I have not written in a long time. But it doesn't mean I don't think of Mom and Dad every single day. Today I was trying to find a picture on my computer and of course, I ran across several pictures of Mom and Dad. The tears came. Then I just keep looking at them and looking at them and missing them even more. Time goes by and sometimes I try to trick myself into thinking it's just like they are still alive--just living somewhere else. Then it hits me--no, they are dead.
But John always says they are still alive--just living in another "world". They are near. We just can't be with them anymore in physical form. This gives me some comfort.

Susan and I visited John in Jasper on Easter. On the way back we had this crazy snow storm! Big flakes. Kind of freaked us out a little--esp. since it was on the road of the accident. I did OK going down. On the way back, I cried when we passed the spot where it happened.

Mom's birthday was March 29th. She would have been 79 this year. I visited her grave site and "talked" to her for awhile. Sometimes, I still cannot believe she is gone.

We had some water problems in the basement. I don't remember them having huge water problems, but we had quite a bit. It wasn't standing water (at least by the time we found it), but it was "squishy". This is our new carpet we just put down last fall. :-( We might try sealing the cracks on the floor in the back room and putting DryLock on the block parts of the walls. We will have Sean Taylor come back and clean it when the rainy season is over. We got an estimate on a major waterproofing procedure and it was $6900.00. Too high for us right now. Especially, when we still have a house in Oolitic. It isn't even on the market yet. Hopefully, soon. We need to empty it and then have some work done and clean it.

Life on I St. goes on. Sometimes I miss them terribly and think, maybe I shouldn't live here surrounded by all their stuff. I see them in just about everything I do. But then, I couldn't NOT live here. Not right now. I need to be here. It makes me feel closer to them in some ways.

I think we only lost one Azalea bush from last summer's drought. It looks like the rest of Mom's landscaping is coming back--even the dogwood trees that looked so bad. Not sure about all of it yet, though. I think there are a few in front that are in question.

My niece, Jonna, is pregnant again! Mom and Dad barley knew Maggie, but they did get to see her. Mom would be excited to have another great-grandchild on the way.

Last night I paid my taxes. One of Dad's IRA's seemed to be a problem and we had to pay taxes on it. That was a lot. I guess the rest of their investments were different for some reason. Anyway, it was a LOT. I hope I never have to pay that much money again. It was their money to start with, but still. It makes you kind sick to have to pay that much in taxes. But that is done. The last big thing, now, is selling the house in Oolitic. Maybe when that is done, my life can stabilize a bit. Maybe some closure. I don't know. It seems there are these hurdles to get over and then maybe life can get back to normal--or the "new" normal. My life will never again be the same.

Still miss you, Mom and Dad.

Love,

Susie