Mockingbird Hill

Thursday, November 24

Countdown!

Even though we have been seeing bits and pieces of Christmas since October, there is one absolute moment you know the Holiday Season has arrived.....

In Florida, when you see the Santa and Snowman Eggnog, you can officially begin to get excited!

It's official....I'm excited!!

So, I was going to write this wonderful, thought provoking post and share all the reasons we have to be thankful...not just today, but every day. However, I think most of us know how lucky we are to have freedoms that many do not have and the opportunities and options to better our lives if need be. But, we feel the need to rush around trying to put together the perfect Thanksgiving dinner and the beautifully set table, so that we can celebrate that magazine Thanksgiving Day.

Then a silly, "OMG, did I really do this" moment happens and everything falls into perspective. And here it is:

The community that The Hub and I have moved to is a "golf community" and there is a very nice restaurant in the clubhouse. They have Sunday Breakfast buffet's, Tuesday night Wings 'n Beer, Sunday NFL Taco Brunch...lots of things designed to keep you spending $$ here. We support all of this since it is good for the homeowners and good for the community.

Anyway...last night, we decided to take the easy way out and get a quick dinner at the clubhouse. How busy could it be...it's the night before Thanksgiving!

**I should mention here, that The Hub is on the HOA Board of Directors and on the Golf and Greens Committee.**

Anyway, we pull ourselves together and head over to a pretty busy room. Of course, people are greeting Hub and wishing us a Happy Holiday and he is introducing me to a few people for the first time. We've only been here full time about 4 months.

After many handshakes, quick polite hugs and a really good meal, we wave good bye and head out to the car...living just a mile or so away is a big plus...and under the parking lot lights, I look down and see them. My shoes. Cute little suede flats with a tassel across the toe.

One Black. One Brown.

Oh yeah. I probably should not have said anything, but my first reaction was "Are you kidding me?". Then came the laughter, The Hub included, and wondering if anyone else noticed...the lights were on in the restaurant, so if anyone checked out my feet, it would have been pretty obvious. The Hub laughed, The Daughter laughed, I laughed...and there you have it.

This is what I am most thankful for...family and friends that love me, as I am, even when I do things that make me seem just a couple fries short of a Happy Meal.

Be thankful for everything big....but, most of all, be thankful for the little things. The laughter and love of those closest to you...give them an extra hug today if you see them or chat a minute longer if you call them somehwere far away.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Tuesday, November 1

At Peace

Halloween is over....again. Where have I been for...oh, say....off & on the last year? I could spin tales of an exciting, uber busy, just "too much going on and not enough time to blog" story, but that wouldn't be honest. Exciting? Maybe a few times. Uber busy? Well, busy enough to just concentrate on day to day is probably true. Too much going on? Maybe not "too much", but enough to throw a wrinkle into almost any plan we have had.

Let's see....since I last spent time here, I am now working full-time and The Hub is retired! Go figure, right? I keep my Real Estate license current, just in case some fabulous deal pops up, but I don't really use it all that much.

Within the family we've had a broken arm, a move to a new house (x2), a back surgery, new jobs, a cancer scare, a couple of hospital stays, bought a house, a relationship break-up, a kid with a kidney stone, a cervical fusion, a herniated disc, a cancer diagnosis...but, wait....it's not all so gloomy! We've got a young man that has found his niche in Health Care and after a couple of months has been offered a full time job, grandkids that are straight A honor roll students, a senior citizen that has written some short stories and won honors...we had lots of good bestowed on us, too.

And, then today, the news that a dear friend has lost her fight with ovarian cancer. Just told a couple of months back that she was cancer free, this horrible disease snuck right back in and stole her away from everyone within weeks. It was not pleasant or easy and she is now At Peace.

Maybe she will know that this moved me enough to continue my online journal. It's fun and I have had the chance to talk with some wonderful people out there and changing out the banner and posting something quick on National Holidays is not enough. I need to do this...for me and for my family. I feel the need to have a witness to my life.

So, dear Deb, many loved you and many will miss you. My wish is that you are pain free and healthy in your new life and we will all feel a bit safer knowing that you are watching over us. I know you are finally At Peace.

Friday, October 28

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, MY PRETTIES !!!

Eye of newt and toe of frog, wool of bat and tongue of dog, Adders fork and blind-worm stings, lizard's legs and owlet's wing, for a charm of powerful trouble, like a hell broth boil and bubble. Wm. Shakespeare