Life, Death and the Pursuit of Happiness

One of my nephews passed away suddenly 2 weeks ago at the age of 37. It was a shock.

I hadn't been back to Chicago in 10 years. I needed to go.....in the middle of one of the worst winters in ages. The airfares were astronomical so we drove.....1800 miles round trip in 3 1/2 days. We spent 24 important hours with family and the rest on the road.......some on black ice in Indiana.

We are still exhausted from the drive but luckily the weather gods saw to it that conditions were not too hazardest and we made it home safely (although the weather did follow us home). But I am so glad we were able to go.

Our family is not a close one but it is the kind that even though you don't see each other a lot when you do get together you have a good time. No arguing or yelling, no drama. Maybe it is the fact that we don't see each often then when we do, we spend our time on pleasantry and not passed perceived wrongs.

I was glad to be there for my sister.



After the snow, ice wind and cold we returned to this.......it was great to be back home.






Our weather was beautiful, in the 60's, which lasted all of 2 days.

Monday was my birthday and The Husband made me breakfast, sausage gravy and scrambled eggs....yum.



Doesn't look pretty but oh so good. Since we just got back from our trip the night before I had to go to work but I got to open my presents before going.



I scored 3 Ken dolls and 2 Skippers. Happy Birthday to me!

By Tuesday morning weather was starting to turn, It appears to have followed me from Chicago. I left work at 2:30 to freezing rain and we had an official Florida 'Ice Day' yesterday.



That is ice covering everything. The patio was so slick Lou came running across the yard and slid across taking down the flower pots like bowling pins.

I spent my day like I did when I was a kid.....playing with my dolls. I freed all my new ones from their boxes and decided give some others a cleaning.



A few months ago I bought a couple lots of Barbies on eBay. Some I will keep and the others I will clean and dress for charity. This one is getting a Downy hair bath to get the frizzy out of her hair.

I cut out doll dresses and did some sewing, read and napped. It was a wonderful 'Ice Day'. I felt like a kid again.

Today it's back to work and reality. But there will be other play days......I think we all need them, to play and be a kid again. Life, as we all know, can be so short. So play, do what puts a smile on your face.
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