WINTER DAYS ON DURSETTE STREET

 I HAVE THIS BESTIE WHO REMINDS

US HOW MUCH SHE HATES WINTER,

HOWEVER IN SUMMER SHE ALSO REMINDS US HOW

MUCH SHE HATES SUMMER

(YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE)

WHICH MEANS SHE LIKES SPRING AND FALL

FOR THE THREE DAYS WE HAVE IT IN SOUTH LOUISIANA.

I LOVE THE COLD DAYS OF OUR WINTERS.

I LOVE SITTING BY MY FIREPLACE IN MY PJ'S 

WITH AN EXCUSE TO GO NOWHERE.

YET, IT IS THE MEMORIES OF MY CHILDHOOD

THAT HAVE ME LOVING COLD DAYS.

SCHOOL WAS NOT CANCELLED IN OUR DAYS FOR COLD WEATHER.

YOU WERE LIKE THE POSTMASTER, YOU WENT TO SCHOOL

RAIN, SLEET, HAIL...

EVERYTHING BUT  HURRICANES...

THEN YOU GOT TO STAY HOME FOR WEEKS.

AHHHHH THE GOOD OLD DAYS.

BACK TO THE BLOG.

I CAN REMEMBER THESE COLD DAYS, WAITING AT THE BUS STOP

UNLESS MR. RANDOLPH WAS ABLE TO BRING US.

I WOULD DREAM OF RETURNING HOME

HOPING BY THE TIME I GOT THERE THE LIGHT RAIN 

WOULD BE STARTING, DADDY WOULD

HAVE THE GAS OVEN LIT WITH THE DOOR OPENED

AND ALL THE GAS HEATERS WOULD BE ON.

THERE WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE SOME HOT SOUP

READY, DUFRENE'S FRENCH BREAD UNLESS

IT WAS A DAY DAD MADE HIS HOMEMADE BUNS.

I WOULD RUSH IN TO PUT ON MY PJ'S.

DIDN'T MATTER WHAT TIME, I WAS PUTTING ON MY PJ'S.

 I WOULD FIRST SIT AROUND THE KITCHEN TABLE

MY DADDY BUILT WAY BACK IN HIS YONGER DAYS

AND HAVE MY SNACK.

IF THERE WAS HOMEWORK TO BE DONE, I MAY HAVE 

ATTEMPTED IT, BUT BACK THEN RARELY DID WE GET HOMEWORK.

SCHOOL WAS FOR LEARNING HOME WAS FOR COMFORT.

I WOULD  THEN HEAD TO MY LITTLE TWIN

BED THAT WAS EITHER IN MY PARENTS ROOM OR THE 

ROOM THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LIVING ROOM FOR OTHERS.

YES, I SLEPT IN MY PARENTS ROOM FOR WAY TOO MANY YEARS.

I WAS THE BABY OF A BIG FAMILY AND A CANCER CHILD.

I WAS SPOILED ROTTEN, IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.

A GOOD BOOK, A CUP OF SOMETHING AND 

A SOUP BEING STEWED FOR SUPPER.

BIG QUILTED BLANKETS, ALL MY FAMILY UNDER ONE ROOF.

DADDY SMOKING IN THE LIVING ROOM, MOMMA RELAXING

IN HER RECLINER WHILE WATCHING TV.

I CAN STILL SING THE JINGLES OF SO MANY SHOWS PLAYING

ON OUR ONE TV, NOT FROM WATCHING THEM 

BUT FROM BEING IN THE NEXT ROOM WITH THE SOUND

BEING ON LOUD.

FOR ALL THE MEMORIES I CAN'T REMEMBER,

THESE COLD DAYS BRING ME RIGHT BACK TO THOSE

ON DURSETTE STREET WHERE ALL WAS RIGHT IN MY WORLD.

BRING ON THE COLD, BRING ON THE MEMORIES.

THE GRANDGIRLS JOURNAL

THESE GRANDGIRLS.....

OF COURSE THEY DRIVE ME CRAZY 

OF COURSE THEY ARE THE BEST...

I AM THEIR MUMSIE...

(THIS BLOG MUST BE WRITTEN FOR THEIR "NOSTALGIA")

THE DAY AFTER NEW YEARS I FOUND

 MY JOURNAL IN MY BATHROOM.

I KNEW I HAD NOT PUT IT THERE AND THE GRANDGIRLS

HAD BEEN HERE ON NEW YEARS.

MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THAT ONE OF THEM HAD

BEEN SNOOPING IN MY PRIVATE STUFF.

I WAS NOT SO MUCH WORRIED ABOUT WHAT THEY MIGHT READ THERE

BUT THAT THEY HAD ENTERED INTO MY PRIVACY WITHOUT PERMISSION.

IT WAS NOT A BIG DEAL AND I REMINDED MYSELF

THAT I NEED TO PICK MY JOURNAL UP RATHER THAN

LEAVING IT IN THE LIBRARY AS THAT CAN BE TEMPTING.

THE NEXT TIME THEY CAME HERE I QUESTIONED THEM

AS TO WHO COULD HAVE PUT MY JOURNAL IN THE BATHROOM.

I EXPLAINED THAT SOME THINGS ARE PRIVATE AND

SHOULD NOT BE HANDLED WITHOUT PERMISSION.

MUMSIE ON HER 'SOAP BOX'.

ALTHOUGH TWO OF THEM SEEMED A LITTLE QUILTY 

NO ONE CONFESSED AND I LET IT GO.

YESTERDAY IT ALL MADE SENSE.

AS I SAT IN THE ROUND CHAIR TO JOURNAL,

I OPENED IT TO WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A BLANK PAGE.

 THERE WERE THESE LOVE NOTES, ONE

FROM EACH OF THE GRANDGIRLS.

I, RIGHT AWAY, FELT SORT OF BAD FOR CONFRONTING THEM.

I ALSO WAS SURPRISED THAT NOT ONE OF THEM

SAID ANYTHING IN THE LAST 5 DAYS ABOUT THIS.

TO SAY IT WAS THE BEST SURPRISE IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

IF YOU HAVE EVER SAT AROUND MY TABLE

OR HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THE GIRLS,

YOU KNOW ONE OF MY BIGGEST GOALS WITH THEM

IS THAT WHEN THEY GROW UP AND I AM NO LONGER

AROUND, WHEN THEY HEAR THE WORDS

"MUMSIE' AND 'COTTAGE' 

THEIR HEART ARE FILLED WITH WARM AND FUZZY THOUGHTS

OF ALL THE MEMORIES WE HAVE MADE HERE.

THAT THEY HAVE SO MANY STORIES AND LESSONS

AND LIFE THAT WAS MADE WITH ME.

IT IS SAID THAT A PERSON LIVES ON, EVEN AFTER DEATH

AS LONG AS SOMEONE CONTINUES TO TALK 

AND REMEMBER THEM.

I WANT TO LIVE FOREVER IN THE LIVES OF THE GRANDGIRLS.

TO SEE THEM TAKING THE TIME TO WRITE

LOVE LETTERS IN MY JOURNAL

MEANS THEY KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE THE WRITTEN WORD.

THAT I HAVE TAUGHT THEM THE IMPORTANCE OF

NOT ONLY SAYING BUT PUTTING IT DOWN ON PAPER

HOW YOU ARE FEELING.

THIS ACT OF LOVE FROM MY LITTLES HAS ME

KNOWING MY GOAL IN THEIR LIVES

IS COMING TO FRUITION.

NOW BIG MAN, GIVE ME ENOUGH YEARS IN THEIR LIVES

TO ASSURE MY LESSONS NOT ONLY STICK WITH THEM

BUT IN THE NEXT GENERATION THAT COMES TO THEM.

 

A DAY OF REMEMBERING, A DAY OF REFLECTION

 YESTERDAY MY FAVORITE FLAG WAS FLYING HALF MAST...

FOR THE WORLD IT WAS FOR PRES. JIMMY CARTER

FOR ME AND MY PEOPLE IT WAS TO SAY OUR FINAL

FAIRWELL TO A GREAT MAN, MOODY ADDISON.

IT'S A TWO HOUR TREK BACK TO MY HOME TOWNS

WE CALL "BELOW THE INTRACOASTAL" OR DTB.

 I LEFT EARLY... THERE WERE THINGS I NEEDED TO DO.

WHAT A WAY TO WORK ON MY WORD OF THE YEAR,

NOSTALGIA 

THAN TO GO HOME TO THE PLACE I SPENT MY FIRST 40 YEARS.

I VISITED MY PARENT GRAVE AND A FEW OTHERS.

I RODE BY MY CHILDHOOD HOME, THE ONLY ONE I KNEW

UNTIL I MARRIED.

THE OLD NEIGHBORHOOD ISN'T LIKE IT USED TO BE.

AS A YOUNG GIRL, WALKING TO MY FRIEND, ROXANNE'S HOUSE

DOWN THE STREET SEEMED SO LONG.

YESTERDAY IT SEEMED LIKE 5 STEPS.

I RODE BY MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL

AND JUNIOR HIGH ALL BEGINNING WITH THE WORDS

GOLDEN MEADOW.

I VISITED MY BESTIE, LAURIE'S MOMMA.

WHO IS NOW 95 AND STILL SO MUCH OF THE WOMAN

I REMEMBER IN MY CHILDHOOD.

WALKING INTO LAURIE'S CHILDHOOD HOME

ALSO BROUGHT BACK MEMORIES OF A TIME GONE.

HER MOMMA REMAINED CONSTANT IN ALL THOSE MEMORIES.

I SHARED WITH HER SOME OF THE THINGS I REMEMBER

AS A TEENAGER THERE. AHHHH, NOSTALGIA!

IT WAS THEN TIME TO ENTER INTO THE HOME

OF MY CHILDHOOD CATHOLIC CHURCH.

SO MUCH THE SAME, SO MUCH CHANGED.

WE WERE THERE TO PLAY TRIBUTE TO OUR MOO

AND TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE, OLD FRIENDS JOIN US

WAS THE CAUSE OF SOME OF MY TEARS.

OTHERS WAS FOR THE MANY FRIENDSHIPS THAT

HAVE WITHSTOOD A LIFETIME.

MEMORIES OF A LITTLE GIRL SITTING IN THOSE VERY

PEWS WITH MY MOMMA AND MY SIBLINGS.

MAKING ALL MY SACRAMENTS ON THAT VERY ALTAR.

THE SAME ALTAR MY OWN CHILDREN MADE THEIR OWN 

CATHOLIC MILESTONES.

THE HISTORY IN THOSE WALLS, THE STORIES IT COULD TELL

HAD ME FEELING "ALL THE FEELINGS".

TO SIT BETWEEN TWO OF MY MOST LOYAL FRIENDS,

LAURIE AND ALLISON 

AS WE WATCHED OUR BESTIE, ANN BURY HER HUSBAND

WAS BOTH BEAUTIFUL AND SAD.

YET WE THEN ALL GATHERED AT THE HOME

OF ANN'S SISTER WITH SO MANY PEOPLE FROM MY PAST 

WAS THE PERFECT WAY TO END THE SAD DAY

WE ALL WERE NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO.

TO SIT AND EAT, SHARE STORIES AND JUST BE.

 THE PERFECT ENDING TO A VERY HARD DAY.

MOO WOULD BE SO VERY PROUD OF HIS WIFE AND BOYS.

I MADE SURE TO TELL THEM THIS AS WELL.

HIGH SCHOOL FRIENDS TOGETHER AGAIN

MADE ME REALIZE WE MAY BE DOING THIS A FEW TIMES

BEFORE IT IS OUR OWN TIME TO SAY GOODBYE TO THIS LIFE.

LOTS OF NOSTALGIA IN THIS PHOTO AS

5 OF US SPENT OUR HIGH SCHOOL TRIP IN DISNEY WORLD

AND AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, WE ALL REMEMBER 

DIFFERENT THINGS AS BEING TRUTH.

( YES, PEGGY YOU DID CRY AND KISS GUS' PHOTO NIGHTLY)

ON THE WAY HOME, I HAD ONE MORE STOP I JUST HAD TO MAKE.

AT THE HOME OF MY FRIEND, JODIE WHO I MET WHILE

IN NURSING SCHOOL.

HER FAMILY BECAME A BIG PART OF MY NURSING SCHOOL DAYS

AND EVEN AFTER.

WE HAVE RECONNECTED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS 

THROUGH MY ART AND WAS ABLE

TO VISIT WITH HER, ONE OF HER SISTERS AND HER MOM.

MORE MEMORIES SHARED AS WE ALSO CAUGHT UP ON LIFE EVENTS.

IT'S A GOOD START TO MY 2025 YEAR.

I PRAY THE BIG MAN BLESSES ME WITH A YEAR OF

GOODWILL AND NOSTALGIA...

ENOUGH TO LAST ME A LIFETIME.

RIP MOODY

WE WILL TAKE CARE OF ANN AND YOU TWO

HAVE DONE A FINE JOB WITH YOUR BOYS.

REST NOW, DEAR MAN.

A NEW YEAR...

 ISN'T IT ODD THAT ALTHOUGH

WE CAN MAKE CHANGES TO OUR LIVES ON A DAILY BASIS,

THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE SAID 

ABOUT JAN. 1ST AND NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS.

THIS YEAR I AM FULL OF THINGS I WANT TO DO THIS YEAR.

MAKING A LIST IS SOMETHING I LIKE DOING

AND A NEW YEAR BEGINNING HAS ME INSPIRED.

I AM ALWAYS STRIVING TO BE THE BEST PERSON I CAN BE

AND I FALTER, OFTEN.

LIKE I GIVE UP JUNK FOOD ALMOST EVERY MONDAY 

BUT BY NOON I AM TACKLING THE KLONDIKE BARS 

THAT I HAVE PUT IN THE FREEZER "FOR THE KIDS".

YESTERDAY AS JES, DEL, JEMMA, JILLY AND I 

PLAYED "CONVERSATION CARDS"

ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS 

"WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU WOULD WANT TO SAY TO YOUR YOUNGER SELF"

WE ALL AGREED THAT TAKE BETTER CARE OF YOURSELF

WAS ONE OF THE TOP ANSWERS.

NONE OF US KNOW HOW LONG WE WILL BE HERE

AND IF WE WILL BE HERE A LONG TIME, TAKING CARE OF

WHAT WE HAVE SHOULD BE TOP PRIORITY.

WHICH BRINGS ME BACK TO MY RESOLUTIONS:

WALK MORE....

I NEED TO WALK DAILY, JILLY AND I HAD A GOOD WALK

YESTERDAY AND ALTHOUGH MY BACK WAS SCREAMING,

IT FELT GOOD TO USE THOSE MUSCLES THAT I DON'T

USE ENOUGH.

EAT HEALTHIER...

I AM ONE WHO LOVES SNACKS AND FOOD.

I WANT TO MAKE MY CHOICES HEALTHIER.

AS WE TOLD JILLY AND JEMMA YESTERDAY,

IT IS NOT ABOUT LOOSING WEIGHT, IT'S ABOUT 

BEING HEALTHY FOR THE YEARS COMING UP.

WRITE MORE...

JOURNALING AND BLOGGING IS SOMETHING I ENJOY

AND I WANT TO DO MORE OF IT THIS YEAR.

NURTURE FRIENDSHIPS AND FAMILY...

MORE VISITS, MORE DEEP CONVERSATIONS,

BE PRESENT.

LESS TIME ON PHONE AND OTHER DEVISES...

IT HAPPENS WITHOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE

AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT YOU START YOUR DAY

SCROLLING ON YOUR PHONE, 

END YOUR DAY SCROLLING ON YOUR PHONE,

AND NUMEROUS TIMES DURING THE DAY.

I WORRY ABOUT THE YOUNGER GENERATION AND THEIR

NEED FOR THESE DEVICES AND YET THERE I AM,

STARTING AND ENDING MY DAYS THE SAME WAY.

IF IT CAN BECOME ADDICTING FOR ME, THEN I KNOW 

MANY OF US ARE THE SAME.

SO THIS YEAR, WHEN I AWAKEN I GET OUT OF BED,

FIX MY COFFEE AND READ, JOURNAL, BLOG,

READ...

I LOVE READING AND YET FIND MYSELF ON THE INTERNET

IN THE EVENING INSTEAD OF PULLING A BOOK

AND READING THE WAY READING WAS MEANT TO BE.

I WANT TO READ MOST EVERY EVENING.

ART...

I MEAN TO DO MORE ART, CONTINUE WITH THE HOME PORTRAITS

BUT ALSO TRY NEW THINGS, EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT TYPSE OF ART.

SHARE THESE WITH THE GRANDGIRLS AND OTHERS.

THERE ARE MORE BUT FOR NOW, I WILL START WITH THIS.

INSPIRE YOURSELF MY FRIENDS,

CARE FOR YOUR BODY AND YOUR MIND.

IF WE HAVE TO LIVE IN THIS WORLD, LET TRY AND

BE THE BEST US WE CAN BE.

NOSTALGIA EPISODE ONE

 AS I HAVE SAID, NOSTALGIA IS MY WORD FOR 2025.

COME ALONG WITH ME ON THIS MAGICAL RIDE

OF THINGS THAT WILL BRING YOU BACK TO ANOTHER

TIME IN YOUR LIFE.

TODAY'S INSPIRATIONS STARTED WITH A READ ON "REDDIT"

SPEAKING OF A SERIES OF BIBLE BOOKS  FROM THE 60'S.

YEST, THESE BLUE BOOKS FOUND IN MOST 

DOCTOR AND DENTIST OFFICES IF YOU ARE A 

CHILD OF THE 60'S/70'S.

I SPENT A LOT OF MY CHILDHOOD IN HOSPITALS AND DOCTORS OFFICES

HAVING HAD CHILDHOOD CANCER.

THE FIRST BOOK OF THIS SERIES WAS IN SO MANY OF THEM

I REMEMBER GETTING REALLY HAPPY WHEN I SAW 

EITHER THIS OR A HIGHLIGHTS MAGAZINE AWAITING ME.

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A PATIENT WAITER PROBABLY

BECAUSE I SPENT A LOT OF TIME WAITING TO SEE A DOCTOR

BACK IN MY DAY AND I LOVED TO READ.

HAVING THESE BOOKS HAD ME ENTRANCED FROM THE

STORIES BUT MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THE BEAUTIFUL ILLUSTRATIONS.

THIS MORNING I DID A  LITTLE RESEARCH ON THESE BOOKS...

WHY WERE THEY ALWAYS IN A DOCTORS OFFICE...

THIS BOOK WAS ONE OF A TEN PART SERIES

OF HARD COVER BOOKS WRITTEN BY ARTHUR MAXWELL.

THE BIBLE STORY WAS A KING JAMES VERSION OF

THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE.

THEY WERE PUBLISHED FROM 1953 AND 1957.

HE SPENT OVER 7 YEARS WRITING THESE BOOKS.

INTERESTING RIGHT?

BUT WHY WERE THEY IN ALL THE MEDICAL OFFICES IN MY DAY?

BACK THEN I THOUGHT IT WAS MAYBE TO PREPARE THOSE

WHO MAY NOT MAKE IT OUT OF THEIR ILLNESS.

I KNOW, A TAD MORBID BUT THIS MORNING WHEN I 

REMEMBERED THESE BOOKS I ALSO REMEMBERED THAT FEELING

OF HOW BEAUTIFUL HEAVEN WAS AND DYING BECAME 

JUST A LITTLE LESS SCARY.

HOWEVER MR. MAXWELL WAS A SMART MAN.

BACK BEFORE INTERNET AND AMAZON, 

SHOOT EVEN BEFORE BOOK STORES WERE POPULAR

IT WAS HARD TO SELL THINGS.

MR. MAXWELL DECIDED THAT HE WOULD SEND A FREE COPY

TO ANY DOCTOR OF DENTIST OFFICES THAT WOULD ALLOW.

IN THE FRONT AND BACK OF EVERY BOOK WAS 

THE MAIL IN CARD TO TAKE HOME SO YOUR PARENTS

COULD BUY YOU ONE OF THESE BEAUTIFUL BOOKS FOR YOUR 

OWN COFFEE TABLE.

I REMEMBER THE POSTCARDS BECAUSE I REMEMBER TEARING

MORE THAN A FEW TO BRING HOME IN HOPES

THAT MAYBE I, TOO COULD HAVE THE BEAUTIFUL 

ILLUSTRATIONS THAT LOOKED SO MUCH HOW I PICTURED

HEAVEN TO BE.

I GREW UP CATHOLIC AND ALTHOUGH WE HAD A BIBLE IN THE HOME,

WE NEVER READ OUT OF IT.

WE LEARNED OUR BIBLE THROUGH MASS AND BELIEVED

IT WAS TAKEN RIGHT OUT OF THE BIBLE.

FOR ME, THESE STORIES BECAME THE CHILD VERSION OF

WHAT THE BIG BOOK SAID.

NOT ONLY WAS MAXWELL A WONDERFUL AUTHOR 

BUT I PROBABLY LEARNED MANY OF MY BIBLE STORIES 

FROM SITTING IN SO MANY DOCTORS OFFICES.

I NEVER DID GET MY PARENTS TO AGREE TO FILL OUT THE POSTCARD

BUT THIS AM, THE MEMORY OF

THESE BEAUTIFUL BOOKS HAS BROUGHT ME BACK TO 

A BURIED MEMORY.

WELL DONE, MR. MAXWELL, WELL DONE!

MUMSIE'S COTTAGE UPDATE

 MUMSIE'S COTTAGE, IE, ME

HAS TAKEN A BREAK.

DUE TO MEDICAL ISSUES,

FAMILY NEEDS, AND LIFE EVENTS,

I HAVE TAKEN A BREAK FROM PAINTING.

HOWEVER, JUST AFTER THE NEW YEAR

I WILL BE BACK FULL FORCE INTO PAINTING,

WHAT I LOVE TO DO.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU 

WHO ARE AWAITING WORK FROM ME

FOR YOU ALL'S PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING 

OF THIS MUCH NEEDED BREAK.

TO THOSE OF YOU WHO I HAVE STARTED A PIECE FOR 

BUT HAVE NOT YET COMPLETED, 

I AM IN SOME FORM OF FINISHING YOUR PIECE AND

HOPE THAT ALL THESE PIECES WILL BE FINISHED 

WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

2025 WILL BE A YEAR OF MUCH PAINTING

BUT I AM ALSO FOCUSING ON FAMILY AND FRIENDS,

MANY 'VEY-YAY' VISITS.

I KNOW MANY OF YOU HAVE HAD YOUR NAME ON MY "LIST"

FOR SOME TIME AND WHILE THERE IS NO OBLIGATION

IF YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND I ALSO 

CAN'T USUALLY GIVE A TIME FRAME ON WHEN I WILL

START OR FINISH.

I AM RETIRED FROM NURSING AND ALTHOUGH

I AM SO  PRIVILAGED AND HONORED TO HAVE 

ALL OF YOU WHO FOLLOW MY WORK,

MY MAIN PRIORITY REMAINS

MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

WITH THAT BEING SAID,

I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO EXPLAIN WHAT A GIFT

I HAVE BEEN GIVEN THROUGH MY PAINTINGS.

WHETHER IT BE NEW FRIENDS WHO ARE INVITED

TO SIT AROUND MY DINING TABLE

OR OLD FRIENDS WHO COME BACK INTO MY LIFE BECAUSE OF MY WORK,

I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR IT ALL.

THE GRANDGIRLS ARE GROWING RAPIDLY,

ALL DEVELOPING INTO BEAUTIFUL TEEN AND PRE-TEENAGERS

AND I KNOW MY TIME WITH THEM IS GETTING SHORTER

WITH EVERY DAY,

MY MAIN GOAL IN THEIR LIFE IS ALSO MY WORD OF THE YEAR:

NOSTALGIA...

I WANT THEM, AS ADULTS, WHEN THEY THINK

"MUMSIE'S COTTAGE"

ALL THE MEMORIES AND DISCUSSIONS WE HAVE HAD HERE

GIVES THEM THE NOSTALGIC FEELING OF HOME AND MUMSIE.

 I CONTINUE TO MAKE MEMORIES WITH THEM

AND THEY WILL ALWAYS BE THE PRIORITY.

SO IF A PARTY, A MASS, A SICK DAY, OR JUST

NEEDING SOME MUMSIE TLC COMES ABOUT,

YOU CAN BET I AM GOING TO CANCEL PAINTING THAT DAY.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL.

I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS YEAR OF 2025.

MAY YOU ALL BE BLESSED WITH THE LOVE OF FAMILY 

AND FRIENDS, BECAUSE ISN'T THAT REALLY

WHAT BRINGS US THE MOST JOY.

SAYING GOODBYE TO OUR MOO, HER MOO

I FEEL LILKE I HAVE SAID THIS WAY TOO MANY TIMES

IN THE LAST FEW YEARS...

"MY MOMMA ALWAYS SAID HARDEST PART OF GROWING

OLD WAS HAVING TO WATCH ALL THOSE YOU LOVE DIE"

 I REALLY DIDN'T THINK OF IT MUCH WHILE SHE WAS AGING.

IT BECAME REALITY FOR ME AFTER MY SISTER, SIMONE DIED.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, COMES THE BLOG I WISH I WOULD 

NEVER HAVE HAD TO WRITE.

DECEMBER 26TH, 2024 WILL BE ONE THAT WILL FOREVER

BE CHANGED IN MY AND SO MANY OTHERS LIVES.

THE MORNING STARTED OFF LIKE MOST OTHER

MORNINGS, THE BESTIES, LAURIE AND ANN AND I TEXTING.

ANN'S HUBBY MOODY HAD JUST HAD SHOULDER SURGERY 

THE DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS AND WE WERE CHECKING ON EACH OTHER.

AFTER GETTING THE ALL CLEAR THAT MOO HAD A GOOD NIGHT

WITH LITTLE PAIN, WE BEGAN OUR DAY.

HOURS LATER WE GET THE CALL THAT HAS CHANGED ANN'S LIFE;

MOODY PASSED AWAY ON THATVERY, THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS.

WE, US BESTIES, HAVING BEEN FRIENDS SINCE SECOND GRADE

HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT TOGETHER.

MARRIAGES, BABIES, HEART ACHE, DEATH OF PARENTS,

LOSS OF CHILDREN...

BUT NOTHING CAN PREPARE US FOR ONE OF OUR BESTIES

BIGGEST HEART ACHE, THE DEATH OF HER SPOUSE.

MOODY BECAME PART OF OUR WORLD WHEN WE WERE YOUJNG ADULTS.

I HAD JUST BEGAN MY NURSING CAREER, AND RONNIE (EXHUBBY)

WAS JUST DISCHARGED FROM THE ARMY AND HAD

BEGAN WORKING WITH "THIS NAVY GUY FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE"

LAURIE WAS ALREADY MARRIED, RONNIE AND I WERE

LIVING TOGETHER SO IT MADE PERFECT SENSE THAT

THESE TWO SINGLE PEOPLE SHOULD MEET.

FROM THAT VERY FIRST DATE, IT BECAME

'ANN AND MOO"

THELY WERE A SOLID COUPLE AND MARRIED QUICKLY AFTER.

MOO WAS ALWAYS SUCH A HANDSOME FELLOW AND

REMAINED THAT WAY FOREVER.

HE WAS A MAN OF FEW WORDS BUT WHEN HE SPOKE,

YOU CAN BET IT WAS GOING TO MAKE YOU LAUGH.

WE ALL BEGAN RAISING OUR CHILDREN, 

MY RODDIE AND THEIR RUSS BECAME CHILDHOOD FRIENDS

AND IF ONE OF THEIR CHILDREN WERE THERE, YOU CAN BET

MOODY WAS GOING TO BE THERE TOO.

HE LOVED NOT ONLY HIS FAMILY BUT HIS EXTENDED

FAMILY HE FOUND IN ANN'S BIG FAMILY.

HE WAS A MAN OF HONOR, A MAN WHO LOVED OUR BESTIE 

LIKE NO ONE ELSE COULD.

HOW DO YOU COMFORT A FRIEND WHO HAS UNEXPECTEDLY BECOME A WIDOWER?

I AM NOT SURE HOW, BUT WE WILL.

THE THREE OF US, ANN, LAURIE AND MYSELF

HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT TOGETHER AND THAT WILL NOT CHANGE.

OUR LIVES GOING FORWARD HAS CHANGED AND

LIKE MY MOMMA TRIED TO TELL US,

THIS IS BY FAR THE HARDEST PART OF GROWING OLDER.

I WILL USE THIS TIME AS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE WORDS OF ADVICE.

MAKE AMENDS... WHETHER YOU ARE RIGHT OR WRONG, MAKE AMENDS.

DON'T LET ANYTHING COME BETWEEN THOSE YOU LOVE.

AS DR. PHIL ALWAYS SAYS,

"DO YOU WANT TO BE RIGHT OR DO YOU WANT TO BE HAPPY?"

CHOOSE HAPPY...

DON'T LET ONE DAY GO BY THAT YOU HAVE AN ENEMY.

WHETHER THEY ACCEPT IT OR NOT, FORGIVE AND MAKE AMENDS

FOR YOURSELF. I PROMISE YOU WILL FEEL BETTER AND SLEEP EVEN BETTER.

MAKE THE VISITS AND TREAT EACH ON AS IF IT MAY BE YOUR LAST.

US BESTIES GOT TOGETHER AT ANN AND MOODY'S HOME ON 12/23.

WE KNEW MOO WOULD HAVE SURGERY ON CHRISTMAS EVE

AND WE FELT THE NEED TO GET TOGETHER BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

WHILE THERE, WE ATE, PLAYED GAMES, HAD COFFEE, ATE.

(WE EAT A LOT)

THROUGH IT ALL, OUR MOO WAS IN THE BACKGROUND

COMING TO CHECK ON US EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.

NEVER DID ANY OF US THINK IT WOULD BE OUR LAST TIME

TOGETHER LIKE THAT.

LOVE YOUR FAMILY, LOVE YOUR FRIENDS,

LET 2025 BE THE YEAR FOR REKINDLING FRIENDSHIPS

AND PLEASE, SAY SOME PRAYERS FOR OUR DEAR

BESTIE, ANN AND HER BOYS AND FAMILY.

WE MAY NOT UNDERSTAND THE REASONS WHY THINGS HAPPEN

BUT I  CHOOSE TO BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE BETTER THINGS

FOR US ALL AFTER THIS LIFE.

WE WILL MOURN AND BE SAD BUT WE KNOW,

WHATEVER AWAITS FOR US AFTER THIS LIFE,

MOO WILL BE THERE AWAITING US.

TILL WE MEET AGAIN MY FRIEND,

WATCH OVER US ALL.