Happy Anniversary Baby...Got you on my mind

Just thought I would throw this picture in. JoEllen sent it to me, 1976

Those are the words of Little River Band, but it is appropriate today, cause it's our anniversary. Thirty two years to be exact. And it's sort of scary to me to think that we have been together that many years. Not counting our middle school boyfriend girlfriend going out years. Then on and off high school dating years. And those few months in college that we just saw other people. We made it through.
When I say this is our song, I have many different songs that have become ours for whatever reason. Just thought I'd share some of them.

Misty: by Johnny Mathis.This really did not initially pertain to us. Rob had to learn this song before his Dad would pay for guitar lessons. He did and the rest is history. Rob told me the story, so every time we were at a wedding or New Year's eve party we would dance to this song. It was a way to get him to dance, he HAD to , it was his song. So then it became our song. The words are very sweet, and I love it.

Something : by the Beatles. AHHH the White Album, Classic love song.The Beatles always seemed to come out with an Album at Christmas time. I am sure Rob somehow let me know how much he liked me through this song. Very romantic. Well as romantic as it could be with two little brothers running around being silly, and wanting Rob to go get pizza . Also Rob never came to the house without his trusty buddies, either John Richley or Ron LoVaglio. Not much time for sweet talking.

The Rain the Park and Other Things : by the Cowsill's Oh yes....this is one. Our first kiss was Mill Creek Park by the silver bridge. We actually have a painting of that very same silver bridge. It was always raining when we kissed that first year. Why do I remember that? I don't know, but it's true. Hence the song. It really is sort of obscure, so I am sure many of you haven't heard of it. It sort of sounds like a Beach Boy's song or the Partridge Family or Mama"s and Papa's. Very sixties!

Glass Harp: Anything glass harp cause that was so Rob, and I think we listened to to the Glass Harp album all through high school nonstop. He even took me to some concerts in early marriage years. And a trip to Y-town when Robby was in college to see a reunion gig. Very good memories.


Stairway To Heaven : by Led Zeppelin Rob was always a big Zeppelin fan. While I was into Soul and Motown music he was rocking. So I never payed attention to much of Zeppelin until Stairway to Heaven. Which Rob thought was his guide to life. "There are two paths you can go by"....Hello, it was our destiny to be together. "But you can always change the road you're on." This helped us make many life decisions, like getting married, changing jobs,moving,and having children. While I spent my summer of 1973 in California, his letters to me always had a Led Zeppelin line intertwined throughout.

Play That Funky Music White Boy: by Wild Cherry. This song was played by the band at our wedding in 1976. Is was their best song. They played it more than once I am sure. The crowd loved it. Every time this song gets played I think of our wedding. Even weeks after our wedding my cousin from Cleveland called to say she thought of us when she heard it on the radio. That was a very random call.. I can not believe she got my number. It just was one of those those memories that stuck. It was fun to bump to, too. Good times.

Thank you : Led Zeppelin. The first time I heard Rob play this , it was in my Mom's kitchen on Burma Dr. I am sure it was a night that we were all singing and playing guitar with Griff, John and Jerry. Probly a holiday. I think we were married, but before children. Rob played and Jerry knew the words. It was awesome. My Mom was blown away and so was I. She couldn't get over how well Rob played and she said that it was a beautiful love song. Which it totally is.

In closing I would like to share a quote that sums up my thoughts on the road that Rob and I have shared over these 32 plus years. Unfortunately I do not know who to give the credit to.

He couldn't remember how to tune his guitar

And I couldn't remember the words

But he played and I sang and we decided

We liked the music we made.

Good Lord,It's Golf !

Well tomorrow is my last day of summer golf league. I have accomplished some goals.
I have shown up more consistently than last year -B
I have improved my game- D+
I have met some new people -C+
Most improved player =maybe
I even came in second with my partner two weeks ago. Our names were in the paper and everything. I even got a chip in during that round. I will be honest with you though, only four of us showed up that day. So from the start we knew we'd be in second place. It was all worth it though cause a lady from the league saw me out and mentioned she saw my name in the paper, plus a chip in!!!!! The only real thing that happened there was the chip in and that was sweet.That all looks good on paper and if I were doing a self evaluation for someone else that would be my story and I would stick with it.

I did have a really good time with one of the older ladies, and she was very sweet and I think we ended up friends. Our games were about the same, but I am sure back in the day she was a pretty good golfer. In the league I belong to it is very much more social than anything.

Last week it was choose your partner and I was with this girl who was a school teacher and had four kids. I thought it would be fun. She was very precise about her score-first red flag. And she counted all of her balls before starting-kinda red flag. I guess I am not so worried about losing balls, I have a ton that Rob has found on the golf course when he walked Sidney a couple years back.

Well I was playing typical Jillsy golf, one decent shot the next 4 whiffs, finally a shot. I ended up saying the F word, no not THE-F word. I said, freaking. Is that bad? She snapped her head around. First clue, Jill. Then we got to the hole with the water hazard. I switch up balls. That 's so I won't lose my pretty lady flights. Well I made it across the pond, it hit the other side and slid into the water. SHIT! Came flying out of my mouth. She looks at me and says, I know God will let me make it across this water. (Oh,oh.) God will not let me down. God is not going to let it rain today, and I pray I get my ball across. Yikes, Miss Potty mouth Jillsy needed to shut her yapper .
We proceeded to the other holes. I understand now why she counted her balls. She lost three off the T's. She spent more time looking for balls than I did whiffing. I wanted to tell her she needed to pray to St. Anthony to find her freaking balls. That's who us sinners pray to for our selfish lowly needs when we loose something.

The next twosome was on our heels, because Miss Church anal woman was looking for so many of her precious balls. I mentioned that we needed to probably step it up a bit. She looked at me , and said none of us are here to be in a hurry. We are all here for relaxation and to enjoy the Lord's day.The last time I looked the Lord's Day was Sunday and this is just hump day Wednesday. Well that's fine , but the twosome behind us were chomping at the bit and I hope they were praying for patience, cause I sure as hell was.

Then Miss Church lady decided if her first ball off the T was not good enough, she was hitting another. Okay lady even in the Jillsy rule book I do not do that. Then she would decide which ball she wanted to play. I have certain rules that pertain to my golf technique, and if you'd play with me you can use them too.
If the ball hits the flag it's in
If the ball goes around the lip of the hole it's in
You do not count whiffs, they are practice swings.

Anywho, we finally finished up, and the Church lady had to separate her putts from her drives, and count up lost balls. I needed to leave. If I were a drinking woman, I would have had a a shot right then and there. Oh that's right, I am a drinking woman, but it was only 10:30 in the morning and I wasn't at the OBX.
After she counted up all her specific scores, she went back out on the course to find her lost balls. Okay, is this relaxing? I think I am pretty tolerant of golfers, since I suck so bad anyways, but give me a swearing drunken fast playing golfer any day. On the brighter side, just maybe I met someone who will pray for my golf game and give me the strength to want to go out and meet someone else who will tolerate all my bad habits and my novice golf skills. I think the person that fits that description is Rob. Thanks honey.

Oldies But Goodies

It doesn't take much these days to remind me of my parents. I work in a hospital so I see old people every day. I am reminded daily not only of when they were alive , but of what they were like when they were sick,but not really sick, I guess you would call it failing. And these old folks are really darling. One of my patients reminds me of Jessica Tandey, you know "Driving Miss Daisy". She is really beautiful. She tells me about her great-grandsons, Abe and Elijah. She is totally following the news, and whats going on the world.

I have Mr."German Guy", who gets his beers every night. What the heck? He asked me to tell the girls to get him his beer. I told him , I'd get it, if he'd share. He said there was another guy that got beer on the floor... I should check into that... I guess he didn't want to share.

I love to talk to the old guys about sports, and the old gals about their kids., and grand kids.There was a gentleman that got his hair cut short,,like a buzz, and he was so concerned his kids would freak. I asked him today, they didn't , they loved it. I Love old people,they get it.

They are so appreciative of anything you do. They can be witty, yet sarcastic. I love that. I can relate that shit.

I think I would have understood my parents much better while in my 50's rather than when I was growing up. I wish they were here.

So what does that tell me? I should be taking better care of myself, so I can enjoy my kids and their kids too. It's very hard. I just read a book , Water For Elephants which was very telling of how difficult it is to be old and not have your body do what you would want it to, and not being an independent person. I really feel for these old timers. They have so much history to share. And they are so frustrated to be in their frail bodies, not able to do the things they used to.
Just having a birthday I am reflecting on my current state of old bag reality setting in. I can't do many things that I used to. Although I was not an athlete like my kids, but I always exercised and worked out. My body aches whether I exercise or not so I may as well exercise. I worry about being forgetful. And that's on a regular basis. I prided myself on remembering events and dates, God forbid Rob bring up an old girlfriend, I know the exact time, date and who's party she was wearing her strumpet halter top! Lord knows there is a reason why women stop having babies in their fifties. I could barely keep up with Abe this past weekend, and his Mommy did all the running. I took care of him before he could walk and he was so heavy to lift! I know being 54 is a different era for me. I am so much slower, less tolerant, and more emotional. I blame Menopause for much of my symptoms. It's hell being a woman. Yet,I wouldn't have it any other way.

I look in the mirror and I do not see me. Hell, my hair changes color every week, I am surprised if Abe even knows who I am.I look at my nieces and I see them turning into young women. I look at my kids and they are now the age, I always thought Rob and I would stay forever. Guess what... we didn't. But here we are, and we get to be a part of their lives and we love it. We have a wonderful time with them, and they like to be with us.

So I've been thinking....Robby and Bri here is the kind of place I want to live.
I am thinking I will need to have stipulations on where we need to live in 20 -25 years. I do not want to live with my you, my kids. I love both of you, but forget it. I am not going that route. So I want to go to a place with our Richmond friends. I will put up with an Indiana city, but I would prefer OBX. A condo would be nice, by the ocean. You may have to consult the Burkett kids and the O'Maley kids, I'll live in Indiana if I absolutely have to. I want to be close to my friends. The place must have Happy Hour on the weekends. Even if they do not allow alcohol, give me a placebo. O'doul's will do. We must have a concert every season. I am thinking some of the older bands will still have one or two guys still living that would do a nursing home gig. You kids work out the details. Maybe we'll need to live in French Lick cause the older rock bands are coming here. So Huey Lewis in twenty years would be awesome for us. I guess we could play corn hole and testicle toss, that isn't too hard on our old bodies. In other words reenact the OBX week and I'll be happy.