Aunt Francis

My Aunt Francis died Friday night. Actually she is my great-aunt, my grandfather’s sister. Her husband, my Uncle Hank, died a few years ago. Francis and Hank had a place across the lake from my grandfather, so when we would visit we usually got to see them too. Aunt Francis taught me to get water from a well with sheer hand power, she taught me to pop popcorn over an open fire (who knew you could fix it without a microwave?), oh and she introduced me to dipping apples in caramel. Aunt Francis survived the Depression and like most children of that era, it marked her life. She would collect the crayons discarded at the end of the school year, package them up and send them off to missionaries in a developing country.

In their last few years Aunt Francis and Uncle Hank had gotten weak and frail but I shall always remember them from my childhood. Uncle Hank paddling a canoe and Aunt Francis taking us on nature walks. One of the things I am sure of is their reunion must have been sweet, not with each other but with their Maker. When Aunt Francis got sick this last time it is rumored she told her daughter, “I hope this is the end.” She had tired of the trials of this life, she was lonely for Hank and she had lived a good life. She was ready to go home with the complete assurance of where she would be when next her eyes opened. She had felt the joy of living and looked forward to the joy in dying.

I probably won’t make it to her funeral, she lived halfway across the country. But to my cousins, I am so sorry for your loss. To my Aunt Francis, rest well, I will miss you, remember you fondly and rejoice that you are in a better place.

Karen has invited you to be a friend..

"I'm looking for someone whose baggage goes with mine."

Okay, I have done it, I have gone and joined facebook. Last summer my little brothers suggested I should, that it's a great social network. Well considering my social life consists of baseball practices and purse parties, what more can you ask for? (Yes, that is sarcasm.) Then a few days ago a friend from high school mentioned she had created a facebook page, so I decided to start my own. In the last 4 days 9 friends have accepted my invitation (some I'm not even sure how I invited :), honestly that makes me feel loved.

Here is my dilema. When it asked my romantic status, I didn't have it in me to mark single. I went with "it's complicated." It's so weird to think of myself as single, despite my post earlier to that effect. A friend has suggested I make a deal with myself to say yes to anyone who asked me out the first year. Sorry I have already broken that, causing one guy to say "you are just as big a tease now as you were in high school." Awww, really, you think so? Thank you.

The truth is I don't think I'm ready to date. Don't get me wrong, I am having a great time learning to flirt again. But to say, yes I will go out with you, even now it scares the crap out of me. I mean honestly, I haven't dated since college, over 13 years ago and back then I didn't kiss on the first date. Dating as a 30 year old single mother will be a whole other experience than as a carefree college girl. My divorce has been final now for 5 months and my marriage has been over for 2 years. It's time, I know.

So that's it, I'm going to go mark single right now.... Well, maybe tomorrow.... Or next week? I'm a busy girl but I'll get to it, seriously.

Take me out to the ballgame...

I love baseball. I am a fan of the game of baseball. I love the Red Sox. Now I am not the kind of fan that have the roster and every stat memorized. I cannot carry on a intelligent conversation about the heavy hitters in the MLB, although sometimes I fake it. But I love the game.

What I love even more is the game my son plays. This year he is in the Majors (11 & 12 year olds). This is his 5th year playing baseball, and when we started the games were hard to watch. Every kid had to bat, nobody kept score, etc. In AAA (9 & 10 year olds) the games were fun to watch, Chandler knew the game, the pitchers threw consistantly and they made outs. This year he has a coach he has had twice before and this coach is good for Chandler. Coach Kent rides Chandler, but encourages him too. He yells... productively. Some mothers cringe at their child having Coach Kent, I love him. Because in the end I know he yells because he cares, he wants Chandler to improve, and his coaching style works for Chandler's personality.

Oh yeah, this is the first year Grace and Lee are playing softball. Grace is in the Darlings league and Lee is in the Sweeties league. I don't have much to go on because they have each only had a couple of practices, so I'll let you know how it goes.

So if you are ever in town, stop by the ball fields. On any given night there will be at least half a dozen games going. And there is a pretty good chance I'll be at one of the fields. Play ball, seriously.

Turning a corner

Last night something happened, something that hadn’t happened in a very long time. I really felt single. And something else weird happened to. I found myself attracted to a man other than Mr. Wrong. Now this is monumental because I’ve been with Mr. Wrong for 12 years. I’m not trying to say in all those years I never found someone else attractive but I was never attracted to them.

Several weeks ago I went thru the Wendy's drive thru. I pulled up to the window to get my food and the manager handed it out to me and said “You look familiar, do I know you from somewhere?” Like an idiot I said, “I don’t think so, are you from (my hometown)?” He wasn’t but we talked a few more minutes and I pulled away. It didn’t occur to me until later that was a line, he was flirting with me. I am pretty out of practice and very flattered. Although a Wendy’s manager probably goes on my list of things I won’t settle for in a man.

In my quest to make sure I never settle for another Mr. Wrong I am working on a list of qualities my Mr. Right must possess. Any suggestions? Wow, I’m single again, seriously.