June 30, 2008

My dad stated the obvious to me yesterday . . . that today would be a hard day. Today marks the one year anniversary of my mother's death. I don't think time has lessened how much I miss her! However, I do feel a sense of relief as we have navigated through a year of "firsts" without her. I hope that she is proud that my siblings and I have found our way together through these difficult times. Although the big holidays were hard, they were also those that were busy and filled with family and friends. For me the toughest times have been the smaller ones . . . Christmas Eve, Mother's Day, my birthday. It saddens me as I see my sons, grandsons, nieces and nephews experience milestones without her although I have to believe she is in a better place and watching over all of us.

Cold & Hot

Well, we just got back from a mini-vacation to Deep Creek, the new phrase "staycation" comes to mind since most of us only had to travel an hour or so. More about that later though. For now let me say that Ryan, Renea, Owen & I slept on the first floor which was akin to walking into a refrigeration unit at times. Sleeping was not really a problem . . . just get comfy & pull the covers up. Dressing, especially when just getting out of the shower, was another matter though. Brrrr!!! But to me it was worth it to have four bedrooms & plenty of space. The third floor loft of the house was often too hot so I guess one was no worse than the other. Anyway, it was a beautiful home & great to be with everyone. When I walked into my house at home though I was blasted by heat. Yes, it had been rather chilly before we left, & I forgot to turn on the A/C. The thermostat was past 80--clear to as high as it could get! As I type this sweat is pouring off my face as the house has yet to fully cool. Now, of course, I'm longing for the chilly bedroom of Deep Creek! I'll save a vacation recap for another day as I'm now a subscriber to the Kelly Zundell school of vacation unpacking which is "do it immediately!" So I'll brave this heat & go unpack.

Summer Reading

I like nothing better than curling up on the couch on my deck, sipping a cold drink, and immersing myself in a great book. I usually knock off 10-15 books during the summer & love every minute of it. However, my so-called summer reading began rather unexpectedly on Friday when I thought I would peruse the deposition of Mike Brown, sports agent who represents former WVU coach Rich Rodriquez. Unable to control myself I proceeded to read the deposition in it entirety--over 500 pages. I was not able to comfortably curl up to read this; I had to sit in front of my computer reading & scrolling. But it was riveting! My overall impression after reading this is that Rich Rodriqeuz has certainly picked an unqualified, no-name to guide him through some of the most important decisions of his life. Revelations included the fact that Brown is not an attorney (or even a sports management major) although he pretty much touted himself as an expert in contracts & Rodriquez is the only D1 head coach he has as a client. Well, even though I am a sports nut, I can't imagine why I just couldn't stop reading.