Saturday, June 23, 2012

Snapshots of My Life Racing By

 

My Friday morning began with a sweet "thank you".

My last workday before holidays. Always a sweet and sad day for me, feeling possessive about my minions and not wanting them to be perfectly fine without me.

But so excited for the chance to catch my breath, get caught up on some things, endulge in doing absolutely nothing if I choose, and a hundred shades between.

I had our very first family grad to think of. Arianna's year chose a Morrocan theme for the dinner and dance decor, so I wholeheartedly signed up to be in charge of transforming " a few" cast-off pillows into something of luxurious beauty.

With the fair just behind me and a million or two piles of that left in the garage to clean up "when I have time", I began a small mountain of Morocco in a corner of my already cluttered dining room.

There'd been so many other things to think of as well. Both girls had overnights to prepare for and I admit I felt a little more sentimental letting them go in the wake of our town's very recent loss of a precious daughter, sister, wife, and friend.

We'd recently celebrated some very special family milestones.

My special niece got married, our daughters standing up as her witnesses.

My nephew became a daddy.

My mama grew a little funnier and a little more delightful on her eighty-sixth birthday.

And my papa surprised himself by turning ninety.

Ninety.

We're all a little awed.

 

I always get a little weird when there's a change in my routine. I feel a little disconcerted, and anxious.

 

So, with my last work day behind me, and me left imagining what four weeks without finding random infant cookie snatchers on my dining room table, I decided to go out and celebrate my imminent holidays in the only sensible my way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yard saling for awesome toys.

For when the kids come back.

And maybe just a teensey stack of vintage goodness for me to play with whenever I choose to.

Because I'm on holidays and I can do what I want to.

I'd have to be crazy to feel anxious with all that on my goodness in my life and on my clothesline.

Oh.

right.

I am crazy.

oh well.

8 comments:

Wendy said...

My little sister had one of those toy farm sets in the 70's and even though I was about 9 or 10 then, it was one of my favourite things to play with. When she would let me. Which actually, thinking about it, she did quite a lot because she's one of the loveliest people in the world and always has been. Oh now I'm missing her like mad. (She lives in New Zealand).

You're so blessed to still have your Dad - my Pops died 6 years ago at 67 and blimey I still miss him so much. 90 is indeed awesome. As is 86 - and I can see how much you look like your Ma. Not that you look aged, lest you want to rush to the mirror in horror.

Summer hols. Bliss.

joyce said...

wendz, ever since you said something like "have a nag over a cuppa" I've decided your one of my new BFF's. (I never limit myself to one. I like to have at least twenty or thirty)

Our family never had the little people, but I've always adored them. Having turned down a $20- farm set recently advertised, I was nearly in happy tears when I paid $15 for that entire lot!!

I feel so sad that you lost your daddy at 67. I have a strange sense of survivers guilt that I still have both parents. I don't take it for granted. AND I feel badly that with my life of mania I barely make it to their house weekly, living only a half hour away. bah.

I love it when people tell me I look like my mama. I always have, and I think she looks sweet. My mom is why I don't think wrinkles are something one whould fight. My mom has lived a full and rich life, and she is muchly loved.

Judy said...

Can I be one of your BFFs? Can I come play with the new toys? Could you teach me to speak Canadian?

joyce said...

Oh. This is awkward. Didn't I tell you that you are on the list of the first 29 bffs?

Judy said...

Oh good. I made the cut.

janice said...

I speak Canadian. Am I on your list of 29?

The John Deere tractor set brings back lots of memories. I got to play with my brother's Case tractor set when he was feeling benevolent. My sister threw it in the dugout when she was mad, but that was the ultimate insult, so she ran away from home afterwards. (My brother dove down and retrieved it, and I was sent to call my sister for supper from under the bridge - that is where we always ran away to).

Roo said...

i love it all. the toys, the camera, the grad party, the clothes line.....wonderful, happy, sweet sugaryness. love you joyce.

Brenda said...

Are those Brian's new(used)drawers on the far right? You might have to take them in a little!