Thirty six years ago today I was married to Roger Kelly in Ashland, Virginia at 5:30 pm on the campus of Randolph Macon College by the Reverend Ed Wright. At that time in my life my husband-to-be and I were Jesus freaks. The groom sported a long beard, pony tail, a blue chambray workshirt, jeans, and sandals while I, too ,was in jeans (levi bellbottoms), chukka boots, and white muslin shirt which had just weeks earlier been sewn by a college roommate. It had an embroidered band across the front and back yolk and was quite formal looking. At the time I asked Jenny to make it for me, I do not think that I had a purpose in mind.
The wedding day did not include our parents. It was attended by the groom's sister Diane and her then husband, Paul. A friend of Diane's played her guitar and sang "In My Life". In the place where we stood to take our vows All You Need Is Love was etched in the pavement We spent our wedding night in a tent in his sister's back yard eating mint Oreos worrying about breaking our news to our parents. Our wedding dinner was at a nearby little diner of sorts.
Many happy years and memories followed including the birth of three daughters who continue to this day to bring much laughter and joy to my life. The End.
By the way, I'm not married anymore.
Friday, June 27, 2008
My Ticket to Ride Was Cancelled
It's Friday night. My train, Empire Builder, blew me off today. There I was at the station with my brand new suitcase packed to the gills, my backpack, and my pillow................but no train. Bad weather and washed out railways changed my travel plans but I didn't know about it--maybe because I didn't check my phone messages last night...........but still, leaving a message doesn't cut it as far as I'm concerned. So my friend, Amy got the stationmaster to re-book my ticket and give me a $50 discount for my trouble. She did this after she calmed me down and quieted me down upon my learning the news. I believe I swore at the man in my moment of despair.
So tomorrow, I'll start all over again on my journey, giving my pets the "mommy will be home before you know it" pep talk again and schlepping my belongings into the car again. This time tho, I have TWO train trips. I have to take a commuter train to the main station and then catch the Empire Builder. Have I mentioned that I am semi-disabled, if shuffling along with a cane counts. And I'm not even old.............not real old.
I ate my subway sandwich a while ago for supper. Its the sandwich I brought along with me for the trip. It was soggy and maybe not such a good idea to do again. I didn't have mayo on it but somehow it still got soggy. Now I'm on my way over to the neighbors for a bit for pizza.
Another night at home in my comfy bed. Ok i like the couch better for some reason. More about that some other time. Ta ta!
So tomorrow, I'll start all over again on my journey, giving my pets the "mommy will be home before you know it" pep talk again and schlepping my belongings into the car again. This time tho, I have TWO train trips. I have to take a commuter train to the main station and then catch the Empire Builder. Have I mentioned that I am semi-disabled, if shuffling along with a cane counts. And I'm not even old.............not real old.
I ate my subway sandwich a while ago for supper. Its the sandwich I brought along with me for the trip. It was soggy and maybe not such a good idea to do again. I didn't have mayo on it but somehow it still got soggy. Now I'm on my way over to the neighbors for a bit for pizza.
Another night at home in my comfy bed. Ok i like the couch better for some reason. More about that some other time. Ta ta!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Ticket to Ride
I'm leaving tomorrow for Bismarck on a train!! I bought my own suitcase at TJ Max earlier today and I swear it was a "God Thing" the way it happened. The selection of rolling suitcases was a big one with many choices of brands and colors and patterns. Originally I wanted a suitcase that stands out so it would be easy to pick out of a lot of others. As I was looking a the vast array of choices another person close in age to me with knee scars and a limp was also. I asked her "what's a good suitcase?" She told me about her walking problems and said the only one to have is a swiveling one cause they don't fall over. She picked out a black one that swiveled! None of the others I'd looked at so far did. On top of that it was a Samsonite a supposedly good brand--in fact they were known for their ads back in the 70's with a gorilla banging one of their suitcases around and jumping on it. I did have white Samsonite Silhouette back then. Its long gone. There was a story that went with that luggage. When my parents bought it for me for highschool graduation I remember my father saying "What the hell does she need luggage for?" We had lots of laughs over that over the years as I did indeed use the lugguge. There is no one left to laugh about that with anymore, tho. They are both gone now................
So the "God thing".................I looked at the price which was was OK, gave it a swivel or two, asked the woman if she wanted to buy it to which she said no, it was too big, and pushed that baby over to the checkout without a thought of its color (black) and that it looked like every other black suitcase. End of story. I can't wait to pack it tonite!! If Annie is lucky, it will contain a DVD player if i can find it out in the garage. If the lady had not shown up when she did, tho, I would not have ended up with the swivel but with something different that would not have served the double purpose of being like a "walker" (as in old people who use them) for me as well as a suitcase. Was that lady there at that moment just for me??? Maybe...............
It is going on 5pm of my last evening at home. I still have some errands to do like a trip to Walmart for another pair of $11 pedal pushers and a charger for my phone which was left at Al's house by mistake.
I am also happy that my ride to the train tomorrow is from my friend, Amy and not my ex which was what was originally planned. Still gotta get home tho........later.
So the "God thing".................I looked at the price which was was OK, gave it a swivel or two, asked the woman if she wanted to buy it to which she said no, it was too big, and pushed that baby over to the checkout without a thought of its color (black) and that it looked like every other black suitcase. End of story. I can't wait to pack it tonite!! If Annie is lucky, it will contain a DVD player if i can find it out in the garage. If the lady had not shown up when she did, tho, I would not have ended up with the swivel but with something different that would not have served the double purpose of being like a "walker" (as in old people who use them) for me as well as a suitcase. Was that lady there at that moment just for me??? Maybe...............
It is going on 5pm of my last evening at home. I still have some errands to do like a trip to Walmart for another pair of $11 pedal pushers and a charger for my phone which was left at Al's house by mistake.
I am also happy that my ride to the train tomorrow is from my friend, Amy and not my ex which was what was originally planned. Still gotta get home tho........later.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
DAY ONE
And so it is my first day of blogging.
Day One is also a medical practice doing gastric bypass surgery and the name of the agency helping my 21 year old daughter who has cerebral palsy build a happy productive life when she leaves home to live on her own. Coincidentally, it is these two things, being overweight and the mom of a disabled child that lead me today to make this day one for myself too.
My oldest daughter has been encouraging me to blog because of the freedom it gives--writing down your deepest thoughts and musings and then setting them free to be viewed by anyone and everyone in the blogosphere. To get me going she even offered to show me her own blog which she said "nobody reads". It made me feel good that she would open herself up like that, but I turned her down as far as my reading it goes. It seems like an invasion of her privacy to me. Besides, she is such an open person who shares so much of her thoughts, dreams, fears, with me I didn't feel the need to enter her private world. But maybe I will ask her to see it someday. First i must prove to myself that I, too, can be a blogger.
Day after tomorrow I am leaving on a short trip to visit my daughter Annie in Bismarck, N Dakota. I'm taking Amtrack which means I'll be sitting for 17 hours or so. I'm only going for six days but that's a long time to leave my dogs and cat. I still need a suitcase. My daughter is a health reporter for the local NBC affiliate. I'm looking forward to going but I am stressed out about it, too. There is no way I would ever not go so why stress on it, I tell myself, because no matter what, I'm going.
The reason I CAN go is because my disabled daughter is away at summer camp. That's another whole source of worry and stress, too. In fact, I should be loading her mattress from home into the van right now because when I was at the camp on her birthday, the 21st a few days ago, I was appalled at the horrible mattress she is sleeping on. If she had not told me how bad her nights are on it, tho, I would not be making the trip later today--but she did and so I will. Its about 55 miles away. gotta go. more later.
Day One is also a medical practice doing gastric bypass surgery and the name of the agency helping my 21 year old daughter who has cerebral palsy build a happy productive life when she leaves home to live on her own. Coincidentally, it is these two things, being overweight and the mom of a disabled child that lead me today to make this day one for myself too.
My oldest daughter has been encouraging me to blog because of the freedom it gives--writing down your deepest thoughts and musings and then setting them free to be viewed by anyone and everyone in the blogosphere. To get me going she even offered to show me her own blog which she said "nobody reads". It made me feel good that she would open herself up like that, but I turned her down as far as my reading it goes. It seems like an invasion of her privacy to me. Besides, she is such an open person who shares so much of her thoughts, dreams, fears, with me I didn't feel the need to enter her private world. But maybe I will ask her to see it someday. First i must prove to myself that I, too, can be a blogger.
Day after tomorrow I am leaving on a short trip to visit my daughter Annie in Bismarck, N Dakota. I'm taking Amtrack which means I'll be sitting for 17 hours or so. I'm only going for six days but that's a long time to leave my dogs and cat. I still need a suitcase. My daughter is a health reporter for the local NBC affiliate. I'm looking forward to going but I am stressed out about it, too. There is no way I would ever not go so why stress on it, I tell myself, because no matter what, I'm going.
The reason I CAN go is because my disabled daughter is away at summer camp. That's another whole source of worry and stress, too. In fact, I should be loading her mattress from home into the van right now because when I was at the camp on her birthday, the 21st a few days ago, I was appalled at the horrible mattress she is sleeping on. If she had not told me how bad her nights are on it, tho, I would not be making the trip later today--but she did and so I will. Its about 55 miles away. gotta go. more later.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)