Monday Musings

Currently Reading:  Finished Liz Crowe's Tulip Princess and Flower Passage, and OMG....TP is wonderful, and FP is a tear jerker!  So much emotion in both of these stories...and I'm sooooo glad we got to see the family's reaction to Lale's new love! If I didn't mention it before, pick up this series!  Recommended Read:)  I also finished Tamara Monteau's Twilight Destiny,  and found it to be an enjoyable love story! I had some reservations before reading this book, since I was dreading another predictable vampire-meets-human storyline. But this one surprised me! I did see some influences from another famous vamp-meets-human series, but without the drawn-out angst: I didn't have to read 4-5 books to find out 'what happens next' and there are no other paranormal creatures.   Recommended Read:)  Next up:  The Governess Affair by Courtney Milan.


I received word yesterday that my great-uncle Mac's health has been bumped up from 'critical' to 'terminal'.  For the last 10-15 years, this man has battled an aneurism in his stomach, plus I think also is dealing with that side of the family's heart issues.

I didn't get a lot of exposure to Uncle Mac and Aunt Sandy while growing up.  I know I attended my cousin Lynn's wedding, since I vaguely remember the wedding reception and following my cousin Michele around.  There's a picture of us stirring the punch, and a shot of my sister perched on a wedding present, eating a hamburger bun.  I know visited their house a few times, since I also have memories of playing with my cousin Pam, and Shelly and I in the paddleboat at the lake.

Aunt Sandy passed away in 1986, the same time as my great-grandmother.  Uncle Mac moved to Florida soon after, and I don't know if he met Carol down there or if they moved to Bradenton together.

I last saw my uncle and Carol in 1995, right after my daughter S was born.  We had flown to Florida to spend one last Christmas with my grandmother, and while we were there, Dad drove us down for a visit.

I'm not sure when Uncle Mac's health began failing; all I know is we've been on 'high alert' whenever news is brought to our attention.  Dad's been talking about going down to get him and bring him for a visit; two weeks ago the doctors said he was well enough to travel.  But sometime last week, his condition worsened.  My dad went down to spend some time with him (Uncle Mac has always been my dad's favorite uncle), and Mom said he was very emotional when he'd 'check in' with her every evening.  And as Mom and I were talking last night, Dad arrived home.  So now I guess we're on 'extra high alert', and I don't know if the funeral will be in Florida or Indianapolis.  It's just a 'wait and see' time.  I wasn't that close to the man, but I do have fond memories of the stories he's told about growing up, and feeding the manatees in the waterway behind his cottage.  And I've also been told Carol has Alzheimer's, and my cousin Pam has wanted to bring both of them up to live with her.  Don't know if Carol will move up or what she'll do.