forefathers and verterns have given their lives for.  God Bless America

Today is just another day in my monthly saga of washing away gray. Brings to mind the movie South Pacific and Mitzy Gaynor singing one of the pictures great songs, “I’m gonna wash that man right out of my hair.”  But in this case I’m changing the word man to gray and then singing and dancing as I work this new color into my head.  The color this time is a bit darker than my usual Champaign I have been using.  Since it’s coming up summer and I have a convertible the sun tends to turn my hair white pretty quickly.  So I now guess I’m not sending gray on its way at this age in my life but white.  I will be getting my hair cut today and the beautician will say that I have colored over that natual color many of her customers are dying to get.  The problem is the women trying to get my natural color are 30 and 40 years younger than me. On them my natural color looks stylish, smart, quirky and cool.  On me it enhances my age.  My age is okay with me, I just want to have that stylish, smart, quirky and cool look for my age. Not the just old look that the color gray brings to mind.  I do get a high when people can’t  believe I have a 48 year old daughter.  I do and I’m proud and happy I do but I still get a high from people who don’t believe I’m that old. It’s the same feeling mother’s get as they get carded  buying alcohol or cigs if their teenage kids aren’t with them. It’s a much better feeling then when your 6 year old asked how old she had to be today as we were purchasing tickets at Disney World’s ticket office about 40 years ago.  That was when my hair was a dirty blond and my body was still bikini able and ready.  NOW since a bikini would no longer hug my curves but gets lost in my overly inflated curves at least I can still “Wash that gray right out of my hair.”

After much reading this morning I’d have to agree that no church can align with one party or the other.  The left have many ideas that are not godly and the right also have views that are not Christian.  The churches of this country must continue to take the high road and follow the teachings of God not the retoric of politicians.

As I peruse the issues of the left and right I realize more than ever the reason for being stained in a red or blue color.  In my view of the prism of color, red is a more harsh stain and blue is a softer hue.  Therefore I see the church as the pure color of white that should stand brilliant and clear above the intrusion of the staining red or blue.  If the church does not remain in the cloak of our baptism then our churches will become a murky color with no clear and brilliant view of the purity of white. The American people even though colored in red or blue are always striving for the purity of white.  Should the church ever align with the color holding the presidency it would lose is voice of truth and clarity and the colors of America in our flag would not stand out with clear resolution of the American way.  We as American people strive for the stars and the white keeps the red and blue bound for the benefit of all.  God Bless America.

Today, as our President met in the Oval office with a Russian Ambassador and only permitted the Russian news reporters  to report on the meeting, is a very dark day for our country.  This president just gave priority to Russia over all the American people. NOW THAT TO ME IS GROUNDS FOR IMPEACHMENT.  There is something rotten in this President’s heart and mind. God help the US under this dishonorable man.  This is a huge treason by our president.

These soaps make us change the channel and get a reprieve, from the news and views of all those who think they know.  Their knowledge creates a soap of their own, with what ifs and who knows and where will it end.  The heads are still talking as the hour of soaps slowly ticks near.  I’m hoping the Newmans or Fosters will have an effect to take me away to the beach or even bager land and keep the name of Trump out of their fantasyland.

That our days are spent worrying. Worrying about the state of our country that is putting everyone on edge. Worrying whether they will have a job, whether there will be a war, whether they can pay their bills or be able to afford their children’s ills.  The talking heads go on and on from the midnight hour to the early dawn.  Our president seems to be playing a game to give himself more and more daily fame.  I find that every one has a view, depending on the left or the right’s message they spew. As Americans we can’t just sit back and pretend not to care or there will be others that will gladly take over the freedom we share. We so worry about this President Trump whose ideas seem to be dragging this great nation into the dump.  How can we let our land and our law’s, be rescinded because they keep big money from plundering our land.  Our National Parks and our clean fresh air cannot be diminished in favored of big business fares.  The stock market and capital gains cannot be more important than stopping acid rain. The Love Canal cannot reappear in any way, shape, or fear so that companies don’t have to pay for their waste that they used to spill and bury all over in haste until our government installed  the right bans.

Today we need the checks and balances that our fore-fathers planned; the Senate and House need to take a strong stand and hold the ground before liberty, freedom and justice fall down.

Our road trips, since our retirement, are becoming more frequent and I enjoy the time we share without the interruptions of normal everyday life namely; mowing grass, paying bills and the hourly updates of the stock market on his computer. This trip we spent almost a week riding the hills of Pennsylvania. Starting from our hometown of […]

via Clothes Make the Man — The Retired Groom

My retired groom was leaving to pick up his glasses when he huffed back into the house.  He said my car caused him to hit the refrigerator in our garage and put a dent in his car. How would that happen?  Your car has been in the garage all night and my car hasn’t been moved.

Well then he said he was backing out and the garage door started coming down.  He had to hurry up and step on the gas so the door wouldn’t come down on the car and he hit the refrigerator. Why was the door coming down?  He guesses he hit the garage door’s remote. Oh, so my car did nothing?  No, but probably!  Good example of Blame and Complain.  Put the blame on J—  is the song that comes to mind.  Another hysterical evening with my retired groom.  LMAO…

 

I’m not good at listening especially when someone is preaching their views, even if they are the same as mine.  I enjoy conversation but not a speaker talking and not letting you interject your opinions or objections to thoughts as one speaks them.  I’ve paid to be educated and even then want my questions answered and my objections heard.  I have never been good in a classroom where the instructor felt only his voice needed to be heard.  I was not brought up under the rule of “children should only be seen and not heard”.  My father was always very interested in my thoughts and I was always interested in his thoughts on mine.  To me if there is no give and take in conversation then the person speaking is doing a soliloquy or is only interested in his ideas and opinions.  Being a wall is not a position I have ever taken in life nor do I see it happening in any view of my future.  In the quietness of love I think the honest and truthful speak and are heard.  In the need to be heard beyond what is actually necessary IMO reveals a self center being.  These thoughts are not new in my life and as my attention span is decreasing with age I feel that my life needs less noise and more love and prayer.  This presidency is not sitting well with me.  It is making all desperate with their opinions and very irritated in their daily lives lashing out with constant verbal abuse.  I feel this president will get us into a war to cover his wrong doing.  He and his staff are acting like animals backed into a corner by firing the FBI Director  This is a sad day for our country.  The House needs to get to the bottom of this, quickly.  History is repeating itself:  I’ve lived through this Nixonian senario before.

He talks to his mom at least twice a day and I’m in awe of his patience with which he listens to her same stories over and over again.  I’ve been relieved of this daily chore as many would call it as my parents have been gone over 40 years now.  He never sees it as a chore and enjoys hearing her laugh as well as enjoying laughing at her crazy ways of expressing herself.

I envy the love he has in his heart not just for her but most people who have a special place in his heart.  He is a very Christian person who sees things through a specifically sharp loving lens that make my view seem very cloudy.  I hope through our 24/7 retired life together that he keeps cleaning my lenses with his special potions of love and tolerance.♡♡♡♡

Even though there are three distinct parts of government with checks and balances, my retired groom and I are bewildered with the slowness of this investigation.  Even a hint of Russian involvement in our government should be a poison that is found immediately and flushed out or dispelled. Government should come to a stand still until such allegations are brought out and cleared or prosecuted. Why isn’t extreme vetting part of the process in the election of a President.  It should be the 1st step in becoming a candidate for this revered position. Today, to get a job you have to take a drug test, your credit is pulled and even tax records have been requested. These things should not be a shadow following the highest man or woman in our government.  IMO we should have an amendment that demands extreme vetting of candidates running for this most important and influential office with the keys to nukes. May God Bless and Keep these United States safe as we slowly find out if our President is or is not who he should be.

Depending the topic on the morning political talk shows, the mood for our Sunday morning is off to a good or bad start.  This morning with Ryan giving a typical stump speech rather than answering the questions posed by Stephanopoulos my guy was hollering at the TV.  Since I’m his only audience I take it personally even though I agree with him.  Funny how the outside still affects this retired groom and his bride.

My retired groom wanted to make a bet on the Kentucky Derby today but he didn’t have any cash.  So I emptied my purse of all my cash gave it to him and he won.  One bet on the winner and one exacta bet. He went back to the off track place and cashed in.  Then he paid me back double what I gave him.  I’d say I made a good investment in him and doubled my money to boot.

This morning my retired groom decided to look for horse races leading up to the Kentucky Derby.  He found the web site and is now watching all the State horse derbies that have lead up to the running of today’s Run for the Roses.  Love how he has made the internet his University of Continuing Education.  He is trying to make his bet on the derby as educated a guess as it can possibly be before he heads for off track betting to actually lay his money down.  We were planning on betting on the one-eyed horse before he watched the Louisanna Derby and Patch was nowhere in the running. He must have come in last.  I enjoy watching and seeing him try to determine his bet.  This retired bride’s bet will still remain Patch, the one-eyed horse. Why? I’m a long shot kind of girl. If he wins, my bet will pay more.  That’s as educated as I need to be.

Wait… There’s an Irish War Cry in the group?  Ok I want a $2.00 bet on this one too.  A name with my heritage is a bet I can’t pass by.  Not an educated bet just a whim and a vote for my Irishness. Now if he’s left-hoofed all the better.

Of course this brings back memories of another Kentucky Derby Day that I don’t think my retired groom or his retired bride will ever forget, when the winner was disqualified.  Who could forget the day Dancers Image won.  Not me!!!!!!!!!!

Well at least it’s not raining but it sure is chilly today.  My retired groom was up early and pretty eager to hit the links this morning.  How he enters the house, when he’s done, gives me a pretty good idea of how his game was without even knowing his score.  I wish we could golf together but I don’t find much fun or relaxation playing when people hit into you or think you are playing too slow even though there are 2 foursomes ahead slowing us down.  I don’t think people believe in golfing for relaxation.  It’s just another thing on their to-do-list and  play like the faster they get it done the better.

I was in a 9 hole golf league about 6 years ago.  Your day was either off to a good start or became a drag depending on who you got in your foresome.  Being the scorekeeper for the league you heard it all.  I wish women would just come right out and say they don’t want to play with certain golfers.   Golfers who were in their late 70s and very slow but could kill the ball once they got up to it. Or girls who couldn’t stop talking, wanting advise about what club to use or what dry cleaners was the best in the area.  Or golfers like me who had a 32 handicap.  They would say this is a friendly game for all.  Well just get in a group with someone who has a 2 handicap or has a tight 3 hour window to play and the tension is unreal.  I think I could relax more driving my Miata at Nascar then with women who think they are Arnold Palmer in a skirt.

I think the most fun day of golf was when all the women were talking about the guy who was laying in the high grass, in a suit and tie, just watching us. Little did I know until I wlikeas walking off the green and heading to the last hole of the day that the head of white hair popping up over the high grass was none other than…. you guessed it… My Retired Groom although at the time he was still working.  He said he just couldn’t believe I was actually golfing in a league, so he had one of the rangers drive him around and hide where I couldn’t see him.  I’m sure the next week many of the league members requested not to golf with me when they found out I had a stalker.  Little did these women know that this stalker has been following me all my life.  You know the old saying, “He chased me till I caught Him!  I’m pretty lucky I’d say since we’re married and he’s still stalking me.

This chore is really hard to do.  He likes to golf and I don’t.

1/2 hour before bed I take all my meds. I usually am in bed an hour or so and the pain in my legs start.  I usually have to head downstairs for Advil to alleviate the pain.  Tonight the pain is so bad I feel like there is a tight pulling  in my left leg all the way to the arch of my foot.  If I walk I feel my foot is going to break. Now all my toes in my left foot are filled with pins and needles. Hoping this doesn’t travel to the other leg and that the Advil clicks in soon. Blood tests and then I may be changing these meds. My retired groom doesn’t seem to have this problem with his meds.  He is sound asleep up under the covers.  And I’m  awake with such painful legs and wondering if these meds are really poison by prescription.

$1.00 subs.  Customer appreciation from 4 to 8.  Stood in line for about a half hour.  The wait was worth it.  No kitchen to clean up.  The tuna sub was great. Retired HUBBY got something else, I was busy eating as we didn’t get there til 7:30 and I was starved.

That’s what I got done today. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

Why?  Well I did have plans but the weather was so bad that my retired groom’s golf got cancelled.  So as he sits and watches CNN and anything Trump, so does his retired bride.

This was the phone call I got today.  Yes, I know son we got the letter too.  He’s 75.  We knew he was going to retire. Yes, it ruined our day too.  As this letter makes the rounds alot of people are going to be upset.  When a dentist is this wonderful it’s hard to let him go.

Today we got a letter in the mail that was so upsetting.  Our dentist of over 30 years is retiring.  Don’t get me wrong we’re for retirement but the faith we have in our dentist is hard to give to someone else.  It’s almost like the letter said the Catholic Church is retiring and we need to find a different faith.  Yes, our dentist has been slowly turning his patients over to his successor that he sold his practice. But as nice and qualified as this sweet guy is, letting someone else into your mouth is not political it personal and faith based.  In 30 years I have never been in pain and my mouth is full of filling, root canals, and caps.  When we have a problem he has been there.  In my mind, heart and soul, changing religions would cause me less anxiety.  Damn this letter has caused me a toothache.  Thankfully I have month to get in for my lifetime checkup or teeth pulled and dentures.

Ok we’re 69. What did we accomplish this quarter?

Travel… Yes, once this quarter- Mrytle Beach

Taxes ….paid

Car…paid off today.  In Q2 but I said this was late.

Health… Ok.  Colonoscopy in January and again in February.  Another due in 4th quarter.  Still need pounds off both of us.  Dentist retiring getting ck ups now.  Still need mammagram.

Religion…Trying to prepare for the entrance exam but have missed a few lectures.  Hopfully we have more time to cram.

Family… Kids…ok.   MIL…ok. Grandkids..ok  Rest of family…ok

Bucket list…Not on paper, we’re not long range planners and since the actuaries don’t give us more than a decade it’s probably a good thing.

Money… Still have it, despite investment firms trying to get their hands on it and real estate taxes creeping up.

Q2 in June.

So he can hit golf balls.  Playing golf tomorrow before his dentist appointment.  Always overbooks himself.   You always hit the Ball great when your alone.  Good luck.

How to get me moving.  Today he let me sleep in and went to 8 am Mass. Brought me home a sweet tea from McD’s and then started cutting up strawberries. Let’s have strawberry shortcake for lunch since we had such a big and late supper.  Really???

When did he ever request strawberry shortcake?  Never!  I’m up off the couch looking for my ingredients.  Then he laughs and said boy do I know how to get you moving!  Yep, sweets will always motivate me.  So here’s to you my sweet!♡♡♡♡♡

 

Lunch has never been so sweet with my retired groom.

In my honest opinion the only thing Trump has accomplished is to be on TV everyday since his election.  He thinks of himself as a movie star and his office as a daily sit com in which he’s got the starring role.  His only accomplishments is getting more TV coverage then anyone in history.  Someone needs to ground him to the White House, take away his media devises and make him get down to business.  Let’s turn the cameras off so he stops looking for the spot light.

He calls and wants to go to the fishing store.  You say sure.  During your outting he confides in you his problem with bullying.  Why would anyone bully such a sweet,  handsome and truly loving kid?  Feeling comfortable talking to you and looking for your guidance on how to handle the situation is heartwarm and heartbreaking at the same time.  Knowing he can call you and you’ll be there is the best right now.

Oh no.  He’s thinking the carpet needs vacuumed.  I know I should be thrilled that he loves this chore.  Its just that my ringing ears have gone down in decibel levels and when the sound of the vacuum get close the tintinitus goes crazy.   I wonder if our dogs had tintinitus?  It would explain both of our dogs going crazy and barking whenever they saw my retired groom heading for the sweeper.  I know I’m on the verge of barking so I hope he gets finishes before the noise causes me to bite.

A day doesn’t go by that we don’t hear a tune and say “remember that song?” The songs of the 50s, 60s and 70s create a slew of memories each time we hear one on the radio or on a TV commercial.

Our first kiss?  “The Shoop Shoop” Song in my girlfriend’s driveway, was playing on the car radio in his dad’s car.

His prom-“A White Sports Coat”-  he came to my house all dressed and brought me a stuffed animal.  I was younger in school and the school didn’t permit sophomores to attend.  Plus I was really sick.  MONO. Felt sorry for his date as he talked to me on the pay phone outside the gym most of the night.

The Beetles. –  Got out of study club early and walked together to a friend’s house to see them on the Ed Sullivan Show.

Lightning striking again-   Wait?  Really

“Suspicion”- were we ready to be tied down just one boy/girl?

STOP in the name of love!- We decided.  You and me and nobody else.

You’re like a bouncing ball. You come bouncing back to me-  break up, make-up.

JANE- by Jefferson Air Supply.

Funny Kind of Fellow –  Got my mind made up about you.

“What time is it?”- Anticipation of our dates.

“Too Young to go steady?”  -wrapped his class ring on pink angora.

My Old Kentucky Home…  no bet made this weekend.  Dancers Image won and then disqualified.

“Take me out to the BallGame”..  we outlasted a few stadiums.

“Try a little tenderness”-  Remembering you singing your version of Otis to me.

Will add to this list as I hear the songs that stir the memories.

We’ve been together a long time.  Our wedding day was almost 50 years ago and we have known each other probably 56 years.  I so worry that someday soon the Good Lord will see fit to take one of us to our forever home leaving one of us behind.    My memory is beginning to fail me some, so putting our daily escapades into words will keep our love alive and close in my mind and heart.

If I leave first I want him to be able to read about our road trips, our days of interactions and my love for him so he never forgets the love in my heart and soul that he will always have and the happiness that he has given to me on a daily basis.

So Pudge if you are reading this, I must be gone.  Know I left with tears in my eyes and an ache in my heart that will only be relieved when we are together again. I really can’t remember life without you.  You are my soul my heart and most of my mind. We have nine wonderful human beings on this earth created because of our love.  So if you are missing me just go look at them and see my love staring back at you.  You and I are a part of them and they are the greatest part of us on earth.  My eyes are tearing up and Donovan is asking why I’m crying so I must stop this excerpt now but will continue later.  I’m feeling our time together is slowly dwindling and will end sooner then either of us expect. My love for you is even greater then our glorious times in Erie.

Will continue later.

I stopped and cleaned my car after driving 8 hours before coming home. I’m sorry.  My car was so dirty and covered with bugs I just couldn’t stand it.

What went through my mind when he said “I have a confession”?  Great…He did bring me home my favorite candy and it’s still in his car.

It’s funny the thoughts that go through my head when he feels guilty.  He knows I was waiting all day for him to come home and he feels guilty.  But I didn’t even notice he was late.  I was catching up on Netflex, the episodes of Scandal I missed.

But love that he felt guilty and thought I noticed he was late.

It’s Friday night and he’s been making eggplant parm for the past 2 hours.  I’m not sure why he has such a passion for eggplant but once he starts making it he’s glued to the kitchen.

I have never seen anyone make such a production out of cooking something like he does this recipe.  I just continue to watch the news, Hawaii 5 O and now Blue Bloods.  He mustn’t be starved as this dish has no appearance of being close to being done.

It’s a darn good thing my retired groom is crazy about me and loves to cook, or someone with a good casserole of Eggplant Parm might be able to find a place at our table.  NOTTTTTT!

Neither of our parents got to enjoy this post-children, post-college and post-career era that most couples work toward.  My parents didn’t make it to their 34th Anniversary and my mother-in-law was widowed by her 40th.  Our children are grown and well on their way with homes and children of their own. Our financial responsibilities are completed and time is our own.  We are blessed to be heading to our 50th and in good health.

Working on our bucket list although it’s not actually on paper, long range planning has never been our thing.  It took a little time to adjust to the 24/7 togetherness and our roles at this time in our lives, but I think we’ve been ironing out those kinks in the road on a daily basis. Although bed time and whose car are we taking today come up in a bit of an adversarial scenario daily. I’m not looking forward to the day we decide to be a one car retired couple although my Miata will always have a place in our garage.

Our house keeps us grounded and I don’t see that changing in the too near future.  But unloading some of the clothes and stuff that We have accumulated in our closets, garage and basement are a constant conversation that seems to be going nowhere.

Hopefully me and my retired groom will be able to ease in to forever, without the abrupt kick in the pants over the rainbow my parents got.

Hey maybe that will be this retired couple’s new Irish/Hungarian Blessing.

“May you ease into forever without the abrupt kick in the pants over the rainbow that our parents got.”

Or

“May we get to use all the Social Security $$$$ that we paid in every pay check for over 40 years plus the interest it should have earned.” Especially since our parents never got to use their government investment.

I am not a dollar store shopper but his mother is.  On this trip home he took her to the dollar store and found some of the things I love.

I can’t believe a bag full of English Lavender soap and Secret deodorant would melt my heart.  These two things in the surprise bag means he thinks of me and the things I love and do.  I can never have enough of this particular soap.  It makes our house smells good.  I put it in my drawers, in my couch cushions, under the pillows of my guest bed because it’s soothing and a wonderful smell.  And to find these smaller containers of my only used deodorant in 50 years is wonderful. The little things he thinks of and brings home to me just warms my heart and makes smile. My retired groom gets a big kiss and I’ll forgive him this time for forgeting our hometown Philadelphia Chocolates.

That is until I try to call for an update of your trip and I get no answer on either your cell or car phone.  Then I realize you are doing what you love to do when you travel– talk on the phone.  Thank goodness for Bluetooth.  When I finally get through you tell me you have another call coming in from Richard. Forgot how much I hate those phones when we travel and how you have always keep in touch with everyone now that they are coming right through the rear view mirror.  Will stop worrying about you now because no matter where you roam you always find someone to phone.

While you’re gone I’m meeting my baby sister and her little granddaughter today for lunch. Boy time flies.  I remember carrying her home from the hospital and now she has a granddaughter.  Hope you’re looking down on us today mom and dad and see that you’re baby is doing great. I hope this retired bride and her groom continued raising her the way you expected.  I know of all your kids she is the gold medal of your accomplishments.  I hope your early departure wasn’t to hard on her and that we filled the gap with enough love a guidance.

Love when we talk on the phone and he gives me his where abouts with restaurant locations.  As he left our home town today he said the pizza church was loaded for lunch. Yes, I know exactly where he is.  There will be 8 hours of updates during this long rainy day trip home.  It reminds me of our college days when he used to hitch hike 8 hours to see me.  I grabbed a bus and headed his way on a few weekends. That was before cell phones so the anticipation of arrivals were more stressful.  Now I can call his cell phone or car phone and get an updated ETA. 50 years ago I would just wonder how far he was and worry if he was ok and how long before I would see his handsome face.  The years have been good to us and I still can’t wait to see my retired groom’s handsome face and his big smile when he sees mine.  Is this Love?  Yes, yes it is!

Forgot to disarm my alarm today and it went off.  Scared the Bejeeses out of me. As I headed to turn it off I could smell what seemed like a camp fire. Where have I smelled this before?  I think it was when my other lamp started to smoke. Ok so now I’m on the hunt.  Did my alarm go off because of smoke or because I didn’t disarm it?  Is it the lamp or is it the socket.  Or is it just my smeller?  Wish my feller were here cause his smeller is so much better.   But wait.  I’m getting closer to the smell. There must be a wind blowing that is coming down the chimney.  As I open the glass doors on the fireplace the smell is really strong.  I think I found the problem.  We need to clean out the fireplace.  Another chore to put on my retired groom’s “Honey Do”… List.

Had one last night and it made me dizzy. Now today’s Aura is giving me a headache.  Just can’t believe there’s nothing to do about them.

Trying to get this off my everyday diet but it’s my caffeine of choice.  Today I’m heading to 7/ 11 to get one 20 oz bottle. Everything takes time.  A few days and my mind just thinks about having a Cola.  Not any Cola only Coca-Cola has the taste I need.  I should be in a commercial the way I’m hooked on this soft drink.  My grandsons all know they can get a Coca-Cola here and if they know all my hiding places they will find some chocolate too..   Only a Coca-Cola will get me moving today.  Thank God this retired groom’s bride doesn’t smoke or drink anything with alcohol.  Coca- Cola is my downfall.  Not a fountain Coke with ice, only the ice cold 20 oz bottle has the right  mixture of carbonation and syrup for me.   And let me tell you it’s hard to stop craving it. They call me the Coke Lady at 7/11.   COCA-COLA it’s the Real Thing…  Ahhhhhh, you know the feeling.

My eyes are dozing but I just can’t go upstairs.  The news scares me when your not here.  Dreamt that I was in the hospital, alone and I didn’t have any ID on me so they didn’t know who to call. Then I realized we come in the world alone and leave alone, that scares me. Going somewhere without you scares me.  I guess, in case you didn’t notice I don’t roam far from home or from you. It’s always you who roams and I know it’s always been necessary but some how now that we are coming to the end of the road I’m afraid we won’t see each other again.  It was bye mom and poof she was gone. Remember that?  Bye and 3 days later she was in the ground.  This time of our lives gives us too much time to think. Someday we’ll kiss goodbye and poof all the memories will be up in the air and the string that we have held onto all these years is beyond our fingertips.  The Manor House, the Oasis, Berea, Reynolds all of it will be like faded pictures that can’t be restored. It’s 2 AM and I’m eating a can of Early Garden Sweet Peas and missing you sooooooo  much.

What did I Do?  Slept in a little,  just felt exhausted and woke up refreshed. Taxes done, sealed and mailed.  Senior discount papers sent in too. Also applied for a part-time/part-time job at something I think would be good for me.   By 5:30 pm I got 8000 steps in and now I’m on the couch watching Fixer Upper on HGTV.  Love this program. Would move to Texas in a heartbeat if they could do a house for me.

Hope your day is going as good as mine.      XOXOXO♥♥

 

It’s 3 AM and I’m awake. I guess you aren’t the one who wakes me at this time every morning.  We live on the train tracks and they roar by every morning at this time.  Since you’re with your mom I realize I’ve been blaming you for the early wake up call when all along its been the Burlington Northern plus a freight train that shakes our bed.   Maybe a cup of sleepy time tea will get me back to sleep.  Ok now there’s a small plane overhead and another train and someone delivering the paper with a bad muffler.  Trains, planes and automobiles and the clock now struck 3:30 AM.  Wow this is a noisy place at this time of the morning.  Miss you.

When he’s gone, there’s not to much to do although my grandson and I worked on my little car and I gave him a driving lesson on the stick shift. He was so excited. Bought the car a couple months before he was born so both he and the car are the same age. He really did well and I laughed everytime he stalled.  Thought it would scare me to let him drive but he is a joy to be around.

Hoping my retired groom is having a good day.  After being together 24/7 on vacation for 2 weeks, seperating is a little upsetting.  Will be glad when he’s back in my arms again.  Ain’t no sunshine when he’s gone.

His mother didn’t  sound good on the phone today so he is on his way back to our hometown.  He and his brother make this trip once a month so she can stay independent and living in her home of twenty years. The gated community has been a wonderful place to live and she has friends that keep in constant contact.  She has become more confined as driving is no longer an option although we been told she’s been seen behind the wheel at the community mailbox. But with little traffic in this gated neighborhood it gives her a bit of freedom to get out and be in control.

As the days roll by she is becoming more irritated and confused and her two boys call her throughout the day to keep her engaged.  But today she’s more upset than usual so the 8 hour drive is required to stock up on groceries, help her pay bills and get her in to the Drs. to make sure that a cut on her leg is healing.  She’s been through a lot, widowed at 57, broken hip and fractuted pelvis in the past 5 years.  Age has slowed her some and made her more afraid of venturing from the house but she still manages her day to day pretty well.

Hoping his visit  and the spring weather will get her in better spirits and on the mend.  While he’s gone I will be cleaning out closets, working in the yard and getting the porch and patio ready for summer.

That’s how this retired couple rolls.

We are hunting today for the bag of Thomas’s English Muffins of which he had one for breakfast a couple hours ago. We’ve looked everywhere and he is sure I’ve done something with it. If I did I don’t remember. Our memories are progressing at the speed of light, downhill. It’s been an hour and they still have not turned up. Can’t wait to find them so one of us is off the hook for the dementia adjective. These are the games of this retired couple, that keep us moving, thinking and in constant love with each other.

8pm still no English muffins.

No muffins have shown up.

Yes, the muffins appeared today, on Easter.  Hubby said they were in the fridge, said he looked there,  must not have been wearing his glasses for 3 days.  So, our minds are intact but his glasses must be missing.  This is retirement with my retired guy, daily.

 

Bed time means something different to me than it does to my retired groom. Trying to keep my eyes open means bedtime to me. His bedtime is by the clock. Tonight he’s been asleep since 8:10 pm. When I wake him and say let’s go to bed, he says he not going to bed at 8:15. Its 9:15. I’m going up to bed. I’m not sure what time the clock has to reach before he agrees it’s bedtime but sure he will wake me when he gets into bed and then I’ll know tonights bedtime. Mine is pretty consistent. I like to get into bed before the sandman arrives.

During our days of retirement my guy comes up with new phrases that make me laugh.  Seldom do I know what they mean until he gives me an explanation. I will add to this post as time goes by. Some phases have no explanation.  Of course alot of my phrases come out of my mouth with a meaning that my retired groom has to interpret because my words are close but never on point

Here’s a few:

Patient Corvette – seeing a corvette behind a semi just patiently going the speed limit rather than gunning his engine and darting in and out of traffic to show his speed with his mighty machine.

I try to keep you from getting into trouble before you let words travel out but I guess I haven’t instructed you enough in my sign language.  You see, I took grandparenting classes at Northwestern, on our daughter’s request before our first one was born. In addition I had in-law grandparents and you only had 4 years of experience with mine.

Today my retired groom, your grandparenting skills are up in the air again.  I tried to head you off but like a freight train with a full belly of steam you barrel through.

Intrusions into others family life is what we become when we tread where we have not been asked to walk.  Our views are becoming archaic and unwelcomed. Grandparenting is to be only fun and games, when we are not in charge or opinions not requested.

Just giving you my best advice for the future in case I precede you to the promised land.

On our latest road trip my retired groom was up and down to breakfast by 7 am.  Me not till 9.  He fills the time with exercise in the fitness room or talking to anyone he comes in contact with while I sleep soundly, hibernating warmly under the covers.

This morning his audience were two of the hotel’s housekeepers that found themselves in the elevator with him as he was on his way back to our room.  He got their attention by asking them if they had a spray that would protect him from a sleeping bear.  They were all ears with his explanation of what he would confront when he opened our door. That would be me ~ his grouchy sleeping bear.

Of course he woke me with two wonderful muffins, the story he told the housekeepers and a handful of the little shampoo bottles that this hotel always provides to their guests.

His professional salesmanship has provided us a wonderful life and now that same gift of gab continues to serve him well.  Today his grooming kit is filled with those little bottles of shampoo that he loves.  And his sleeping bear got her 8 hours of sleep.                        Grrrrrrrrreat!

It could be anything.  These words are out of his mouth before he even knows what he’s missing.  Our latest road trip was a constant liturgy of “Where’s my?” I felt like a bobble head, searching for what he might be looking for.

The funniest search was  for his cell phone. We looked for 20 minutes and then he said “here”.  Call the hotel and see if I left my phone in the room.   I dialed the hotel without realizing I was using his phone that he just pulled from his pocket.  The same phone for which we were looking.

Just another 24/7 with my retired groom who is losing my mind along with his own.

Leaving paradise Is always bittersweet for me.  I love being a part of the ocean sounds and views and yet miss my home.  Since I can’t move the ocean I may need to relocate our home.

While attending a vacation seminar my retired groom came out with actuary predictions that his lifespan is about 8 years and mine a mere 10 years.  Well that shocking tidbit of info diverted my attention from the timeshare pitch to my bucket list. Immediately, I said give me the bottom line.  Cheapest price to buy is my interest NOW and I’m out of here. Wasting my last 10 years at this presentation, only LOOKING at the beach is wasting precious minutes of my 10 year timeline.  Dreaming is over….Doing is the verb for this retired bride now.  Doing for these next 10 years is my battle cry.  Doing, doing, doing.  I believe Nike has my new agenda in print.  JUST DO IT . . .and.         DO IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!

Spring break for us this year included a chance again to buy a vacation timeshare, in Myrtle Beach.

My retired groom never passes up a good deal.  Knowing that heaven to his retired bride is a 5***** star hotel on the beach, he always finds a way to take me there whenever he can. This year South Carolina was our destination at the original Springmaid Resort purchased by Hilton last year and rebranded as a Doubletree.  The property is only half-finished in its renovation but the 27 acres hugging the Atlantic is beautiful and the part that is opened was a wonderful oasis on the ocean at the quiet end of Mrytle Beach.

Sitting through a 2 hr sales presentation at Hilton’s newest resort, Oceans 22, was pleasant, although not for us.  From the 10th story condo’s floor to ceiling expansive glass view of the Atlantic Ocean, the coast appears as a skyline of high-rise resorts. This area does seem to be a more reasonably priced place to spend the cold winter months.

We walked the beach and later watched a large storm cell create mutiple tornado watches and warnings. This was the perfect place to get ready for the same change of seasons, a few weeks behind in our neck of the woods.

Waves and the ocean breezes are heaven.   But seeing the room service menu and realizing I could order a Tin of CHOCOLATE chip cookies with a bottle of milk, I knew my retired groom had really reach a new height in pleasing and pampering me.  He “Hung the Moon” over the Ocean for me this time.

April Fools.

My retired groom fell for this one hook line and sinker until I added that he nominated Hillary to be the VP.

LOL.

Leaving for vacation and I notice the headlight is out on his car.  No problem we’ll just go over to the dealership and have them install a new one.

2 hours later and an estimate of $340 for a new headlight and I realize a new question to ask before we buy a new car.  Like how much are lights to replace along with a few more concerning maintenance pricing.  Still have 1 payment left on the car and the headlight is more than the car payment. Now I know why they increased the mileage on the bumper to bumper warranties on new cars. Just put in a new battery yesterday for $189.  And now a headlight.  This could really sink a beach vacation if it weren’t already prepaid.

Guess the dealership thought they had us.  We made a call and drove 4 hours into our vacation and stopped at our daughters home.  Called the dealer in her town and got the headlamp installed at this dealership for half the price.  Still a lot, in my opinions, but better than the original estimate.

My dad always told me a car is not an investment.  It’s nothing but an expense. As usual his words always prove true. My retired HUBBY always asks if he has filled my dad’s shoes yet and examples like this and reiterating my dad’s words make him think no, not yet.  I never tell him my dad only wore a size nine shoe and he wore a size 10 1/2  when I met him 55 years ago.  In my eyes both of these men are the absolute best. And I’m sure their sons and grandsons will follow in their shoes.

Today is one of those days.  I miss her guidance I miss her love but most of all I miss her hugs.  It’s been a year today since she’s been gone to be with her David and her John.

I’ve packed my retired groom for years. Otherwise, he would have never made his scheduled flights.  Overnights, 2 weeks in China, no problem.  But since he retired he has taken over his packing.  Oh boy.  The outfits and the shoes that he just can’t go without make it hard for me to find a place to sit, both in our car or the limo to the airport.

I for one am glad for the luggage fees on planes.  First it makes us fly Southwest my favorite airlines..(2 bags fly free).  And second it makes him limit his wardrobe.

Before the fees, 3 bags plus golf clubs were the norm for him.  Me- one bag plus my carry on tote.  There was always a bag for his shoes.  My guy loves clothes.

Now, I try to list the clothes we need by day and try to explain color coordination so 1 pair of shoes can go with many outfits. As much as I try to monitor his packing we’ve had to take clothes and shoes out of bags and redistribute the weight so as not to be charged the overweight fee at the check-in counter. Although my guy isn’t unique as I’ve seen many people doing this same act of redistibution every time we fly.

Driving is another problem altogether.  He manages to bury more items as he packs the car.  But once we get on the road and I can calm down from the overpacking we always have a great time whether it’s a short jaunt or an extended sightseeing journey.  My retired groom is always ready to show me new sights and great places. But we always come back home with way more clothes then he could ever wear and he swears he is never packing so much again. Yeah, heard that before.

 

 

 

My guy loves to vacuum.  Me . . . not so much.

After spending time with his mom and her new vacuum he was on a search for the red Shark.   Now that we own it he loves to run it.

Like the lawnmower the vacuum has hours of operation.  Not before 9 am and it’s curfew is 8 pm.  It picks up wonderfully in fact it sucks up everything in its path. Funny how retirement has changed our roles and priorities.

This idea just makes me laugh.  The kids always thought their dad had some type of monitored on me because he could always track me down.

Yesterday I went shopping and because I walk with my hands in my pocket or push a cart, my fitbit didn’t pick up my steps. My retired groom suggested I put the fitbit on my ankle (see the picture below).  So I did. It is now picking up all my steps.  Today I’m doing laundry and since carrying baskets up and down steps tend to keep my arms stationary I usually don’t get my steps all counted. Now, with the fitbit on my ankle all my steps are being tracked.

Sometimes my retired groom has great ideas.  But I wonder what people might think when I start wearing Capri pants and sandals and the fitbit shows.  They could think I’m a criminal on the loose, or in my case just a retired bride being tracked by her retired groom.   LOL.

When we retired we made a bucket list which included going to D.C. to see the Cherry Blossoms in March. Somehow for the past 6 years they have bloomed without us being there.

I can’t believe how quickly time flies when you’re not working and everyday is like a Saturday.  We need to readjust our list as the blooms will be on there way out for 2017.

Hope this retired married couple complete the list before we kick the bucket.

When is this Madness going to be over?

The only positive thing about March Madness tonight is getting carry out at Noodles and Company.  Ok, his retired bride is happy now, so I’m watching Oregon and Kansas playing for the next bracket.  But really I’m playing Candy Crush on my phone.  Shhhhhh don’t tell.

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NO-Not the prom. The month of March has college play-off games called March Madness. I would think when your team loses you’re out. Guess not. Bracketology then takes over.  So its Friday night and the retired groom can hardly keep his eyes opened but there’s another game that will fill another bracket. He can’t understand why when everyone is watching who is going to be at the big dance I would want to go to bed.

I explain, its like when we’re at a wedding and the band is in full swing and my dancing shoes are on and ready to go, he says its late, let’s get going. His feet hurt and I say just mosey over to the bar and soak your feet with a couple of drinks. If he can walk 18 holes of golf then a few dances should be easy. He asks how many and I say 2 fast dances and 2 slow unless the electric slide comes up, then that one too. We make it through 2 fast and one slow, and then we do the stroll out to the car. We just aren’t sock-hoppers anymore.

I’m not sure how in this past presidential election, a husband and wife holding opposite views could make very happy bedfellows.  This election has encompassed many issues that have grabbed many by their core.  Their christian values, their feminine views, their racial opinions not to mention the worries of health care and unemployment.

Through this distasteful and upsetting battle of candidates and platforms, I realized that my mother’s words, “the more you have in common the easier the marriage will be,” proved so true to me.

Falling in love doesn’t always find the easiest path but sharing the same faith and following the Greatest Commandments of loving God and Your Neighbor as Yourself have proved to be a great foundation in this marriage.

 

 

I can see the sadness in his eyes as he watches the news today about an American man being killed and his wife injured on their 25th wedding anniversary trip to England.  His sadness is twofold.   His heart is aching for the woman who just lost the love of her life and the fear that it has stirred up for the country.  He also sees the determination in my eyes as I again become resolute about never traveling abroad.

My retired groom has traveled all over the world for his job. He wants to show me the Great Wall of China, the Effel Tower, the Changing of the Guards at the Buckingham Palace, and of course Hungary, Poland and Ireland the birthplace of our grandparents.  These terrorist attacks just deepen my feelings that I’m only interested in seeing sights in the land of my birth even though 9/11, has made me realize that no one is safe from those who don’t value life, not even their own.

Our other impediments to traveling are: trains, planes and automobiles not to mention boats.  I don’t want to fly over water and my retired groom doesn’t like the idea of floating with a motor on ocean waves.  I don’t understand how a tube with wings, weighing tons, with me inside can stay in the air and he sees every cruise ship as another Titanic.  So until we can come to some understanding  we will be sightseeing in the land of our birth by way of the trusty wheel.  Although we aren’t looking forward to seeing Trump’s Wall.

Who would think a new electronic gizmo could make 2 people laugh and enjoy a late evening so much?

Let me begin by explaining that I bought the Echo Dot, after seeing the advertisements on TV.  Got it home and we all had fun with it over Christmas.

But like all new gadgets it has sat on the shelf with little use since the holidays. Then I realized I could listen to audio books on it so up to our bedroom it went.

Last night as I told Alexa (the voice of Echo Dot) to wake me at 8 am and to play ocean sounds until I fell asleep, my husband enter the room and decided to have Echo play music.  For the next two hours we went from DooWhop through the 50s, 60s, 70s and then continued to reexamine our memories of Music Appreciation Classes with The Grand Canyon Suite, the Painted Desert to Peter and The Wolfe.  Our toes were dancing on the sheets and our voices were singing along to all our high school love songs.

Even this late in our years my retired groom manages to show me a fun date night.  It didn’t cost a cent and there was no need to worry about what to wear or even put on make up.  Oh yeah, he did run down stairs to get some wine.

Unexpected date nights seem to be the norm as these retired grandparents look forward to retiring to bed earlier and earlier these days.

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