Lynda Grace An Hour Away

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

His Stories Should Always Have Happy Endings

Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Ross and Rico are out for their daily walk. It’s 7:39.

It’s gray and overcast this morning.

Again a little warmer than the day before. We’re getting there, to summer I mean. I don’t think we are going to have a spring.

It’s supposed to rain today. Well, a 60% chance according to the Rain Alert I received from the Weather Channel yesterday. Yes, I signed up for rain alerts. The WC is considerate enough to send these alerts to me a day in advance, in case, you know, I have something outdoorsy planned for the next day.

I love the warning at the bottom of the alert about venturing out in your car.

I am sitting here in bed with my laptop. There’s quite a racket going on outside my bedroom window. Three guys cutting our little one by one patch of green. Such powerful blades to mow down a few blades.

I am trying to decide what my day is going to be like today.

It’s been exactly three weeks today since I had my gallbladder removed. I’m kind of upset because I have been having episodes of pain ever since I had my surgery. I am going to assume that this is just the normal process of healing. Actually, I am hoping that I don’t ever have to see another doctor ever again. So, I am putting off calling.

Time to get up out of bed and start my day. Be back later.

Well, “The WC” was right, it rained all day, so I never left the house.

One of the things I look forward to is my daily phone call from Jimmy. He always has a story or two to tell me. Sometimes these stories are about his antics from when he was a teenager or in his early 20’s. He was a soldier for four years and there are stories from that time in his life. I have to say that for some of these tales, I am quite happy that he waited until now to tell me about them.

Today, he started off by asking me which I wanted to hear first, the Bambi story, the story of the fox in the chicken coop, (or maybe it wasn’t a fox but a coyote, he wasn’t really quite sure), the red white and blue fireworks, or the party he crashed, the one with the famous rapper, five hundred people and a police raid.

My immediate response was, “Do they all have happy endings?”

I’m his mother. He is having a rough time right now. I will always listen. And I always want his stories to have happy endings.

I am trying to convince him to be a guest writer on my blog. Whether he believes it or not, he has a lot to say.

Monday, May 27, 2013

The Quietness of Life

Monday, May 27 2013
Memorial Day

It’s 7:33. The boys are still sleeping.

It’s going to be another gorgeous day.

Still a little on the chilly side yet, but no wind today. A beauty for sure.

Even though it’s a holiday I’m going to do my Monday thing. Monday is the only day that I actually have a routine. I don’t like routines. But, every Monday I change the bedding and water the plants. It’s the easiest way to keep track of the last time I did those tasks. Yep, that’s my Monday thing. Pretty boring even for a routine.

I’m pretty sure that Ross doesn’t know about this routine, right Ross? I don’t make a big deal of it, but I am kind of obsessive about it.

I don’t know what we will do today for the rest of the day. Stay tuned.

Beds changed plants watered. Time for Lunch.

Beautiful day means lunch on the water at the Shrimp Box

This is what is making me smile.

About 6 months after Joe passed away, my counselor recommended an organization to me called “The Compassionate Friends”.

The following statement was taken from their website:

"The mission of The Compassionate Friends: When a child dies, at any age, the family suffers intense pain and may feel hopeless and isolated. The Compassionate Friends provides highly personal comfort, hope, and support to every family experiencing the death of a son or a daughter, a brother or a sister, or a grandchild, and helps others better assist the grieving family.”

In Winding River Park in Toms River New Jersey, a lovely Children’s Memorial Garden was created to commemorate children, taken too soon from this world. This was organized by the Ocean County chapter of The Compassionate Friends.

That’s where we went after lunch. It is one of the most tranquil and special places I know. The pathways throughout the garden are paved with bricks which are engraved with the names of children who have passed away. We ordered our brick in memory of Joe last November. We have been waiting anxiously for his to be set in one of the pathways. On our visit today we were happy to see that Joe's brick has been installed.

As soon as I enter this garden I am filled with a sense of peace. Just like my Joe, this sanctuary is filled with the quietness of life.

Domani’s father and his great-grandfather rest near each other. Anne took Domani to visit my father’s grave today. She sent me this picture.

And that’s how we spent Memorial Day 2013.

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Don Inverno Is On The Run

Sunday, May 26, 2012
The day before Memorial Day

I am a restless, never sleep through the night, person.
This may have something to do with the two men with whom I share my sleeping space.
In order to protect their individual identity, I’ll just say that one of them is a thrasher-puncher-grabber-yeller in his sleep, the other is a 12 pound furry ball of white who thinks it is his job to keep me warm by laying on top of me and/or to also protect me from the thrasher-puncher-grabber-yeller.
Typically, my biological alarm clock goes off at 5:00 a.m., which it did this morning.
I let the one guy out to water the lawn. The other one is still sleeping.

It is brilliantly blue and sunny.

But it is cold.

Good thing I have a mug of hot tea, my furry white blanket and a roaring fire to keep me warm. Obviously Mr. Winter, AKA the Godfather of all Seasons, has decided to put a hit out on Spring and is holding Summer hostage.

Off to have breakfast Al Fresco, at the Sandbox Cafe. Bringing my camera.