Her Sister's Keeper

Sometimes when I look back on my life I remember being lonely. I don't remember many things from when I was really young and lived in Lansing, but spotty things here and there. I remember my house, my stark white bedroom (that's another story in itself), Colt Elementary School, the principal and the peas story, playing in the Burger Chef parking lot which resulted in a beating all the way home, the tornado from the Fortino's basement and the girlfriends ... Linda C., Diane M. and Teresa B.

What I don't remember is having a sister. I know she was there but I don't remember her being there. The only thing I remember about being little and having a sister was riding with her on the toboggan behind our Grandpa S.'s tractor on Christmas Eve. That's it. Nothing else.

I start to remember her more after we moved to Crystal in 1972. I was only 9 but she was 16. She was the pretty one with the boyfriends and I was the follower. I remember that her and my Mom didn't get along all that well but I would just sit back and watch them fight. I was always the suck up who ran to Mom every chance I got and she would run straight to Dad.

I had lots of friends from that point on and never really gave having a sister any thought. When I was 12, she got married and left home. That was just fine with me. I had a bedroom all to myself now. Looking back, I wish I had had someone in my life that was more my age. Someone to talk to and share secrets with. Someone who wanted to be around, not someone who was forced to take me to the roller rink just because Mom said so.

When Robyn had her girls, I was just the age to be the babysitter. I loved babysitting those girls. Playing house and I was the Mom. I remember being there almost all the time. When I wasn't there babysitting, I was there just hanging around. I think this is when I finally started realizing that I had a sister only she was old like a parent ... and - she could buy alcohol. WOO HOO!!!

As the years went on, we had a relationship, but not a sisterly kind of one. We played video games by the hours. Passing time trying to beat that damn Bubble Bobble monster, eating snacks, attempting to get to just one more level to save the princess from the Mario dragon. We did this several nights a week. We had so much fun but we still never really talked to each other.

I got married and had kids of my own so we kind of went our own ways. She ended up in Carson City and we were in Crystal. We saw less and less of each other unless we were at a family function. Robyn wasn't really a family function kind of girl. She preferred to stay home or in her own little corner of the world. I got divorced from my first husband and got married to my current husband. It was pretty apparent that neither Robyn or her husband cared for Warren very much. Warren is a very gruff person and tends to rub a lot of people the wrong way. You just have to know which way to take him or better yet, don't take what he says as much of anything. This has been learned over many years. The thing about him is that he loves me and that should count for something.

When Greg left Robyn, I felt really sorry for her.  She had been with this man for well over 25 years and now her kids were grown and gone, he left and she was alone. We started hanging out a little. Whenever my kids went to visit their dad or I had free time, I went and sat with Robyn and we began what I call ... a sister relationship. It was the first time I recall feeling like I really had a sister.

Fast forward to today. The last two years have been pretty rough on my family. We lost my Dad who had been sick for a very long time first. Then we lost my Mom very quickly after finding out that she had lung cancer. I really believe that the time has come when I have a real sister. I feel like I can call her anytime I need a boost or a word of encouragement. She has rallied behind me on the Weight Watcher diet we have all been on even though I sometimes falter. She is right there to give me a hand to stand back up again. She knows just how to lie enough to Mr. Grumpy when we have in fact not gone to Red Lobster but give him kudos when he gets me to walk a half a mile.

She has her faults (and I know them) and I have mine (and I'm sure she knows them) but I can honestly say that I am so happy that we finally have each other. I hope she feels the same way.

PS - Pictures stolen from Jen!

Do You Wonder ...

Why people stop so far up under a stop light?

Why the weather is so nice all of a sudden?

Why kids don't learn lessons until they get hurt?

Why you can reprimand your dog and he still licks your face?

Why people only pull up to the first open gas pump and not to the one at the end?

Why February only has 28 or 29 days?

Why the good people die and the bad people live forever?

Who thought up the Coke and Mentos experiment?

Who decided we should work five days a week?

Who thought that deep frying a ham, turkey and cheese sandwich would be good and then dunk it in raspberry jelly and it would be AMAZING?

Why some people abuse other people?

Why some people abuse animals?

Why some people are just plain abusive?

I think that's enough for you to wonder about for today. Just give it a couple of minutes and wonder.

Finally Friday

Wrap Up:

Soccer try-outs are over. Whit will stay with JV which is where she preferred to be so she will play. Lily had her one week doctor visit and has gained two ounces but doesn't know which end of the clock to sleep on. Picked out my new counter top for the cabin. Hope Warren remembers which one it is when he goes back to order it. Set the date for my foot surgery ... April 5th. No cooking for me on Easter. Whit found a car she loved (finally) and her Dad so no. Not in the budget limit. Got the papers mailed back for the final trust disbursement. Waiting on the check.

Warm Up:

Soccer scrimmages at Olivet College this weekend. We play on Sunday at 3:00, 6:00 & 7:00. Birthday present shopping. Haven't done it yet cuz we all know Whit would be snooping. Getting cake decorations to the cake lady. Calling Royal Scot to firm up all birthday party plans. Make event on Whit's FB so we can finally get some RSVP's. She says there will be a lot, but I haven't heard from one single person. I think we sent out over 25 invitations. My week should be pretty busy with all the birthday business. During my downtime, still reading that good book and working on my A to Z Challenge topics. Better work harder on that last one. It's almost here.

Here's wishing everyone a fun, happy and safe weekend. Stop back in next Monday and see what's happening.

Spring is in the Air

I just love the smell of spring. Everything seems fresh and new.

The downside of getting to spring is turning the clock ahead. Why the hell do we have to mess with Father Time? It just starts getting light on my way to work and then BAM ... dark again. I know it won't be long until the days are longer again, but I truly do not like messing with the time. You know, that first Monday when you haven't slept all night worrying that you didn't set the alarm clock right and you drag ass all day. Ugh!

 

The upside is all the rest. My window can stay open a little at night. I can open my window at work during the day. Pretty soon I will be able to open the overhead doors at work and see the outside, the leaves coming back, the deer and fawns that live next door. My flowers will start to bloom, the birds are making beautiful music and I don't even mind the mud. As long as it's not snowing or freezing, I'm loving it. For a person who lives in a land of unstability, springtime is almost like a getting a birthday gift three months early.

 So many things to look forward to. Warmer weather, soccer games, opening the pool, working on the new cabin, cleaning up the yard, eating outside, grilling (although we grill year round), taking the dogs to the park, going for walks ... I could probably go on forever. In case you couldn't tell, I'm feeling pretty good today!