Your Bucket List - Kind of

 Whether or not we realize it or not, we all have a kind of bucket list of things we have or want to do in our life time.  I started mine and I have found that Wow, I really have done a lot in my life time.  I also know that Ron was a very big reason I have accomplished so many.  Many of them I would not have done without him.

Here we go:

Married and Widowed

2 children and 4 grandchildren

Traveled inside and outside the States and in Europe

Para-sailed

Scuba dived lessons

Racquetball

Drove cross country by myself (and gobs of times with Ron)

Cancer  x 3 (and all the surgeries and treatments that went with them)

Employed

Traveled by Airplane

Operated a motorcycle by myself

Boating on Lakes and Oceans

Water Skied

Snow Skied

Ran 10 Ks

Gardened

Fly Fishing

Helped build new home

Fired from a job

Rode on a train

Smoked Cigars

Wine Tasting

Road Horses

Hunted (got an elk)

Camped

Rode a Sedgway

Golfed

Fired guns

Voted

Operated controls on small airplane

Moved cross country x 2

Puzzeler

Painted

Kereaoke

Played French Horn

Sewed

Put up hay / planted field tomatoes

Scrapbooking

Bunco for Breast Cancer Survivors Events

Mirror

Do you ever look in the mirror and have to do a double take, wondering who that is...when did I start looking like this?

Every morning, brushing your teeth, washing you face, etc., etc., you glance in the mirror but you don't really look at yourself.  And, when you do, you have to wonder when did I change so much.  All the little (and bigger) brown spots, wrinkles, oh so many wrinkles, discolorations, bumps, 

In my case it's different in that I have and still am losing a lot of weight.  So, not only am I dealing with the above changes, it looks like my face has sunken areas as well.  I used to wear make up every day and that is definitely a good cover up for all these flaws.  Now, not wearing make up much anymore they all are appearing much bigger and increasing in numbers.

Just another observance in this final journey of mine.

Loriane

 

Lorraine and I were always very close.  She became much more than my sister, she was more like my mom and she and Roscoe treated our children like they were their grandchildren.

After moving to Arizona, when we would visit Indiana we would always stay with them, their home felt like coming home.  We were always welcomed with open arms, hugs and laughter and reminiscing of times past.  If you were looking for an example of "good, christian people" Roscoe and Lorraine Perkins were it.  They were always there for whoever needed them for anything.  

Lorraine was so prim and proper and yet so witty, smart and onery.  Her sense of humor was very entertaining.  She delivered laughs with a sly smile and a twinkle in her eye.

I was so lucky to be able to visit with Lorraine over this last year after Roscoe passed.  Even though the communication between us could be challenging we always made do.  We would gossip, I would paint her nails her favorite pink color and usually shared a sweet tweet.  She loved chocolate cake.  It was always hard to say goodbye when I would leave, just as it is now, except now it's Lorraine that is going on ahead.

Our hearts are broken in losing Lorraine.  Se meant so much to all of us.  However, while our souls are aching for one last smile, laugh, hug, we are comforted knowing she is now with her Roscoe.

At first the memories will be hurtful, reminding us she is not here with us.  However, later the memories will be welcomed, reminding us she was here.