The Weather The Weather, Oh Is Us!

The weather here at Nature Coast Landings has been colder than we have ever had down here in Florida. This is suppose to be Spring, don't know where it is or when it will come back. It has been rain, clouds, windy, and still needing heat at night.


I had to go to Maryland to see my long lost brother, who I found out was dying with cancer, I had not seen him nor had heard from him or his whereabouts for over 12 years. My sister and I drove up last Thursday arriving on Friday March 12th. We went to Camp Creek West Virginia first to pick up a cousin, who wanted to see our brother, so away we went. We then went across from Beckley W.Va. to route 64 and over to route 81 and headed north, all in the same trip without sleep. We arrived having not had any sleep for over 24 hours, and continued to visit with my ex-husband in Harpers Ferry West Va. By 11pm Friday night Donna and I were finally in bed, with alarm set to get up at 6am to prepare to go see our brother.

Saturday we awoke feeling, well sort of refreshed, dressed and on the road by 9am arriving in Hagerstown Md for our visit. We all had such a good visit, stayed for over 3 hours, he at least did know us, and we were able to talk some, he was sedated due to the pain, but he did at least know that we were there and that we loved him. When we left we went down to Frederick, again in the rain, and ate at my favorite restaurant Barbara Fritchie. They have got to have the very best cocoanut cream pie in this world, had a slice of that along with a Maryland crab cake sandwich. MMMMMM good. My sister had lemon meringue pie, but then decided that she should have gotten the same kind that I got, she of course wanted me to give her a taste, but oh no, my pie is my pie. "Sorry you should have made a better choice", I told her. We were also to meet a dear friend of mine there, but we waited and waited and she never showed up, so we went ahead and ordered, and then ate, and ate. Just as I was ready to call her to find out where she was, my phone rang, and she was like "where are you", I told her we were at Barbara Fritchie, I was like "where are you" she said, "I am here, where are you", I said "I am eating", my cousin then said there she is and as I turn around, I see her sitting at booth from us with her back to us, I said "Duddey turn around," and we just started laughing so hard causing disruption in the restaurant. Some things just never change.

We started out calling our trip, sis and I, "Thelma and Louise", we went over a bridge and I said to her, "we just jumped the canyon", we laughed but as the trip continued we changed it to "The Geriatric trip", with Donna and myself, then our cousin Roy, then my ex-Gary, good friend Duddey, my best friend from High School, Harriette, all we talked about was our meds, high sugar, high cholesterol, grey hair, our constipation, forgetfulness, eye glasses, not being able to sleep, hold our urine, OH My! Yes we could have used a Fairy Godmother.

We had so many emotions, Highs and some very low lows. We ran the roads, seeing as many people as we could see, yet getting to see our brother, our friend, our cousin, leaving him very peaceful on Sunday afternoon after another very good visit, in fact much better than the day before. He was awake when we came in and stayed awake alot that day, we talked and laughed, well as much as he could. He really enjoyed hearing the guys talking, Roy and Gary, I told Donna that we were the women, he could not be bother with our conversations, but he clung to every word the guys said. Again we left after a 3 hour visit, very peaceful, and knowing that we were saying goodbye forever, that was so hard.

Well come Monday March 15 we had to pack it up, finish the last few things that we wanted to do, and start heading south. First in the am Donna called a local funeral home to make arrangements for him when the time comes. That was hard but it had to be done, and we wanted to leave knowing that it was all done. We went and picked up our cousin down in Frederick, then went to WalMart so I could get some flowers to put on graves of our family. Ronnie's social worker called and said he was not good, and they did not think he would make it through the day. I was at peace with it, and in fact was happy but sad, to leave and him to lay there was not what we wanted. Well the phone rings again as I am walking out of the store and yes she called to say he had passed, all I could say was "Good", he was now at peace and with our mom and dad.

We had completed our mission, we saw, we grieved, we laughed, we cried, all was now complete and time to go home. My friend Duddey gave me some CD's she had made for me, and on the way home they sure did come in handy. We played them, oldes but goodies, name that tune, name that group, name that singer, we sang and sang and the rain came down, but we were having so much fun, who cared. We were so thankful for all that had come down and the way everything had worked out, we all three felt like we had just experienced a miracle. Well I have had on Facebook, to love all you can, tell those you love that you do love them, see all of the people that you can, to stay in touch with those you are close to, and do not take a minute, an hour, a day, a week, a month, a year for granted, do not put off getting in touch with those that have been on your mind, there might be a reason why they are on your mind. Don't take life for granted, we never know when it will be our last day, or our loved ones last day.

Now for Spring to come and to stay, and all will be good and right in my world. I have always said that Spring is my favorite season of the year, everything is fresh, and new, a new begining. Yes and that is what this past few days has been a closing, and a new begining. I am ready to take each day, enjoy it, make the most of it, tell my husband how much I love him, to laugh, see and do all that I can in this life and world of mine. Stay in touch with all of my dear friends, all of our family members, and oh yes my girls, and the sweetest grandchildern a person could ever ask for. Yes life is too short, and we must make the most of what we have left.