Ohio is So Far Away

Happy Day! Packing little "happy bags" for my two nieces in Ohio, although they are much like sisters since we are all so close to the same age. My sister travels to see them later this week so I've sent southern seasoning, orange marmalade (from my very own naval orange tree at the lakehouse), along with other gifts for them to think of me in my absence. I wish I could be there when they unwrap each one because I know them, they will "ewwww & aaaahhhh" and they will give big warm hugs and beautiful smiles that we just don't see enough throughout the year. I miss them terribly and wish they were closer.

What a treat to have lunch with sister today before she leaves for Ohio. I wish I were going. I would think of packing myself in her suitcase but my legs are too long. Time is going by fast. We must make more trips to visit the girls. The four of us had so much fun last year when sister and I traveled North. The two of them have acquired that cute little northern accent while sister and I still have our nasal drawls from the south. Once when we traveled to Minnesota together, people would stop us and ask us to talk just so they could laugh at us. That's okay, I love being from the south. Sister says it's important that we keep that southern charm that enables us to eat breakfast with the governor in the mornings (which she does on occasion!) and sit on a bale of hay around a campfire at night. Not all girls know how to do that!

It's Official! I'm a Blogger!

Today I decided, in an instant, I wanted to BLOG! I had been reading my friend's blog and of her adventures as she travels all over the world and I realized, although I didn't travel much and my life was really very simple, I still felt like I had something to say about life in general.

I've spent a great deal of my life and my 34 year-career worrying about what people thought, thinking maybe I didn't quite measure up to their expectations, trying to please everyone in every way possible. It seems to be my nature. Yes, I was greeted with some raised eyebrows and scowling frowns when I took up motorcycle riding several years ago. And when I married for the third time, I listened to some grumbling and complaining about "maybe this time you'll get it right." But somehow, during the past four years, I've figured it out. It doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. I don't have to have the fancy house, the husband in the suit and tie (although he is very handsome in jeans and a Columbia shirt!), the college degree, the three and a half kids and two dogs...although I do have three dogs and NO kids! I've already succeeded in life. I went as far in my career as I could possibly go, ranking all the way up to an executive officer, a successful woman in a man's world.

Then I retired, stayed home for two years and planted flowers and pulled weeds. Even during that time, I was still trying to do what everyone expected, be every where I was asked to go.  I was growing weary of all the demands placed on my life.  It was making me crazy.  After a phone call from a dear friend, I took up my career again, but kept up the pulling weeds and planting flowers. I never knew I loved the outdoors so much until I had those two years to myself. I forgot that I loved to play the piano, loved to watch the sun set.  I had lost touch with myself.  I really think I never was in touch with who I was.  Now, I long for time to myself and can't wait to get home to put on a baggy pair of jeans and grab my gloves and start searching for a weed to pull or a plant to break off and root in the greenhouse. So there! I've started my blog and we'll see where this takes me. Happy Day!