Yeah I'm a QUITTER!

From Merriam Webster Dictionary Online: 'quit \kwit\ :released from obligation charge, or penalty; especially:  FREE

I was thinking the other day what it means to me to be a quitter.  Most people would probably not be so proud to admit that.  My Daughter Rachel is even proud that I'm a quitter and my Hubby is too.  As a matter of fact a lot of people are glad I'm a quitter.  The other day I saw some poor guy standing in the rain, because he would rather stand in the rain than be a quitter like me.  Hard to imagine, I know... 

Really, being a quitter means never having to say your sorry.  You never cause problems in public or face bans or fines or cause your loved ones irritation.  No more worries about long plane flights.  No more hiding from Dad, the Boss or anyone who might judge me.  Those days are gone, gone.  I am glad I can be myself, free from those judgmental stares and those who turn their noses away.  To be free I simply quit! 

Some people never knew this secret about me and would never guess it even now.  Yes, it was something that I tried to keep hidden.   But this secret thing was like a ball and chain around my ankle.  It was so entwined in my daily life that my whole day revolved around it.  I could scarcely make it through the night without it,  needed it at breakfast, lunch and dinner.  The worst thing about it was I used it to escape difficult situations.  I would just exit the situation and when I came back, the problem was no longer an issue.  It was still there, just not on my radar screen.  Honestly I do miss that part, not dealing with problems is kinda nice.  But like I said they really don't go away they just pile up.  

I suppose you can guess I was a smoker.  Hard to believe now.  I was thinking the other day that it has been almost 10 years since I kicked the habit.  It just now seems that I am starting to think like a non-smoker.  When I smoked,  the thought of a long plane flight made it impossible to think of.  Now we just got back from an 8 hour flight to Hawaii.  I was trying to imagine a nicotine fit that would last that long.  No Way! An 8 hour plane flight is still no fun but is more tolerable without that monkey on your back. 

Now I must do the disclaimer part.  If you are a smoking person I am only speaking of my own personal experiences.  It was hard to quit and I admit I am glad I was in therapy at the time.  Now I am FREE and I am not going back. 

If you need to be free just keep on trying.  If one thing does not work try something else.  Just keep trying. You can do it if you want to...

The Coolest Shoes EVER!

This is a short little story that I just had to tell about my Uncle Stuart Law Jr.  He is my Mothers brother.
The photo shown here is one that I came across today as I was sorting through my Grandmothers photos with my Sister Jennifer and my Mom Eleanor (that cute girl in the photo there). 

My Grandmother Jacque Law passed away in January at the age of 96.  Most of us had been gathered at her bedside for several days prior to her passing.  It was quite something to be together again with some of my lifelong favorite people after so many years of being apart.  It seems that we all just picked up where we left off. 


During those days we spent a lot of time talking about all the times we had together.  Our family is known for it's quick wit.  My Grandpa had a very sharp sense of humor and MiMi was always doing something silly and always knew a good joke.  I think that is where my Mom and Uncle Stu get their wittiness from.  They are some seriously funny people.  One of these times my Uncle started telling the story of his favorite shoes.  It was so funny I had to call him and get him to tell me again.

I will paraphrase this just as close to the way he said it as possible.  " I never really had shoes growing up living in the country.  We just ran around barefoot most of the time.  But I remember my first pair of tennis shoes.  They were the ones I had been wanting for the longest time "PF KEDS".  When they gave them to me I thought they were the most wonderful things I had ever seen. " (I think he said they were red) "Those were some fine shoes.  I immediately put them on and they were 2 or 3 sizes too big but I didn't care.  They were so fine.  I ran to the nearest mud puddle I could find and walked backwards through it so I could see the tracks.  It was amazing.  I wore those things so long I wore holes in them and they had a little round emblem on them at the ankle that used to say PF Keds.  By the time I had worn them for a while they said PF___s.   I still remember those shoes like it was yesterday."

Somehow I don't think they make shoes like that anymore.  They don't make KIDS or KEDS like that anymore...  Today when I found that photo and those shoes were in it I had to share the story.  I guess maybe you had to be there.  But it's had me in stitches all day.  Thanks Uncle Stu for sharing that with us.  I will never forget it.  You are one of a kind.