All Good Things

The most wonderful thing happened to me yesterday.  My daughter, who is vacationing with her family at Disney World wanted to Facetime with me. So, I called her, and I discovered that my grandson, Quinn wanted to talk to his Oma! I cannot tell you how that warmed my heart.

We talked for a bit and Mandy showed me around their room at  The Polynesian Resort. I also got to say hello to Savi and their Daddy, Matt.  I felt so loved!

‌Meanwhile, I am in Falmouth with my sister and cousin, and despite the rain yesterday, we are looking forward to a pleasant day today. Except that it is 4 AM and I am wide awake writing this, while my lovelies sleep.

Last night we went out to The Bear in Boots Restaurant and had a great time. We shared a huge Charcuterie Board, and Steak Tips and a Korean Dumpling. Like my friend Krista, who loves Proseco, that is what I ordered! It was so nice.

We came back to the room, watched a little TV, but mostly played Words With Friends with each other. I knew I should have brought the Scrabble game.

Today we’re off to shop, go to the gardens and tonight go out to The Landfall for dinner. Seafood, fresh off the boat is in our future!

Have a great Saturday, everyone!

Saying Good-Bye

‍Today we had a Memorial Service for my brother in-law’s mother, Nancy. All our family and friends gathered to say our farewell to this remarkable woman. The church was beautiful, and the service and music lovely. My sister and brother-law’s two sons, daughter and daughter in-law all spoke. They  each provided a loving tribute to this incredibly strong, resilient and loving woman.

As I said the music was lovely and I found myself listening while silent tears streamed down my face.

Nancy was fun, kind,  energetic, encouraging, and as I looked at her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren I realized what a positive legacy that she has left this world. She loved so much, and she was loved deeply!

Nancy loved to paint and had many framed scenes. Mel and Ron offered many of the paintings to family members. Her work will now be with her family to hang in their homes and remind them of this incredible woman.

The luncheon afterward gave us all time to visit, exchange stories, catch up on life and at the end, I felt such peace in my heart.

Nancy is now with God in Heaven. Her pain is over and her spirit is restored. She is with those who have passed before her, those she loved with all her heart, who welcomed her home.

God Bless you, Nan. May you rest in eternal peace.

I’m Here In CT

I drove through four states, in four hours and fifteen minutes. The first two hours found me driving through a winter wonderland, as a fresh few inches of snow had fallen, and the trees were all coated, giving them a lacy appearance. It was gorgeous!

The second half of my drive was just bleak midwinter, with bare ground and cloudy skies.

I arrives and spent part of the day playing with my grand niece, April. She is two and a half, and a fun baby girl, who was happy to spend time with her old Auntie!

We had lunch out, before April took her nap and my sister and I got to sit and chat. This is just the best!

Happy Birthday, Melodie!

Growing up I was very lucky to have a big sister who took care of me. She loved me, nurtured me, and made sure my needs were met. And she was just 5 and a half years older than me.

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Yet, all my life, she has been there for me, as a sister, substitute mother, and best friend. How lucky I am!

So today, on her birthday, I want to make sure you all know what a wonderful sister I have and how much I wish her a very Happy Birthday!!!

Mel's Birthday from Dackel Princess Maribeth on Vimeo.

Happy Birthday, Melodie!!!

Today is my sister, Melodie’s Birthday. I am so lucky, because she is not just my sister, but my best friend too. We love our cell phones because even though we live far apart, we talk every day, at least once but sometimes more.

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She is not only a wonderful sister, but a great wife and mother and grandmother.

 

Melodie Birthday from Dackel Princess Maribeth on Vimeo.

Melodie’s Birthday

 

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Love you so much, Mel! Happy Birthday!!!

Happy Birthday Dickie

Today would have been my brother’s 65th birthday. Richard “Dickie” was seven years older than me, which when you are a child seemed like a million, billion, years.

Melodie was just two years younger, and she and Dickie were really close. When I was small, they took pretty good care of their little sister.

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Melodie, Dickie and me.

My brother was born prematurely and was very small. His birth was a tough one, and he had life long after effects from it.

My brother, was well loved by many. The one thing I can say is that he tried hard, always and he loved deeply.

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He married a woman with four kids, and I know he loved each and every one of them. Together they had two sons. They will unfortunately never really know how proud and happy he was the days they were born. You see, when he was in his early twenties he became ill with cancer.

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He loved to cook and he loved his music. Although he never could learn to read music, all he had to do was hear something once and he could play it either on the guitar or the piano.

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He learned he had cancer at the age of 26. On April 1st, April Fools Day. And he fought long and hard to win his battle against that dreaded disease. Unfortunately, back in 1977, cancer treatment was brutally hard, and seldom worked on Lymphoma and Leukemia.

Dickie passed from this life to the next on April 2nd 1978. We miss you, Dickie and hope you are happy and celebrating with all of the family up there in Heaven.

Good-Bye, Dear Friend

Monday found me in deep reflection as my husband’s childhood friend, passed from this world to the next. Ted had a very bad heart and had suffered for years with medical problems. His heart finally gave out and before any of us could say good-bye, he was gone.

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Ted was a gentle soul. I met him early on, when Hubby and I became engaged. He was not just a brilliant mind, but had a beautiful heart.             May 19 008

Way back, when computers hit the market for ordinary people like you and me, I was afraid to use them. Ted got me set up with an email, and then each day he would write me, sending me things to do on the computer.

His patience kept me going until I was finally pretty good using the machine. That was way back in the days of our old IBM, dial-up and a slowness on the Internet, that we all accepted, but would drive me insane now.

Ted and I could sit and talk for hours during his visits to our home. The fishing trips that he and hubby took to the great North Woods of New Hampshire are legendary.

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  Back when we had a motor-coach, Ted would come up from New York, and the two would drive up to Pittsburgh, New Hampshire to go fishing. One time they conned me to come along to cook for them.   It rained so hard, that eventually I left to come home. I went and bought a beautiful 2 pound lobster. I was thrilled that I would have this treat after all that rain! A while later I got a call, they were headed home. Rain and no fish meant they were bored, wet and tired! I raced to the store and bought two more lobsters, but the secret was out. As we sat eating these big boys, Hubby and Ted teased me unmercifully! This memory brings only smiles!

         

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Oh, how I will miss this wonderful man. In the last years of his life he didn’t get up here, but he was always just a Skype call away. I talked to him a couple of months ago and he was telling me all about his son, his life partner, Barbara, step daughters and grandchildren. He felt very much at peace with his family and his life.

I hope, dear Ted, that you have found a wonderful spot in Heaven. A place where all your illnesses are healed and only happiness surrounds you.

I shall miss you!