Bigger Things

I know.
I haven't updated in a while.
My plan to try to fell apart.

Mom was sick for six years and she took a turn.
She contracted C-Diff.  We think from the dialysis center.  No way to prove it though.
She was in hospital for 2 weeks.
She passed peacefully on March 13, 2019 at 05:25am.  She turned 71 that morning.
We sang Happy Birthday to her at midnight.
When her breathing ceased and her heart stopped we all looked at her in anguish.

Mom 2018

I stepped over to her and checked her pulse.

Nothing.

I turned to my sisters and said that Mom was gone.
We all burst into tears simultaneously.  We hugged and cried and then I went to the nurse's station to let them know she had died.

The first time I said it, "My Mom has died."

She looked at me and said, "I'm so sorry."
I thanked them for caring for her and keeping her comfortable in her last few days on earth.
One of the nurses looked at me and she had tears in her eyes.  She told me Mom was so nice and sweet. She came over and gave me a hug.

That's how Mom was.

That's how she lives on in her daughters, her grandkids, and everyone who knew her.
Her memory is very much alive.
That is the bigger thing that she left behind.
Her kindness, her friendliness, her giving spirit, her sense of humor, her gracious heart, her love of God, her laugh, her brave face fighting cancer from day one.  I could go on forever about Mom.
She was amazing.
She was smart.
She dealt with a lot of crap in her life but always had a positive attitude.
Even at the end of her life.

We will remember her, her friends will remember her, her grandkids will remember her.

One of the bigger things she taught me was to live life to the fullest.
Take risks.
Talk to random people.
Reach out to those who may be lonely.
Live your best life.

She did.
I am too.

Rest In Peace Mom

We Miss You

1948-2019

Signing off 12:15

Music I remember loving in the 80's

I heard a song today that I hadn't heard in a long time.  'Mandolin Rain' by Bruce Hornsby.  I got to thinking about the first time I remember hearing that song.  I must have been 9 or 10 years old and I can specifically recall loving the piano part and the words.  I used to tape songs off of the radio just so I could listen to them over and over again.  I liked to memorize songs and be able to sing them word for word.  Heck, I still like to memorize songs.  That's what drove me to memorize 'We Didn't Start The Fire' by Billy Joel when I was in 12th grade.  I used to drive around in the car with the cassette tape in the tape deck and the windows down.  I would rewind it and play it over and over and over again.  I can still sing the whole damn song word for word (and I know about all the historical events and people he talks about too....so there :-P )

When we were kids my Mom sold Avon and had a regular route with customers that she went on delivering catalogs and merchandise orders.  That was one of the things my sister and I helped my Mom with on Saturday mornings.  We'd drive the route in my Mom's car with the radio on and sing along while we made deliveries.  I have to say I learned a lot of songs this way.  I'd hear a song I liked and when it came up on the radio I'd tape it and memorize it.  I still love to sing.  D makes fun of me sometimes because I will sing along to anything whether it's in my range or not!

All of this thinking about my childhood got me to thinking that I wanted to pick 25 songs that I remember being my favorite in the the 80's.  Then I realized that I would have way more that 25.  So I picked the first 26 that I could remember.  In no particular order.  Finding them on YouTube was pretty easy, as was saving them to a playlist.





1. 'The Way It Is'- Bruce Hornsby
2. 'Mandolin Rain'- Bruce Hornsby
3. 'The Living Years'- Mike and the Mechanics
4. 'Billie Jean'- Michael Jackson
5. 'Walk Like An Egyptian'- The Bangles
6. 'Come On Eileen'- Dexys Midnight Runners
7. 'Take On Me'- A-Ha
8. 'Wake Me Up Before You Go Go'- Wham
9. 'Under Pressure'- Queen and David Bowie
10. '867-5309'- Tommy Tutone
11. 'Sister Christian'- Night Ranger
12. 'Born In The USA'- Bruce Springsteen
13. 'You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)- Dead Or Alive
14. 'Mickey'- Toni Basil
15. 'Jack And Diane'- John Mellencamp
16. 'Take My Breath Away'- Berlin
17. 'Whip It'- Devo
18. 'Straight Up'- Paula Abdul
19. 'Faith'- George Michael
20. 'She Blinded Me With Science'- Thomas Dolby
21. 'All Night Long'- Lionel Richie
22. 'Down Under'- Men At Work
23. 'Uptown Girl'- Billy Joel
24. 'Tiny Dancer'- Elton John
25. 'The End Of The Innocence'- Don Henley
26. 'We Didn't Start The Fire' -Billy Joel

 I hope you enjoy the songs and let me know what your favorites were from your childhood. I always love hearing thoughts on and reactions to my posts. Thanks.

 Signing off 04:38