a great loss, a deep scratch and a surprise visit

Since the kids had no school, everyone slept in and took it easy all morning, except Zeej, who volunteered to help with putting up flags in the neighborhood to celebrate the holiday. Carol texted, "Coke time?" and we raced off to Sonic for our morning coke.  We made a quick stop on the way home at Bath and Body Works for their last day of the "Biggest Sale of the Year" (until their next Biggest Sale of the Year, we realize).  Carol treated me to a "Beautiful Day" candle, which was sweet of her and has made my house smell a bit springy all day!


The girls and I dropped Quayd off and went into my not favorite store to make a return.  Which reminds me... last week, I went in to go to the bank.  Sadly, since our move, the closest branch is inside of Walmart, which means I have to go in on occasion.  Ugh.  So, I'm walking past this man who's got a machine all opened and putting things inside it.  I said, "Hey?  Is this the machine that makes the cute little tags with your pet's name on it?"  He said, "Yes, it is!  And you can also write dirty things on it."  EEEEWWWWWWW!   I said, "Um, OR NOT" and walked away.  Some people!

The girls and I played a few games of Tenzi and Pit for a bit before Doug got home from work.  Just after dinner, I walked past the computer and saw a big picture of Glenn Frey, one of the Eagles, and immediately opened it to discover that he had passed away at the young age of 67.  My heart literally ached.  The Eagles have always been my favorite band.  There's not a day in this home that we don't listen to the Eagles on one playlist or another.  My mind can go back to the 70s and 80s in one note, listening to their beautiful harmonizing voices. Back when we actually played our music on CDs, I ended up buying a third set of The Bery Best of the Eagles because I wore the first two out.

In high school, my bestie, Kevin, and I had serious driving rules for the Eagles music.  If  "Best of my Love" was playing, no one was allowed to speak in the car.  We would literally pull over and air drum with them to "Take it to the Limit".  "Lying Eyes" was always played on Full blast!  But, my most favorite memory of the Eagles was being at a company party with Doug when they played the most popular remake Live Version of "Hotel California", which had always been a favorite.  In 1990ish,  The beginning little guitar piece had never been heard before.  We were on the dance floor and this "slow dance" began.  We continued to dance from the song before and when the audience on the album and  the 500 people in the room realized that this was Hotel California, everyone cheered!  Best Eagles Moment ever and probably my most favorite date night moment ever!  

Last night, I opted to stay home and just rock out very loudly to the Eagles for the rest of the night while Doug went to the YSA Stake Ski Party.  He opted not to ski, but I think that deep down, he really wanted to.  It's been 25 years since he did any downhill skiing and he truly loved it.  Deepdown, I'd have liked to see him do it too.  But, he said that he'd just go for a few hours and then come back about the same time that Quayd got off work.

Back to Glenn Frey... this is really a strange beginning to a new year.  We are less than three weeks into the year and already, Glenn Frey, David Bowie (I have never been a fan), Grizzley Adams, Celine Dion's beloved husband, Rene and her older brother.  Most of them were younger than 70.  This is really sad.  Doug commented, that's young!  It seems like a lot of death for such a short period of time.  And listening to the Eagles now feels different...sadness.  I'm not loving watching so many people who've brought us so much happiness leaving us, but I imagine that the next few years will continue to bring the ends of lives to many of the people who have entertained us for generations...hopefully more will be in their 90s, not their late 60s!

 At about 8:15, our doorbell rang and we had a surprise visit from our grandson, Jason and his family!  Dave and Katie were in town to pick up their new SUV.  SO nice!  We visited until almost ten.  The kids were downstairs playing on the Wii while we visited by the fire in the den.  I've done a little furniture rearranging in the den.  More furniture but cozier feel, in my opinion.  I could happily never leave this room!  We never get enough time with Dave and Katie, so it was such a treat to catch up with them on life!

I've moved the furniture around and added a standing lamp and distressed coffee table. My mother took one look at this table a few years ago and was immediately turned off.  I happen to love distressed furniture!  Mom, not so much.  I've decided that having kids means having distressed furniture whether you buy it that way or not!  My new living room coffeetable is not distressed.  I went in to dust a bit ago and discovered a seven inch scratch on the top of it.  (It looks like someone sat on it with riveted jeans.)  Mr. Nobody did it, of course.  Yep, should have just bought a distressed one in the first place and I wouldn't have been traumatized by the scratch.  It was one of those days that I had to tell myself over and over, "People are more important than things."  Yep... I prefer the casual and distressed den over any room in our home!  Life is good even with scratched brand new furniture!  And I can still listen to Glenn Frey and the Eagles, even after the thrill is gone.

Don't sweat the small stuff.  It's all small stuff.