The Wilkey's and the Avery's

Sunny Sunday morning passed me by wearing sneakers leaving no time to waste as afternoon smiles but takes no breaks.  Sitting on my brown sofa, I reach to fine tune the digital clock radio, set to Classic Country KCWM (1460 AM) Hondo, Texas, USA., I pause to ponder the options-Pause button is for Snoozing, Rewind for movies and turning back clock numbers will only make me late for work. sigh Some things never change or so they say.  'They say'  so many things we want to hold onto but what I have observed is that every single thing changes.

Me, my younger sister and even younger brother were blessed to grow up in a small community, on a narrow street,  where no two wood frame houses were the same. Front lawns were a mix of carpet grass, sticker burrs and patches of deep green clover, hours occupied lazy afternoons looking for that four leaf to bring good luck.
From 1961 to this day the Wilkey's and the Avery's have been neighbors. Growing up we were so close, more like extra siblings or cousins than just neighbors. Same thing with our parents who sometimes seemed kinda interchangeable.  Us kids were fussed at for mischief no matter what our last name and parents backed each other up.  That particular sense of security and stability provided a strong foundation, kept us grounded.  

The eight Wilkey children grew up and mulitiplied as did us three Avery's.
Sadly Mr. Wilkey went to Jesus many years ago.

Mr. Avery, my Dad, went home 3 years ago. That left our Mothers, still neighbors, the Wilkey's and the Avery's connected by a worn foot path from our concrete front porch to their garage door-which was always open.
Sometime in the early twilight God called Mrs. Wilkey home, she passed from this world to the next surrounded by her loving family who cherished her so.  She had a strong Catholic faith that sometimes did move mountains, and I can only imagine the jewels in her crown.
'They say' our days are numbered.  'They say' only the rocks live forever.
 I hear this in my head but could someone please explain it to my heart?
I miss you already Mrs. Wilkey.  I am thinking we are probably already neighbors again in Heaven.

The Wilkey's and the Avery's.  kisses

Jetset Sunday

Sunday, January 4th, 2015, the very first Sunday starting the very first new week of a brand new year is here for just a few more hours.  

2015 for some reason feels a bit surreal for lack of a better word.  I keep thinking back to Flour Bluff ISD, Mrs. Trudy Morris lecturing our 6th grade class,   "You kids will probably see the turn of the next century", and adding up with all the fingers on both hands the age I would be in the year 2000.  I sat in awe, staring out the window of our classroom, overwhelmed as my imagination flashed vivid pictures, sorta like 'The Jetsons'  and would it be possible for me to even live that  long. 

Now here it is well into that new century.  I am 53 and still wondering what old will feel like while a part of me realizes my grandchildren probably think Nana is kinda old and a little crazy. 

I wonder if friends my age look around like I do and think "My parents seemed so much older, at this age, than I am now."? 

My Mom says, "Steffie, your mind does not grow old. Just your body."  

I guess that sums it up.  

Life is full of change.  

My perception of stability and how I should feel at this age has evolved greatly in the last few years. What I have figured out is there are just some things I will never figure out. 

I make it a point to tell my grandchildren how life was in the 1970's. Clothing, color schemes and the almost unbelievable differance in social norms, gender gap, and strict definition of family quite different from today.  Who knew? 

Kinda like both my Grandmothers and the stories they shared from the century before- and so it goes. 

The Jetson's are still furturistic and I still do not feel old.  

kisses