Oh Aunt Cleone, can I be like you...

On January 2, 2009 Cleone Hubbard Petersen Dalley passed away. She was my great aunt. I didn't really know her until this last couple of years or so but I always knew that I loved her. She was one of those people who drew you in with the sparkle in her eye and the spring in her step. There was nothing quite like being around her. She just made ya feel good. It couldn't be helped.

I first started seeing her on a "regular" basis at the Richmond Black and White Days Parade. Turns out she was friends of the parents of one of my friends. We shared the same front yard to see the parade on. I of course knew who she was because she has that unmistakable Hubbard look about her and I had seen her at many a reunion though I hadn't really talked to her. She's feisty too, did I mention that? I had to go and say hello and she knew who I was immediately. Well I was hooked.

Shortly after David and I got married her husband Don passed away. He was her second husband and the love of her life. They got married in their 50's and all reports say they acted like teenagers in love. David and I started seeing her on and off and he got hooked too. She had such a love for life and a spitfire optimistic spirit. She raised 6 kids on her own after her first husband got back from the war. He turned into an alcoholic and though she still loved him, she had to take care of herself and the kids. She put herself through school and worked the whole time. She still loved her ex-husband till the day he died. She had kindness in her heart despite everything life had thrown at her. Kindness and spunk. I wish I could tell all the stories about her.

I love one of the stories told about her at the funeral. I think it describes her perfectly. Just this last November, her daughter Karen was taking Cleone to a family dinner. As they were driving Karen said, "Hey Mom, what do you say we pull and Thelma and Louise and just keep going." Cleone said that would be alright. They'd put their hands in the air and drive over a cliff. Well Karen got a big kick out of it and when they got with the family she told them the story. One of them asked Cleone who she wanted to be, Thelma or Louise? Cleone got an impish grin on her face and said "whichever one of them slept with Brad Pitt."

I wish I had a better picture of her. She was absolutely beautiful with her white hair.

Just another day in paradise

So, I am at home once again. Of course I can't really say once again because technically I haven't really left. I did go to the doctors office today so that I could find out that I have a touch of vertigo accompanying my recovery. What a drag huh! It's so weird cause my eyes move past things but it takes a moment for my brain to register. Trippy.

I think by the time I have fully "recovered" I will be more than happy to be back to work. I honestly never thought I would say that. What I wouldn't give to be in the office complaining about people who won't let the cord be cut. Seriously, all you parents out there, please please please make your 20-something year old children write their own papers and get their own books. Oh, and call their own professors for their syllabus. That's all I'm going to say about that... for now. It could very well be another topic of discussion on a slow day.

The end.

"Bob" is gone

Just a quick update because frankly that's all I'm up to right now.

"Bob" was taken care of and is no longer a part of my life, the little devil. Turns out my surgery was two for the price of one. The doctor found a spot of endometriosis while he was in there and got that taken care of too.

So the silver lining is that it was better to go in now and find a little bit of "extra stuff" to get taken care of than to wait another 5-6 months and find out then. See, the Lord does have a plan!

The Power of Suggestion

Oh the power of suggestion... how devilish it can be.

So, it's been awhile since I posted anything about the ol' life, so here's an update. Last week I found out that once again a wrench was thrown into the "multiply and replenish the earth" commandment for David and I. For those of you who don't know, I have a little addition to my girl parts that really needs to go away. Some call it "cyst" but I've decided to call it Bob.

Bob has been with me for about 4 months now. Being an unwanted guest I've tried a few different things to get rid of him. This last round of meds was hopeful, but alas, 'twas not to be. As it turns out Bob is just as stubborn as I am! He doesn't want to go away. So more drastic measures must be taken. This Friday I will be going in for surgery to get rid of Bob once and for all. I really hope he doesn't have any relatives that feel the need to take his place.

I found this all out last Friday. My doctor went over the procedure briefly so that I could be just as prepared as possible. It's amazing what the power of suggestion does to me. As he talked about where he would "go in" and what to expect for recovery time, I ended up walking out of the office already hurting. It was like ghost limbs in reverse. My body was remembering something that hadn't happened yet. Even now when I think about it I automatically get the feeling that the waistband on my pants is in the wrong place and squishing my stitches. I feel pale and withdrawn, half a person really. I need to lie down, or at least do things very slowly. Everyone knows that if you have to have surgery then you are sick right.!? So what business to I have walking around like a whole person! I'm not whole! I have a Bob!

Ridiculous, I know. Wish me luck.

"Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith"

I just finished Anne Lamott's "Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith"

Lamott is a Christian writer with liberal views and a great sense of humor. I found her writing thought provoking in places, hard to agree with in others, humorous, and above all honest. She is who she is, flaws and faith combined. I think we all have that part of us. Even the best of us are sometimes pretending so that we can get through the rest of the day, go home, and have a break down in the privacy of our own bathroom. (Not that that ever happens to me of course, I'm practically perfect in every way.)

Favorite quotes from the book:

"Refuse to wear uncomfortably pants, even if they make you look really thin. Promise me you'll never wear pants that bind or tug or hurt, pants that have an opinion about how much you've just eaten. The pants may be lying!"

"I still have terrible moments when I despair about my body-- time and gravity have not made various parts of it higher and firmer. But those are just moments now-- I used to have years when I believed I was more beautiful if I jiggled less, if all parts of my body stopped moving when I did. But I know two things now that I didn't at thirty: That when we get to heaven, we will discover that the appearance of our butts and our skin was 127th on the list of what mattered on this earth. And that I am not going to live forever. Knowing these has set me free."

Lamott reminds us that we are who we are and God knows it and He still loves us. Thanks Tawnya for giving me the book. I really enjoyed it.