So strangely, it’s almost exactly four months to the day since I wrote my last entry. I don’t seem to be as “inspired” as I used to. It’s not that I don’t love my family to the moon and back or anything like that, but I need something to spur me on to write. And when I start, I find it difficult to stop. It hasn’t been like that in a long time. And you know what’s really sad? I have a friend from high school…his wife committed suicide on March 19th and he’s pouring his hurting heart out in a blog to help himself deal with her decision to take herself away from him and his two beautiful daughters. And I can’t even pull myself together enough to blog about how much I love life. Hmmm….But I know what’s wrong.
It’s “that time of year.” Yes, I have the “after winter blues.” It starts during the holiday season but after all the holidays, college bowl games, NCAA Championship Game, NFL playoffs, and the Superbowl are done, well, so am I. It’s like the huge letdown. But it shouldn’t be like that. Shouldn’t I just be in love with life and be happy that I’m here every day, have a loving husband and family who care about me, and go from there?
This year I turned the big 50 on March 25th. I reconnected with two old friends on Facebook and they wanted to throw me a 50th birthday part. I agreed; I haven’t had an actual birthday party thrown in my honor since I was 21. Not kidding. I actually asked for a 40th birthday party but evidently my dear husband couldn’t get himself together to do it. That made me feel great. Not. He’s great and I love him, but he’s not very romantic…he has to be practically hit over the head with an iron skillet. Bless his little pea-pickin’ heart. 😉
Anyway, Marla B and Holly and I decided on March 23rd, a Saturday, two days before my actual birthday. To be quite honest, I was blown away. I know that I have people who love me. But the people who showed up on such short notice (about two weeks) just blew my mind. First and foremost was Lucynda Worthington Moore…one of my favorite former roommates! Lucy and I haven’t seen each other in years but have kept up with letters, Christmas cards and now Facebook. I’ve watched her move to Neenah, WI when her husband took a job with Kimberly-Clark, when she moved to Atlanta when John took a job with Coca-Cola (she lived here for TWO years and I never saw her…sad, huh?), and now she’s back in SC near her family with her own architectural business. I couldn’t have been happier to see her!
Then who gets out of their car? Mike & Annette Corron! I’ve known Annette since 1982…and again, the party woudn’t have been the same without her and Mike!
Let’s see, who’s next??? Becky & Jim!!! Jim drove from Charleston to meet Becky in Columbia and they drove up for the party! OMG! I was just floored! And again, no way this party would have been the same without them!
Who else??? Wow…out gets Kitty! Susan Helmly! I’ve known Susan since middle school and she helped make my special day even more so! Below is a special picture of me, Kitty and Tim…we’ve all known each other the longest and this is a very special picture to me now!
The best part was that Holly offered us the use of the “Hillton” room at her house! What an awesome idea! Anyone who knows my sweet husband knows that when he’s done, he’s done…especially at a party. So I knew that come 10 or 11 p.m., he would be ready to go. Well, if we stayed at the Marriott in Clemson, wow, that would really put a damper on me wanting to stay and have a great time with all those folks who came to make my day special. Having the “Hillton” downstairs meant that Scott could just go downstairs and go to bed! Wow…Holly, you have no idea how much that meant to me! And Scott did disappear, but not until about midnight. The rest of us stayed up until about 1:30 a.m.; how much fun it was to listen to 80s music, dance, laugh and reminiscence!
Here’s hoping that I get to have a big 75th birthday party too…now won’t that be fun!!!! 😉
Lisa Traynum Granholm 