And We All Float On

The day the "For Sale" sign went up in the front yard was like a kick in the stomach.  I thought, well they say the market is slow so maybe it'll be a while till it sells.  It wasn't a while.  It was a few short months.  Next week I will have to say goodbye to a neighbor that has been with my family through it all.

First my parents moved to the neighborhood in 1963, then I was born a few years later.  Then, I moved out only to move back in a few short years later upon the death of my parents.  We've shared food, picnics, and general neighborly love.

I'll never forget the day in November when Mr. Gable knocked on my door to tell me his wife had died and he broke down in tears.  Next week at this time, he will have left his life long home to move cross country to live with his daughter and son-in-law.

The weirdest thing is that I probably will never see him again.  It'll be like a death but he will not have died.

I had a farewell dinner for him last Sunday.  My family and some other neighbors joined in.  I think he was really touched.  I hope he was.  He is probably one of the nicest people you ever want to meet.  Soft-spoken, even tempered, adored his wife.

I used to love to hear them talk about how they met here in Harrisburg back in the 40's.  There were dance halls and he used the line that he was related to Clark Gable as a way to talk to her.  He bought himself a bike at 70 and would ride over to the community pool for a swim in the summer.  She made the best pirogi! 

I can't imagine what it must be like to see your entire house full of memories emptied before your eyes in a matter of weeks, saying goodbye to your barber, neighbors, church friends.  All of whom you have known for many years. 

You always hear people say "it's tough getting old."  The reality is we have no idea how tough it really is, until we live it.  And we'll all float on, alright.

Whew!

Thought I lost touch with my old buddy Graven Images for a minute.  Somehow I figured it out.  I guess that'll teach me to ignore my blog for three months.  All this right after I give a professor my blog address to check out the very intellectual and stimulating conversations that go on out here.  (nudge, nudge, wink, wink)

I guess I can say that the ball has been put into motion for this final undertaking on my Master's Degree.  I have an idea (I think) but not a very concise one.  I understand I may also need to learn how to create a website in the next few months.  Luckily, I think there is software that will allow me to just plug in information without having to learn to write code.  (yikes)

I think also, it might be nice to use this blog as documentation on the progress of my project.  I don't think that would be too boring and it would give me an excuse to keep this thing updated!! 

Mamma Needs A New Pair of Shoes

My new dilemma along with all my old dilemmas is what do to with old shoes.  I have no trouble deciding what to do with clothing that's outdated and worn out.  Well, my clothes don't really get worn out.  They're more out of style or "I've had that skirt for a million years it needs to go."

Shoes are a different sort of problem.  They're beaten up, and worn (some severely) as I tend to be very hard on shoes but there aren't any holes in them, the soles aren't worn out either.  They have just had it. 

The dilemma comes in when I wonder what to do with them.  I feel badly for pitching them in the trash, because really, there's not much wrong with them.  I can't donate them to the Salvation Army or Goodwill because they'll probably just pitch them in the trash because they are too worn. 

Then I think if a person in need or a homeless person wouldn't even wear these shoes, why on earth am I holding on to them or (God forbid) still wearing them?!?

And so it goes on....

Get Out of Jail Free Card

The great debate in my mind today is how easy it is for the general public to forgive and forget the crimes people commit when they are famous, particularly sports stars. 

I've recently noticed some friends jumping on the bandwagon cheering on Michael Vick because he plays for their favorite team and he was voted "Come Back Player of the Year."   Um, so?? 

Some others argue that he's paid his debt to society by doing his time in jail.  To which I say, he intentionally and his own profit, tortured, killed and maimed animals.  What on earth could jail have done for him?  What did he do to repay society while he was in jail?  Community service?  Perhaps.  Donate money to some organization?  Who cares?  He's got banks full of money now he's out making more of it.

How despicable does a person have to be to not be tolerated in society any longer?  Should Charles Manson have gone out for a sport?  I mean, doesn't he deserve a break?  Hasn't he repaid his debt to society too? 

The Paper Delay

I have to have some of the worst writing habits.  There's a few of you out there that remind me often to update my blog....and I don't.  I have every good intention to do it, but I don't.  Now, here I sit, in the dark of my upstairs writing here, when I should be working on a paper for class.

When I do buckle down and start writing for class work, I write for a few minutes and then I stop to play a game on line or check Facebook.  I tell myself it helps me think, and maybe it does, but it takes me forever to finish writing a paper!

What will I do in a couple of months when I start writing my thesis for my Master's Degree?  A 30 page paper?  Yikes, I'm scared to think how long that may take!