Nostalgia

I found a treasure box of memory today while clearing some things out of a downstairs closet. I have not finished going through it, because I am reading the letters and notes, cards, looking at the old photos, letters from 1976 the oldest so far.. Appears I will keep more than I toss, so far keepers are birthday cards from Mom and Aunt Jinx, cards from very close late friend Roberta in CA, letters from MIL, letters from Aunt Ruth, Aunt Dorothy, this is a great indoor project. 

Apparently the box was one I tossed stuff into in our move from CA 2005 while I was very weary of packing. I can hear Jerry then telling me to just toss stuff out and I did a lot, but glad I kept some things. Hasn't been opened since we moved, shoved into the back of the closet and forgotten. Mom's comments often include, "nothing new since we spoke last week." And Jinx comments include, "your mother said you talked yesterday but she didn't tell me anything you said.  Don't tell her I said so.""  Mom and her sister lived in the same area of PA all their lives and in later years continued their on off sisterly relationship through me, each one telling me something to not tell the other.  It makes me laugh today, both are gone and I can read and hear them.  I feel sorry for people of today who either do not write nor ever receive  real letters or notes of substance.  We do have the online of email, the commemorations on  Facebook and other areas of internet, perhaps blogs, but few will ever again get pleasure that I am enjoying these many decades later from reading old letters.  Maybe no one will care, maybe they will be better off without such memory ties.  For me, it is a wonderful  inside project.  Our temperatures continue to hove in zero and below and single digits. but we do not have the abundance  of snow that bombed the east.  And tomorrow and the next few days we will warm up to the 30's  hooray.  

 Two pictures I scanned because I will send along to SIL their mom.  They often visited us.  Here in 1980, to the left,  is niece Karen  playing monopoly at our table in Newcastle, She must have been winning because she sure was happy.  Not sure if she was plotting  in the next one with her mom and sister, Christy.  

Today both nieces have families of their own.  Karen on her 2nd, lives on the island of St Kits with her husband and young son, and Christy in Denver with hubby and two sons. We are in touch easily on Facebook.  They will get a charge out of seeing these pics, blasts from the past.   Lots of miles traveled along so many old roads.  Sometimes I think that there is far more behind me than what lies ahead, that's age.  

I scanned this that I found on my computer files recently, apparently I used it in 2014 and although I am not a golfer, I liked the sentiments.  I though it worth sharing here with nostalgia.  

BACK NINE

You know ... time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years. It seems just yesterday that I was young, just married and embarking on my new life with my mate. Yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them all. I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams.

But, here it is... the “back nine” of my life and it catches me by surprise...How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth go?

I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that “I was only on the first hole” and the “back nine” was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like.

But, here it is...my friends are retired and getting gray...they move slower and I see an older person now. Some are in better and some worse shape than me...but, I see the great change...Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant...but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd become.

And so...now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did!! But, at least I know, that though I’m on the “back nine”, and I'm not sure how long it will last...and I'm still playing. Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn't done...things I should have done, but indeed, there are many things I'm happy to have done. It's all in a lifetime.

So, if you're not on the “back nine” yet...let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life please do it quickly! Don't put things off too long!! Life goes by quickly. So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether you’re on the “back nine” or not!

You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life...so, live for today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember...and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things that you have done for them in all the years past!!

"Life" is a gift to you.
The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after. LIVE IT WELL! ENJOY TODAY! Enjoy your work and its challenges. Enjoy the weather and its variations...snow, sleet, rain or sun. Welcome the opportunities that come your way, some unexpectedly and some a result of searching and effort.

Remember "It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver. LIVE HAPPY IN 2014! 

Stay well, "OLD FRIEND!" Send this on to other "Old Friends!" and let them laugh in AGREEMENT!!! It's Not What You Gather, But What You Scatter That Tells What Kind Of Life You Have Lived.""""

August 24, seven years ago

Hard to believe it has already been seven years since Mom died in 2004 on this very date.  Still harder to believe that here we are back at the old home grounds in PA.  I'll make a quick visit to the cemetery today when we go over to finish up at the house today.  She had an Alzheimer's diagnosis and died of a sudden heart attack soon after that diagnosis at  80, the baby of the  family of siblings.  I have said before that her death was a blessing as the years ahead were not going to be  good.

Well the work goes on, yesterday Jerry & I worked like doggies trimming hedges, etc. at Uncle's house so that it  is all neat and pretty outside. I love working outside, but at my leisure not task driven as we are.  I still have one small side  along the house to clear of grasses amongst the lilies.  I had trusted nephew to do this through his company of lawn and landscaping,  mistake.  Well we are done now.  A realtor from Howard Hanna, the  real estate company that we have is on  TV now touting the great  real estate market in Pittsburgh; I wonder what planet she lives on, because on the outskirts  17 miles away as we are the market is very depressed. 
 

Rumblings yesterday with the earthquake  from DC all the way up to New York.  Some claimed to feel tremors near by but we felt naught in Lower Burrell.  And I know earth quakes after living 40+ years in California.  I think that it  hit DC is a sign that our founding fathers are rolling  seriously in their graves at the state of affairs in our country today! 

Raining and windy  here at Mt Top where we park our  motor home.  Sigh, we left hedge trimmings, ivy, etc in piles yesterday to pick up today.  This rain is a day early proving as usual Mother Nature is unpredictable.  We were just too tired out after a full day working to clean up the clippings.  I did have one small sack which I took to the local city run recycle center.   That was when I stopped back into the city office to inquire about the inspector whose call I am still awaiting.  We would like to go home on Monday as we planned but we need to have their inspection done; so far there are no interested buyers but it cannot be sold  without a city inspection.  PA government and worse as it is up to local boroughs and municipalities.   I want to be ready just in case some buyer appears and I do not want to have to hold up the process.  I know this is very wishful thinking with the real estate situation here.

I find that I get remorseful at the house....I should have and I shouldn't haves  plague me.  I realize that what is done is done and yet when we need something that was there and is now gone along with all house contents, I regret my decisions. At the time I kept asking Jerry if we should save more tools, implements and he too said, "no what for.."   I did not face this predicament with aunt's home in 2009 as that  house sold fast and we were not back and forth so much.  In fact we managed that long distance with email, fax and the realtor.  Now that's nostalgia,  wanting this to go the same way.  No more whining.  No more shoulding onto myself!