RSVP

Invited to a wedding, of a chum of mine, I call Sista Bride, on September 18, 2010. Her planned nuptials are three hours away in Oklahoma City. Since it was out of town, I really didn't think I was invited.

Wrong.

Sista Bride looked at me as if I had lost my mind! Don't say a word. I mean, I thought her family, friends closer to OKC. would be the invited ones. I actually think I hurt Sista Bride's feelings. She asked "Why wouldn't you be invited?" After that, I realized my reasons weren't so good.

The thing is, now I can't locate the invite. Sista Bride asked me yesterday if I'd received it. Huh? When? She mailed em on Monday. My mouth dropped. She lives cross town. I don't have it. At least, I don't know where it is.

OK. I'm one of those folks who stacks mail. My mailbox is right as I enter my house. So I GET the mail. I just may not always review it as I should--especially if it looks as if I owe somebody money. However, Sista Bride described the envelope and I went looking last night.

So far, no luck. Granted it was about 10pm last night and my tired, astigmatism and nearsighted eyes had about had it for the night. So I will look again today. In broad daylight. Sista Bride says she'll give me another one. Yea. OK. Fine, but I want the one meant for ME!

RSVP, indeed!

March 13, 2006 was Monday

And on this day in 2006, it was Open Heart Surgery for Mitral Valve Repair/Replacement Eve. Yes, the last night I would ever NOT have a scar on my chest, a keloid one at that. or pop six pills a day or realize some of my hair fell out or hear my own self tick when all is quiet or have EKG and PT/INR mean more to me than just letters for Scrabble.

That Monday night I walked my last visitor, of the day, Movie Man to the hospital elevator. He had stayed past visiting hours, which was common. Tears were in his eyes. I tried to smile and told Movie Man everything would be alright. As I watched the elevator doors close on Movie Man's wet eyes it signaled it was almost here. I turned and walked alone back to my room. Even with my trust in God, I wondered if He would just let sleep tomorrow and call me Home.

Fast forward to this day in 2010. WEDDING! Not mine. Heck, I'll be 100 before THAT happens. Nope, my chum who I baked the peach pie for her bridal shower, a couple Saturdays ago, got married. It's a bet overwhelming. I've had other friends marry, yet this one...hit me hard. I'm not old enough to be her mother, will--I coulda been, if I'd been active at a real younger age. There's a 14 year age difference between us. I've told her, when she was born, her family celebrated in her birth, while my family, just a 6 days later cried at the death of my mom. So maybe one is to live while another dies. I've seen my chum grow up, from a brat, when we could not stand each other, to this intelligent, business and independent woman. She really is like my baby sister, and we started our spiritual journey about the same time, so we grew in Christ. That was good.

When I arrived at the church, after overshooting the parking garage, the groom's mom (we bonded at the bridal shower) took me up to see the bride. My chum and both started to tear up as I told her how proud and beautiful she was and then she blubbers, "You're crying, I've never seen you cry!" We both laughed. It was a nice moment, and later at the reception one of her sister's showed me the picture she took of the two of us at that moment. Nice day, nice day indeed.

Now, if you will excuse I got me some left over wedding cake to snarf down and a Lifetime movie to watch.

I am blessed.

In 1996 December 22 was Sunday

Tomorrow is trash day. I hauled the stuff to the curb. This is one of those "I wish a man was close by" moments. Oh well, to today's entry:

Back in 1996, it was Dad's job to put the trash out by the curb. He would do it too, except during these late year moments, his health began to shift. It was a month before the amputation of his left leg, just below his knee. Diabetes. Dad wasn't feeling the best either, yet still had that forever cigar in his mouth. Plus his pride and joy---nope, not me--but the dog, Mr. Bojangles, was near by. Whenever I came home, that hound and I walked a million miles around town. Yep, even at Christmas time. The picture is from that Christmas.

Took a looksee in my 1996 diary. Just to see what else happened then. Just had to smile, because I thought I was SO in love! Indeedy. In fact, it was a classmate, I had a big ol crush on during junior high and some high school. Let's call him, Chi-town. He didn't have a clue until I told him at our 20th reunion. Which by the way, had a been a few months earlier, in July of 1996. OK--I gotta smile again.

My diary says, Chi-town had spent time with friends and family this December 22, evening and I'd watched the Cowboys lose to the Redskins, alas they were all ready in the playoffs and hadn't played the starters. I digress. Then Chi-town called me when all his company had left. Did I want to get some hot chocolate and go for a ride, he asked? Our rides usually consisted of going out to one end of our hometown, park the car at the Motel 8, and talk while we watched cars zip past on the highway. WOW-we both lived in big cities, and this is what we did. Anyway, I refused Chi-town's offer just because we had a date for the next day. This date which included a trip to to Des Moines, during a blizzard, with the windchill to single digits and a trip to an indoor ice rink. Chi-town tried to teach me how to ice skate. After some 6 yr old kid kept passing me, I gave up my dream of being Olympic gold medalist, Kristi Yamaguchi. Hmm. We took in dinner, movie and drove back home. The blizzard had eased, yet cold. Bitter cold. Kinda like my family and chums experience right now.

But ya know, it didn't matter back then. I was with Chi-town. He's the only man I ever looked at bridal magazines for. Told you, I thought was SO in love. And I was home. Right where I wanted to be.

Well, whatta ya know! Turns out I have a picture of me and Chi-town ,from the top of the Sears Tower, between pages of this 1996 diary. We look jovial. Gotta smile again. And I know you're wondering: what happened?

Well, that's another post.