Category: Family & Friends

To My Friends

If you should die
before me, ask if you
could bring a friend.

– Stone Temple Pilots-

If you live to be a hundred,
I want to live to be
a hundred minus one day,
so I never have to live
without you.

– Winnie the Pooh-

True friendship is
like sound health;
the value of it is
seldom known
until it is lost.

– Charles Caleb Colton-

A real friend
is one who walks in
when the rest
of the world walks out.

Don’t
walk in front of me,
I may not follow.
Don’t walk behind me,
I may not lead.
Walk beside me and
be my friend.
– Albert Camus-

Strangers are
just friends waiting to
happen.
Friends are the Bacon
Bits in the Salad
Bowl of Life.Friendship is one mind
in two bodies.
– Mencius-

Friends are God’s way of taking care of us.

I’ll lean on you and
you lean on me and
we’ll be okay

– Dave Matthews-

If all my friends were
to jump off a bridge,
I wouldn’t jump with them,
I’d be at the bottom to
catch them.

Everyone hears
what you say.
Friends listen to
what you say.
Best friends
listen to what you don’t
say.

We all take different
paths in life,
but no matter where we go,
we take a little of each
other everywhere ..;

– Tim McGraw-

My father always used
to say that when you die,
if you’ve got five real friends,
then you’ve had a great life.;

– Lee Iacocca-

Hold a true friend with both your hands.;

– Nigerian Proverb-

A friend is someone who knows
the song in your heart
and can sing it back to you
when you have forgotten
the words.;

– Unknown-

Today my Mom would have turned 85 years old. Instead, my sister and I are mourning her loss, as she left us last August.

Her last days were brutal. Cancer is like that. You suffer and suffer and suffer to the point, where you see your loved one released into the next world and you thank God their battle is over.

So it was with Mom.

She was born Rosamond Ruth Prussman, to parents Frederick and Mary. She had a much loved older brother Robert and a cousin George, who grew up like a brother to her. In fact, until the day they passed, they really adored each other.

Mom’s brother, Robert and his wife Cynthia.

Aunt Betty, Larry, Janet and Uncle George.

She met my Dad when she was 13 and was dancing and my Dad played the piano. I asked Dad once what made him look twice at Mom and he said “It was a bright red sweater that she had! She looked so beautiful in it! I was hooked!”

A collage of their life together.

They married early on, and Dad finished getting his teaching degree. They moved to Monument Beach, Massachusetts ,

and lived in a little white cottage in the Burton-wood section, where my brother, Richard and my sister Melodie were born.

They moved to Falmouth, Massachusetts and shortly after, Mom had me. During my teenage years we fought like cats and dogs. Mom and I said some very cruel things to each other, including the fact that she wished I’d never been born.

But flash forward to Mom’s funeral. Her childhood, lifelong friend came over to me and told me that when Mom told her she was pregnant with me, she admonished her to “get rid of it!” But Mom didn’t.

That’s when it hit me. Sometimes we say things we really don’t mean. Because obviously, Mom wanted me very much, because here I am!

Thanks Mom!

My parent’s stayed married for well over 60 years.

Mom was with him until the end. She never remarried. I think in her mind and her heart she was always Jimmie’s girl!

Her last days were spent, not in fear of dying, no, Mom knew Christ and she knew she would see Dad again. She just worried about Mel and me.

Me, Mel & Janet with Mom.

The last time we were together before Mom was diagnosed with Liver Cancer. It was at the wedding of my neice Jin and her husband, Ian. Mom was so happy. I almost didn’t go because of my facial surgery, but I am so glad I did now.

The last time I saw her, we sat there, with Janet and the four of us were talking quietly. I asked Mom how we would know if she was with us. She smiled and said “You will see butterflies, and that will be me.”

And you know what? We see beautiful butterflies all the time. And we smile!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Happy Birthday to my cousin and best friend, Janet. I have known her all of my life, shared all the fun and angst of growing up, and as we crossed into our fifties, we have become closer and closer.

Please know, you have all of my love and will forever!

Besties all our lives!

Love you!!!

I had a great visit with my sister this weekend. As always, I wish it could have been longer, but at least we had a chance to settle down and talk and share some things.

We had not seen each other since our mother’s memorial service. First her twin grandsons were too fragile, and I didn’t want to chance exposing her to a cold or anything, during a time when she was helping out with their care.

Then I had a tough winter, where I kept getting high fevers that left me weak as a kitten. Thankfully, I am doing better and since Hubby did the driving, It was easier for me to make the long trip!

We went out to eat at a Chinese Buffet down the street from her house and that was not only fun, but delicious! However, when I stand next to my very petite sister, I see how much my weight is out of control and I know it is time to increase my exercising, and watch my diet.

Starting tomorrow, I am back to Weight Watchers full time. I told Hubby to get ready for low carb, light vegetable meals. I found a great Diabetic Cookbook that had a lot of recipes, and each one had a picture of the finished product. This I like as I have a hard time seeing what things look like.

The pups are glad we are back. Although I have to say, they love our house sitter, Carolyn! This is great as I never worry when she is here.

It’s a busy week a head for me, and of course next weekend is Mother’s Day. The first without my own mother. We had a difficult relationship, but now she is gone, there is no way to ever go back and make things better or different. Yes, I do miss her.

In Melodie’s back yard she has a bird box and a cute squirrel Mama has taken up residence. My sister loves all of nature and so naturally, the squirrel found her!

Happy Monday!

Written by my Dad, in his retirement.

Mom and Dad at their 25th Wedding Anniversary Party. As my sister goes through their journals and pictures we’re finding two people that we knew, but not completely. It’s funny when you think about this. Things happen, you meet people in your life and then perhaps forget to mention it to your kids, because life is going on and things get hectic.

All I can say is, thanks Dad, for leaving this behind for us.

What a beautiful day! The sun was shining, the sky was clear and blue, and it was WARM!One could almost watch the snow melt!

Hubby and I spent the day together. We did things together, like shop, slowly. We took our time. That was good and nice.

The drive to the stores, was so darn pretty. I actually felt happy and hopeful that spring is on it’s way. I also had a funny thing happen.

Today was the 36th anniversary of my brother, Dickie, passing from cancer. He was seven years older than me.

In some ways, I did not know him as well as my sister did. They were just two years apart, and in many ways best friends.

Anyway, I was feeling a bit sad, and thinking back to when we learned he had cancer, and how my Dad and I had been together when we got the phone call.

Hubby and I stopped at a car dealership, and when  I was looking at a car, I opened the door and there was a paper clip.

You see, Dad always had paper clips, and since his passing a few years back, on the days when I feel low or sad, I find a paper clip in a weird place. During the time Mom was at the end of her life, I kept finding jumbo paper clips. Maybe it’s nothing, but I like to believe it’s Dad’s way of letting me know I’m not alone.

It was a good day!

When I was a little girl my mother read to me from a big, heavy book of poetry. I had my favorites, and Mom seemed to never tire of reading to me. This was the book.

When I was four years old I had appendicitis and that really upset my mother. She brought this book to the hospital and when I was awake she would read to me. When I got home I would climb in her lap and sit and she read.

I was telling my sister the stories of Mom and Me and when I look back this one book of poetry and Mom reading are some of the very best memories that I have of her.

When I opened my Christmas presents from my sister, she had been able to find Mom’s book, and she gave it to me!

I looked upon the pages and suddenly I could hear Mom’s voice as she read those precious poems! I’ve been missing Mom this Christmas and Melodie’s thoughtfulness made this holiday that much easier!

Thank you, Mel!

Before my Mom died, I asked her, “Mom, what will you come back as, so I will know you are with me?” She thought for a moment and then smiled and said, “A Butterfly. A beautiful Butterfly”. Today, as my cousins and Hubby all gathered with me to celebrate Labor Day, Dave rushed in and called us outside. There she was…the most beautiful Monarch Butterfly! Mom always did love a party!