Slowly my husband and I are coming to terms with what may be happening soon related to his potential job loss. He's been pro-active by applying to some jobs, two of which are in the same town where we live. That would be ideal -we'd get to say in our home and everything else would go on as usual. Except he'd (maybe) finally be happy in his work and we'd stop worrying about (maybe) losing our home and (maybe) we won't have to leave a part of the country where our son and daughter-in-law live. Not to mention future grandchildren. Having this kind of uncertainty shoved down our throats at our age is just almost unbearable. But like I keep telling myself - there are no scripts handed out when we're born that we can study and memorize and know what lies ahead of us at every bend and twist in our lives. Most of all, my faith tells me that God hasn't lead us down any perilous paths yet and He always seems to know what is best for us. If I can keep that thought upper most in my mind, and not get caught up in the emotional drain of thinking of leaving our home that we love so much, and all that would be involved in that, then I think I'll make it through this.
Okay enough of that bullshit. Time for a change in direction. My brother-in-law is back on US soil! He got to Afghanistan last December and now eight months later, he's back. I wish my son's deployment would also be done in eight months. We were told it would be nine. I guess you never know with the military. Be prepared for anything. Is that their motto? No, I think it's the Boy Scouts' motto. Anyway, my sister and her three children must be overjoyed and over the moon and overwhelmed with happiness that he is back! I hope to see them at Thanksgiving, if not before that. Although it seems likely that November would be a logical time to see them.
I've been quilting again. I completed a wall hanging about two months ago and picked it up when I was on medical leave for my knee. It feels nice. Odd, but nice. It reminds me that I'll have lots of handwork to do when I retire. Better to keep my fingers nimble now rather than start up quilting again just as I retire. It's my first love. I really enjoy knitting and crocheting, but quilting makes my heart sing. It always has. I used to wish that my daughter would fall in love with quilting. But knitting makes her feel like that, so I'm glad she found something to be passionate about. Makes life worth living, and gives you something to fall back on when you've got the blues, or are worrying excessively. And these days - the worrying days far outnumber the non-worrying days. I wonder if I have an ulcer forming?! Sure hope not.
I have too much time on my hands at my job. When I acknowledge that fact, I realize that maybe a change in jobs might not necessarily be a bad thing for either my husband or me. Busy makes the time go faster. I'm never very busy. Well - not NEVER, but rarely. Here I am working at my 'dream' job but they can't keep me busy. Maybe a career switch-up is in order for me. I wonder if I could re-invent myself?!?!
Monday, August 19, 2013
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Healing
Five weeks ago (minus one day) I had a partial knee replacement. I'm back to work as of Monday of this week and I'm doing very well. I go to therapy three times a week, but after next Friday those appointments will end (insurance) and I'll be on my own for stretching, moving, bending, working that left knee. I like therapy. It feels very positive to be there and the (mostly) women who help me are really great. So it's been a very good thing to have this done, but I've got a long way to go to be completely healed. I don't mind. I like solving health problems and getting good outcomes. I know lots of people have horror stories of bad outcomes, but I'm glad not to count myself among them.
Currently my husband is in a crisis mode at work. After getting very good performance reviews two years in a row and raises both times, suddenly this year they are nitpicking and finding fault and making him do menial jobs and giving lots of his work to younger members of his department. They've got him on a performance improvement plan and he feels nearly certain they are going to let him go at the end of this 45 day plan (or is it 90 days? He's gotten nothing in writing and that's only one more feature of this whole nightmare). The thought of having to find a new job at his age is very intimidating and nerve-wracking. I'll be 56 in a couple of weeks - he already is 56. He looks older if I'm being honest. His mustache is white and he's balding and mostly silvery hair. If we have to move away from our house that we had built to our design specs, and the gorgeous west-facing view we have, plus the patio he built and the perennial garden and our vegetable garden and his beekeeping - well, a sadder day can not be imagined right now. It's hard to stay positive in the face of a possible job loss. I'm praying like an insane woman at night. I'm not sleeping very well, and neither is he. This bullshit is just not fun. I know there are lots of people in worse positions, financially or medically. I am not unsympathetic. But I am realistic. This is what we are experiencing. This is what is our life right now. I wish I could see through the haze and know what is ahead of us. Everyone wishes that. Why should we get to know? We won't. We'll accept. Above all of this, though, I do have a strong faith that God won't let anything really terrible happen to us. I'm trying to keep an open mind, really. But I'd be lying if I didn't say it's going to really, really hurt if we have to leave here.
Currently my husband is in a crisis mode at work. After getting very good performance reviews two years in a row and raises both times, suddenly this year they are nitpicking and finding fault and making him do menial jobs and giving lots of his work to younger members of his department. They've got him on a performance improvement plan and he feels nearly certain they are going to let him go at the end of this 45 day plan (or is it 90 days? He's gotten nothing in writing and that's only one more feature of this whole nightmare). The thought of having to find a new job at his age is very intimidating and nerve-wracking. I'll be 56 in a couple of weeks - he already is 56. He looks older if I'm being honest. His mustache is white and he's balding and mostly silvery hair. If we have to move away from our house that we had built to our design specs, and the gorgeous west-facing view we have, plus the patio he built and the perennial garden and our vegetable garden and his beekeeping - well, a sadder day can not be imagined right now. It's hard to stay positive in the face of a possible job loss. I'm praying like an insane woman at night. I'm not sleeping very well, and neither is he. This bullshit is just not fun. I know there are lots of people in worse positions, financially or medically. I am not unsympathetic. But I am realistic. This is what we are experiencing. This is what is our life right now. I wish I could see through the haze and know what is ahead of us. Everyone wishes that. Why should we get to know? We won't. We'll accept. Above all of this, though, I do have a strong faith that God won't let anything really terrible happen to us. I'm trying to keep an open mind, really. But I'd be lying if I didn't say it's going to really, really hurt if we have to leave here.
Friday, June 21, 2013
Whirlwind
My son arrived safely at his post around Memorial Day. We chat with him online on a fairly regular basis, and have had two or three Facetime chats, including one on Father's Day that just burst our buttons, we were so thrilled! He is working and also applied to grad school, and will start his online classes while over there. I just shake my head in amazement that he can do these things simultaneously.
At work I'm wildly busy (but a little slower today) with a new project we're doing for the first time this summer. It's been very complicated to plan and coordinate, and includes frequent trips to the airport for me to pick up incoming instructors for these courses. I hope next year they allow room in the budget for other means to get them here from the airport, which is an hour from my office. It's fun now, but would be drudgery if I had to do it more often.
Two weeks from today I'm having a knee replacement. It will bring about big changes for me, but the biggest one (I hope) will be a pain-free way to walk around. And I hope to stop taking Celebrex for my arthritis. It's a wonderful drug, and I'm so glad for it, but it's expensive and who knows what it does to a body long-term? I'll be glad to be done with it.
Time for me to depart for lunch. I hope to write more often once this summer project wraps up at work.
At work I'm wildly busy (but a little slower today) with a new project we're doing for the first time this summer. It's been very complicated to plan and coordinate, and includes frequent trips to the airport for me to pick up incoming instructors for these courses. I hope next year they allow room in the budget for other means to get them here from the airport, which is an hour from my office. It's fun now, but would be drudgery if I had to do it more often.
Two weeks from today I'm having a knee replacement. It will bring about big changes for me, but the biggest one (I hope) will be a pain-free way to walk around. And I hope to stop taking Celebrex for my arthritis. It's a wonderful drug, and I'm so glad for it, but it's expensive and who knows what it does to a body long-term? I'll be glad to be done with it.
Time for me to depart for lunch. I hope to write more often once this summer project wraps up at work.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Onward!
And so the adventure has begun. As far as we know, he has gotten as far as the same time zone as his ultimate destination. We got to Facetime with him twice on Sunday, which was actually quite fun! The first time was at 6:20 in the morning - we were up getting ready for a trip to Pittsburgh for our family reunion. His wife was staying overnight, and she flew up the stairs to let us know he'd called her at 3:45 AM. Then like magic, he messaged her and said "Let's Facetime on my parents' MAC." And we had about 10 minutes of time to look at his forehead (not sure why his iPad Mini was positioned thusly but it was) - and occasionally we got to see his eyes, and handsome smile.
The family reunion was nice but chilly in the shade. So we soaked up the sun in chairs we placed in a circle around the remainder of a hollowed out tree trunk. It was nearly level with the ground. Saw lots of cousins and siblings and nephews and nieces and generally just enjoyed the day. On Monday (Memorial Day) we had rain in the morning until about 2:00 in the afternoon. So hubby and I went to Verizon and upped our contract for two years and treated ourselves to iPhones, the 4S version because that's spiffy enough for us old geezers. It's surprisingly easy to use and it's been fun getting acquainted with it. I told Siri to call me "Madam Fabulous" from now on and she readily agreed to do that. Siri is so accommodating...
So we put up a new arbor in the perennial garden in the back. We purchased a wisteria plant to have next to it. I have visions of the plant draping the arbor in heavy blossoms in the years to come. I hope it looks the way I've been imagining it for at least 12 years now. We planted some at our second and third homes, and each time we moved away and I never got to see if the wisteria bloomed. I think I read somewhere that it takes about 3 years before you see actual flowers. Fingers crossed.
I'm making a new quilt. I just haven't been inspired to make something new just for me in several years. Quilts these days are baby ones to give away or wedding ones, etc. This one is black, white, grey and an electric shade of lime green. I love it so far. AND we are getting hardwood floors installed in our living room and down the steps to my sewing room. Lots of very positive and lovely events to look forward to in the coming weeks!
The family reunion was nice but chilly in the shade. So we soaked up the sun in chairs we placed in a circle around the remainder of a hollowed out tree trunk. It was nearly level with the ground. Saw lots of cousins and siblings and nephews and nieces and generally just enjoyed the day. On Monday (Memorial Day) we had rain in the morning until about 2:00 in the afternoon. So hubby and I went to Verizon and upped our contract for two years and treated ourselves to iPhones, the 4S version because that's spiffy enough for us old geezers. It's surprisingly easy to use and it's been fun getting acquainted with it. I told Siri to call me "Madam Fabulous" from now on and she readily agreed to do that. Siri is so accommodating...
So we put up a new arbor in the perennial garden in the back. We purchased a wisteria plant to have next to it. I have visions of the plant draping the arbor in heavy blossoms in the years to come. I hope it looks the way I've been imagining it for at least 12 years now. We planted some at our second and third homes, and each time we moved away and I never got to see if the wisteria bloomed. I think I read somewhere that it takes about 3 years before you see actual flowers. Fingers crossed.
I'm making a new quilt. I just haven't been inspired to make something new just for me in several years. Quilts these days are baby ones to give away or wedding ones, etc. This one is black, white, grey and an electric shade of lime green. I love it so far. AND we are getting hardwood floors installed in our living room and down the steps to my sewing room. Lots of very positive and lovely events to look forward to in the coming weeks!
Monday, May 20, 2013
Relief
I think I've mentioned before that I work at a college. In the summertime, they solicit members of the staff to host incoming international students, who need hosts for a day or two, then the hosts become the students' "go-to" parents on campus when they need help with any number of things. So four years ago my husband and I agreed to do this. And they were so short of families that year, they asked us to take two students. So we did. Two girls, neither of which shared many characteristics except for their gender and their attendance at this school. One of them is an artist, and she's the one we interacted with the most.
This past weekend was commencement and when we saw her at breakfast in the morning (on campus, in the International Students house) she informed us that she wasn't done packing yet - she still had "about an hour's worth" of packing to do. This didn't bode well for the way I thought the day would go. We came home once the second girls' name was announced, changed into work clothes and got some housework and yard work done. Two hours later my husband went back to get the artist, and she was nowhere to be found. To say he was furious would probably be understating his demeanor.
It all worked out eventually, because we had dinner reservations a good distance from here. And several other folks were going with us. This girl had my husband's truck PACKED. It seemed she was going to be storing things at our house instead of going back home to Europe and never seeing her again. I loved the girl and treated her like my own, but on Saturday I really thought I was going to throttle her! She left a pile of bags/packages to be delivered and/or picked up by students returning in the fall. Two boxes need to be delivered about 90 minutes north of here to be shipped to her at a reduced rate. A friend is going to do that for me - and student left $100 bill to pay for the shipping. But we have to re-pack the sloppily packed boxes because she made quite a mess of them. Two of her paintings are in our basement and I guess she thought we'd cough up $1,000 to buy them. But after storing mountains of her belongings in our house for the past three summers, picking her up and taking her back to the airport numerous times (she did a semester abroad of course), hosting her for meals several times, and paying for dinner this past Saturday to the tune of nearly $300, I think we don't have the budget to buy her paintings. She offered us the paintings - but she didn't say "You can have them." She said "Would you like to own one or two?" and that inferred she expected payment. Nope. If she can't find anyone else to sell them to from across the ocean, they'll be in our burn pile by the end of September!
So it's with a great sense of relief that I said good-bye to her yesterday. I thought I'd get teary-eyed and be sad but if anything, I would have preferred to stay home and have my husband drop her off. I never thought I'd feel so glad to have her gone. The only tears I can work up over a departure these days is the impending one of my son. I will feel a different kind of relief when we know he is gone and at his new post overseas. As my sister said "It has to begin so it can end." She knows - her husband deployed in December. So it is with much anticipation that I await the beginning of my son's nine months away from America. He is ready. He is anxious to prove what a great job he can do. And I'll do my level best to keep any tears from showing up when we Skype or Facetime while he's gone. But the tears about him come with little to no provocation these days. A song on the radio did it to me last week. I had a jazz station on, and Larry Carlton's "Smiles and Smiles to Go" came on. My son was delighted to hear it come on the radio in the car when he was about 5 or 6. He said "Mum! I know this song! It's called 'Sunshine and Sunshine and Sunshine'!!" That's the title of that song to me now - and it's what I hope he'll have an abundant supply of while he's gone.
This past weekend was commencement and when we saw her at breakfast in the morning (on campus, in the International Students house) she informed us that she wasn't done packing yet - she still had "about an hour's worth" of packing to do. This didn't bode well for the way I thought the day would go. We came home once the second girls' name was announced, changed into work clothes and got some housework and yard work done. Two hours later my husband went back to get the artist, and she was nowhere to be found. To say he was furious would probably be understating his demeanor.
It all worked out eventually, because we had dinner reservations a good distance from here. And several other folks were going with us. This girl had my husband's truck PACKED. It seemed she was going to be storing things at our house instead of going back home to Europe and never seeing her again. I loved the girl and treated her like my own, but on Saturday I really thought I was going to throttle her! She left a pile of bags/packages to be delivered and/or picked up by students returning in the fall. Two boxes need to be delivered about 90 minutes north of here to be shipped to her at a reduced rate. A friend is going to do that for me - and student left $100 bill to pay for the shipping. But we have to re-pack the sloppily packed boxes because she made quite a mess of them. Two of her paintings are in our basement and I guess she thought we'd cough up $1,000 to buy them. But after storing mountains of her belongings in our house for the past three summers, picking her up and taking her back to the airport numerous times (she did a semester abroad of course), hosting her for meals several times, and paying for dinner this past Saturday to the tune of nearly $300, I think we don't have the budget to buy her paintings. She offered us the paintings - but she didn't say "You can have them." She said "Would you like to own one or two?" and that inferred she expected payment. Nope. If she can't find anyone else to sell them to from across the ocean, they'll be in our burn pile by the end of September!
So it's with a great sense of relief that I said good-bye to her yesterday. I thought I'd get teary-eyed and be sad but if anything, I would have preferred to stay home and have my husband drop her off. I never thought I'd feel so glad to have her gone. The only tears I can work up over a departure these days is the impending one of my son. I will feel a different kind of relief when we know he is gone and at his new post overseas. As my sister said "It has to begin so it can end." She knows - her husband deployed in December. So it is with much anticipation that I await the beginning of my son's nine months away from America. He is ready. He is anxious to prove what a great job he can do. And I'll do my level best to keep any tears from showing up when we Skype or Facetime while he's gone. But the tears about him come with little to no provocation these days. A song on the radio did it to me last week. I had a jazz station on, and Larry Carlton's "Smiles and Smiles to Go" came on. My son was delighted to hear it come on the radio in the car when he was about 5 or 6. He said "Mum! I know this song! It's called 'Sunshine and Sunshine and Sunshine'!!" That's the title of that song to me now - and it's what I hope he'll have an abundant supply of while he's gone.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Sunshine
I ate at my desk today and then when it was my lunch hour, around 1:15, I sat on a bench and read a library book for 45 minutes. The weather has been glorious the last few days and I'm soaking up the sun when I can! I've cut the grass twice in the last 3 weeks and that always puts me in a good mood. Yes, I'm weird that way. We have three acres, and being on the tractor in the sun and the breezes and the swallows swooping over me occasionally just makes me happy.
Time on the tractor gives me a chance to think and not speak for awhile. A couple of days ago while zooming around on the tractor, I got to thinking about my son, and feeling bad that we hadn't spoken to him in about a week. And soon we might only talk to him once a month. And who knows how hurried those conversations will be? Then I had an epiphany of sorts. Maybe he WANTS to call us more but it makes him feel bad when he does. Like maybe it reinforces the idea that we won't have many more chances to talk soon and he's trying not to get emotional about it. He's not overly emotional, but he definitely is a feeling and semi-sappy person, much like his parents. And I also wondered if he ever feels scared. Scared of what he's facing in the months ahead. I could never bring myself to ask him if he is. Truly, I don't want to know the answer. My gut tells me he is, maybe just a little. But he's a soldier and an officer and he has to not show any fear.
Sometimes I worry myself so much about this whole upcoming deployment that I think I'm going to be paralyzed with fear, and unable to much to keep busy and push bad thoughts away from the forefront of my brain. That would make my son very upset if he thought I was unable to be productive. I'm busy almost all the time. Knitting, cooking, walking the dogs, quilting, reading, anything to make sure that I'm being productive. I hate idle hands. So to keep those thoughts at bay, and to honor my son's sacrifices in being away from his wife and all manner of comforts, including laughing and goofing around with his dad and me, I WILL be busy! I will not wallow! I am going to make him proud, just like he makes ME proud every.single.minute.
Time on the tractor gives me a chance to think and not speak for awhile. A couple of days ago while zooming around on the tractor, I got to thinking about my son, and feeling bad that we hadn't spoken to him in about a week. And soon we might only talk to him once a month. And who knows how hurried those conversations will be? Then I had an epiphany of sorts. Maybe he WANTS to call us more but it makes him feel bad when he does. Like maybe it reinforces the idea that we won't have many more chances to talk soon and he's trying not to get emotional about it. He's not overly emotional, but he definitely is a feeling and semi-sappy person, much like his parents. And I also wondered if he ever feels scared. Scared of what he's facing in the months ahead. I could never bring myself to ask him if he is. Truly, I don't want to know the answer. My gut tells me he is, maybe just a little. But he's a soldier and an officer and he has to not show any fear.
Sometimes I worry myself so much about this whole upcoming deployment that I think I'm going to be paralyzed with fear, and unable to much to keep busy and push bad thoughts away from the forefront of my brain. That would make my son very upset if he thought I was unable to be productive. I'm busy almost all the time. Knitting, cooking, walking the dogs, quilting, reading, anything to make sure that I'm being productive. I hate idle hands. So to keep those thoughts at bay, and to honor my son's sacrifices in being away from his wife and all manner of comforts, including laughing and goofing around with his dad and me, I WILL be busy! I will not wallow! I am going to make him proud, just like he makes ME proud every.single.minute.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Showers
It's raining here today. All day so far. But the new fruit trees in the back yard need it, and our well is all the better for it. Rain is good!
Yesterday I went to a baby shower here in town. A co-worker's daughter is having a little girl in about 5 or 6 weeks. I crocheted an afghan for the baby, found two cute summer outfits, and bought three Golden books. The invitation asked that people bring books to start building a library for the wee one. Since I'm a big proponent of reading to children (and reading in general) this is always an easy thing to do. I decided to go retro and get three of those little cardboard books that I used to read to my kids. Heck they had them when I was growing up in the 60's, probably before that too. My books/gifts stood out among all the other shinier, big chunky baby books. The baby's mama seemed to really be excited when she saw them. Made me glad!
I got to the shower exactly at noon, and it was already crowded. I only knew two other guests and they were already seated at a table surrounded by others. So I was on my own to find a table. I found one that had four women at it, sat at the opposite end from them and just stared at the table or glanced around the room. I was hoping one of them would say something welcoming to me so I didn't feel like I was intruding on their spot. But none of them even glanced at me. And so I sat. And fiddled with my phone, and smiled at my co-worker from across the room when she smiled at me. Not long after that she made a beeline to me and said "Oh thanks for coming. Have you met these ladies?" and she proceeded to make introductions. The other grandma, her daughter-in-law, the baby's paternal great grandma and yet another family member. They nodded and smiled and murmured "nicetomeetyou....!" and when my friend walked away, that was the end of the conversation.
When we ate they talked to each other but not to me. In the meantime my friend's sister and her daughter sat with me, and the three of us talked a little, but not much. I went out to my car to get my camera and when I came back, someone had taken my chair. A friend of theirs. I had left my purse on the seat but they moved it. So .... I moved to the only other empty chair at that table. I took more than 100 pictures as a favor to my friend with the intention of uploading them to Facebook later that day.
I kept sitting there and thinking about how much I missed this kind of get together in Pittsburgh, where I grew up and lived until we had to move due to a job change in 2002. I miss my Pittsburgh family and friends a LOT even after 11 years. And I don't have to give it much thought to realize that if I'd been to a baby shower in Pittsburgh and arrived not knowing many people there, I would have easily made friends or at least had a stimulating conversation with those around me. I'm not an unfriendly person. I'm usually the talkiest person in a room at gatherings like this. But where I live, natives from this area say they are all so friendly and so on. But I don't find that to be the case at all. We've lived in this community for six years and in all that time, we've only been invited to a handful of parties or celebrations. I don't know what to make of it. I've asked at least two or three women if they'd like to get together with their husbands and the four of us go to dinner once in awhile. They say "Oh great idea! I'll get back to you!" and no one does. I could be pushy and pursue it further but I like to think that maybe someone else will broach the subject once I have. And it hasn't happened.
Thank heavens for my big family. I see them as often as I can throughout the year and fill up my head and heart with conversation and love, hoping it will last me a long time. If it wasn't for email, cell phones, Facetime, Skype and Facebook I'd be a despondent mess. I AM married to my best friend so that helps a lot, and we have our furry friends here at home. I really, really hope that when the house next door to us sells, we get new neighbors we can get together with for cookouts or at least sit in the driveway in the evening and b.s., like we used to do with neighbors in Cincinnati (the first place we moved to when we left Pittsburgh).
Yesterday I went to a baby shower here in town. A co-worker's daughter is having a little girl in about 5 or 6 weeks. I crocheted an afghan for the baby, found two cute summer outfits, and bought three Golden books. The invitation asked that people bring books to start building a library for the wee one. Since I'm a big proponent of reading to children (and reading in general) this is always an easy thing to do. I decided to go retro and get three of those little cardboard books that I used to read to my kids. Heck they had them when I was growing up in the 60's, probably before that too. My books/gifts stood out among all the other shinier, big chunky baby books. The baby's mama seemed to really be excited when she saw them. Made me glad!
I got to the shower exactly at noon, and it was already crowded. I only knew two other guests and they were already seated at a table surrounded by others. So I was on my own to find a table. I found one that had four women at it, sat at the opposite end from them and just stared at the table or glanced around the room. I was hoping one of them would say something welcoming to me so I didn't feel like I was intruding on their spot. But none of them even glanced at me. And so I sat. And fiddled with my phone, and smiled at my co-worker from across the room when she smiled at me. Not long after that she made a beeline to me and said "Oh thanks for coming. Have you met these ladies?" and she proceeded to make introductions. The other grandma, her daughter-in-law, the baby's paternal great grandma and yet another family member. They nodded and smiled and murmured "nicetomeetyou....!" and when my friend walked away, that was the end of the conversation.
When we ate they talked to each other but not to me. In the meantime my friend's sister and her daughter sat with me, and the three of us talked a little, but not much. I went out to my car to get my camera and when I came back, someone had taken my chair. A friend of theirs. I had left my purse on the seat but they moved it. So .... I moved to the only other empty chair at that table. I took more than 100 pictures as a favor to my friend with the intention of uploading them to Facebook later that day.
I kept sitting there and thinking about how much I missed this kind of get together in Pittsburgh, where I grew up and lived until we had to move due to a job change in 2002. I miss my Pittsburgh family and friends a LOT even after 11 years. And I don't have to give it much thought to realize that if I'd been to a baby shower in Pittsburgh and arrived not knowing many people there, I would have easily made friends or at least had a stimulating conversation with those around me. I'm not an unfriendly person. I'm usually the talkiest person in a room at gatherings like this. But where I live, natives from this area say they are all so friendly and so on. But I don't find that to be the case at all. We've lived in this community for six years and in all that time, we've only been invited to a handful of parties or celebrations. I don't know what to make of it. I've asked at least two or three women if they'd like to get together with their husbands and the four of us go to dinner once in awhile. They say "Oh great idea! I'll get back to you!" and no one does. I could be pushy and pursue it further but I like to think that maybe someone else will broach the subject once I have. And it hasn't happened.
Thank heavens for my big family. I see them as often as I can throughout the year and fill up my head and heart with conversation and love, hoping it will last me a long time. If it wasn't for email, cell phones, Facetime, Skype and Facebook I'd be a despondent mess. I AM married to my best friend so that helps a lot, and we have our furry friends here at home. I really, really hope that when the house next door to us sells, we get new neighbors we can get together with for cookouts or at least sit in the driveway in the evening and b.s., like we used to do with neighbors in Cincinnati (the first place we moved to when we left Pittsburgh).
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