“Remembered”

In 1993 I was an exchange student to Costa Rica. During those weeks I learned a lot; about Latin America, about The United States, and about myself. Before I even boarded the plane to CR, I was already a changed person. That change occurred in our briefing in DC, we went on a few “field trips” (they called them life missions) and each of them was amazing but for me none was moving and changing than the Vietnam Memorial Wall. I remember so well walking from the hustle and bustle of Washington into the area and a coolness came over me – I think it came from the silence, there were thousands of people there and yes I could hear my feet stepping lightly down, I could hear the breath expelling from me, I could hear the sadness. I looked at that wall, I saw the names, I saw my own reflection. I saw people I was with find their loved ones names and take a rubbing – all they had left of them was a piece of paper and a name, it just wasn’t enough. I left that memorial a different person than the one who went in, before I didn’t understand how many people had died for my freedom and after that I had a closer grasp on it. Of everything I experienced on this trip this is one thing I will always remember

Fast forward 15 years and Wilmington was hosting the Moving Wall and I debated if I was going to go, I had my memories and what if it disrespected them? What if it didn’t honor those who were now “my guys”? What if I had changed again and it just didn’t move me?

Well this is the weekend, September 18 – 22 the Wall will be on the common. This morning I got up early and did my workout and set off to the see the exhibit, it was amazing! It was just right… I parked a bit away and walked up and realized that my idea of going early so nobody would be there had a flaw, the high school is attached to the common and the students were there in force. At first sight I was so disappointed that I wasn’t going to get the wall to myself and then I realized something. The sound, well there wasn’t any. The students were silent as the looked at the wall, there was no games, no laughter, no sideline conversations, no cell phones, nothing – and on many of those faces I saw it happening (no it wasn’t happening in DC but in Wilmington) they were changing, their lives were changing right there. For them September 19, 2008 is a day that they will never forget…

Across the street in the 4th of July Building there is a small exhibit of art and photos by Vietnam Vets. Photos taken while they were there and paintings of their memories – it amazes me the light and happiness these paintings express – this is not doom and gloom, dire and death, THIS is life after hell – a life fought for is a life worth living.


The the photo and art exhibit their were a # of photos of the Vietnamese and all of them taken in a good light not at all in a "we want to kill you" attitude

This poem is amazing I am not sure if you can read it - but I wish it said who the author was

This is a photo of a Buddhist cemetary

The layout of all the artwork - it was amazing

Friends - and so much more

"Changed"

I have almost this exact photo of me from 1993

The view

The beginning

A reminder of respect

How long it stretches

So beautifully done

The shirt of a local lost - sad

Those aren't just names, they are people who died for what their government told them to fight for. Whether you believe in Vietnam or wars in general you have to be moved by these people who did what they were ordered to do to the best of their abilities!

What a backdrop

Nope - not going there

So Jim and I have talked forever that the worst thing would be for Mom, Needles, and Tiki to die the same year. We called it the “trifecta” of Hell. Well that hasn’t happened yet BUT Tiki has been missing since Friday. She was an outdoor cat before we got her and there was never any changing that about her. Well recently we have been seeing wolves in the yard and have been refusing to let her out at night (for her own safety) and well she got out late Thursday night (technically Friday morning) and we haven’t seen her since.

The ironic part of all this is that Tiki was owned by someone who abused her and allowed his kids to treat her worse than I would treat a doll. After the fire he came back looking for her (I would like to add in that it was well over 2 weeks later) and I had already fallen deeply in love with this kitty (and he hadn’t even named her) and had to keep her so when he asked if I had seen that “Coon cat” I said no (hoping all the while she would just stay quiet as she was in the room next to us) and he went off muttering about the money he lost because he was going to breed her (ummm no you weren’t I had already spayed her by that point) and that was the end of that.

Fast forward to Friday and I get a phone call that he had died at an interview and the wake was that night (although I didn’t like him as a person he still is the brother of one of my sister’s best friends) so I stopped in and quickly paid my respects and went on my way home – where Jim told me he couldn’t find Tik and that begins this story…

So if you could send a prayer or 20 to her coming home – I would sure appreciate it! I miss my kitty.

Friday Fill-ins

To grab it for your blog go here

1. I enjoy SPENDING TIME WITH FRIENDS, WARM DAYS, MY HORSE’S COMPANY AND MOSTLY CUDDLING WITH JIM.

2. FRIENDSHIPS is something I wonder about often lately.

3. In your heart, you knew THAT JIM WAS MEANT FOR ME FROM THE MOMENT I MET HIM.

4. Take CHRISTY, add a little RODEO and you end up with A NIGHT TO BE REMEMBERED (EVERYTIME IT HAPPENS).

5. Life has gifted me with SO MANY THINGS – HOW ON EARTH DO I PICK JUST ONE? I WILL SAY A GREAT FAMILY

6. A MASSAGE is an instant vacation.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to MY IN LAWS ARE COMING OVER AND I AM MAKING THEM DINNER – THEY ARE COMING OVER TO HELP DO THE PATIO THAT JIM IS MAKING, tomorrow my plans include BARN, BILLERICA HOMECOMING, AND MOVIES and Sunday, I want to DO A WHOLE LOT OF NOTHING – BUT REALLY I WILL BE CLEANING OUT MOM’S ROOM AFTER THE DOG BED INCIDENT IT IS TIME!

Have a great weekend!

It's a beautiful thing

I *of course* mean Cameron (though he would probably prefer I call him handsome than beautiful) but I also mean having my computer, sim card and card reader all together so I can post this :-)

Okay so admittedly it's been a while (think like 4 or 5 weeks) but this summer I got the pleasure of going down to Weymouth and seeing Danielle, Craig and Cameron. OMG how cute is that kid? He will play ball with you all the day long. I LOVE LOVE LOVE when kids are this age, old enough to play with and still young enough to be mesmerised by the littlest things.

Look at that face! *This is the face I walked into - I was surprised how quickly he was friendly and playing with me, he loaded me up with balls. AND the kid is smart he can tell you which ball is which color.


Little man on a little truck *I love little kids on their ride on toys


He is such the little ham but seriously so cute


He has a serious side too, you know


Yummy! I am a big kid Momma I can feed myself. *I was shocked at what he likes to eat and that he tries new stuff - he was trying hummus when I was there, he wasn't too sure about it though. It took me a few tries to love hummus too.


I swear that I think this picture just is so the little boy that I met that day, adorable, charming, and silly


Just chillin - letting it all digest before I go back for seconds.

Bye Cameron, thanks for letting me come play with you and I hope I see you again sooner next time!

Friday Fill Ins

So this week the Friday fill in is definitely bizarre (apparently they are song lyrics) so I couldn't come up with anything good - not to mention I am sleep deprived

1. If I was to walk into your life, I WOULD WELCOME YOU WITH OPEN ARMS.

2. Catch a bright star and place it NEAR YOUR HEART AND TREASURE IT ALWAYS.

3. And you can send me TO THE MOON.

4. I AM WORKING AT IT but I'm dealing with a memory that never forgets.

5. I'm the innocent bystander / Somehow I got stuck WAITING FOR SOMETHING NEW.

6. What's keeping us apart isn't selfishness, IT IS STUFF YOU WOULD NEVER UNDERSTAND.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to WELL SINCE IT IS 4:15 AND I AM AWAKE WITH A TOOTHACHE I AM NOW HOPING TO SEE A DENTIST - OTHERWISE A GOODBYE PARTY FOR SOMEONE I WORK(ED) WITH, tomorrow my plans include CULTUREFEST IN LOWELL AND MY SATURDAY WALK (THOUGH IT LOOKS LIKE THE WEATHER SAYS I WILL BE DOING OTHER THINGS) and Sunday, I want to VISIT JOEY AND WE ARE SCHEDULED TO DO A WALK FOR ANEURISMS!

http://fridayfillins.blogspot.com/

My kind of day

Every once in a while you just need a day that is all about taking care of yourself. Giving yourself what you need to continue on… And unplanned Saturday became that kind of day for me. I went for my normal Saturday morning walk (I like to take my letters to the post on foot it just feels so low-tech and good for the world) and then on the way home my dad asked me to stop at the store and pick up a few things, I never mind that because I do carry the mail with a morsebag so I have the space. WELL apparently I was wanting some shop therapy because long story short I walked out carrying my bag and 4 plastic (EWWW) bags and headed home. No big deal, right? Yeah I live a little over 3 miles from the store and the bags weighed 34 pounds (yes I weighed them when I got home – I was wondering why my shoulders were so sore) but I made it and I felt great afterwards. And really it was a great walk I was listening to an audio book and just walking along.

Well after that I went to the barn and played with the horses (yes you read that right my friend got a horse and so I got to play with Alvin too – and I am slightly in love with him) including a small ride on the big man. Comette isn’t happy at all that I moved her stall hmmmm come to think of it neither is her old neighbor Sammy BUT I get a beautiful new tack room out of the deal (and she is only 2 stalls away from Sam so they can still see one another) so we will give it a couple week trial, cross your fingers for me here, please! Then I groomed Alvin and bathed him in fly spray and put all of his “clothes” on (he really doesn’t like flies) and popped on for a few minutes, I was surprised to see a horse that large has the same size head as Comette so I fitted him out with a newish bridle and worked on some bending exercises so hopefully fix his top-line. And then I took a few minutes to just sit and the house and reconnect with Joe and Donna – I certainly haven’t been to the barn enough lately so I have been missing out on their lives.

Can you believe that after all this I still had time to go to Boston and get on the Swan Boats?




This is something that I have been wanting to do for a while and Jim and I never have time or motivation to drive in just for a 15 minute boat tour… SO I made it more than that, I dropped my car in the garage (hey this was a stress-free day no parallel parking for me), headed over and got on the boats, they were just as much fun as I remember them and I saw some great sights. The amount of tranquility you can get sitting in a pedal powered boat watching the world (and actually two weddings) go by was amazing to me. It was over all too quickly, I contemplated a second ride but held off knowing that I would do it again sooner this time, Jim really needed to see this.


I spent the next hour and a half walking around the area surrounding the common and got a cute new Vera Bradley wallet and a VB belt as well with money my dad had given me to splurge on something for myself – Thanks Dad! And I got to see DeLuca’s Market and even did a little shopping there. It was such a “Tuscan Sun” kind of feeling.


On my way back to my car (pretty early because I had another place I wanted to hit in my day about me) I saw the famed “Make way for ducklings” and got my picture taken on them – I was such a Boston tourist ;-)

Lastly it was time to head to the Square One Mall where they were having “Movies under the stars” Sponsored by WKLB and the Square 1 Mall and if you got there early enough there was a sort of pre-show type thing.

I got there just in time to see a last few songs from Digger Dog (which was my goal – I like their music) and I got to be on Radio Disney – they were having a challenge with television theme show songs and can you believe it?

I got one! It was Charles in Charge and I used to love that show – so not only did I get to talk on the radio I got to pick a prize – I chose a holographic Hannah Montana poster for one of my nieces (ohhhh how they will fight over this). It was fun! Then I was done with walking around but there was still over an hour before the movie started so I walked down the street a bit and found a place that gave massages and they had availability for a walk in 30 minute chair massage – I was SO in on that! So I got a great massage and walked back to the car and parked where I could see the movie and just rested and waited for it to come on. Here I ought to tell you that it was a cute movie (The Bee Movie) and that I loved it but I can tell you that the first 30 minutes were really cute and the rest was not seen by me since I was nappying away the day. At the end of the movie (HA) I headed home and slept well…


Ahhhh what a great day, I hope your weekends were just as serene!