Happy Lollipop Day!

It's National Lollipop Day!

Of course, I can't celebrate without honoring my Dum Dum  lady...

Shortly after losing my husband,  the dogs, Tony and I left my dream house, 

the house on the hill, the house I believed to be my forever castle.

Even though I was happy to be living in town where there were sidewalks and stores...

Parks and of course my friend and walking partner, Deb.

I was so sad...

One day the dogs were out in the yard and I heard them barking hysterically.

I looked out and there was this tiny woman, just a bit taller than the chain link fence,

standing there looking at the dogs, a lollipop hanging out of her mouth.

She saw me and in this gravelly voice said that she knew I was not Bill, but she wasn't sure if I was Jan or Linda.

If you didn't know, I AM the Jan, Bill and Linda were my English Mastiffs.

I was too stunned to ask how she knew and she didn't seem to think I needed to know.

From then on, I would see her (and her Dum Dum) when Deb and I were out walking.

She was always friendly, happy to see us and made sure we were okay.

She was kind of like the elf on the shelf...you never knew where she would show up,

but you knew she was around...she was tiny and cute...get the picture?

Then, during the summer, we didn't see her for a week.  Someone told me where she lived, and I left a note on her door.

The next day, I went out to find a Dum Dum on the windshield of my car.

Every day that week, and it was stinking hot, I'd find Dum Dums stuck here and there around my house. 

Later that week, we found out that she was walking a few hours earlier than usual because it was so hot, but she didn't want us to worry about her.  She called us her Dum Dum girls.

She even formed a bond with Tony...she thought he was the most handsome man in the neighborhood!

One morning, I came out to find a note, scribbled in pencil, on the back of an envelope, in my car.

It was from Darlene, a friend of Jeannie's, saying she had taken Darlene to the hospital, that they thought she had the flu.  She also gave me her phone number.

When I called, I was finally able to put the puzzle pieces together.  

Darlene (who I had never met) was the wife of our new neighbor on the hill.

When my son told her husband where I was going, Darlene told Jeannie and I instantly became one of Jeannie's MANY missions.  Her morning walks were her way of checking on all she thought needed checked on.  She was tiny in stature, but had a huge heart...

Jeannie never came home to the her apartment.  She moved on to her heavenly home.

I don't know if I ever knew her birthday,

I just celebrate her on Lollipop day.

Bill, the lap dog!

Linda Lou, duchess of House on the Hill

I wonder what the neighbors thought when I moved in with these...

For the record, that's about 440 pounds of dog.

Bill was 205

Linda was 175

Winnie was 60

Happy Thanksgiving!

From my house to yours...

 

Prayers for a peaceful day...

 

Spent with good things, be it food, people, good thoughts or all of these.

 

See you on the other side of  the holiday!

 

Love,

Jan and the Redsockmama gang!

The Shack

 

 

 

My friend, Marge, scored two tickets to the premier of the movie for last night.

 

Her husband couldn't go, so she invited me.

 

It was a 45 minute drive to the theater...

 

We got to catch up on each other's lives.

 

I was not looking forward to the movie for several reasons...

I hate sitting still that long (2 hours, 12 minutes)

I was hungry

I read the book.  Did not like it.

Last year, on one of my treks up north, I listened to the audio book.

Didn't like it, but less.

The movie was funny, sad, thought provoking and beautifully done.

 

Although there were many scriptural references,

 you don't have to be a bible scholar to find a message.

 

 

Go see it and let me know what you think!

It's Erie, dearie!

A few weeks ago, Andy, Tony and Mindy and their friends, TJ and Emily, drove to Erie, PA to ride bikes on Presque Isle, on Lake Erie.  They invited me to come along for some beach time.  Of course, I said yes!

 

I got there while they were still out bike riding, so I settled in with my trusty old

 

KINDLE! 

 

I love books, but in the"older days' , I would travel with a bag of books.  This sure is easier on my back.

 

Soon enough, the tranquility of reading on the beach was interrupted...

 

 

by this handsome guy!

 

Most families on the beach had tons of toys. 

Andy brought out on thing...a shovel!

 

In a minute, Locklan figured out he was in the midst of the world's biggest sandbox!

 

 

He quickly got to work...

 

 

 

 

 

Covering his dad in sand...

 

Andy turned the tables and covered Locklan!

 

 

 

After a dip in the unbelievably warm water...

 

He was exhausted!

 

 

 

 

The plan was to leave the beach and stop for ice cream.

It was such a beautiful day and the lines were long...

 

We all headed for home.

 

That was two weeks ago. 

 

I'm still cleaning sand out of my car!

 

Oh my!

 

 

Happy birthday, BFF

Gotta stop right here, right now, and wish a very happy birthday to my BFF, Nancy!

 

She and I have been friends since Michael, my oldest son, and Gary, her son went to Kindergarten together...about 40 years!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We've been through a lot together...

 

But now we have a stranger than strange connection...

Her daughter, Annett, is married to Mr. K's son, Rick.

 

What does that make us?

 

BFFs!

 

Nancy isn't online...in fact, she just sent her very first text a few weeks ago,

but if you see her, stop her and wish her a happy birthday!

 

Love ya, Nan!

 

 

 

 

Make New Friends

Years ago, almost too many for me to count, I was starting out my 'adult' life.  It wasn't an easy time, that's for sure; young  kids when I wasn't more than a kid myself, financial, marital, social and spiritual poverty, life seemed pretty bleak at times.

The one thing that was positive and constant was the friendship I developed with my neighbor, Linda.  For more than two years, we saw each other every day.  We shared gallons of coffee (she had a forty cup coffee pot!), pans of fried potatoes,  pots of Lima bean soup and so many games of Yahtzee that we nearly wore the dots off the dice!

Our kids were the same age, they played while we talked.  I don't ever remember disagreeing with her.  We were closer than sisters.  When her third daughter, Bobbi, was born, my ex and I were named her honorary God Parents.

I was heartbroken when they moved away.  Keeping in touch in the days of long distance rates and no money was tough.  We talked for a while, visited once or twice and then we lost touch with each other but each year, on the birthday she shared with my brother, I thought of her and wondered...

A year ago I was reading the obits and saw that her husband died  (in Florida).  His survivors listed Linda as his wife, but it also listed his daughters as LOCAL. I got online and by the end of the day, had tracked down Bobbi.  She told me her parents had divorced and the Linda listed was his next wife, not her mother.  I also found out that for the past 25+ years, they lived less than 50 miles from us.

Linda and I talked on the phone.  I think we were both afraid to see each other.  Even though we were so close at one time, that time was also such a low time in our lives, did we really want to revisit it?

Leave it to a kid...Bobbi decided we needed to get together.  Without Linda being aware of what she was doing, she took her shopping and out to eat.  After they were seated in the restaurant, Bobbi said she was going to the bathroom but came back with me!

Linda had no clue who the strange woman invading her space might be, I was the last thing she expected, but in a short time, we were catching up on the past 37 years, remembering what made us so close all those years ago, and hugging...

It was a good thing!

Thank you, Bobbi, I know your mother is proud of the woman you became. I am too!

~sigh, big happy sigh~

Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold...

Now go out and be the friend you hope to find.  
I know you will.

Love ya,
Jan

Invite your friends?

Sitting here on my bed, reading blogs and feeling smug.  Fans!  I have fans and friends I never met.  I have blogging friends who visit on a regular basis, almost as good as stopping by for a cup of coffee (remind me to tell you about my new coffee maker!)

I was feeling pretty smug as I went from blog to blog when I stopped by The Little Brown House where Sharyl was talking about winter coats.  I can dig it, or at least I could until she showed us the coat she bought herself when she got 100,000 hits on her blog in ONE MONTH!

Is that even possible?   I think that if you add the population of all the towns I've lived in, it would not be 100,000.  Seriously...

Seriously, very seriously, would I want 100,000 strangers staring at my family, seeing my son in a blond wig?   Would I mind if 100,000 strangers found out that I cannot swim? 

Nah...not 100,000.  I'd settle for half that.

 

Hey, I love you guys...all of you, so keep coming back, over and over...bring your friends!

Now since you have read all this,  I guess I need to reward you with a photo...

Now I'm going to see why the dogs are barking...

Talk to you soon!

Love,

Jan

As good as it gets...

This morning, during church, I let the tears flow.  Yes, I am blessed, but yet I am broken hearted.  Missing Mark seems to be a full time job.  My son, Andy, put his arm around me and squeezed.  We are in this together!

Shortly after church, my sister-in-law, Marsha, showed up on my door step bearing not one, but TWO boxes from Panera!  One box contained Bear Claws, the other bagels.  Yum-Oh!

Shortly after Marsha left, My friend, Deb, showed up in the driveway to wisk me away to get some hot soup and a good ol' girl talk.  Yes, my heart and soul felt warm.  Can't beat friends, can you?

Well...this evening, the kids and friends made me dinner.  Delicious, stick-to-your ribs, warm and delicious food. 

What?  I am blessed, you say?  You bet I am.  Although I have lost lots, I have been blessed that much and more...

After dinner, the kids pulled out the pumpkins they bought to carve.  We have never been a Halloween family, but carving pumpkins has been a tradition.  Well, almost a tradition...

Worry about sharp knives?  Not when Super Andy is around.  According to him, real men use power tools...

But then, Tony is very safety conscious...

Soooo, when you put together real men with power tools, pumpkins and protective head gear, what do they make?  Bowling balls, of course!

Only in our house, only my kids, only my life.

Happy Sunday!

God bless you!
Jan