It’s Been a Long Time~~~

col tuo nome nell’anima

col nome tuo nell’labbra

                                                                                                                                  ~ Puccini

Thank you so much for your kind notes… It has been a long time. Where do I begin to explain all that has happened in the past year and a half…? As many of you know, my husband has been battling health problems. His fight continues and although some days are definitely challenging, we feel blessed for the progress that he has made.

Time passes quickly and with it comes many changes. One of the major decisions that we made was to move closer to town and medical facilities. I must admit this was a major adjustment for me, but I am firmly convinced that it was the right thing to do for my husband. After sorting through over 30+ years of belongings from our previous residence, we are finally settled in our new home in a retirement community. Now, instead of seeing acres and acres of farmland, I look out upon a sea of rooftops. We did manage to find a place with a large back yard and a view of a mountain range a short distance from us. There is also abundance of small wildlife here, including quails, rabbits, and herons that frequent some of the community’s small man-made lakes.   Several months have been spent adding our personal touches to our new residence. I’ve painted, painted, and am in the process of repainting… (Sometimes, the paint colors look much better on the sample cards than they do on the walls. LOL). On the plus side, our new home has added space for more bookshelves, so I have been happily filling them with some treasured volumes that had been previously packed away.  Although we planted a nice large tree and some small shrubs in the front yard, I am looking forward to landscaping the backyard this fall with some graceful vines and colorful shrubs.  

Another major decision I made recently was to step away from my very demanding job and devote myself to my home and family. My husband has always been very supportive of my work and the long hours that the job demanded of me. I am very thankful for his understanding that gave me the opportunity to pursue that phase of my life. You might think that I would have a surplus of time on my hands now… but actually the opposite is true. That is one of the reasons why I have not posted online until now. With the changes and necessary priorities in our lifestyles, I am very limited in the time that I can spend at my computer. However, OD and the community of people here will always occupy a special place in my thoughts and heart. I have not forgotten any of you. I have missed you all very much, and although I will only be able to frequent OD occasionally at best, I will try to visit your diaries soon. Until then… as the intro to my entry says…

With your name in my heart

With your name on my lips

Always~