Good morning my blog friends and officially happy February! Let's hope due to the cold weather and snow/sleet mixture over a huge part of the country, that darn groundhog will NOT see his shadow today.
Today's blog is brought to you by the letter "C"!
Cold
Until today, it has been below freezing for 9 days straight, with the exception of one afternoon. This is a portion of my street still on Sunday afternoon.
And this is my house 8 days later after the first sign of precipitation.
But it's never too cold for frozen yogurt!
Cinema
I didn't go to the cinema, but I did watch this movie Friday night. It is a modern day story of Ruth and Boaz. I was in tears at the end.
Sunday night, I watched Nonnas. This has been on my Netflix forever it seems and it was a heartwarming movie. Y'all know I love a movie based on a true story!
Cut
I have officially got to the end of my things to do list around the house when I began cutting my bangs Saturday morning. They turned out okay! This is me on Sunday when I ran into Jenn at a restaurant after church. You can't really see my bangs here though!
Chili
I made some chili for lunch on this cold weekend day. No beans were harmed.
Cry
Now to take a hard left turn, I had quite the cry session Saturday afternoon. Yes, I did okay overall, but after 9 days of being completely alone with the exception of a few hours on 2 days, it all caught up with me. The loneliness & grief was real. I laid down in bed at 3 Saturday and didn't get up until Sunday morning. I think my reality is sometimes really hard between the financial situation I have been left with (or without I should say) and being the victim of an unwanted ending to a marriage. I miss having someone to do stuff with and who wants to spend time with me. It sometimes feels like I am all alone when everyone else has someone. I know that sounds pitiful. I know the Lord is always with me. The grief I experience is on so many levels. That is what divorce does. I could share so much, but I will leave this with a few things I read:
China
I did a little retail therapy to help and placed my first order from Shein! If anything works, I will post it here.
Church/Community
I was so thankful my church was meeting Sunday. If it wasn't, I was going somewhere. Granted, the parking lot was an icy mess, but I made it there safely and it was so good to see humans I know. I hadn't seen anyone since Thursday. After church, a huge group went out to eat and it was a delight. I even ran into Jenn and Chris there!
Car
I went through the car wash to get the first layer of snow off my car. Every time I drive down my road and driveway, I track more snow/dirt on my car, but I had to get my car a little clean. I was thankful to see the car wash open since it barely reached 32 degrees.
Concert
I spent my Sunday afternoon watching a Duran Duran concert on tv while I worked on blogs. I was a huge Duran Duran fan in Jr. High and thought I would marry Simon LeBon (the lead singer) some day, ha! I am still a big fan of them and love their music. I finally saw them in concert a few times once I was an adult.
Creativity
Sunday night, I did a little water color while I watched tv. This was a sweet gift from Joyce last fall and I picked it back over the weekend.
This concludes my "C" blog and thank you for reading!
Have a great Monday!
I hadn't noticed the "c" theme at first but I like it. I loved the movie Nonna's. I am a sucker for a good based on a true story movie too. I am sorry to hear that grief hit you hard this weekend but I do think it is completely understandable. I really need to hit up the car wash soon.. but it needs to get above freezing for me to do that. Our roads are treated with so much ice melt that our cars literally start rotting away from it if we don't wash them frequently in winter.
ReplyDeleteNonnas was a good, sweet movie. I have been to the car wash 2 days in a row now!
DeleteHello Marylin,
ReplyDeleteI've been reading your blog for a while but I've not commented before. I am sorry that you've had such a hard time during the last few weeks. I am thinking that more regular, structured and predictable activities might help? What I mean by this is pre-agreed weekly/ monthly activities in addition to the adhoc socialising you do anyway. They could be very low key and free like a potluck dinner with neighbours every first Tuesday of the month, a walk with a friend on Wednesdays after work, a book club once a month, a joint painting session and coffee with another friend on Saturday mornings, etc.
This would give you some regular and predictable mini-highlights to look forward to. Perhaps there are some opportunities existing out there that you could join. In addition, why not start something yourself? I am sure there are other lovely people who might be delighted if someone reached out to them with a fun plan?
You have so many things going for you and I wish you all the best.
Thank you so much for reading and commenting! Those are all great ideas for outings. The past 2 weeks were just particularly hard because of the weather and being iced/snowed in with little outings and being out of work. I couldn't get to my family and most of my friends. Thankfully, it is beginning to melt this week!
DeleteThis blog brought to you by the letter "C"! Love it! My sisters both have luck with Shein. I'm sorry you were so isolated and stuck for so long. Are you back to work today? It sounds like your area is just like ours. The main roads are fine but the neighborhood roads suck and the parking lots are snow piled and some are still bad.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you got to go out to eat yesterday with your church friends.
Yes, same here. I am thankful for the warmer temperatures this week. Looks like the rain may help wash some of this slush away tomorrow!
DeleteI love to see the watercolor : ) I"m sorry it's been especially rough for you recently and I hope sharing and writing it all down helps with your healing. Grief is such a tricky river to navigate. I'm so glad you got out on Sunday!! Our temps are supposed to rise this week, at least during the day, and hopefully yours are too and melting can begin. I hope there is something on your calendar this week to look forward to. Sending you big hugs today xo
ReplyDeleteYes, seeing a little of this melt has been great! I actually have a trip over to your direction later this week! Thanks for the virtual hug :)
DeleteMarilyn, I hate that you felt so lonely lately, but I absolutely understand. The winter months are already hard and then the added grief and everything else you're dealing with just adds to the loneliness. Thanks for sharing your feelings and I hope, as the days get sunnier, that your grief will start to fall off and be replaced with excitement for the days to come. This is just a season. Not that that makes it any easier, but it will come to an end eventually. I hope you have a good week :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Debbie. Hoping for February and the ice melting to help some! I appreciate your encouragement.
DeleteOh friend- loved your C theme. Hopefully the worst is over- grief always sneaks in when we are alone right? Then when you are forced to be alone for long periods of time, it gets worse- totally get it- you are crushing life though. There is someone waiting for you- the Lord will provide when the time is right- you got this! XO
ReplyDeleteOh, I hope so too! Yes, the isolation of the weather caught up to me. I always appreciate you!
DeleteOh also- LOVED Nonnas- one of my fave movies :)
ReplyDeleteSo good!
DeleteI like the C theme structure of your post but am sorry to see that "cry" was in there. Thanks for sharing your grief/story- obviously not because it's good that you're in the situation that you're in but because you are honest about it. I hope that writing about it brings some measure of release/relief. I will check out the movie Nonnas. I feel like I've heard of it but I've not seen it. I like Vince Vaughn and I like movies based on real life events. How fun to run into Jenn! Have a great Monday- I hope things are about back to normal in your neck of the woods.
ReplyDeleteThanks Maria. I like Vince Vaughn too and he has such a different role in this movie. Things are creeping back to normal this week!
DeleteI loved this, and the letter C! That was Clever. C (see) what I did there? I'll stop now. I'm so glad I ran into you yesterday at lunch! Doesn't the world feel small sometimes? You did a great job on both your bans and that watercolor! I love that you pulled that back out. Way to go, my friend! Happy Monday!
ReplyDeleteThe watercolor was therapeutic!
DeleteI think a lot of us of a certain age were convinced we were going to marry Simon LeBon, including me. LOL. Your watercolor is really pretty!
ReplyDeleteHa! Thanks Kirsten!
DeleteYou kept busy! I'm sorry to hear you were sad though!
ReplyDeleteYes, I am slowly running out of things to do, but the ice melting is helping!
DeleteI hope it warms up with you soon. The roads look awful.
ReplyDeleteAhh! Nonnas is such a good movie!
Good on you for cutting your own hair, I do mine and it saves paying for it.
Sending love and hugs. I don't think I could have done 9 days alone and with everything else you are entitled to a good cry! It is good you had the church meeting on Sunday to have some time with people. Well done with the painting.
Yes, a good cry is all part of healing! Thanks Kim!
DeleteI love the C theme and the watercolor is so good. You're going to inspire me to keep going with mine. My heart just breaks to hear about your isolation, and I hope that the weather will improve and you'll be able to connect more with others then. This is not the same thing as what you are going through, but I remember when I was single and not working in the summer (teacher), and just feeling like I could go days without seeing anyone and would anyone miss me? I know it is in different phases of life and of course different circumstances, but I often can remember and relate so much to the loneliness you are feeling now. Hang in there, sweet friend.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tanya for sharing this. I am sure that was a hard time as well. Can't wait to see you this spring!
DeleteHappy Monday and happy new month dear Friend. First of all you are adorable, and that chili looks amazing and I love how you keep busy. I've been so into those watercolors too. Now the grief part - I felt it in every word you typed. I went through all of that about 8 years ago. My ex cheated with his secretary after we were together almost 30 years. Have 2 kids. We were together since we were 15! He was my best friend in the world. I got by because of my faith and my Lord, my best friends, my kiddos, and my Mom. I thought I would never love or trust on that level again. I thought I would make a new life for myself and just focus on the kids and being content to enjoy my own company. I prayed a ton. I cried a ton and would go to bed for days in a row. But I listened when the Lord kept telling my heart that He had me. That I would be okay. So I started to be brave and LIVE my life. I even finally decided to dabble in dating apps (all my friends are married and I didn't have folks to go meet people with). I thought maybe I'll just make a nice "friend" to enjoy their company. And here I am all these years later. Married to an absolute love of my life that I trust with my heart and world. We have been together for over 4 years and this Fall we will have been married for 2 of them. My kids adore him and I can't picture life without him. I put in the time. I grieved. I went to therapy. Prayer etc. And I never thought my heart would change...but it did. It didn't happen overnight but I told God those prayers. That I didn't want to be alone. And I have a funny story of how I even met Matt and it was a total God thing. So hold on fellow sister in the trenches. I have been there. It does get better - remain faithful, and put all your trust in Him. Give yourself time to grieve and heal - and the good things will come. I just know it. Blessings 💗
ReplyDeleteSo thankful we connected and my goodness, these words mean so much to me and I am sorry you have walked this road too. What a gift the Lord has blessed you with love and trust again with a husband. I would love to hear that story! Holding on in the trenches....
DeletePS: during those most difficult years I also threw myself into volunteer work in hospice - helping others and changing my focus helped me get outside of my grief. Just sharing all this in the hopes it may bring some comfort. Thank you for letting me share it all with you. 🙏🏻💗
ReplyDeleteYes, helping others is always a way to focus on others and I love when I can serve people when working in the hospitals. Of course !
DeleteThe C theme is so cool :) I watched Nonnas a while ago and really loved it. After reading that you watched Duran Duran on TV, I've got “Hungry Like the Wolf" in my head, one of my favourites! I’m so sorry you’ve been hurting, Marilyn. That kind of grief is really hard, and I’m glad you have the support of your friends and church. Thinking of you and praying for you xx
ReplyDelete