So, after “housecleaning” these last few years, and by that I mean, letting go of people who are toxic, I have begun making new friends. It’s not easy. I have never been much of an entertainer. I guess I always feel like people have such busy, exciting lives, while we stay home a lot and just relax, watch TV, spend time with just the 3 of us(though Liv goes out much more now, and it’s just Tim and me hanging out sometimes). I always had an uncanny habit of planning things outside and then rain comes or things fall apart somehow or other. With Tim being so busy, and then so tired when he isn’t working, it’s not easy to plan things. Going out to eat, with my horrendous stomach issues, is not fun for me. There are several “myeloma couples” we are WAY past due to get together with but, what do I do with my kid? I don’t like her to be around when we discuss cancer stuff and that always comes up. I really just have to make the calls and set a date and get together with these folks. I hate that we spend SO DARN MUCH time doing what we HAVE to do and not what we really WANT to do; another common theme in my blog posts. I guess too many of us spend what should be the best years of our lives making a living and keeping afloat financially and when that’s over, you have more time but nothing to do, or health problems have set in already. I have made a lot of friends at church, most older than myself, and this is the first time I have ever really felt a part of a church. It’s nice. It isn’t that I socialize with these people outside of church functions though and that is what is missing in our lives. I have always gotten along great with older people and find them so interesting. Yesterday, I helped out at a funeral for a church member. I know these people and the husband died after years of fighting Parkinsons. A bunch of us helped with the luncheon and then, after everyone else ate, we grabbed something and sat down to a bite. I sat with this couple, who are in their 60’s. I cannot believe how interesting it is talking to people of older generations. This guy, Dave, was in Germany when he was discharged from the army. He backpacked all over Euprope and Asia for 10 months before he headed back home. He just wanted to see the world and knew he probably would not get another opportunity to do so. He told us all sorts of stories about what he saw. I was amazed. Then, when talking about Europe, one man said something about nude beaches. I mentioned the one not far from here at the Jersey shore and Dave’s wife says, “Oh I used to go there all the time.” HOLY TOLEDO. I’ve always wondered if I had the guts to do that and was tempted to try, years back, but here’s this woman almost my mom’s age and she used to do it all the time. I said, “man, you folks are renegades!” I feel like I haven’t lived at all compared to these people. The hard part about getting to know all these older people, is losing them. We had 2 church members die in 2 days this week so I will be going to another wake this weekend. But man, did these people LIVE! They make me see that I need some excitement in my life!!! The GOOD kind. And I have to get a whole lot better at planning to get together with people. Just do it! A good slogan to have.