Sakura

Life is too short.  Live and love every day!

Today was a day to look at myself and those around me and see what my life is really about.

I have a great sadness inside of me today.  A wonderful woman that I have come to know as a friend is going to be leaving us soon, not of her own choice.  Her name is Sakura.  She has become a friend over the past 7 years.  Not the kind of friend that I see or talk to every day, but a person who I am so happy to call friend.  When I do see her we laugh about life and how enjoying it is the most important thing. She told me today she has no regrets, she has lived her life to the fullest and has made every day count.  She and I have always agreed upon how precious life is and that we must make each day count.  That is the most important thing.  As she was looking at me today and said, Mary, you don’t know when it will change, look at me, it changed in an instant, so that is why it is so important to always love this life we have.   We chatted about her family and what she needed to do.  I said anything you need from me please let me help.   She said yes, I will let you know.  She told me I have a great heart, a big heart.  That was nice.  I told her that it is good to have but there are some days when having it has not served me too well.  She said yes it has, don’t ever think it hasn’t.   She is a wonderful woman.  It has been a privilege to get to know her.  I keep her close to my heart this night.

There is always change in our lives.  Sadness, happiness, love, hate it is all a part of this life.  Friendships, companions, loves, we have all of these things throughout our lives.  We all have unique spirits.  Finding the person who makes you feel at home in this life is a true gift.   But first we must start with ourselves and look inside to find how we are at home with our own existence, that is where love and life truly begins.  Sakura found that in herself and has shared that with many of us.

Take a look inside – what are your true feelings about your life and those around you.  What is going to make you happy.  Things can change in an instant.   Share that great joy, love and zest for life with yourself and those around you every day.  And keep Sakura and her daughters in your thoughts.

Take care of you,

M

A Little Time Away

For the past 2 days I have been in the mountains with one of my dearest friends.  We talked about many things, laughed, cried while watching a couple of movies, drank some beers and toasted with a few margaritas!!  It was beautiful in the mountains while we were there.  The first night it rained and cooled everything down.  Yesterday was a gorgeous rocky mountain high day.   We took a long lovely walk around Lake Dillon and enjoyed the surrounding beauty.  We found our way to Breckenridge and we wandered the streets and looked in galleries and even looked at a few of the posters for houses.  We were on the verge of buying one of them.  I didn’t have any checks with me – she did – and the one we wanted was only a million.   But we decided to go to lunch and sit and enjoy the sun and mountains instead.  Next time we go we may again think about purchasing one of those beautiful homes!!  Wow!!!

Get away when you can, enjoy your friends and family!!   Life is too short not too.

Life is Good!

M

My Dad

My dad, Bill Evans. A loving, caring, funny, handsome, wonderful husband, father and my dad!

Dad is in a nursing home in Kansas. He has Alzheimer’s and is slipping away from us more each day. When we saw him a week ago he didn’t recognize me. And it had only been since April that I saw him last. And then he was still calling me by name and telling me all kinds of sweet things. My sons Jim and Phill both went back to see their grandpa. I was so glad they did. I think deep down dad knew we were all there and somewhere inside he was saying hello to each of us. He still has a strong grip and we arm wrestled a little. I miss my dad.

Go and hug your mom and dad and grandpa and grandma and anyone you are close to today. Life is short, and we need to make each day count. Life can be good. It is up to each of us to make it that way for ourselves and those around us.

Love ya dad,

M

Fun in the Summertime!!

It has been quite a summer. Hope you all have had a good one. We are in those dog days of summer, good old August now. Everyone is complaining about the heat, soon it will be the cold, are we ever happy! We can strive to be happy – give it our best shot every day – if that is what you truly want. I know that is what I want.

July brought my niece Jessica out to the West. She came to the Springs on her birthday and then she and I headed for Sin City, Las Vegas, a couple of days later. We had a very good time. Drank and watched people and saw a wonderful show, KA, at the MGM Grand. It is a Cirque du Soleil show. I have a friend in the show and it was so good to see her in it. She is wonderful, the whole cast and show was amazing. We got to go backstage afterwards – and being an old theater person – I loved every second of it. Jessica thought it was fabulous.

Then we came home and we went to the mountains she had never been there before either. I think she really fell in love with the mountains. She wants to come back soon and go back up into the hills. I was so happy that she and I finally got to go on this trip. We had been talking about it for a couple of years.

So have some fun this summer. Take time for you. It really is worth it.

Have a wonderful August!

M

Family Gatherings

This past weekend, we gathered in Anselmo, Nebraska for a little family gathering.  Dave’s side of the family.  I haven’t seen some of these folks in about 20 years.  For the most part we are all still the same, even after all these years. 

It was fun catching up with everyone.  Talking about our aches and pains, children included!!    We talked about the past and laughed alot. 

Nebraska in July, thought it would be really hot and humid, but we were all pleasantly surprised.  It was beautiful the 3 days we were there.  Very peaceful! 

 Ate too much and drank a little bit of beer!!  We shot off fireworks a couple of nights.  Had the best time doing that.  Haven’t gotten to do that in many years.  We blew up stuff - it was so much fun. I have a new sport I think I will start, Roman candle bowling down main street.  We were all out in the middle of the street shooting off the roman candles so they would bounce down the street.  I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time, it was great fun!

On Sunday we went and saw the horses and even got to ride a little.  While Kathy was working with them, we had the tunes going on in the car.  Out in the middle of nowhere you can crank it up and we were all singing and enjoying the lazy summer afternoon! 

 Of course I found a cat.  What a cutie! He was a wild one, but was very loving, Dave wanted to bring him home.  Kath was feeding him cheezy puffs, so we named him Cheetoe.  It was a fun time out with the horses.

Nebraska is suprisingly green and I was amazed at how hilly it was around Anselmo.  It is in the middle of the state, very lovely! 

Get together with your family and friends this summer!!!  Life is too short, enjoy it!!!

Have a wonderful 4th of July!!!!  Be safe!!

M 

Lazy, crazy days of Summer, we can only hope!!

 Anyone for the beach!!!  Oh it is Summertime!!!

Summer is almost here, at least date wise.  We had a taste of it this weekend!!  I love the cold of winter and its beauty but there is nothing like the warm, sultry, lazy, lovely days of summer!!  We remember what they were like as kids, well the way we baby boomers remember them.  Going out after breakfast and riding our bikes and playing outside all day long and not wanting to go in when your mom called you in as the sun was setting.   Of course those days are gone, kids today are wrapped around their TV’s, computers and anything else electronic they can think of.  What a shame!!

We have friends who are building a new deck and all the friends have gathered to help raise the deck.  It has been quite a process but it is shaping up to be a great deck and it will be fun for our friends to have this lovely new addition to their home and for all of us to enjoy this summer!!   We are all baby boomers so it kind of brings us back to the days when we were outside all day long enjoying each other and the wonderful summer weather!  Those were the days, but we still are enjoying life or at least trying to, the journey is always fascinating!!

I took advantage of the warm lazy day yesterday.  I didn’t help too much with the deck,  but I enjoyed the day just lounging in the sun and chatting with folks and listening to music and playing with the ever so delightful baby Ben!!   I should have stayed home and worked around my house, but it was great to have one of those kind of mindless days of relaxing.  I know it was tedious for the guys working on the deck but the end result will be a great gathering place!!!!   

So here we are on the verge of another summer, Summer 2007, amazing!!!

So get out there and help your friends and neighbors and of the utmost importance, relax and enjoy the short lovely lazy, hazy days of Summer!!! 

Life is Good!! 

Mary 

Flickr

Here are two glorious places to be!!!  Look at these pictures!! I love to ski and be in the mountains. I will miss it for now, but at least I have some wonderful pictures to enjoy for the next few months. There are so many places in the US and the world to go to such as the Grand Canyon.  Look at this beautiful majestic wonder of the world, this is  early in the morning as dawn is breaking!! Breathtaking!!  Both places are heaven on earth!

Of course with the rising gas prices it is going to make it more difficult to get to our most favorite destinations! That is really a bad thing.  But one way we can at least see some of the beautiful sites in the world is to be on a Flickr site.  We have just recently gone on board with flickr.  It is fun to get all of your pictures up on the site and then have friends join, etc. etc. etc.  You can see pictures from all over the world.  We may have to stay a little closer to home for now but go out and enjoy the pictures of the world!!

Life is good!!

Enjoy!!

M

Family

Why are we smiling? Because we are celebrating Mother’s Day!! It is nice to have these two crazy guys together again. I am glad Phill is back in Colorado, it is great to have him close by again. Don’t the two of them look more alike now that they are older. Oh sorry about that guys, you all look older, I haven’t aged at all. Ha!! Seriously, my two boys are so handsome!!!

Family – they can drive us bonkers, but it is good when we can come together and enjoy a nice evening of dinner and conversation. In our busy, non-stop lives it is so wonderful to have an evening together, even if it is that constant bantering that these guys do. It is always fun!! Thanks guys for a lovely mom’s day!!!

Have a wonderful week! Take care of yourself and your families.

M

I’m Still Here

Long time no write! Sorry it has been so long, there were a few problems with blogger, but everything should be fine now with the new blogger.

I have not talked to you since early December. Since then many things have transpired. Phill is now in Colorado and starting a new job with a different airline, Skywest. We wish him all the best with the new job. He will have to live in Denver, but he will be close now and it is good to have him back in home territory. I just want the very best for him!

My visit to KC in December was about my dad, Bill. He is in a nursing home and has alzheimers. He seems to be doing pretty well right now. When I went back to KC in December it was because my brother was very concerned with him and his state of mind. He knew me right away and that was a good sign. We celebrated he 83rd birthday on the 4th of December. He looks good but we don’t know how much longer he will know any of us. Bill sees him at least once a week and calls. It is sad to see my once vibrant father in such a fragile state. I remember walking with him on a golf course many times and watching his enthusiasm over the game!! I wish he could have those days back but now we just have the memories. But they are good. Parents are a special thing no matter what kind of relationship you had or have with them. Mom will be gone 5 years on the 20th of April. My niece Liz is getting married on that date. We will be congratulating and wishing her and Bobby well on that day but also remembering mom – I know she will be looking upon them and wishing them many years of love and happiness.

Dad still plugs along, everyone at the home loves him. He has always been a very friendly guy and good natured. I love him and wish that he could have a more productive life, but he is still here with us for a reason and I cherish seeing him when I can. Love you dad!

I am doing well at my job I started at the end of August. I work with a group of wonderful people who are caring and have certainly taken me into the fold. Still learning alot but it is a great atmosphere to work in and I am thankful I have been given this opportunity to work at such a wonderful place.

In the past few weeks, I have learned that one of our friends has brain cancer. It is very sad because he and his wife have been through alot in the last year or so and they have only been married a year. I don’t know why this happened to him and to them, God only knows. I look at them and know that they were given to each other for a very special reason. They found a wonderful love between the two of them that so few people get to know, and I am so happy that they have been given the chance to live together in that love. They are truly blest, no matter how much longer they have together they have been lucky and that is a wonderful thing!

I have also just learned that my sister’s husband, has been diagnosed with a disease that involves the heart and lungs and they say there is not much they can do about it either. There are some doctor’s working with this particular disease and they may have some experimental drugs they can try. He is in pretty good shape right now and can continue to work and play golf. I hope they will be able to find something new for this condition so that he live many more wonderful happy years.

It has been a tough couple of months with all the sad news. But as I look at my life and my family and friends – life is good – sometimes sad – sometimes not what you really want – but good. You just have to make each day a great day.

New life has come into our midst, our friends daughter and grandson have come back to Colorado. I never thought I would say this but this little guy is a gem. I love my sons so much and I was never really that good with kids except my own, but this little guy is special, and it has been fun watching him and it will be fun to watch him grow. Another friend is having a baby girl soon and it will be fun watching her and her new little one soon too. Life can be sad but there is always new life, as in these new little ones that are gracing our presence. The circle of life, it is amazing!!!

I haven’t gotten to ski as much this year. But I hope in the next few weeks I will get quite a bit in. I did get the experience of a lifetime a few weeks ago, I skied in a blizzard. I only did one run, and that was enough, but at least I can say I did it. I have had a couple of injuries this year, but I think I am all put back together and ready to get back out there and enjoy the beauty of the mountains, it is always so breathtaking!!!

There is alot of sadness in the air, but we learn from our sadness and our joy. It is what makes our lives what they are – each unique in their own right because of our experiences. So happy or sad, it makes all of us who were are, which is good, much more exciting that way!!

So live your life, don’t let it pass you by.

Live, love, and be happy to the fullest extent!!!!

M

YOU ARE THE MAN!!!

Phill, as I told you over the weekend, You are the Man!!! Thanks for becoming employed by United Airlines!! And as your brother would say don’t (blank) this up!! But seriously, thanks, what a way to go, First Class, all the way!! It is almost a joy to fly when you can go that way. The trip to KC this past weekend was one I really wasn’t looking forward to, I will blog on that later this week, but I have to say flying the friendly skies in the good seats certainly helped my disposition. The flight over on Friday night was almost surreal! As I left DIA and climbed into the almost full moonlit sky it was like flying on the sleigh with Santa. The sky was gloriously lit with the moonlight and the earth down below was white with snow. That really does sound familiar!! And of course, free drinks all around. I started out with a little appetizer before we took off of CC on the rocks. I had a very friendly gentleman next to me, and we sipped on our cocktails and talked of KC. He is a native, as I used to be and it was a delightful fluffy conversation. Then we were zooming our way over the great state of Kansas, I had some lovely cabernet. As we floated across the sky I thought about what the weekend would bring and just took in the peaceful, calm, night sky!! I was listening to Christmas music and enjoying the solitude of the moment. I had no qualms about flying that night! The flight home on Monday night was equally delightful and the flight from KC to Denver was quiet and once again kind of surreal! The free drinks are a real plus and our attendant that evening, a very attentive male, was on the spot with snacks and that extra round whenever I wanted it. There were only 3 of us in first class that evening and he took care of us like royalty. What fun!!! Thanks again dear Phill, keep up the good work with United, we love ya!!!

M