"I Might Have Missed A Few Things"

As promised, here is another of my favorites from Listen to your Mother in northwest Indiana.  Alice Harrington was my girls pediatrician and we loved her.  After I saw her at Listen to your Mother, I loved her even more.  I think you'll love her too.

Some of my Better Stuff!

I have neglected this blog a lot lately.  So much has been going on that I will explain later.  I feel like some of my best writing has been going on over at the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans.  Two of my best posts have been in my Older Sister series.  If you would like to check them out, they are here and here.  

Both of these posts are about getting older and how your perspective and feelings change about so many things.  I hope you will give them a look.  I'm really kind of proud of them.

Lastly, here are a couple of my favorite pictures of spring finally coming to northwest Indiana although as I type this post, it is 39 degrees!

 

 

 

Happy Sunday!

Listen To Your Mother

You know how sometimes you find something that just clicks with you and you just fall in love with it?  Well, three years ago, I was introduced to Listen To Your Mother and that very thing happened.

The Listen To Your Mother tagline is "Giving Motherhood a Microphone" and that is just what it does.   Mothers from all walks of life tell stories about motherhood.  It might be their story as a mother or telling about their own mother.  Whatever story is told, it is amazing and so relatable.

Below, you will find one of my personal favorites from a few years ago.  I met Beth Fletcher through her children and she is amazing.  Watch her story and you will see why I love this show so much.


Listen to your Mother in northwest Indiana is almost sold out.  You don't want to miss this show.  Click the link and get your ticket.  I've had mine for weeks now and I can't wait till May 8 at the Memorial Opera House in Valparaiso.

p.s.  I will share another favorite with you in a few days.

Hit Me With Your Best Shot

HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT!

 This is my weekly photo challenge. The premise is easy.  All you have to do is show us your favorite picture you took over the past week.  It doesn't matter what it is.  If it is your favorite, that is what you post.  Pretty simple, right?  So here we go......

 

Here's my favorite shot for the week.

I am so enjoying all the colors in the garden at school.  This is the very first tulip to open.  I can't wait till the whole garden is full of them.  It is always such a gorgeous burst of color.

 

So, now it's your turn.  If you are a blogger, please post your link in the comments.  If you aren't a blogger, I will link this to my Facebook page and you can post your picture in the comments.  If you don't already follow me on Facebook, friend request me as Nancy Jankowski Collins.  I promise I'll accept.  Please link my post in your post.  Please let your friends know about the photo challenge and invite them to join in.  Feel free to share it on any of your social media sites. Be sure and visit the other entries and leave them a comment.  You know we all love getting comments.    I can't wait to see what everyone else's favorite shot of the week is.

 

That's it for me this week.  Now,  it's your turn to hit us with your best shot.  Fire away!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to all my friends here on Bacardi Mama!

I hope you all have a wonderful day.  It is beautiful here in northwest Indiana and I'm looking forward to spending the day with my family. 

I hope you all have a perfect day too!

 

I saw this graphic on Facebook this morning and thought it was pretty interesting.  Thought I would share it with all of you.

Hit Me With Your Best Shot

HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT!

 This is my weekly photo challenge. The premise is easy.  All you have to do is show us your favorite picture you took over the past week.  It doesn't matter what it is.  If it is your favorite, that is what you post.  Pretty simple, right?  So here we go......

 

Here's my favorite shot for the week.

It feels like it took forever, but the daffodils finally bloomed outside of preschool this week.  Now, I feel like spring is really coming.  That snow we had last week was just teasing us, right?

 

So, now it's your turn.  If you are a blogger, please post your link in the comments.  If you aren't a blogger, I will link this to my Facebook page and you can post your picture in the comments.  If you don't already follow me on Facebook, friend request me as Nancy Jankowski Collins.  I promise I'll accept.  Please link my post in your post.  Please let your friends know about the photo challenge and invite them to join in.  Feel free to share it on any of your social media sites. Be sure and visit the other entries and leave them a comment.  You know we all love getting comments.    I can't wait to see what everyone else's favorite shot of the week.

 

That's it for me this week.  Now it's your turn to hit us with your best shot.  Fire away!

Hit Me With Your Best Shot

HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT!

 This is my weekly photo challenge. The premise is easy.  All you have to do is show us your favorite picture you took over the past week.  It doesn't matter what it is.  If it is your favorite, that is what you post.  Pretty simple, right?  So here we go......

 

Here's my favorite shot for the week.

We went to Meijer Garden in Grand Rapids, Michigan for the weekend.  We took the tram ride around the park that took us past this beautiful waterfall.  Look how much snow they still have hanging around up there.  The waterfall was breathtaking.  We all loved it.  I really like the reflections in the water too.

 

So, now it's your turn.  If you are a blogger, please post your link in the comments.  If you aren't a blogger, I will link this to my Facebook page and you can post your picture in the comments.  If you don't already follow me on Facebook, friend request me as Nancy Jankowski Collins.  I promise I'll accept.  Please link my post in your post.  Please let your friends know about the photo challenge and invite them to join in.  Feel free to share it on any of your social media sites. Be sure and visit the other entries and leave them a comment.  You know we all love getting comments.    I can't wait to see what everyone else's favorite shot of the week.

 

That's it for me this week.  Now it's your turn to hit us with your best shot.  Fire away!



Hit Me With Your Best Shot!

HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT!

 This is my weekly photo challenge. The premise is easy.  All you have to do is show us your favorite picture you took over the past week.  It doesn't matter what it is.  If it is your favorite, that is what you post.  Pretty simple, right?  So here we go......

 

Here's my favorite shot for the week.

I was so excited when I went back to work after spring break.  These little beauties were waiting for me outside the preschool door.  It has been so long since there was anything but snow out there.  These little pops of color made me very happy.

 

So, now it's your turn.  If you are a blogger, please post your link in the comments.  If you aren't a blogger, I will link this to my Facebook page and you can post your picture in the comments.  If you don't already follow me on Facebook, friend request me as Nancy Jankowski Collins.  I promise I'll accept.  Please link my post in your post.  Please let your friends know about the photo challenge and invite them to join in.  Feel free to share it on any of your social media sites. Be sure and visit the other entries and leave them a comment.  You know we all love getting comments.    I can't wait to see what everyone else's favorite shot of the week.

 

That's it for me this week.  Now it's your turn to hit us with your best shot.  Fire away!

Hit Me With Your Best Shot

HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT!

 This is my weekly photo challenge. The premise is easy.  All you have to do is show us your favorite picture you took over the past week.  It doesn't matter what it is.  If it is your favorite, that is what you post.  Pretty simple, right?  Sorry about not being here last week.  We had no internet, phone or cable for two days and it hit just in time to cancel the photo challenge.  Without further ado....

 

Here's my favorite shot for the week.

I took a short girls trip to Meijer Garden in Grand Rapids, Michigan for the tropical butterfly exhibit.  I had so many great shots, it was hard to pick one.  I finally picked this one because I liked the water droplets on the leaf.   I can't wait to go back next week and take the grandkids.  They are going to love it.

 

So, now it's your turn.  If you are a blogger, please post your link in the comments.  If you aren't a blogger, I will link this to my Facebook page and you can post your picture in the comments.  If you don't already follow me on Facebook, friend request me as Nancy Jankowski Collins.  I promise I'll accept.  Please link my post in your post.  Please let your friends know about the photo challenge and invite them to join in.  Feel free to share it on any of your social media sites. Be sure and visit the other entries and leave them a comment.  You know we all love getting comments.    I can't wait to see what everyone else did.

 

That's it for me this week.  Now it's your turn to hit us with your best shot.  Fire away!

Hit Me With Your Best Shot

HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT!

 This is my weekly photo challenge.  We are in week 6.  The premise is easy.  All you have to do is show us your favorite picture you took over the past week.  It doesn't matter what it is.  If it is your favorite, that is what you post.  Pretty simple, right?

 

Here's my favorite shot for the week.

I toyed with something with the snow, but really, I am so over snow.  But, I will never get tired of the moon.  Taking pictures of the moon is one of my favorite things to do.

 

So, now it's your turn.  If you are a blogger, please post your link in the comments.  My Linky free time expired and until this picks up, I don't see a need to pay for a Linky.  If you aren't a blogger, I will link this to my Facebook page and you can post your picture in the comments.  If you don't already follow me on Facebook, friend request me as Nancy Jankowski Collins.  I promise I'll accept.  Please link my post in your post.  Please let your friends know about the photo challenge and invite them to join in.  Feel free to share it on any of your social media sites. Be sure and visit the other entries and leave them a comment.  You know we all love getting comments.    I can't wait to see what everyone else did.

 

That's it for me this week.  Now it's your turn to hit us with your best shot.  Fire away!

 



Hit Me With Your Best Shot

HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT!
Sorry about the Linky! You'd think they would send an email or something. Please just leave your link in the comments and we'll find your shot from there. Thanks!!
 

 This is my weekly photo challenge.  We are in week 5.  The premise is easy.  All you have to do is show us your favorite picture you took over the past week.  It doesn't matter what it is.  If it is your favorite, that is what you post.  Pretty simple, right?

Here's my favorite picture from the past week.

Saturday, I went with some friends to the shelf ice program at the Indiana Dunes State Park.  This was the view from the roof of the pavilion.  It was awesome up there.

So, now it's your turn.  If you are a blogger, link your post with Mr. Linky below.  If you aren't a blogger, I will link this to my Facebook page and you can post your picture in the comments.  If you don't already follow me on Facebook, friend request me as Nancy Jankowski Collins.  I promise I'll accept.  Please link my post in your post.  Please let your friends know about the photo challenge and invite them to join in.  Feel free to share it on any of your social media sites. Be sure and visit the other entries and leave them a comment.  You know we all love getting comments.    I can't wait to see what everyone else did.

That's it from me this week.  Link up and I'll see you next week.

 

Hit Me With Your Best Shot Week 4

HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT!

 

This is my new weekly photo challenge.  We are in week 4.  The premise is easy.  All you have to do is show us your favorite picture you took over the past week.  It doesn't matter what it is.  If it is your favorite, that is what you post.  Pretty simple, right?

Here's my favorite picture from the past week.

This is the point in winter when I start to get tired of the weather.  It's no longer the pretty snow.  It's the brown and the dead looking, but the water is thawing a bit so we get the reflections back in the water.  Now, that I love!

So, now it's your turn.  If you are a blogger, link your post with Mr. Linky below.  If you aren't a blogger, I will link this to my Facebook page and you can post your picture in the comments.  If you don't already follow me on Facebook, friend request me as Nancy Jankowski Collins.  I promise I'll accept.  Please link my post in your post.  Please let your friends know about the photo challenge and invite them to join in.  Feel free to share it on any of your social media sites. Be sure and visit the other entries and leave them a comment.  You know we all love getting comments.    I can't wait to see what everyone else did.

 

If you don't blog, you might want to consider trying it.  If for no other reason than to have all your favorite pictures in one place.  Blogger.com and wordpress.com are both free blog sites.  I love blogging.  I tried it on a recommendation and I can't imagine not blogging now.  I've made some great friends too.

 

That's it from me this week.  Link up and I'll see you next week.
 

Hit Me With Your Best Shot Week 3

HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT!

 

This is my new weekly photo challenge.  We are in week 3.  The premise is easy.  All you have to do is show us your favorite picture you took over the past week.  It doesn't matter what it is.  If it is your favorite, that is what you post.  Pretty simple, right?

Here's my favorite picture from the past week.  

Our granddaughter Haley was christened on Saturday.  She wore the dress that my grandma made for my mom 88 years ago.  I wore that dress as did my daughter Katie who is Haley's mom.  I think it is really special that four generations have worn that dress and it is still just as beautiful as it was all those years ago.  Of course, Haley looked absolutely adorable in it.

So, now it's your turn.  If you are a blogger, link your post with Mr. Linky below.  If you aren't a blogger, I will link this to my Facebook page and you can post your picture in the comments.  If you don't already follow me on Facebook, friend request me as Nancy Jankowski Collins.  I promise I'll accept.  Please link my post in your post.  Please let your friends know about the photo challenge and invite them to join in.  Feel free to share it on any of your social media sites. Be sure and visit the other entries and leave them a comment.  You know we all love getting comments.    I can't wait to see what everyone else did.

 

If you don't blog, you might want to consider trying it.  If for no other reason than to have all your favorite pictures in one place.  Blogger.com and wordpress.com are both free blog sites.  I love blogging.  I tried it on a recommendation and I can't imagine not blogging now.  I've made some great friends too.

 

That's it from me this week.  Link up and I'll see you next week.     I can't wait to see all your pictures!
 

Hit Me With Your Best Shot Week 2

 

HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT!

 

This is my new weekly photo challenge.  We are in week 2.  The premise is easy.  All you have to do is show us your favorite picture you took over the past week.  It doesn't matter what it is.  If it is your favorite, that is what you post.  Easy peasy, right?

We went out to the beach to see the shelf ice.  There was so many awesome things to see, I had a horrible time trying to decide which picture to choose.  I finally chose this one because you can see how tall the shelf ice actually is with the perspective of the people.  It is just incredible out there. 

 

So, now it's your turn.  If you are a blogger, link your post with Mr. Linky below.  If you aren't a blogger, I will link this to my Facebook page and you can post your picture in the comments.  If you don't already follow me on Facebook, friend request me as Nancy Jankowski Collins.  I promise I'll accept.  Please link my post in your post.  Be sure and visit the other entries.  I can't wait to see what everyone else did.

 

If you don't blog, you might want to consider trying it.  If for no other reason than to have all your favorite pictures in one place.  Blogger.com and wordpress.com are both free blog sites.  I love blogging.  I tried it on a recommendation and I can't imagine not blogging now.  I've made some great friends too.

 

That's it from me this week.  Link up and I'll see you next week.     I can't wait to see all your pictures!

 

Just Watch Me!







I feel like a broken record.  My foot, my foot, my foot.  I'm sure you are sick of hearing about my foot.  I have good news.  This is the last post that I will ever mention my foot and it's problems.  I got the inserts.  I am on the mend.  The only thing I can't do is zumba for three more months.  I can exercise.  I can walk for exercise.  I can pretty much do anything I want.  Be smart.  Don't overdo if it is bothering me.  I got it!  Okay, DONE! 

 

Now, let's get to the side effects and the aftermath of the whole rehab issue.  For approximately ten weeks, I was sidelined.  I wasn't allowed to do much of anything as far as exercise went.  I didn't take it well.  I sulked.  I ate and drank most things bad for me.  We had the holidays in this ten weeks.  You get the picture, right?

 

I am now at a number on the scale that I promised myself I would never see again.  To say I am pissed would be putting it mildly.  I am ashamed of myself and embarrassed to boot.  Now what?????  Then I saw this......



Okay, true.  I started thinking.  I have done this before.  I know what to do.  I just have to start doing it again.  So, that is exactly what I am doing starting right now.

 

I have enlisted the helped of one of the most wonderful people I know.  She was the first person to get me motivated years ago when I really wanted to get serious about getting fit and healthy.  She was the one who helped me overcome my fear of being the fat girl at the exercise classes.  She doesn't judge.  Ever!  She has remained a fantastic friend who has my back when I need her most.  You have no idea how much you inspire and encourage me, Nicki!  I can never thank you enough for always being there for me. 

 

I have all the wonderful people at the studio where I work out.  Unfortunately, I feel like I am starting at square one again.  I am winded, weak and sore.  I've been through this before though.  Each week, it will get better.  I just have to keep pushing.  I'm sorry, Jen.  You'll just have to bear with me.  I'll get it back again.

 

Nicki has given me her menus and grocery lists.  I have a plan for my eating.  My wonderful husband is willing to go along with the plan as far as eating what I cook.  It's not a huge switch.  Just cleaner.  Lots of lean meats, veggies and fruits.  No crap!  All those rotten chips, crackers, diet coke, Bacardi and stuff like that....GONE!!

 

Starting today, this is the plan.  I will be working out at the studio four days a week.  I will be on the treadmill no less than the three days I'm not at a class.  I will eat right and not snack on anything but healthy food.  I will get enough sleep.  I will drink enough water.  This I can do.

 

I have a new mantra.   

Hit Me With Your Best Shot Week 1

This is it!  Today is the first installment of.....

HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT!

 

This is my new weekly photo challenge.  The premise is easy.  All you have to do is show us your favorite picture you took over the past week.  It doesn't matter what it is.  If it is your favorite, that is what you post.  Easy peasy, right?

 

Here is my picture.  My goal was to have something red because today is Wear Red Day for the American Heart Association.  With all the cold and snow this past week, getting outside wasn't that easy.  I found this tree with red berries at work.  I wish the sky was more blue, but you can't have everything.

So, now it's your turn.  If you are a blogger, link your post with Mr. Linky below.  If you aren't a blogger, I will link this to my Facebook page and you can post your picture in the comments.  If you don't already follow me on Facebook, friend request me as Nancy Jankowski Collins.  I promise I'll accept.  Please link my post in your post.  Be sure and visit the other entries.  I can't wait to see what everyone else did.

 

If you don't blog, you might want to consider trying it.  If for no other reason than to have all your favorite pictures in one place.  Blogger.com and wordpress.com are both free blog sites.  I love blogging.  I tried it on a recommendation and I can't imagine not blogging now.  I've made some great friends too.

 

That's it from me this week.  Link up and I'll see you next week.     I can't wait to see all your pictures!

 

 

Hit Me With Your Best Shot!

Welcome to...... 

Hit Me With Your Best Shot!

 

I love my camera!  Any of you who know me, know that to be a fact.  I don't think there is a day that goes by without my picking up my camera at some point in the day.  I used to participate in a weekly photo challenge called You Capture, but it is no longer available for me to join.  I really miss it.  I thought in a very small way, Hit Me With Your Best Shot could be my replacement for it.

 

I’m excited to invite you to participate in my new weekly photo challenge.  The premise is simple.  Every Friday, you can check in here and post your favorite photo that you took during the previous week.  It can be absolutely anything as long as it's your favorite shot.  For those of you who don't blog, I will post the link on my Facebook page and you can post your photo in the comments.  If we aren't Facebook friends, you can friend request me as Nancy Jankowski Collins.

 

Here are the logistics of how this is going to work......

 

Every Friday, there will be a post on Bacardi Mama called Hit Me With Your Best Shot and I’ll have my favorite picture that I took for the week on that post.  Below the picture, I will have a Mr. Linky in the post.  Then YOU will post on your blog (or my Facebook post) your picture and information about this challenge.  Then you’ll fill out the Mr. Linky with your name and your link to your picture.   Please be sure and link my post on your post.  That way, more people will be made aware of Hit Me With Your Best Shot and we can maybe get more and more people participating.  I think once you see the first post, it will all make sense.  At least I hope it does.

 

So my friends, check back here on Friday, February 7 for the first ever installment of Hit Me With Your Best Shot! 

 

I'm really excited!

 



Brave?

I woke up late yesterday because we had a snow day from school.  I had planned a day of leftover projects that had been hanging over my head.  Nothing hard, just unfinished business. 

I made the mistake of turning on the computer first thing.  I saw this on a friend's Facebook page and it got me thinking....

 

"If you ain't losing friends, you ain't growing up." Snoop Dog. Everything we do turns someone off to us as friends. Some persons, especially those afraid to pay the price of loving unconditionally, are consistently and constantly seeking reasons and ways to get out of relationships, no mater how simple or complex they are. Hard as it may be to understand, we must know that we are not losing ...true friends, but only those who appear to be! To live the truly happy life we must live beyond the need to be loved, but must live to love with everything we have and are. And to live our greatest potential in this regard, we must teach this to our children, grandchildren, friends, students, and, especially our enemies or possible enemies.

 

So, as I was taking that post in and mulling it over, I started thinking about the Grammy awards the night before.  I remembered Sara Bareilles and Carole King singing together.  That took me to You Tube and this video.  This got me thinking even more.

Say what you want to say and let the words fall out.  When was the last time I did that?  When was the last time I was brave with words?  Have I ever really been brave when it comes to words?  Maybe it's time I was.  Or maybe it's time to step back and let go. 
Maybe it's time for this.....

 

Maybe I have a lot to think about.

 

Just Write



There's This Boy I Know Who's Having A Birthday

 A long time ago, I met this boy at the local root beer stand.  I was a sophomore in high school and he was 19 and out of school.  He asked the girl that I was with out on a date.  To this day, he swears it was just to ask her about me.  Whatever the reason, we went out the next weekend and have been together ever since.

Two years later, we got engaged at my mom and dad's 25th anniversary party.  

Here we are at our bridal shower.  Check out my glasses and Dick's wide wale corduroy pants.  Oh my!

On September 8, 1973 we tied the knot.  

We made it to 25 years!

We made it to 30 years!

We had some fun along the way.  Have you ever been to a Jimmy Buffett concert?  Now that is fun!

We even made it to 40 years!

Along the way, we had four amazing and beautiful daughters who found four equally amazing and handsome men.  They blessed us with three awesome and adorable grandchildren.

And two months ago, we had the thrill of welcoming another grandchild, a granddaughter into our lives.

 

Just last month, this boy and I became empty nesters for the first time in 39 years.  We've come full circle, so to speak.  It's back to just him and I again.  While it has been a little weird, it has been a little exciting too.  The options are endless.  We just have to sort them all out and that is just what we are doing.

 

This is his first birthday since January 23, 1974 that it has been just him and I in this house.  We've come a long way since then.  Everything has changed and nothing has changed.  Our house has doubled in size.  Our family is seven times larger!  Going from two people to fourteen people is huge.  We give each other space, but we enjoy being together.  I love that over the last few weeks with all the nasty and cold weather we have had in Northwest Indiana, he has offered so many times to take me to work and pick me up.  After all these years, he's still very thoughtful.  He can still surprise me.  Maybe that's not always a good thing, but I love that he does. 

So, today is his birthday.  I want to wish him a very Happy Birthday and a wonderful year to come.  I love you more than I ever thought possible.  You make my life something quite special and I will always be grateful that all those years ago, you picked me over that other girl.  Maybe you really were just asking her about me. 
Happy Birthday!  Love you!!

Old Friends - New Friends - Same Friends - Best Friends



Long, long ago, I spent my first six years of school at a catholic school.  Yes, six years.  Way back then, kindergarten wasn't mandatory, so mom kept me home with her.  I loved that.  I also loved catholic school.  It was a small school experience that I wouldn't have given up for anything.  I made some great friends.  We had a great time and made some wonderful memories.  This is my sixth grade class. 

The problem was, our school only went through sixth grade.   I was now going to be forced to go out into the big world of public school.  They had more kids in one grade than we had in our whole school.  This was going to be scary and it was at first.  But, I survived just as the rest of my sixth grade class did. 

 

What I didn't realize at the time was that there were lots of kids out there that felt the same way I did.  The public school kids were all coming to the middle school from their own grade schools.  Granted, they would probably know more kids than me, but they were still in a new school too.  This kind of leveled the playing field, so to speak.  Come to find out, it was all good.

 

I made lots of new friends and my old friends were still there too.  I truly loved my new school and my new friends.  We had great times together.  We all joined Tri Hi Y at the local YMCA.  It was a girls club and we had a wonderful time.  We did service projects,  had meetings, threw dances on Friday nights and had amazing overnights at the Y.  There was actually an above ground pool in the basement.  Really friends, you can't make stuff like that up.  We went to all the sporting events.  We just had a great time.

 

Before we knew it, it was time to move on to high school.  Same thing all over again.  The school seemed huge to us, but we muddled through.  At least this time, we knew more people than we knew before.  We weren't in Tri Hi Y anymore, but we were still doing lots of things together.  It was in May of my sophomore year that I met my future husband.  Little by little, he became my priority and I was seeing less and less of my friends.  So much so that I hardly ever spent time with them away from school.  This was the beginning of the end of the closeness with a lot of my high school friends.  Knowing what I know now, I never would have let that happen, but I was a young woman head over heals in love and that was what I thought was the right thing to do.

 

Fast forward about 37 or so years.  It is the age of social media and Facebook is the greatest thing ever.  I can't believe all the people I am reconnecting with.  One day, I get a request to join the new page created for the Class of 73 from my old high school.  I think about it and I join.  This is one of the smartest things I have done in the last five years.  We began to have our now famous "meet ups".  The first one was at the home of one of the girls from the class.  You'll find out later that she is one of the reasons for this post.  Here is a picture from that first meet up.  We had a wonderful time.  The year books came out and we talked and talked.

As time went on, we had more and more of our get togethers.  They became more and more frequent.  Any time a classmate came to town for a visit, we'd get together.  Our spouses began to join in the fun.  I remembered how much I loved these people and how much I had missed them.  The more time went on, the more I found myself becoming closer and closer to two of these very special classmates and they are the real reason for this post.  The classmates that I speak of are Jan and Leslie.  Oh, you should meet them!

The more we got together and the more we talked, the more we realized how very much we had in common after all these years.  We all had long standing marriages.  Jan and I with our high school sweethearts.  We loved our husbands, children, grandchildren and pets.  We shared a love of Lake Michigan and loved to walk down the shoreline hunting for treasures of beach glass and crinoids.  We had a love affair with our cameras.  We like making things with our hands, but Leslie is the winner in that field.  She is so very talented with her sewing, quilting, knitting and crocheting.  She makes us very jealous.  We are there for each other as sounding boards and shoulders to cry on.  We rejoice in each others happiness and our hearts break in each others sadness.  The lists goes on and on.  It is just the best mix of three people ever.  It makes me very happy!

Here we are under the kaleidoscope in Saint Joe, Michigan.  We had so much fun that day.  It was wonderful.  We decided after this picture that we should always take our pictures looking up!

Here they are looking for those treasures along the Lake Michigan shoreline.  We found some great treasures that day at Grand Mere.

Here we are with another one of our classmates, Bobbi, at Jan's lake house.  We spent the night there and it was just like a high school sleepover all over again.  So, so much fun!  The only difference was that we didn't have any trouble with the legal age limit to drink.  We've got more than double that now. 

Leslie and Jan are the best people you will ever meet.  They are always thinking of everyone but themselves.  They are the first to ask what they can do to help.  We keep in touch on Facebook.  We text and email.  We get together when we can, but it is never often enough.  I am proud to call them my friends.

I guess when you think about it, my old friends are my new friends, but they are the same friends, but oh, they are the best of friends. 

You are my sunshine, ladies.  I love you!

Old School Blogging, 2013 Recap

It's time for some Old School Blogging.  Feel free to join in. 

You can link up here.

 

1. What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?

This will probably sound silly, but I entered some of my pictures in the county fair and won a red ribbon.  Second place!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I gave up making resolutions years ago.  I think they just set you up to fail.  This year, I've set some goals for myself that are hopefully attainable.  We'll see.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes!!  My daughter gave birth to her first child.  She gave her dad and I a beautiful new granddaughter named Haley Jeanette and she is just perfect.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Unfortunately, yes.  We lost quite a few family members and friends, but my stepdad is the one that truly broke my heart.  My own dad died when I was 22 and mom remarried when I was 26.  My stepdad was my "other" dad for 32 years.  He was one of the best men I ever knew and I miss him so much.  He was 91, but you never would have guessed it, if you didn't already know.

5. What countries did you visit?
Just the good old USA!

6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
Time!

7. What dates from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 4....I walked my third half marathon.
August 17.....my husband and I renewed our wedding vows for our 40th anniversary.
September 25....when my stepdad died.
November 2....when our new granddaughter was born.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I think it was celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary.  In this day of disposable marriage, I think it's a real accomplishment to stay married to the same person for 40 years and still be truly happy.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Finishing up the year by gaining weight.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I did.  I have tendonitis and a bone spur in my right foot.  It's a slow process, but it's getting better.  I have finally been released to try exercising again.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
I cannot think of one thing that would qualify as being the best thing I bought.

12. Where did most of your money go?
The usual every day stuff like bills and food.

13. What did you get really excited about?
My 40th high school reunion!

14.  What song will always remind you of 2013?
Blurred Lines.  The most overplayed song ever.

15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
– happier or sadder?  Sadder because of all the people we lost this year, but still very happy. 
– thinner or fatter?   Thinner than last year, but fatter than earlier in the year.
– richer or poorer?   Richer, but not monetarily so.

16. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Playing!

17. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Stuffing my face after my injury.

18. How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas breakfast at our house with our kids and grandkids.  Christmas dinner at my mom's with our family, my mom, my siblings and their families.  It was a near perfect day.

19. What was your favorite TV program?
I watch very little tv, but if I watched something purposefully, it was Grey's Anatomy.

20. What were your favorite books of the year?
Awakenings (about Notre Dame football) and rereading The Shack and Heaven is for Real.

 21. What was your favorite music from this year?
I am a new Pink fan.  She is awesome.

22. What was your favorite film of the year?
I absolutely loved Frozen.

23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
My actual birthday was pretty low key because it fell in the middle of the week.  The kids celebrated with us on the weekend.  I was 59.  The countdown is on to 60.  Bring it, I'm ready!

24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I don't know about immeasurably more satisfying, but I would have liked to travel more.

25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
I don't know that I have a fashion concept.  I like what I like and it has to be comfy and casual.

26. What kept you sane?
Believe it or not, it was my family.  Sure, they have their moments when they drive me crazy, but in the big picture they ground me.  They keep me sane.  Without them, I'd be a nut.

27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.
This year I truly found out who my real friends are.  Some of the people I thought were my friends really weren't.  I got my feelings hurt, and it was hard, but at least now I know.