ILUVTN

Well when I wrote the contribution for "rough couple of months" little did I know there was another funeral in the future.

Today is Tuesday May 15. Mom called me on Friday morning and left a msg for me to call her as soon as possible. I called and she told me that my sister in law (Alan's wife) had passed away the night before. I lost it. I was so thinking of my brother. She had been sick for about 3 years. She was a tiny person anyway but about 2 years ago she started losing weight really bad. We don't know what really happened. They didn't do an autopisy on her. Of course I am thinking of Alan, wishing that he didn't have to go through this, wanting to protect him (the big sister, little brother syndrome). Of course I know that the only thing I can do is be there for him.

It is going to tear me up to leave him today. I did tell him yesterday that if he needed me to call anytime. I am hoping to get him up north for a weekend so he can get away from everything and just chill out.

He told me that he would need me to come home to help him clean out her clothes. His father in law is already pushing him to sell the house. Mom, Dad and I have told him not to make any decisions right now, to take his time.

We will see what tomorrow and the next couple of weeks bring.

Its been a rough year so far and its not even half over. It all started in December with my grandmother being ill. She was put in the hospital a week before Christmas. Pneumonia was going around at the nursing home where she was living. She was able to go back to nursing home for Christmas and was there about a month before coming down with it again.

I received a call from my mom on Jan 19 to let me know Mudder had been put back in the hospital. She was there about a week when she passed away. Of course I had been calling at least 2 times a day to check on her. I was able to talk to her on Wednesday that morning. I was able to tell her that I loved her. She knew me too and told me she loved me too. I received a call on Thursday night. Mom said that she was not getting any better. I told her that I would be leaving Champaign on Friday morning headed home. I left Champaign about 9:30. Mom called me at 1:00 and told me that Connie and Shirley had told she needed to come. She asked me where I was. I told her that I was out side of Paducah. Of course in the background I hear Dad telling me to "SLOW DOWN". Yeah right. You don't call someone and tell them their grandmother's getting worse and not expect me to put my foot in the carburator. It took me about an hour and half to get to the hosptial where usually its a 2 hour drive. I was able to get there before she passed away.

Of course I had not taken any clothes with me. I had to make a list for Jim to bring down with him. He came down on the train on Saturday night. The visitation was on Sunday night and the funeral on Monday. It was very nice. The funeral home was packed.

I miss her. But I have no regrets. I saw her at Christmas. I saw her every time I was home. I tried not to miss a visit. I always told her that I loved her and always gave her a hug.

Hug your family, tell them you love them! You just never know if you will get another chance.

Here is the story about the couch.

Jim's mom and dad purchased this couch back in the 70's when the gold and greens were really popular. The couch costed about $600.00 back then. Well, it went into the formal living room when they were in Park Forest IL. The kids were not allowed to sit on it. In fact, Momma Sue had plastic over it. She knew exactly when the kids even got near it. She would tell them, "Don't get near the couch!".

Well when the Alvis' moved to Tennessee it didn't match anything in the living room, so it was retired to the back bedroom. So when Jim and I got married she gave it to us. (By this time the couch was 20 years old. You wouldn't know it, still look brand new). We took it up north with us.

We used it as a couch. When Jim's mom and dad came up for a visit, Jim couldn't resist saying "Look Mom! I am sitting on the couch!".

By the time we were ready to sell the house on Pin Oak Dr in Mahomet, the couch had been loved! So to send it out in style Jim decided to burn it! What else are you going to do a couch that was 30 years old and worn out?

Jim got this cake for me for my birthday. I always wonder sometimes if he knows me! Evidently he does pay attention. He knew I liked Maxine!

Jim took this for me. Its an ice cream cake. See the picture above for a close up!

This was taken at the Giggling Grouper, a restaurant where we went to dinner while we were in Gulf Shores AL. After dinner we went up to the bar and listened to Cadillac Attack (a local band). While listening to the band, we enjoyed a sinful chocolate dessert!

We had so much fun! It was girls weekend. No kids, no dogs, no husbands. We relaxed at the pool and then we relaxed at the beach. The boat races "Thunder on the Gulf" was going on that weekend. We watched the time trials. It was really cool.

I think that it needs to be an annual trip!

This picture and the one below it was taken Tuesday February 13, 2007. This is looking out over the backyard. I got up at my usual time to get ready to go to work. Well the snow had started earlier in the morning. These pictures were taken about 7:30 am. I called Jim in New York City (he was up there for a toy show for work) to let him know that I was not getting out in this to go to work. Its a good thing because by 10 am it was worse and people were getting stuck all over Central IL. They closed Hobbico at 10:30 and sent everyone home. I kept the back porch shoveled for the puppies so that they could go outside to potty. I spent most of the day in the basement working on my Stampin Up cards and other stuff.

It was very relaxing day that day. I enjoyed being home. I would have enjoyed it even more if my hubby had been with me.

Jim's mom and dad and our nephew Christopher came up in July for a visit. This is Jim and Christopher out on the Lake at Lake of the Woods park. If you look really close you can see Bumper sitting next to Jim.

This picture was taken at the birthday party for my grandmother. She turned 90 years old. The family had a party at Security Bank in Newbern, TN. The whole family was there and there families. There were cousins from the Gordon side of the family that drove up from Mississippi just for the occasion.

Instead of gifts, the daughters requested birthday cards to be sent. The goal was 90. She received over 120!

I go to log in on my blog and it is missing. So it takes me 2 weeks to find some time to figure it out! As you can see I did figure it out! I am not as dumb as I think I am.

I hope that I will like the new version. Now to find the time to keep it updated.