TOOK A TRIP TO TAMPA-MANY MEMORIES THERE

WE (MY SISTER HER DAUGHTER DAWN AND MYSELF) LEFT FOR TAMPA AROUND 9AM YESTERDAY.  IT WAS REALLY BAD WEATHER GOING AND COMING, BUT DAWN IS A GREAT DRIVER, AND GOT US THERE AND BACK SAFELY.  IT WAS SO NICE TO SEE OUR OLDER SISTER MELA, HER HUSBAND DANNY, AND TRACI, (OUR NIECE). WE HAD A REALLY NICE VISIT-THOUGH SHORT.  ALL THE WAY THERE AND BACK MY MIND WAS RACING THROUGH MEMORIES OF THE MANY TIMES MIKE AND I HAD TAKEN THAT TRIP.  OFTEN WITH MY SISTER VICKIE AND HER HUSBAND-BOTH OUR HUSBANDS NOW GONE.  WE LEARNED THAT AN AUNT WE HAD NOT SEEN IN SEVERAL YEARS HAD ALSO PASSED AWAY AFTER 71 YEARS OF MARRIAGE!!!  WE THOUGHT MANY PEOPLE DON'T EVEN LIVE THAT LONG, BUT THAT'S HOW LONG THEY WERE MARRIED.   ON THE WAY HOME WE PASSED AN EYE GLASS PLACE THAT MIKE WOULD ALWAYS TELL ME THE STORY BEHIND THE OWNER AND HIM.  HE HAD SOLD THE OWNER SOME KIND OF HOME IMPROVEMENT MANY YEARS AGO, AND HE WAS SO PROUD OF HOW HE CLOSED THE DEAL.  NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I HEARD HIM TELL THE STORY, I ALWAYS ACTED SURPRISED.  EVEN THOUGH WE WERE ONLY MARRIED FOR ALMOST 43 YEARS, I CAN TRULY IMAGINE HOW MY POOR UNCLE MUST FEEL AT THE LOSS OF HIS WIFE OF 71YEARS.  I DID MANAGE A SMILE AS WE PASSED THAT EYE GLASS PLACE, WHICH WAS NEW.  NORMALLY I WOULD HAVE TEARED UP-MAYBE THAT IS A GOOD SIGN.  ANY HOW, IT TRULY WAS A LOVELY TRIP, AND MY DOGIES WERE SO HAPPY WHEN I GOT BACK HOME.  NOT SO MUCH BECAUSE THEY LOVE AND MISSED ME-I THINK IT WAS MORE ABOUT HEY, SHE'S  BACK, NOW WE CAN EAT!!  THEY GET VERY EXCITED WHEN IT'S TIME TO EAT.  IF THEY HAD THEIR WAY IT WOULD BE 4 OR 5 TIMES A DAY.  I DO THINK THEY ARE FINALLY STARTING TO LOSE A LITTLE WEIGHT NOW.  THEY NO LONGER LOOK LIKE STUFFED SAUSAGES LIKE FONDA ALWAYS SAYS.  WELL, TIME FOR ME TO GET DRESSED AND EAT A LITTLE SOMETHING.  MAYBE MUSH, AS I STILL CAN NOT USE MY FRONT TEETH AS THE TEMPORARY BRIDGE KEEPS LOSING TEETH!!  OH HOW WE NEED THE NEW SYSTEM!!  GIVE A BIG HUG TO SOMEONE TODAY-I COULD SURE USE ONE-JUST ME