Another Sunday(except now it's Monday )

Last week was a pretty  good week. It was relatively quiet...which was fine with me. I needed a quiet week. Yesterday I spent the day shopping a various stores. I seemed to run in to someone everywhere I went. I guess one thing about having a hairstyle that never really changes...people always remember me...hahah I have run in to several people recently who greeted me with a hearty "Hi Anne!"...and I must confess I had to stop and think "Oh crap..who is this...I know this person..." I figured it out each time...and told them...as they asked "Do you remember who I am?" Two of the people were friends from Holy Trinity. Their girls were in the same class as my girls. It was fun to hear how their kids were doing...and to know they still remembered me...since I had not seen one of the  women in probably over 15 years!
Now in case you're wondering how these pictures have any relation to that story...They DON'T! haha There was an Art show in downtown Melbourne this weekend...David was in it. We stopped by today and

saw that he had won a prize! Always a good thing! It was really HOT though...so we did not hang around for long. We did stop by an artist's booth that we recognized. (He carved two of the fish we have on our walls.) John was chatting with him and noticed a new one he kind of liked. The artist gave us a bit of a deal...and John decided to get it. I took down one of my wreaths that was starting to get a little dried out...and rearranged the rest of the art work to accommodate the new fish.

These are pictures from a sunset last week. It was so nice...I went in and got my camera...and just kept taking pictures. My friend had a shot of the same sunset from her roof...and I passed another woman out on the street who was snapping pictures with her phone. It was one of those kind of nights!

The days have been nice lately...blue skies...a little cooler...if you get out early enough!  This was the view from my new phone...as I came in the back way into my neighborhood the other day.

And these clouds reminded me of some kind of giant smoke signal...they arched across the sky from south to north (or the other way I guess) here's the view looking north

same clouds- looking south

I mentioned that last week was kind of quiet...the week before...there was a little more going on. My good friend Karen lost her sister Laura on September 21st. It was not unexpected...but still hard. The memorial for Laura will be this Saturday. Also that week our good friend Mike Roy lost his father. His dad went golfing...came home and suffered a massive stroke. It was totally unexpected...but the family is managing. Mike and Denise had a small get together at their house...something he knew his Dad would've enjoyed.
Then the funeral mass was Monday, September 30th. It was a nice funeral...but sad. Everyone from the family participated in some way, the priest was good friends with Mike's mom...which all made it a nice service. Everyone is still kind of in shock...it's not something you ever can be prepared for. As I was telling Mike what a nice job he did with the eulogy...in my  mind I was thinking That is not anything anyone wants to be good at...reading eulogies for loved ones.  We also lost a neighbor the same week. He was a few days shy of his 89th birthday and from what I understand he was very matter of fact...he recently got sick and decided he was fine with whatever happened...he did not want any treatments...no heroic measures...as his mass card said (an excerpt)
When I come to the end of the road,
 and the sun has set for me,
I want no rites in a gloom -filled room,
Why cry for a soul set free?
 Miss me a little, but not too long and not with your head bowed low.
 Remember the love we once shared,
 Miss me and let me go!

I didn't know him well...I knew his daughter a little...but as I saw all the cars and people gathered at his house during his last few days...I remembered what is was like for us when we lost my dad, John's dad, my mom and my sister Jen. There is comfort in having all the family together...at least there was for me. I know what Mike and his family are feeling, what Karen, Linda and her Mom and all the family are feeling and what Vicky and her family are feeling. It's that final goodbye...knowing that this time...they are gone...and this time they won't be back. For a while it's like a hit that takes your breath away...and slowly time goes by and it's not as hard. We still miss our loved ones...but knowing that all of them are now at peace...not suffering anymore...is some comfort.
And on that note I will wrap this up. Started this Sunday night...now it's kind of a gray Monday afternoon....I got off work at 1pm and now am just relaxing and getting myself organized for the rest of the week.
Happy Monday!