Thursday, April 16, 2009

Mini-vacation

Today is the last day of my mini-vacation. The kids have been with their father since last Friday and come home tonight. I wonder if they missed me.

I've missed them but didn't miss the responsibility of caring for anyone but myself. I could linger over coffee in the morning instead of going on the daily hunt for Mell's socks. I did't have to break up a single tiff and I could pick up one slice of pizza for dinner instead of cooking for three after working 8+ hours. I did miss them though.

Bob and I spent Friday through Monday together and had a great time. We met at a Marriot in Rocky Hill, CT on Friday and celebrated my birthday by going to dinner at a neat little brewpub in Hartford. Great food! Bob got me a pair of pearl earrings and an iPod for my birthday. I am now not the last person on the face of the earth with an iPod! I bought him a massage from a place in North Andover. He's never had a professional massage before and desperately needs it.

We had our regiment's annual meeting on Saturday at John Koopman's house and his wife surprised us with a birthday cake. She's such a thoughtful person considering we're the ones who steal her husband away to play George Washington all summer.

After the meeting, we went to my cousin's house in Long Island for my aunt and uncle's 40th wedding anniversary party. It was a surprise party and I think I was the biggest surprise since they haven't seen me in five years. We had a blast and stayed up until 2:00 in the morning. Bob really hit it off with my family as I knew he would.

The next day was spent in recovery. We sat around all day talking and eating party leftovers. The sun had finally come out and we got to appreciate the view of Long Island Sound right outside my cousin's back window. I would love to live on the water like that. There is something so peaceful about the sound and motion.

We left around 4:00 and went straight to another Marriot in Stamford, CT. After an hour long nap, we walked across the street for a steak dinner. The rest of the night was spent relaxing and watching tv.

Bob has had a brutal schedule lately and really needed this break. We both tend to overschedule ourselves. We need to learn to schedule downtime.

Friday, April 3, 2009

The shooting in Binghamton

Today 14 people lost their lives in a shooting at the American Civic Association in Binghamton. This is a place I know well having been there for various social events. It's also around the corner from the high school from which I graduated.

We first heard the news this morning in the form of a fax from Broome County Emergency Services. No call to action was required but it did keep us glued to our computers for the day to keep up with the latest updates.

In an effort to not upset our residents, we kept the tv and radio off. While most of them knew about the shooting, there was no need to have it be a constant presence during the day.

I found out tonight that I know someone who died. She was the mother of my best friend in 5th grade, Georgia King and I ate lunch at their house every school day. During that year, she was pregnant with their last (and 7th?) child and I remember her wearing her jeans unbuttoned at the waist to allow for her expanding belly. It's so hard to think about that woman in 1975, so full of life to have met her end in this horrible way.

I spoke to her recently after a presentation I gave to her social club three years ago. She hadn't changed a bit except she seemed a lot less stressed and appeared to really be enjoying life.

I don't know what her role was at the Civic Association but I wouldn't be surprised if she was a volunteer. This was a woman who wouldn't let retirement stop her from being productive.

I won't soon forget this day. The shock of seeing Binghamton's name on the front page of CNN.com and hearing it on national news programs, the heartache I feel for Georgia and her family and the rest of the families who are grieving tonight. Most of all, I won't forget that once again I am reminded that life is short and unpredictable and to not waste it.