Dear Reader:

May has been such a kaleidoscope of changing patterns, colors, and events that I am still a little dizzy from it all and we still have a little over a week to go.

If I had to pick one event however, that stands out above all the other wonderful events, it would have to be THE WEDDING…of Tommy’s and Kaitlyn’s. What a way to start May! Happiness surrounded us in all shades of bright colors and smiles!

I had a couple of days to recoup from all the emotions surrounding the wedding and then I started following Tommy and Kaitlyn’s adventures in Ireland which kept me waking up in strange hours of the night trying to figure out what time it was in Ireland and then check to see if any new messages, pictures, or videos had popped up.

Tommy and Kaitlyn are arriving back home today..the trip is over and I am sad not to be able to tour Ireland vicariously through their eyes.

(Tommy and Kaitlyn at Ashford Castle and the last picture (last night at Cliff at Lyons…drinks, dinner, and a gorgeous room before departing Ireland today and heading home…what a beautiful ending.)

Walsh, Mollie, and the boys left for Disney World following the wedding…it was the first time for the boys!

Squeezed in among all of this came Mother’s Day…cards, flowers, and especially love.

Then came Teacher Appreciation Week and a surprise from Mary Davies sending me a sweet message from a former student I taught…which just made my day. (You might remember I had showed you some Dr. Seuss t-shirts Pam Stewart found that were so funny…I ordered them (they were all a little big…XS was still huge on the little little ones) about grandmothers who were retired school teachers.

I never could find a time when I was with all four at the same time but I got pictures separately with their t-shirts and “funny/ serious student” glasses on. Too much fun! Thanks Pam for letting me know! “My Grandma was a teacher; What did your Grandma do?”

Then came the Ya Ya reunion and birthday parties for Brooke and Libby….this retreat is always a fun blessing for all!

…Except that I always freeze most of the visit while inside…the other Ya’s like it cold…iceberg cold (in the 60’s) so I always have to bring “Pinkie” the heavy winter robe or have a blanket handy.

(Sue Anne…it reminds me of that message I saw on Facebook about the freezing temperature in some people’s houses and the penguins running to them to escape global warning)

 While I was with the Ya’s I missed Jakie’s first public “performance” with the two-year-olds at the Citadel Square Baptist Day Care Center.

He went up on stage with everyone and then got embarrassed and shy…covering his face and peeking through his fingers so he would be “invisible”…but after each number he put his hands down long enough to clap for himself. Too cute!

After leaving Edisto Beach…little did I know more surprises awaited me…I thought catching up with Ed and Roz was enough. But then as I turned on to my street….’What to my wandering eyes did I see…but one long newly paved road leading into our neighborhood.” (We have tried since I moved here decades ago to get it paved but to no avail and yet here it is!)

*When I opened the door to my house another wonderful surprise… my orchid was there (I gave it it’s three ice cubes before I left for the beach) looking just like the way it looked on Tommy and Kaitlyn’s wedding day when Susan gave it to me. Three ice cubes is the trick! Thanks for the advice Vickie and Stephanie!

And finally my garden welcomed me home with blooms popping out all over…it was as if they were just waiting for me to get home to show off for me.

Vickie, thank you for all the watering…it was such a hot, sunny week I know watering your garden and mine must have kept you hopping!

Look! My passion plant bloomed for the first time in two years!!! The day lilies are ‘going to town’, and  the Sweet Williams are too sweet!

So until tomorrow…yesterday I got a package in the mail from Honey…she had made me a hanging Hummingbird ornament with this wonderful message attached…’To remind us that life is rich, beauty is everywhere, every personal connection has meaning and that laughter is life’s sweetest creation.”

“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

*Eva Cate got selected by her teacher as Terrific Kid from her class for the fourth nine weeks. We are all so proud of her and at how hard she has worked this year.

I also got to commemorate 50 years in education…a  reception for Carol Poole, my Berkeley co-hort in Social Studies, who was my traveling partner as we went up I-26 doing workshops for the state department after we retired. We traveled the interstate so often we decided to call the interstate..the Dingle-Poole Express. Congratulations Carol!

And finally…a May Mini-Miracle. I got my Express Scripts monthly statement as usual yesterday and among all the individual statements…was a refund check for a whopping $14.82 for overcharging me on some medicine. (Hey, it’s lunch out time!) Now I can say that I was the one who received a personal check from them!!  That doesn’t happen very often!