Connie's Corner

Happy Easter

I was just sitting here thinking about the hundreds of family Easter dinners of the past. Holidays are sad without Jim, and my children are grown and far away. I seldom thought about how special they were when they were happening. Most likely I griped about all the work involved and wished for the time when someone would wait on me. Why do we always seem to want what is not available. Or is that just me?

I don't have to be alone tomorrow. I have two invitations to dinner but doubt that I will go to either one. It makes me sadder to go alone. I have to do something different than eating at a family gathering. It's too painful. Maybe I will ride down to Micanopy to the antique shops and indulge in some homemade ice cream...if the sun is shining. I think this rainy weather is depressing me.

I remember the last Easter in Delaware in 1978. One of Jim's sisters and her husband came from Pennsylvania to visit. She brought me a lovely potted azalea and a white ceramic basket with brilliantly colored ceramic fruit inside. Twin sisters shared an April 1st birthday with the visiting sister, and it seems like Easter was earlier that year, closer to the first of the month, so we celebrated her birthday along with dessert, ice cream and cake with blazing candles. I couldn't help but think about their mother having three children born on April Fool's Day. I wonder what she thought? And they all had red hair like their mother. I'll bet she had her hands full. 1978...so long ago.

I met a girlfriend for lunch Thursday. She's in my writing group. She was telling me about a good friend of hers who is going to Thailand to teach English. This friend is 62 and recently widowed. I've seen those advertisements on the web...'get your certificate to teach a second language overseas'. That's what she is doing...seems a little drastic. I hope she is making the right choice. It was nice to get out for lunch with someone. My friend is writing a memoir and asked me to read and make notes on several pages for her. It's interesting. She was an Air Force wife (to a pilot, now divorced) and her memoir is on that period of her life. They traveled everywhere, and she has lots of cute stories. She says she is writing for her children so they will know who she was...but she is going to give a copy to her ex, too.

I finished Heart of Palm (in my prior blog) and it was excellent, great characters and very emotional. Check it out if you can.

Happy Easter to everyone, and I hope it's sunny and warm in your part of the neighborhood .

until next time...c