Drinking Naked

Brad and I are trying to approach this Premature Empty Nesting with an open mind.  Last Spring I took golf lessons so I could join him on the golf course.  So far, we have been hitting some of the local PAR 3 “easy” courses as I learn the game.  Our approaches are very different, but it works for us.  Brad is very strategic with his range distant tools and relies on the perfect club, with the perfect form.  Me?  I usually go like this…. driver, 7, 9, chipper, putter.  Distance is not a factor.  If I change it up, it's because I get bored using the same ones over and over again.  A Par 3 means you are supposed to hit the ball into the hole in 3 hits, so I’m averaging 7 hits per hole and I'm ok with that.  Now, where’s the beer boy?  Maybe that will help my game.

My promising golf career was temporarily sidelined two weeks ago after  I did my usual awesome and powerful swing directly into the hard ground.   The golf club bent back, and so did my thumb.  When I  heard a “crack” and felt instant pain, I knew I was in trouble.  I whined for the last three holes, and Brad did his best to distract me with his offers to stomp on my foot to help take my mind off my thumb.  Thanks honey!

 There have been some good things brought about from my injury.  It has definitely given me the respect of  the “good ole boys club” at work.  “Could you open this water bottle for me?  I have a golf injury”  as I point to my thumb.  “Could you please repeat? I can’t write very well because of my golf injury”.  Dang, and all this time, I thought it took short skirts and high shoes to get their attention.  Ladies, we have it all wrong.  Who knew?!

Golf is out for now, but the weather is still awesome so Brad and I  had to find something else to do while my golf injury heals. 

We live less than an hour away from the Shenandoah Valley, so when Brad came up with the suggestion of heading out to the infamous Skyline Drive to see the fall color, I was jumping in that passenger seat.  The day showed great promise until we discovered 5 miles of cars filled with folks also waiting to get on Skyline.  It quickly became apparent Brad was losing his patience, and looking for other options. 

What to do?   Oh genie in the phone, please help me!  My wonderful smart phone suggested we Drink Naked! I made the suggestion to Brad, and he couldn’t turn the car around fast enough.  A few moments down a beautiful country windy road lined with beautiful yellow and reds, and we turned into Naked Mountain Winery.

 

 

At first, we noticed all the young people, young groups, couples, families, then as neared the tasting bar, we noticed  the couples like us.  Couples making memories now that the kiddos are out of the house.  We probably looked just as normal to them as they did to us, but I can tell you, we are not liking this next chapter at all.  In fact, I’d say we have regressed in our grief of losing Josh, and now both girls are on their own.  We just suck it up, and try to make the best of it. 

After Drinking Naked, we walked back to the car hand and hand, and took the long picturesque way home winding through the plantations, horse farms and majestic color. The colors were magical.   This journey has  shown  me  that life isn’t easy, and to make it through, you need to remain open minded and see how life unfolds.  You may have a plan, but it may be Plan B that takes over.

As if on cue, Stephi texted and wanted to know what we did all day.  My response? “We drank naked today”.   My daughter knows humor is how I cope, and I’m sure her eyes were rolling, but it made her smile, and hearing from her made me smile too!

 Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.  ~Unknown

 May you find beauty in every challenge!

Hugs!

Sherri

 

Sometimes ya just need a little home!

I went home to Ohio this past weekend to attend my college roommates House Warming Party.  Pink, recently returned to her hometown, bought a fixer upper and plans to bring this cute house back to its' splendor.  This is a pretty big undertaking for a single woman with grown kids.

I thought it was well worth the five-hour drive just to see her and our third roomie, Marcia, if only for the weekend.  They warm my heart, make me jiggle giggle, and forget about life for a while.

It never even occurred to me to ask Brad to go with me.  I knew he would be trying to get in some last golf of the season, plus I needed someone to let out the dog and feed Stealth Kitty.  Honestly, it's a good thing I didn't take him since the house had some low ceilings, and he would never have fit in the shower.  A grown up shower will be built shortly so we'll take him next time.

The weekend was a great escape from city livin' complete with some good old American livin'...... the Annual Cider Festival was in full gear across the street with its bright lights, music and addicting lard foods.  To get over my disappointment  when the one and only apple press broke down on the first day, I got my hands on some deep fried Oreos...it sounds yucky but let me tell ya, they are addictive.  We will turn a blind eye to the calorie count on them..

After staying up til the wee hours chatting like teenagers about everything with Pink,  I woke up the next morning screaming for caffeine.  Let me ask you....when does coffee move from a 'nice way to start the day' to 'must have or the world will suffer?'

After some caffeine intake, we decided we needed to get Pink's place in order for the party and I was busy in the yard when Brad called.  "What ya doin?" 
S- Weedin'! 
B- Hmmmm.  What's Pink doin'? 
S- Mowin' the Lawn! 
B- Boy, you girls sure know how to have a good time!

This is a far cry from what we were doing in college, but ya know what, we're ok with that.  We have grown up and we now behave like model citizens...
most of the time....
some of the time.....
well.....we try.....



 Marcia, Pink and Me
 

Cars start rollin' in and we are quickly in a full blown party but no Marcia.  Two hours later still no Marcia, so I called her to nicely tell her to get her tush there.  I'm not sure I was very gracious when she told me she was busy gettin' her nails done!!!!  I drive five hours to see her and she is getting her nails done?  Sigh...she is so lucky I love her!  An hour later I see her familiar mini coupe and the antics begin. 

Pink's kids are all there with their sweeties.  It's been way too long since I've seen them.  I love all our kids...between the three of us we have ten children... within the ten we have three college students, two weddings in the works, and 1 new police officer, so they keep us hoppin'.  Pink's older daughter was our summer nanny when we were overseas, and all but two have walked with us for epilepsy so far.  I have changed their diapers, bribed them with ice cream, and they have all held my hand tight and made me stronger in my weaker moments over the last two years.

About an hour into the party, Britt started texting me from Oklahoma to remind me to behave because she knows things get a little crazy with the roomies around.  It's not anything we plan, it's just our chemistry.  We are all so different but we are a good fit and apparently, a good source of entertainment even when all we're doing is sittin' there.

The party winds down just as the Cider Festival fireworks are set off just for me(let me live my delusions on this one please).  I'm standing there arms around my roomies, and in that moment I am happy.   Me the bereaved mom, Pink the newly divorced empty nester in her new home, and Marcia, the crazy woman whose mouth would put sailors to shame, and I love them dearly!

The next morning it was a quick bite at the Annual Pancake breakfast to benefit the soccer league before heading back to the fast paced life of DC.

Friendships and family have become all the more precious to me since losing Josh and weekends like this make life a little easier!

Hugs!
Sherri