PattybytheSea

Thanks to the readers from all over the globe that are reading my blog about my mother. She was one of a kind, loved life and lives on in our hearts and minds. She would be “over the moon” as she would sometimes write, that people from all over have read about and how she was in her life. It can be hard to write about her because I miss her so very much, but it’s good to remember her any way I can and share it with you.  Thank you, Bob

Another birthday comes and goes. Lots of great memories over the last 7 days. Not so much of all my day but just lots of friends and family. From the beach with so many family, to the night out with Jason, to the day on the beach with the Fehrles and then the next two days laughing with friends about my hijinks and honesty. I felt like you were all around us so many times. Now time for quiet and calm for rest of summer.  I always remember how you would say it’s just a job. I was talking about all your good times at super fresh. The island ave store came up a lot with Marissa. How her and Mar would rush down to see you and you’d come out with a piece of cheese for your two favorite mice. As Russ puts it, you were the “cheese plug”. That just made my day. And the store in Manoa where I would pick you up during those tough years. Ah, you’re so missed Mom.  So back to my birthday…me, Bia, Terry and Lucy had a delicious dinner at outback. So yummy. So we all finish up and say our g...

We got a chance to go down the beach for two days and wow. It was awesome Mom. Felt your love all around us the entire time. Time with family that love each other. Time being a kid again. Time on the boards. Everything you always wanted. It was amazing. I swam my butt odd and did mostly all the slides and was happy to also just have some guy time with cousins and even got a chance to have my first beer in Wildwood. So ironic it was at the water park. It was such a magical time. Me, Bia and Lucy had a great time at our Airbnb and I got burnt and it was great. Got a chance to open up and meet some special people when we went out. So grateful and just happy I got to experience so much joy. As always, you were on my mind.

Days like this....I wish you were here. As well as Dad. Days like this, I know both of you would just be over the moon with joy. Been a minute since I wrote. Been a weird year with all the cold. I can hear you already. "I'm soooo over this winter....I mean.....is it gonna snow in June?!!" hahahahaa. I thought of you so much the last few days. Pralle's cousin AJ, his mom had a bad heart attack. I checked in with Pralle a lot. There family always been so good and caring of me and us. Pralle said his Aunt had took a turn for the better, moving, listening....only a day after a bad heart attack...and then as Pralle was going to come up to see her...she passed on. AJ and I have always had a cool relationship. Just caring from day one until now. Ironically enough, his wife was the first person I saw who was monitoring Steph Laurie. Go figure. I went to pay my respects and they all were shocked, but so appreciative. Even asking what I am up to these days. It was just great. T...

After a ton of back and forth I finally got your site back up and running. Man. What a hassle. For real. We all miss you, but the older I get, the more I realize how many lessons you taught me without really telling me. People who are not in your corner are really just not for you. I listened to Joel Osteen today....exactly said that. "The closed doors are just as important as the open ones are. The closed ones protect us from bad people and bad situations. You're destine for better things...God has a plan..."  I think about that a lot when you were going through life. I think about what you thought...Did God have a plan for you. I think your plan was to be an awesome Mom. And you definitely were a great Mom. I think about you often. I think about a lot of our funny moments. I made a comment to Lam the other night....about her working on her locks......and cleaning them up. And you saying "Lam, that's a good side hustle for you......" I miss you every day. I...

These are the days I really wish I could call you....I imagine just settling into your cozy spot at the table, coffee in hand, the delco times in front of you, a pen, finishing off getting some times for Christmas..probably page for each person....also a food list of course....all the ingredients you would pick up to make all the delicious food you would cook. I cross time in these thoughts. Early days, me as a pre-teen, playing outside when that big storm hit in the pre-90's. We could just walk on snow for days. It literally never got plowed and that was great. I remember getting sick after my first and last time eating spaghetti and linguini.....I can still smell it. I remember feasting on a pack of Ritz crackers while walking those silent snowcovered streets. I remember not having a care in the world. So thankful that social media and even the internet didn't really exist. Coming in the back, by the heater to just get undressed. That great feeling of warmth over fronzen digi...

CHAPTER 17 Contemplating death It is truly a great cosmic paradox that one of the best teachers in all of _ life turns out to be death. No person or situation could ever teach you as much as death has to teach you. While someone could tell you that you are not your body, death shows you. While someone could remind you of the insignificance of the things that you cling to, death takes them all away in a second. While people can teach you that men and women of all races are equal and that there is no difference between the rich and the poor, death instantly makes us all the same. The question is, are you going to wait until that last moment to let death be your teacher? The mere possibility of death has the power to teach us at any moment. A wise person realizes that at any moment they may breathe out, and the breath may not come back in. It could happen any time, in any place, and your last breath is gone. You have to learn from this. A wise being completely and totally embraces the rea...

I moved from one 4649 Umbria to 4651 Umbria. I guess I had just bought that new Rowenta iron. I still had the box when I moved to Media. So as you always clowned about, I never liked having tons of dishes, silverware, etc. I rarely had company coming over to eat back then, even now. So I ran out of spoons and lost a knife. Under my countertop, where I have all my rags and towels and cleaning products, I saw the Rowenta box stuffed in the box. I must've just taken it that night of the hurricane and brought it to Media. That was definitely a bear of a night. No fun moving during a hurricane, but also just not having a place to even go cause all the roads were flooded and posting up at that one hotel. On a workday no less. I had long since lost any respect for my company or the management....and could've cared less. Woke up and got my day started, had some breakfast and started to pack and left. So back to the box, you packed that box. You always did the most with least. God knows...

Hi Mom, I wish I could just call you up and talk to you....hell...I would drive to middle of the earth if you were there. I saw so many signs you've been around me since Dad passed. I oftened wondered if you were at Lisa's the last 3 mos. I didn't know. He is no longer suffering. No longer in pain. As sad as his passing was, the fact he is no longer in pain, struggling to do the most minimal of human tasks, brings me peace. As I shook hands and hugged so many people that loved both of you, I wondered how you would've felt if you were still with us. I felt like you were in line with us. I felt it many times. Hugging so many people. Theresa, Regina, Lucy, Donna, Colleen, Bob Johnston....so many people who knew our family. It was both heart breaking....and heart mending. I longed for those pure days on 988. I said that to Bob. We sure did have a great group of people. I just thought a lot about so much time...on that street.  I think everyone who put effort into making the...