Octoberfest!

Octoberfest

Let’s reminisce shall we about the last month. We arrived in Ky on my birthday and the month has been filled with all kinds of emotions. Turning 46 did not emote any specific emotion other than I now feel like I can complain a little more about my aches and pains and they are sort of justified. Oh, okay we all know that is just lame. But, speaking of pain I did get diagnosed with Tennis elbow in one elbow and Golfer’s elbow in both elbows!! All that work on Mullet Ranch South and instead of big strong Popeye arms, I get lame elbows. It sounds like a wimpy thing, but let me tell you it can be quite uncomfortable. A few days of physical therapy and no more push ups for a while and I should be good as new.

Another milestone occurred a few days later when Mark turned 49 and Alex turned 19! Mark of course was at work when this occurred, so we celebrated when ever he was home!! It is just hard to believe that Alex is 19! “Seems like yesterday” is something we say all the time! He is currently visiting the 1R Hooligans in Chicago and I am certain has a huge smile on his face right this very minute!!

While Mark was in and out of town, I readied MRN for the final walk through. Tendinitis band firmly in place, I stacked the boxes neatly in the garage so they would be ready to load onto the trailer. Each time at the house it got a little easier to leave. Seems my heart is now in Englewood, waiting for me to return to my little bungalow of happiness.

Closing date was set for October 23, 2009 at 10am. Still not convinced it was actually going to happen, nerves became frazzled. The new owners of MRN are actually moving from Florida to Ky!! How funny is that? Would their flight be delayed? Would they do the final walk through and see that Mark actually missed one leaf from the front garden? Was this actually going to happen?

In true Mullet Ranch fashion a last minute swaray was planned and friends gathered to say good-bye, again! Great filet's, great conversation, lots of laughs, drinks and memories!!

And, a side celebration of David Mark taking the LSAT and getting a kick ass score!

We awoke around 6 this morning, eager to get the day started. Mark arranged for new tires on the trailer, I packed, he packed, the dogs walked around in a state of confusion! Where are we going NOW? They seem to ask. We get to the closing and the bank door is not open. The ever resourceful Closing Attorney got us a nice conference room at Central Bank instead. The new owners of MRN are an adorable young couple who seemed so excited about the house it just made it all seem “good and right”. Check in hand we hit the road. As I type this at 10:05pm, 12 hours since the papers were signed we are crossing into the state of Florida!

In closing I would like to give a shout out to Beth who let us invade her home for the “Octoberfest”!! It was of course just like old times. Hanging out, playing Scrabble, going to Target and of course the daily runs to Kroger!! Hurry to Florida my friend, new adventures await!

Until next time, Mullets out……

a birthday, a wedding, a funeral & a house closing

Well, as you can probably tell from my eclectic title, life just keeps going! It has been awhile since my last blog and I have been itching to write something new, but couldn't decide what to write about. So I decided to write about it all in one fell swoop.

Let's start with my birthday- went to dinner with our good friends Sam and Suzanne and our Godson Taylor. We took the ferry over to the Rum Bay Restaurant on Palm Island. Great food, great company, great birthday!For those of you who know Sam and Suzanne, look closely and you will see that Sam is actually wearing shoes!!! A rare sight indeed.

On the actual day that I turned 46, which I don't mind saying because it is what it is. Mark and I traveled from sunny beautiful Florida back to cold rainy Kentucky just in time to celebrate with Beth and Alex!! It was so good to see them and catch up. Alex got to see his Mabeline Fontaine Farticus which made them both very happy!

A few days later, the celebrations continued because Mark and Alex have a birthday right around the corner, tomorrow and Saturday to be exact! So we decided to just celebrate all three since Mark would be working. *insert boo's here* ANOTHER great day! Mark's famous Chili and great company. David Mark, Lara, Alex, Zak, Dean and Beth. Nothing better than celebrating with family!

A few days of rest and on to the Wedding.

The real reason we came back to Kentucky was for our good friends Todd and Melissa's wedding. I was the official photographer for the big day and was very nervous!! Mark was Todd's Best Man Stand-In. The real and original Best Man was Todd's brother Scott. When it was discovered that Scott might not make it to the wedding due to cancer treatments he was receiving in Houston, Todd asked Mark to do the honor. A week or so prior to the wedding, hope was restored and it looked like Scott would be able to come, although in fast deteriorating health. He and his family arrived Saturday afternoon just in time for the nuptials, and flew back home that very night thanks to a donated charter. I was so glad that I was able to photograph the family as just 32 hours later Scott passed away.

The funeral.

I had not met Scott prior the wedding, I only knew him from photographs and stories from Todd. I also followed his journey on a website that he had created to keep everyone up to date. It was really a pleasure to have finally met Scott as it was and is very clear that he was a very special and loved man.

The House Closing

We have a contract on MRN (Mullet Ranch North) so the remainder of our time here in Ky will be spent emptying out the house and crossing the t's and dotting the i's. I am so happy it sold! Not sure if you are aware but it is a difficult time to sell a house right now!! So, Mark and I are very thankful for that and for many other things. Thankful for our family, our friends, and the time we get to spend together.

Life does go on, but every birthday, every wedding and even every funeral adds to that life a little something that maybe wasn't there before. Maybe a little more compassion, maybe more laughter, less procrastinating, less thinking and more doing, and maybe a little more love.

Until next time, Mullets out.....