Adventure in New York City...

ad-ven-ture  n.  1. a risky undertaking   2.  an unusual and exciting experience

   What an adventure we had....flying into a hurricane was probably not what most people would have done, in fact, I wanted to stay home, but I am glad we went.  Life is all about the stories you make.  Here is a recap of our adventure.
   We left home at 4:00 am Friday morning, but the upside to that was that we arrived in NYC by 8:30am.  We got to our hotel by 9:30am.  It was right in the heart of Manhatten on Wall Street.  We dropped our luggage off and quickly got out to enjoy the city.  Our first stop was Ground Zero, which was very close to our Hotel.  We went to the Ground Zero Museum.  Well worth our time.  We saw a piece of one of the planes that hit the tower.  It was the window of the plane.  It just gave me chills to look at it, because I imagined the terror of the person sitting by it looking out.  Someday, I want to go back and see it completely done.  It will be a National Treasure.  After that, we headed for Times Square.  We walked alot, but did take the subway too.  When we got there, the first thing we saw was the Naked Cowgirl...didn't know there was a Naked Cowgirl...Rich enjoyed that...she was adorable.  A little ways down was the Cowboy.  I stood beside him for the picture.  He put his arm around me.  He was pretty tall, so my arm went a little lower.  All of a sudden, I realized I was cupping his butt with my hand...I told him I was so sorry and he graciously said, "well, that's alright mam".  From there we saw Rockefeller Center and where NBC studios are.  The ice skating rink is all filled with little restaurants in the summer time, so its not near as pretty as it is in the winter time.  Central Park was our next stop.  Rich thought it would be a good idea to rent bikes.  I wasn't feeling too good, kinda queazy, but I said ok.  You could rent by the hour.  I told him to just rent it for a hour, but I got overruled by him and the guy selling the bikes.  We now have our bike for 2 hrs.  Well, off we go.  Central park is such a beautiful place, but it has alot more HILLS than you think.  Maybe it was the heat and humidity that day or maybe it was because I was so sick, but I was just about ready to call 911.  My butt was kicked....big time!  Trust me an hour was plenty long enough, but we have them for two...believe me...the words, "I told you so" were mentioned more than once.  Well, somehow, I made it through and got back to the entrance to the park.  We were both so hot and tired.  We found us an AC bar.  I ordered a Michelob Ultra and I swear, I drank it all in one gulp.  We had not really been checking our phones all afternoon, so Rich got his phone out.  He saw where Denny, our best friend, had been trying to call him.  He called him back.  Denny asked where we were and Rich said Central Park.  Denny said, "Get back now...the kids are getting married NOW".  We hopped on the nearest subway and got back as soon as we could.  There were other people they were waiting on too, so we weren't the last ones to get there.  We showered and put on our good clothes and went down to the lobby of the Hotel.  The Hotel had a room that the kids used to get married.  It wasn't even close to what Lauren had planned and dreamed of, but every place they had rented was being shut down and closed by noon on Saturday.  In fact, we had to evacuate the Hotel first thing in the morning.  The wedding was beautiful, because all the people that mattered were there.  My friend Janet, the Mother of the Bride, sang a song to her daughter that night and it was beautiful.  The end result was that they were married and that is all that mattered.
   The next morning we got up and evacuated to uptown NYC by Times Square.  The Marriott had rooms for us, so we were lucky.  Now we just had to wait and see what hurricane Irene had in store for us.  Once the public transportation shuts down...NYC becomes a ghost town.  The only thing that was on the roads were the yellow cabs.  They shut down almost all the stores and restaurants.  They had to send their workers home before the subways closed or they couldn't get home.  We found a small bar/restaurant called the Pig and Whistle...they were selling Hurricanes for $6 and I think they packed more of a wallop than Irene did.  One of them and I was laughing a whole lot more.  We all went to bed that night wondering what the night and morning would hold for us.  Rich and I were up bright and early at 6:30.  We both went to the window as if it were Christmas morning, wondering what we would see.  When you are downtown New York and in a high rise, its hard to get a good perspective of the storm, but from where we were sitting....back in Indiana, we saw alot worse.  We never heard any thunder or saw any lightning.  There was no hail either...yes it rained hard at times and the wind seemed to be blowing hard at times, but nothing seemed that bad.  It had passed over NY by 9:00am and Rich and I and the Weber's decided to survey the damage.  Well, we walked to the Hudson river and all over the city, but the only thing I saw was a small branch, a broken umbrella and I stepped in a big puddle of water.  So, we survived Hurricane Irene...it was an adventure to say the least.  I can now say I have been evacuated and saw a hurricane up close and personal.  Life is all about making the most of the situation that you are in.  All of us were in the same boat.  We just put on our life vests and kept on paddling.  We got our couple married and toasted their marriage.  We ate their wedding cupcakes and shared a memorable experience with them.  They are a great couple and I know it wasn't what they had planned, but they were brave and gracious and made the most of their special moment.

   We left for home on Monday as planned...no problems at the airport.  Home seemed a little bit sweeter this time and getting back to normal sounds awfully good.

Premature...

pre-ma-ture  adj. Occurring, born, done, or existing prior to the customary, correct or assigned time, early.
   This week a premature death occurred.  A young woman of body and spirit, left this earth "prematurely".  When you are young, or as I think of people now, in their 60's, it is just too soon to be thinking about death, but this week, that reality hit home for me.  She was my age and didn't look a day over 50.  She was health conscious and loved life.  She loved God and spoke of him often.  I know she is in a good place now, but I feel sad for all of us that knew her.  We are still here, with many unanswered questions...all her questions are answered.  I am glad I had I got to know her for the short time that I did.  I hope someday, when it is my turn to get my questions answered, someone will look back on my life and say that I made a difference, that I made someone laugh or think.  That I made a difference in my family's life and that I left something behind that will be remembered always.
   I was born at a time when smoking was acceptable, even on an airplane.  Seat belts were thought of as a bother and car seats for children were our Mom's laps or the arm rest in the car.  Telephones were the only high tech thing we had and it was attached to the wall and had words as the first part of the number.  My old number was: Hyatt 8-6468.  Isn't that funny that I still remember that?  We also were on a party line with our neighbors down the road.  Parking had a whole new meaning when I was growing up.  It wasn't in a lot, but down our favorite dirt road.  Going to a gas station was a pleasant experience.  Someone came out to our car, washed our windows, filled our gas tanks, all for about $5....wow, I can't even believe that.   We had our Happy Day hangout with a jukebox and you knew everyone that came in.  In the summertime we had the Root Beer stand where I worked.  It was the social hangout for everyone and cruising around with the windows down was what everyone did.  Yes, it is true my life is over half over, but that first half was really something special and I wouldn't trade it for anything.  The second half is so much different than the first.  I have made a family and now my family is at the center of all my memories.  My mission now, is to leave behind me my footprints that they can follow and always remember.
   

A different perspective...

I remember when I was in high school, I used to think my teachers were all old.  How funny that I call those same teachers my friends now here on Facebook and they don't seem old now at all.  Age gives you a whole new perspective on things.  For a very long time, I really didn't understand this "growing old thing".  I just never thought it would happen to me, I guess I thought somehow, I would stay the same.  My reality hit at about 55.  Menopause had ravaged my body and my mind and since then I have been trying to get aquainted with the new me.  You have to learn to not fight it, but not succumb to it either.  Embracing my time here on earth and enjoying my family is my main focus now.  I have to admit my 40th class reunion this year has made the vain side of me take notice.  Believe me, I will be doing all that I can to look the best that I can, but it is what it is and that's ok. 
    There is a lady on Ellen right now who says she is 60 yrs. old and that she runs 8 miles everyday.  I don't even like to drive my car 8 miles....just way to far.  I get a kick out of people that couldn't run to the mailbox.  They always say, " well good for you".  Yeah that is like saying, "are you insane, better you than me".   I know I should exercise more, but my energy level and my aches and pains bring me to reality real quick.  I joined LA Fitness this summer, but after a few weeks of going, I realized, that it was no fun.  I usually felt worse after I did it than before.  How is that possible?  I do like to walk, but the 90 degree heat and 80% humidity put an end to that too.  All those pounds I had hoped to lose this summer just never happened.  I temporarily lost them after the colonoscopy I had, but that was short lived.  I guess I filled my colon right back up. 

    So in perspective...life is good...no matter what stage you are in...if you are happy and have people that love you.  I realize now that health is everything....you can't buy it and all your things you have can't make you well.  So take care of yourself, find acceptance in yourself and the people around you.  Sometimes that's not easy, but it makes life so much more enjoyable.

More Menopausal Thank-You Notes.....

My cup runneth over with gratitude to Menopause.  Here are a few more of my thank-yous...

1.  Thank you menopause for taking away my insatiable appetite for sex...I have more time for knitting and jig-saw puzzles now....
2.  I can't thank you enough for my feet, those bones sticking out on the side of my foot now, make my sandles look rustic.
3.  Thank you fillings in my teeth...I am finally getting pearly white teeth, one crown at a time...
4.  Also, thank-you to my colon, because of you I have to get a colonoscopy and I will probably lose 5 pounds and alot of my dignity.
5.  Thank you to my friends who are also Menopausal.  Misery loves company and it is comforting to know that I am not the only one going through this.
6.  And thank-you to my husband who has put up with the mood swings, hot flashes and forgetfulness and still loves me.

More to come as they happen.....

Before there were hand held hair dryers.....

Facebook has made alot of us, reminisce about the old days....reconnect with old friends and make new ones.  I know when we were living through our youth, we never realized just how great it was.  I grew up on a farm near Tippecanoe IN.  My summers were filled with playing outdoors and taking care of my animals.  I had lots of baby calves to love and always a litter of baby kittens to cuddle.  Right down the road on the next farm, lived the Baileys and I enjoyed playing endlessly with them.  Who wanted to stay indoors, we had NO air conditioning and cartoons were only on Saturday mornings.  My teenage years were truly like Happy Days...didn't know that then, but looking back, they sure were.  The Root Beer Stand played a big part in my life.  It was my first job and where I hooked up with India, my best friend.  I loved going to the Roy house so much.  It was a place where I always felt welcome and had so much fun.  We might not have had cell phones, computers, fancy cars, hand held hair dryers or all the other things we have now, but what we did have, was simpler times and any kind of a future we wanted.  I kinda feel sorry for the younger generation now, they will never know what it was like to have their very own hangout, where everyone, knew everybody and a quarter bought the best french fries ever and you could listen to all your favorites on the juke box.  They also never got to experience real "parking" on a dirt road listening to the Doors and The Carpenters.  I know that is a weird combination, but I liked both of them.  Our little town of Bourbon was very pro-kids back then...we had dances in the street quite regularly and dances after football and basketball games weren't just at Homecoming.  The Firestation let us have the upstairs of the Firestation as a Youth Center, where our local bands could play every weekend.  If you were bored, it wasn't because of things to do.  I remember sitting on the console of my current boyfriend's car, thank goodness, he never had to stop real quick, because I would have been on the hood.  And how cool was it to wear your boyfriend's huge class ring all wrapped in angora....These were the best of times and even though I'm not too excited to be getting older...I wouldn't want to give up my past to be young again. 

Forever and a day....

39 years ago I married a boy who became an amazing man.  We started dating in the fall of 1970.  I knew after our first date, that I was going to marry him.  The chemestry between us was instant and I felt like I was home.  Rich was so handsome and so smart, I just knew we were going to make it.  We both wanted the same things out of life.  We were both 19 yers old, but we waited to start our family for five years.  I am so glad we did that.  We grew up together, so when I found out I was pregnant with Regan, we were ready.  Rich is such a great Dad.  He was always so active in their lives.  He was their coach on their teams and helped teach them everything that he knew.  They both took after Rich when it came to their athletic ability.  I had to wait until Regan had her little girl before I got someone more like me.  No marriage is perfect, we have had our ups and downs like everyone else, but the one constant that always trumped our problems, was our love for each other and our family.
   So on this 39th Anniversary of our marriage, I want to tell Rich that I love him more today than ever before.  It might be a different kind of love, the passion isn't as intense as it used to be, but the deep love is stronger than ever.  I know I was the luckiest girl in the world when you married me and I am still the luckiest woman in the world to have a partner that has always been there for me and I know always will.
   When we first started dating I got you a little figurine of two people kissing and I wrote on the bottom of it "Forever and a day".  I still feel the same way I did way back then....I will love you forever and a day....

Family...being a part of something special

This weekend was our Montague Family Reunion....it was such a special weekend.  Not quite as many people as usual were here, but it was still a big group.  Aunt Sara was with us and she was our Mom for the day.  She is Rich's Mom's youngest sister.  Tom and Val from Colorado were here and that is always special.  I consider myself so blessed to be a part of this big, huge, wacky, wonderful family.  I am so glad that my kids can be a part of this.  I hope as all our kids get older that they will always continue this tradition.  I remember when we started this reunion.  It was held at the Plymouth Park.  We played vollleyball that day and a tradition of togetherness started.  Rich's Mom and Dad loved the reunions so much.  They were so proud of their family.  I know when they were growing up, times were hard with so many kids, but they had each other and that is all they really needed.  They created a bond with each other that will last their entire lives.  As we are getting older, I think the need to be together is getting stronger.  Our trip to Alaska was a dream come true for everyone and I hope and pray we can do something like that again.  There is a trip to Gatlinburg in the making right now for next year.  Friends will come and go in your life and most will dissappoint you, but your family will love you no matter what.  I only have one sister.  I wish so much that we were closer, but we are so different and I think she has always been a little jealous of my happiness with Richard and being a part of Rich's family.  I have eight Montague sisters and I love them so much.  I am proud to call them sisters and my friends.