Happy Weekend!!!

Image by Mario Testino for Vogue January 2011

Happy Weekend Everyone!!

If there is one thing that I have learned in my forty-something years, it's that
life is absolutely and positively unpredictable...

But

surely one would have to agree that if it wasn't...
than it would be absolutely positively boring...

This June we had AMAZING plans to head back to the mother country after ten years of being away.  We would rent a villa, eat lots of pasta, visit friends, swim in the Mediterranean Sea, watch the Tall One scrunch into a Fiat and sit under a striped umbrella under the Tuscan sun. I would wear a fabulous Miss Lilienesque gown and walk on winding pea stone paths between the cypress and olive groves...

but

things happen...

Life happens..

This week has been a frenzy of ups and downs...

downs and ups..

1. Boston...

2. Finishing up the designs of two wonderful blogs...
3. Watching a friend help her niece replan her wedding in one week so that the bride's Mother could be a part of her wedding..
4. Learning that 3 CT wedding professionals, Carla Ten Eyck, Julie Morawski and Yumiko Fletcher of Hana Floral Design unselfishly and without hesitation made that bride's dream come true...
5. Tackling Photoshop and winning!!!
and finally..
6. Telling the Monster that his brother, his best friend, his confidant, his protector has Stage 4 Cancer and will only have 30-60 days left of his life...

whew...
what a week...

Number 6 has left a huge dent in my heart..
My Waspy background would suggest that I "stand tall" and "be quiet and keep this a private matter"
But
it has taken me years to get rid of that nonsense so I can't quite go back...
I would much rather be honest..
at least for the sake of the Monster...
at least for the sake of Mr. H's friends who wish to say goodbye..
But..
What we do have is time...

Time is essential..
Time to take those long Spring walks on the Island..
Time to cuddle and scratch a belly...
Time to eat steak and bacon and goose poop..
Time to romp in the ocean and jump the waves at Napatree...
Time for car rides...
Time to say goodbye..

So we are very very lucky...
The Monster told me the other day while driving in the car
(before we had to tell him the news and of course ALL important discussions happen in the car)

"Mom did you know that the oldest man in Longmeadow, Mass had just died at the age of 93..."

"Wow..That's really old"

"That's a crazy long life Mom. I feel bad for those people in Boston who weren't that old"

"Me too peanut..me too..But life is like that..we never know when our time is up...we just have to live life to the fullest.
That 93 year old man might not have lived life..but the person in Boston who was younger might have. Which life would you want?"

"The one who lived mama.."

So now that's just what we're gonna do...
Live...

Sometimes time may not be on our side..
The loss of someone can be so utterly devastating that you can't seem to breathe and your heart physically hurts..
But
they have given you the gift of realizing that we need to live..
Live life to the fullest...

Be Safe, Get Out there and LIVE  life and Have a Great Weekend!!