75th Anniversary

 My my how time flies! 

Yesterday I celebrated my 75th wedding anniversary. Alone but yet I celebrated the wonderful day that my marriage to Elbert began. He's been gone 14 years now and the pain of loss lingers on. 

We were just kids - me 16, him 20. Didn't know our head from a hole in the ground! But, we loved, we learned, we perserved, we survived and we thrived. And, what a journey it was! I wouldn't have traded it anything else in this world. 

At times, yesterday, I felt sad, down in the dumps but I also felt so honored to have spent all those 60 years and 3 weeks with him by my side. 

My Elf In The Snow

                                                                We Got Snow!!

The first of the year here at the Commons at Centerbrooke. It was beginning to stick late in the afternoon and by the time I went to bed we had a couple inches. 

While I lay slumbering in my bed, all cozy and warm.... my Elf On A Shelf got off his shelf and sneaked outside. He had a fabulous time in the snow! 

I'm gonna have to keep my eye on that fellow!! No telling what he'll get into next! 

Living Our Best Lives

 Yesterday set the mood...

Shirley and I attended a performance of 'The Nutcracker' at our local art center. Local talent, all but the sugar plum fairy, whom they imported. haha

It was such a delightful event. I hadn't seen that dance since my granddaughter danced in a performance how many years ago!! She has a grown son now so it was awhile. 

A little 5 year old sat next to me. The place was sold out so Mommy had to sit just behind her. She was quite nervous about it all to begin with and then that child got so caught up in all the excitement of the Nutcracker and the little mice and so on. Pretty soon her body was pressed up against my arm. It did my soul good to see all of that through a child's eye again. I loved it. 

So, on to other things. 

My college football team (Alabama) played like junior high kids on Saturday and lost the SEC championship. I turned off the tv at halftime. So, here's  what I did instead.....

I'm pretty old. And, I have had a pretty good attitude about growing old,  I think. I have spent some time over the last years discovering who I was and what I was supposed to do with these last remaining years. I regularly get comments from others that I inspire them. I don't know about that. I am just being me but it has been a dream of mine to set an example for  others. And to leave a legacy for my children and grandchildren. 

I see so many older ones that just sit around waiting to die, no interest in anything, constantly complaning about everything, making themselves and everyone around them miserable. I decided a while ago that I was not going to be that person, nor was I going to be around people who are constantly negative. 

So, on Saturday afternoon instead of watching my football team lose a game, I set up a facebook group for us older women. It's open to anyone of a 'certain age'. I have 20 members so far and I hope it grows. I want us women to be there for each other, to support each other

My blog is so dear to my heart. I have made so many wonderful friends here and sure want to keep them close to me forever. I won't give that up but, I just wanted to do something a little different as well as keeping my blog going.  This woman must have tooooo much time on her hands. haha

If you are interested in joining, go to facebook and look us up. We'd love to have you. 

Who Likes Fruitcake?

 Just before Thanksgiving I received a package delivered to my front door. 

                      It was a fruit cake I had ordered. 

I had made fruitcake over the years, I'd bought the Claxton slices in the grocery store, I'd ordered them from online but they just weren't all that good.

However.... what's Christmas without fruitcake, right?

I saw an advertisement for this fruitcake and decided to try it. It's made by the monks at Assumption Abbey in Missouri. I was not disappointed at all. That cake is  GONE. I've ordered another one. 

Let me tell you a little about the monks who make these cakes. Monks ordinarily make their living by farming or having a dairy. But, the monks in Missouri are on poor land and they had to find some other way to get some cash flow. Ta Da.... they'd make fruitcakes.

A famous chef helped them get started and the monks have been doing this for years now. They just bake, bake, bake... the cakes are injected with rum and let set to 'ripen'. Not anything like any fruitcake I've been had. 

Just thought I'd share that little tidbit with you... just in case you like fruitcake!

Stuffed with Blessings

 I hope you all survived the Thanksgiving feast and are now rested and still stuffed. We had a fabulous day surrounded by family and you can't ask for anything more. 

To top it all off, we went today (2 days after the big meal) to a seafood restaurant and pigged out again! Looks like we'd learn. hehe. 

And, of course, this is big Football time for all us college football fans. Sorry to see Texas A&M lose. Was thrilled that the Navy midshipmen won. They have a great team this year. And, tonight we watch the Iron Bowl (Alabama and Auburn) slug it out on the field. Half my family roots for Alabama, the other half for Auburn. Makes for interesting dynamics around here! This will be one game I WILL NOT MISS! 

I certainly hope that all of you that celebrate Thanksgiving had a wonderful one. For those of you in other areas of the world, I hope you were blessed, too. We all have so much to be thankful for. 

Thanksgiving Week Festivities

 

                            Let the thanks begin!!

Son Michael arrived last night from Alabama to spend Thanksgiving week with me (and other family members). 

Of course, his little Sadie came along, too. She was so happy to see me as I was her. 

Tomorrow we will celebrate a large gathering of residents and others here at the Commons at our Friendsgiving feast. That will be lot of fun and tons of good food. 

On Thursday (Turkey Day) we go to my granddaughters where the family will stuff themselves once again. Gee, I wonder what the scales are gonna read when we all go to weigh ourselves come Friday morning!! 

I am so thankful for family, friends, food and being blessed beyond measure.