Weekend at the Jersey Shore

On October 15 I flew to New Jersey to spend the weekend with my "crew".  I was invited to Teri's new house for the weekend and I am so glad I went.  It recharged me.

If you are very lucky you have people in your life who motivate you, who make you feel loved without saying a word, who make you feel valued and PART of something.  I don't know if that makes sense to anyone else but me but that's it in a nutshell.

Eileen Bellomo, Teri Flemal, Pat Tillery and I spent the weekend cooking, doing art, talking and watching movies and it was like a shot of mind vitamins for me.  I will forever be thankful for these friendships.

Teri got us each two pumpkins to decorate.  Her house

looks so pretty wither halloween decorations.

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.My baby boy!!!!  Love him!

He is the cutest thing EVER.

 Teri's home is so beautiful and the area surrounding
it is also.

I always thought of New Jersey as dirty and ugly. Boy
was I wrong!

This place is amazing.

 Eileen introduced us to a new tool that
does the loops for the beading!!  I love it!

Pat taught us the coptic stitch.  I already forgot it
but plan to use it!

Pat is such a great cook.  She always has these
fabulous recipes for food that is not only good
but healthy.

Eileen is the salad queen so she makes all our
salads.

Teri just drinks!!!

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 We went and took a class blowing glass!  It was really fun
and different.  I don't think I would take this up as a hobby
but the pieces we saw were absolutely gorgeous.  We each
made a small pumpkin which is great because every holiday
it will remind of this time together.

The weather was SPECTACULAR!

 Teri's new house is beautiful.  The neighborhood is also.  Hmmmmmm..... wonder how she would feel about having me for a neighbor????

 

Beautiful evening view of the Jersey Shore.

One of my favorite parts of the trip was hanging with Cody!

















 Check out Eileen's owl mask!  Absolutely gorgeous!***

 Teri's altered halloween tin was fabulous!!!

Thank you ladies for an awesome weekend!

Yesterday would have been my mom's 80th birthday

My mom would have been 80 years old yesterday.  That's a long time and I am blessed to have had my parents through adulthood.  But wow, what a miserable day I had yesterday.   My father's death was so awful with the cancer - and we lost my mom in 4 days so I guess her death was so much better for her.  But for some reason I just can't get my head around the fact that she is dead.  So strange.

I miss you mom

"Hello Mother"

"Hello hija"

This was the way we started our telephone conversations every single night.  Four words.  I miss you mom.

ELENA VIGIL October 26, 1935 - September 27, 2015

I have lost my mother.  We buried her on October 1st.  It still does not seem possible that I lost her so quickly.  She went to the hospital while I was in Europe.  Nobody told me.  It's mom - she has been in and out of the hospital a million times.  Nobody wanted to ruin my vacation.

By the time I got home on September 23, 2015 she was no longer speaking.  I don't know whether or not she could hear me but I really hope so.  I had spoken to her on the phone while I was in Europe but I never got to say goodbye.  It bothers me.  A lot.

She didn't have much pain.  I didn't let her.  I gave her meds every time I even THOUGHT she was in pain.  She died peacefully.  She was 80 years old.  She had a very good life.  I am grateful.