Finally taking a breath here....

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-12-1998
Finally taking a breath here....
13
Thu, 03-20-2008 - 5:59pm

just finished the third of four bulletins for the week; only one more to go. Piece o' cake!


Anyway, I can finally write about the mini-vacation we took the 8th-14th. For several years we have been wanting to go down to the Phoenix area and watch Spring Training so we bought tickets at Christmastime. We left Saturday afternoon the 8th and came back just before midnight on the 14th. We saw three games with the Mariners playing the Diamondbacks and the Giants and Brewers in Peoria.  They won twice and tied once. I guess in SP, if they're still tied after 10 innings they quit, just like in T-ball! LOL!


When we weren't at the ball park, we managed to do several really cool things.


1) We went over to Surprise and visited Mare and her DH and son at their lovely new home. OK ladies, her house is wonderful! Such beautiful hardwood floors and pretty things to look at. We spent all afternoon visiting out on their patio in the shade. It was so pleasant and relaxing...just what I really needed. Nice temps, not hot and not cold....just right!


We went out to dinner at a local sports bar/restaurant and yakked more. Frank and her DH got along great and were still yakking about poker when we forced them into the cars to leave.


2) On Sunday, we went to visit Frank's bio-Mom. She had not been in his life for the most part since he was a small toddler. He was adopted and raised by his grandparents. He'd seen her over the years, but she's more like a cousin or something. Her health is not good and Frank thought this may be one of, if not the, last time he might see her. I had never met her, so I was glad we connected.


3) On Tuesday we drove around out in the desert and took photos and to see what the area was like. It was very enjoyable as it was so nice and warm, quiet, laid back. It was nice to just get out and walk around, not worrying about impending rain or getting your shoes wet!


Anyway, on the way back to town, it suddenly occurred to me that my Dad had an aunt down there someplace. When we got to a place where my cell phone had bars, I called my Mom and got her address. This lady is 95 and the last of my paternal grandmother's siblings. I hadn't seen her for about 11 or 12 years ago. Her letters to my Mom can be kind of sad and depressing, so I was a bit reluctant, also because I know she is as deaf as a doornail. But Frank said, "You know, we're here. You've got to see her. It's the right thing to do." He was right of course.


So away we went to look for Aunt Mary. She lives in a lovely resort-like retirement community. Another resident offered to show us to her room as she didn't answer her phone . When she opened the door I asked her if she knew me, and she said, "Well you look familiar." When I told her who I was she flung open the door and hugged me, then said, "Well, come in! Let me go get my hearing aids!" LOL!


We had such a good visit and I'm so glad we went. She's inspiring. She has no health problems, is sharp as a tack, and is SO pretty. Beautiful pure white hair cut in a bob. Sparkling eyes. I so want to be like her! Frank was totally taken with her.


We did go back once more to see her on our way to the airport and took her a little bouquet of roses. She was all dolled up for "dinner" . Earrings, beautiful sky-blue outfit, ironed, coiffed...she looked not a year over 70! LOL!


When we left, I turned to Frank and he was waiting. I sank into his chest and just cried my eyes out! She is all alone down there with no family. She and her DH never had children. A cousin and his DW had talked her into moving to PHX with them and then HE died and the wife went back to Illinois. So there she is. She told me that "I'm too old to move again." But I'm still working on my aunt and my Mom to visit her and try to convince her to move up by all of us.


That's the bulk of it. I have never had such a nice week! It was all the good things you could expect from a vacation! Baseball, friends, making connections! Feel so much better now. I really needed it.


Well, better get on this Easter bulletin. Everyone have a lovely weekend!


Red

Photobucket

Pages

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-28-2006
Thu, 03-27-2008 - 1:18pm
Yea I never did get golf.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-28-2006
Thu, 03-27-2008 - 1:22pm
By the way I liked the bear comics.Funny!
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Thu, 03-27-2008 - 5:19pm
I don't get it either, but it sure is good de-stress therapy for my dh, so it has to be a good thing.



Tiger

       


 


                              &n

Pages