Catch-Up

It's been a while since I've just written a post about what was going on in my life, so I guess it's time to play catch up.

First, yesterday was my Mom's birthday. If she were still here, she would have turned 71, which just seems unreal. She also would have been at my house, joking around with J about getting old, making ribald comments (she loved making people laugh with dirty jokes or innuendos), and eating birthday cake. But she's not here, so I just imagined all of that and missed her. I love you, Mom. I wish you were still here with me.

A week before that, on the 18th, was the 16th anniversary of the death of my step-dad. I can't even believe that he's been gone that long, but he has. I don't quite know why I was fated to lose three parents so early in my life, but all these years later, I still hate it. I miss you Wayne. I love you.

Saturday J and I went to lunch with my sister and with my oldest brother and his wife. My family is very weird - we don't talk to each other very often (with the exception of me and my sister), so this is the first time I've seen him in a few years, I think, and the first time J had ever met him. In fact, my brother didn't even know I was engaged (although I thought I had e-mailed him after J proposed, but maybe not). Yes, we're a very close family - not.

Anyway, we had a fun time talking to him and his wife, who is due to have a baby girl in May. It was nice to catch up with him a little bit, and I was very, very happy to have J finally meet him. He may never meet the brother who is the closest in age to me, since I haven't seen him myself in almost nine years, so at least now he's met everyone else.

The whole thing just made me love having J in my life that much more, too, somehow. I just never really thought I would find someone to share my life with at all, and I really barely even dared to dream that I would find someone who loves me like J does. It's a great feeling to have him in my life after spending so many years alone.

Anyway. :) Saturday was pretty much a perfect day, with a nice mix of socializing and then staying in with J and just relaxing and enjoying the time together. He had to go to work at night, so I sat and watched DVDs and played the Sims, and he got home the next morning just after I got up.

We also went to my sister's house after lunch on Saturday, to pick up Ginger's leftover dog food and treats. :( Poor Ginger. And my poor sister and her family. Losing a dog is so hard - they really become a part of your family.

So we visited there for a few minutes, and then went home. Duff, our picky eater who sometimes just doesn't eat his meals (the only dog I've ever seen that doesn't gobble everything you put in front of him), is loving Ginger's food. He may change his mind about that soon, but for now he's digging right in and eating the whole dish of food, so I'm happy about that.

Yesterday was pretty nice, too. J was home most of the day, although he was napping a bit in the morning, to make up for working the night before. But I got to spend a decent amount of time with him, and we watched Anchorman, which was very funny, and then we watched Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which we saw in the theater, but I hadn't seen since. It was fun. And then he went to work again, and I watched The Best Years of Our Lives, which is an Oscar winner that I'll have to write a post about soon - one more down! It was very good, too.

And I knitted a little bit more. I'm working on the first sleeve for my sweater, and I'm almost done with it - I have about four more inches to knit, and then I start binding off and making the rounded top part. Once it's done, the sweater will be half done! I may not get to wear it this winter, though, because I need to make two baby blankets by May, so I won't be working on the sweater for a while, sadly. Oh well. I'll finish it eventually.

Okay, I guess that's enough catch up for now. Have a great Monday, everyone!