On to June…

Well, May just flew by! Didn’t it?

I can’t believe how quickly the passage of time can go sometimes. Although, when I look back on this month we had some pretty important milestone events, some sad and happy times, and some transititioning.

Within the month we mourned the loss of Stan’s sister Linda, who went downhill quickly as her body succumbed to pancreatic cancer. We celebrated her life with family and friends together. Linda was the oldest sibling, and the first of ‘our generation’ to leave us. That’s a bit daunting. She had a tough life in many ways but she combatted it with so much love for her family, and in finding a way through it all with humor.

At the same time, the same weekend of saying goodbye to Linda, I also said hello to a group of lady-friends whom I have known since college days. They came down to the beach for a weekend gathering. Some of these ladies actually know each other from all the way back to elementary school, and they have kept a connection for 40 some years. It’s pretty impressive! I met this lovely group when I got to know my bestie Sue in college, and she and I became apartment mates in our ‘early 20’s years.’ Through Sue the girls included me on lots of get-togethers. I have felt lucky to follow along with them on their life journeys, all a little different but good.

Another transition, a happy one, was seeing my grandsons (the twins) graduate from preschool. Back in my day we didn’t even have preschool, let alone make a big deal of ‘moving up’ – but it’s kind of nice to celebrate the progressions and growth along the way. It was a sweet graduation with the children singing a few songs in front of the parents, siblings, and grandparents in attendance. Each one got a certificate of completion, rolled up like a diploma. Of course this experience was all brand new for them. It was the first time (of many to come) of standing up in front of people as a group performing, etc. I look forward to many more of these days – of school concerts and sports events, more special events and graduations. The boys start kindergarten at the end of July because they live in a county with a year round school program, which has the vacation weeks spread out. I will have to learn when they will have some breaks.

May also always brings hubby & my wedding anniversary. This one: 39 years! Again, time goes by so quickly, doesn’t it?? ! But, thankfully, I still have a pretty good memory and I can recount, and re-live, many of our experiences together through the years. We knew of each other before dating, but once we started dating we got engaged and married quickly. In fact, we got engaged at the beginning of November ’83 and married in May ’84. Putting a wedding together these days seems to take a whole lot longer. In the Fall of that year hubby took a new job that took us across the country to northern California. Out to rodeo country. Hot, dry valley heat. Brown hills (they were not ‘golden’.) Both our daughters were born out there. West Coast girls. We enjoyed living out there but we were also very happy to head back east (which felt more like home) and we first lived in the Atlanta area. Job changes kept us moving – up to Frederick, Maryland – and then to Sparta, New Jersey. We lived there, in northern NJ, for 12 years, enough years for our daughters to stay in one town and one school system the whole way through. That was a blessing for them. More of a challenge for me. Oh the cold and snow!! Oh the jughandles that confused me when I drove! I don’t now why but I felt on ‘survival mode’ there a lot. I didn’t feel comfortable, but when 9/11 happened so close to us I was ready to haul my ‘you know what’ out of there! South Carolina has been home since then and it’s hard to believe we have been here 18 years. I think we are finally ‘put’ and don’t plan on anymore moves. I once counted and we have lived in 10 homes over the 39 years. 6 states.

May finished with Memorial Day weekend which was a washout here in South Carolina. Rain, rain, rain. Cool temperatures. It was not normal, but then again, aren’t we learning that nothing is normal anymore? I felt bad for so many who came on vacations here, who rented ocean condos, who wanted to enjoy the beautiful beaches. It wasn’t happening. And, I felt bad for the locals who cater to them. Hopefully restaurants and the bars were not affected. May is a month with two different biker weeks here – and one week was very nice. This past one was not.

So – on to June!

It will probably fly by too. Summer months do.

We have the CMA Festival in Nashville in just one week! It’s the 50th year and I am hoping for some surprises. But regardless, here I come!! It’s also the birth month for our daughters.

One last thing: this weekend is “Wear Orange” to end gun violence. All around the country there will be events and gatherings and this is an opportunity for YOU to let your voice be heard. Wear orange. Attend a peaceful demonstration. Just google it and find one near you. Here in Myrtle Beach there are three events. One also in Awedaw. I plan to attend the one at 600 Mr. Joe White Blvd. Sunday at 3:00pm. Want to join me? There will be safety and health information, live music, children’s activities, food and treats, and more.

June is summer in full swing. Long daylight hours. Enjoying warm evenings. A change of pace.