Monday Morning Blues and Weekend News

I loved my daughter’s Facebook status this morning. It said, “If every day is a gift then Monday is the ugly sweater your aunt makes for you!” As my son was leaving for class this morning he suggested that Mondays on NanaHood be the opposite of Tuesdays (when I write the Gratituesday column about something I’m thankful for).

“Write about how awful Mondays are,” he said with a yawn. Sorry, son, but I can’t do it. Every day really is a gift from God and though we may complain and whine about going to work, class, whereever, deep down in our hearts we know we have so much to be thankful for.

I was so blessed to be able to spend this past weekend with friends, many that I haven’t seen since college.

I pledged Kappa Delta in 1975. Just a few of the women in this picture were in my pledge class but most of them are close to my age and I remembered them and enjoyed reconnecting with them. Kim, the blond on the front row (far left) was my roommate for years. We were in each others weddings and don’t live too far apart, but over the years we had lost touch. Now we have plans to get together soon. Both our husbands are avid golfers so we plan to let them golf while we go shopping, out to eat, or maybe just sit around and get caught up on the past couple of decades.

Debbie (black and white sweater) and Rachel (blue sweater) were both college roommates. I hadn’t seen Rachel since I left  Bowling Green in 1979. The beautiful young girl between myself and Debbie is my daughter Rachel. She and her husband happened to be dining at the same restaurant we were and she stopped in to say hello. It was so much fun to show her off to all my buddies.

This is Debbie and I catching a breather on my daughter’s front porch. The whole weekend was so fast paced and so busy that it went by in a blur. I came home tired, happy and promising myself that I will make a better effort to keep in touch with my friends.

These guys were not sorority members but they were good friends I hadn’t seen in a long time. They came and ate dinner with us and it was great catching up with them. The other female in the picture is Annette, my long time running buddy who was gracious enough to let us camp out at her house this weekend. Thanks, Nett! It was great!

Remember the song You’ve Got A Friend by Carol King & recorded by James Taylor. Annette and I loved it when we were in high school. I guess you could say it was our theme song.

When you’re down and troubled
And you need a helping hand
And nothing, whoa nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up, even your darkest nights.

You just call out my name,
And you know wherever I am
I’ll come running, oh yeah baby
To see you again.
Winter, spring , summer, or fall,
All you have to do is call
And I’ll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.
You’ve got a friend.

If the sky above you
Should turn dark and full of clouds
And that old north wind should begin to blow
Keep your head together and call my name out loud
And soon I will be knocking upon your door.
You just call out my name and you know wherever I am
I’ll come running to see you again.
Winter, Spring, summer or fall
All you got to do is call
And I’ll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Hey, ain’t it good to know that you’ve got a friend?
People can be so cold.
They’ll hurt you and desert you.
Well they’ll take your soul if you let them.
Oh yeah, but don’t you let them.

You just call out my name and you know wherever I am
I’ll come running to see you again.
Oh babe, don’t you know that,
Winter Spring summer or fall,
Hey now, all you’ve got to do is call.
Lord, I’ll be there, yes I will.
You’ve got a friend.
You’ve got a friend.
Ain’t it good to know you’ve got a friend.
Ain’t it good to know you’ve got a friend.
You’ve got a friend

Over the years I haven’t always been such a great friend. I’ve let other commitments come between myself and some of my friends. My kids are older now and the world still spins even when I’m not at home. They made it all weekend without me and the house was even clean when I got back. So guess what? This nana is hitting the road more often. Look out KD sisters in Ashville, North Carolina, Louisville, Kentucky, Tampa, Florida, and Atlanta, Georgia. Ready or not, here I come!