It's Finally Arrived ...

It seems like years ago that I ordered a headstone to mark my parents resting places, but I guess it's actually only been about 4 months. Even so, it's been a long time coming.

I guess my mom just couldn't bring herself to order a headstone after my father died and preferred to leave that task to Dan and me. Or maybe she didn't like the thought of seeing her own name engraved alongside my Dad's. But for whatever reason, it's taken 20 plus years to have this stone in place.

It means a great deal to me to have the stone there, acknowledging their lives and marriage. In recent weeks I've noticed as I stopped by the cemetary (Parma Union on Parma Center Road) that preparations were being made to put the stone in place. Since then I've been anxiously awaiting the day when I'd drive up and see it there.

Yesterday was that day. Despite it being a cold, windy, and very rainy afternoon, the weather stopped just long enough for me to be able to get out of the car and take a look, run my hand over the carving and enjoy the little cupid I had them add in remembrance of my Mom's favorite gift from my Dad -- a set of tumbling cherubs.

I stopped by today when it was a little lighter and brighter out and took these pictures. I'm already thinking how nice it will look in the spring when I can plant some flowers!

It's a Georgia Christmas!

Leave it to Dan and Meghan to already have their Christmas tree up and stockings hung!

And how daring they are to have presents under the tree with 3 little thieves around -- although I have to think even Charlie would have a hard time dragging one of those gifts to his secret hiding spot under the bed!

But since moving into the new apartment, the "kiddies" are under close watch -- Meghan mentioned that she thinks it's rather difficult to get soot out of an albino ferret's fur. It's easier to keep them under lock and key!

Anyway, here's a picture of their happy little family, worthy of Christmas card distribution....

The Leaves are Almost Gone!

The other day we had one heck of a windstorm and almost all the leaves were off our trees before I had a chance to take pictures of them! I had been holding off on taking pictures of our maple and birch trees as they hadn't quite reached their peak.

However, after the storm, the top leaves of the maple were gone as were almost all the birch leaves. So I figured I'd better grab a few pictures before it was too late.

Of course it was raining and I was in my slippers but I still managed to get this picture!