When did weight get to be an issue?

You know, if you go back and look at the annual, or old pictures, we were all reasonably sized people.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Now, arguably, I have an excuse since I had two kids after 40 and EVERYTHING changed, but in reality...that's not the problem. The problem is that age=weight and you either address it or live with it.

So Brenda and I decided to address it, and we started walking. Not "strolling" walking, but up-and-down hill fast-paced walking. We were motivated. We were dedicated. At the end of four weeks, which meant EIGHTY-FOUR MILES of up-and-down hills, I hadn't lost an ounce and she gained eight pounds. AND SHE DOESN'T EVEN DRINK. So we took three weeks off because I was out of town two and then school started, and now we've started back. Even though Brenda LOST ten pounds while we weren't doing anything.

We're on a mission.

We might not be size two's next time you see us? But by george our hearts will be healthy and our legs will be strong.

Which is no consolation whatsoever.

Our losses as time moves on

Picked up the paper this morning and in the obituaries was Odie Mae Garrett. Robbie, Debbie, George and I went to Mr. McCabe's funeral two years ago and there was Mrs. Garrett! Looking just like she did the day we left Brooks. She was SO glad to see us, and we sat and talked with her for some time. I guess I always thought she was from here, but she was a native of Texas who married the principal of Burrell Slater.

This week we also lost Jennifer's dad, Earl Stutts; and Linda Harrison's sister, Susan. Earl Stutts didn't have a college degree, but he was the most learned man I ever knew. He also had the patience of Job...thank goodness. Susan had been sick for a while with pulmonary disease, but then died of cancer. Linda has had a hard few years...her mother died last fall, Susan this spring and they have a brother who's been ill for some time, too. (I don't know if you remember, but Susan was married to Johnny Hamm. He died two years ago, suddenly from a heart attack. Never had gained a pound.)

Then, last week Monica's dad died. Herrold Henson was the first dad I ever knew who could (or would) cook breakfast. When we spent the night, he would get up in the morning and make us breakfast...I was astounded.

They'll all be missed, and they all made our lives better.

Letting time slip by

Which gets easier and easier these days. Looking at the calendar and realizing next year is Thirty-Five. Guess we ought to be thinking about that.

God bless Virginia Hill.

Cameras are not our friends

Reason number one people over 50 shouldn't try to take self-portraits:

Double chins.

 

Reason number two people over 50 shouldn't take close-ups:

Lifting your chin just makes you look dumb.

 

Reason number three you should be taking pictures of your kids:

Even when you get a stranger to take your picture, your kids are still cuter. And do you see Mary Anne STANDING ON A LEDGE? To be taller?

December 8 was Mary Anne's 51st birthday...we think she's the youngest one in the bunch. The three girls drove to Huntsville and met Tony for lunch...that's actually twice in one year we've done something...we're on a roll!

Oh!Oh!Oh! The three of us went into SuperTarget to buy butter, for me, and coffee for all three of us. And when we came out...not a one of us had a clue where we'd left the car. Not a clue. So Brenda started hitting the emergency button to set off the alarm but, and I'm not making this up, we couldn't even remember what SECTION we were in so we had to wander around, punching the remote, until we set off the alarm. When we DO get old? We're gonna be dangerous.

 

Tags: Do you people need a driver?

Maintaining

My plan here is to keep this on standby on a regular basis, and then every five years talk about how cool we are! Or something.  And then for our 50th reunion, we'll print the entire thing out. But as has been pointed out, we have to shift to five-year-interval parties now. Age thing. That would be 2009.

I've been thrown out of better places than this!!!

That would be...Merrill Gardens. The retirement home. My middle child volunteers there every Saturday. During Handy, the Thompson Trio was playing there and she had to go in at nine in the morning to set up the popcorn machine and make lemonade. (Yes, we've discussed the popcorn and denture thing. I didn't ask.) So after having gone to Handy on the Plaza...which involves sitting outside under a stifling awning that just intensified the heat...I went to MG's to pick up my child. And walked in the door and there, looking JUST like she looked 30-something years ago, was Cissy Smith. And we talked and laughed and talked and laughed and talked and...then some 400-year-old man asked us to please leave because he couldn't hear the music we were being so loud. As Mary pointed out, that probably meant AMY was being too loud.

I've seen me do that.

Lunches

Several years ago Brenda and I started driving to Huntsville a couple of times a year and having lunch with Tony Barber. Originally, we always went to Rosie's because there wasn't a Rosie's here, but since that's changed we have been known to end up at Tim's Cajun Kitchen. We also have been known to end up at Publix and Trees & Trends and Atlanta Bread Company and Super Target. (You'll notice that three out of four of those places involve food.)

The point of that is, I wish I had started saving pictures then. But now's as good a time as any...so here are Brenda, Mary Anne and I celebrating Brenda's 51st birthday at Rosie's in Florence. There was a four foot tall tree with saucer-sized flowers on it involved, and I can't believe I didn't get a picture of Brenda holding that.