Sunday, May 21, 2011 -- It's like any other Sunday, really, especially in Arizona. The sun is shining (so what else is new?). It's hot but not as hot as it normally would be this time of year. I spent most of the day doing laundry, washing my car (hopefully, won't get rain -- highly unlikely) and continuing the constant project of organizing my house and most especially, my craft room -- WHEW! Never ending, I believe. But, I am making a dent and it does feel good.
So, at some point during the day today, my phone rings. It's my daughter, Melissa, calling. I had just taken a little rest and was kind of dozing in my chair. I wasn't sure I could wake up enough to talk, but I did take the call. As is normal with Melissa (and my other girls), the kids were making noise in the background and her daughter, my granddaughter, Mollie, wanted to talk to Grandma (said she was bored -- LOL! -- How does a 6 year old child get bored?). Anyway, she was, so she begged her Mama to let her talk to Grandma -- My pleasure, of course! And, Mollie always has something to talk about -- I love to talk to her and I love her so much! We had a nice little visit.
Then, Melissa got back on the phone. She then proceeded to inform me that my cousin, Linda Lambard Shandy, who lives in Billings, Montana, had passed away. What a shock! She is 6 years younger than I am and so full of life. However, she has been struggling with breast cancer for the last several years and her body just could not take it anymore. I loved Linda with all of my heart. Her heart and soul was so full of love, generosity, happiness and her many shared talents. It is so hard to believe she is gone. My heart aches for her family, her husband and son and her sisters and brother. She was preceded in death by her sweet Mama and Daddy. Our lives will forever be changed because of her death and not having her sweet smile and love surrounding us. Thank you, Linda, for making my life better for having known you and being your relative. You will always be loved by many, but, most especially by me. I will never forget the time I received one of my crafts catalogs (Herrschner's) in the mail and the minute I opened up the front cover and saw Linda's face, I just knew I had to call her. She was in Billings and I was living, I believe, here in Arizona at the time. I told her that I jut had to talk to a celebrity -- and, that she was! She had won a monetary prize for an afghan she had crocheted and had made the pattern up on her own -- I think it was a Noah's Ark afghan. She laughed at me and we had a very nice visit. She was so very talented. She taught me how to make my very first bead bracelet and I wore that silly bracelet until it broke. She could do absolutely anything! She took such good care of her Mama when she was still alive (along with her husband, Tony). They loved her so; and, in turn, they would take care of my Mama, too. Both of our mothers lived in the same house -- her mom in the bottom half of the house and my Mom in the top. She and her husband, Tony, always made sure the walks were cleared especially after a snowstorm and made sure the trash got hauled out. I could go on and on about all of the absolutely good and wonderful things that Linda did for others. She will be so missed.
So, I will end this blog note on that note, leaving my heartfelt thoughts love and sorrow for Linda's husband and family. This note is dedicated to you, Linda. I love you!
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