Nostalgia – The internet has been full of Patrick Swayze videos this week. I watched the dance screen from Dirty Dancing with Jennifer Grey. I forgot how young and hot he was. I also forgot how young and hot I was. (I thought those hormones were dead! Nope, still hovering in my body somewhere.) Keep in mind that I’m watching this video on my screen next to an ad that shows decrepit old hands with liver spots (and a solution to fix that). It was a contrast between youth and age. Maybe nature was reminding me that I shouldn’t do any leaps in my dances. Or quick turns.
Memories — I cleaned up my parent graves and planted flowers. Walking around I saw a couple of new graves for people I knew including one in the plot next to my family plot. So sad. However, the sadness didn’t stop me from harvesting beautiful large rounded stones for my pond. They must have been a result of the grave digging. The grave hadn’t been seeded yet but I’m thinking I helped them clean up!
Source: clipartpanda
Graduation – There is a high school graduation in our family this year. My grandniece’s son is graduating from high school. How does this happen? I remember when she was a child bouncing in an inner tube in the family pool. Now we are celebrating her son starting a new phase of his life.
Source: clipartpanda
Retirement – A dear friend is retiring. Friday was her last day of work. Another new phase and one that should bring peace and satisfaction (oh yes, and freedom!). Lunch? Shopping?
Holidays – For Memorial Day last weekend, I invited my brother and his wife over for a simple cookout, just the four of us. They are easy people (I don’t clean for them! No special dishes. Easy peasy.). My sister-in-law commented that my brother gets melancholy when they don’t have something scheduled for the holidays. It must run in the family because I get that too. When I was young we always had large family bashes, especially for the 4th of July with the extended family (of 60+ people). Those old memories tug at your heart when they are gone.
So how was your week?
Views and Mews by Coffee Kat 
Here’s one for you, Kate. This commercial is getting a lot of play, so perhaps you’ll like it and can try this at home!
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and I would end up just like her….in the ER!
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I liked your combination of the not-so-random five. Memories, nostalgia, graduation, family, retirement–it all fit together. I think looking back doesn’t mean we’re not accepting the flow of time or that we can’t live in the present and move into the future. It’s more like an appreciation and love of what we’ve been through. Even wondering how it happened that the grandniece’s son is already graduating is an awareness of passing time, an appreciation of things that are don’t last.
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You are right, it wasn’t so random this week. I have been in a pool of nostalgia for the past week. So many things are happening that take me back. It is an appreciation of things that don’t last.
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When I see young couples dance now, I envy them. No, no, I don’t envy them the hours of training, dollars spent on dresses, or dousing swollen feet in ice baths. I envy them their youthful knees! 🙂
I get melancholy around the holidays, too. I’m used to hordes of people, great food, cutthroat card games, and probably just noise. Bit by bit, it gets harder to get back east to see everyone for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
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Change is the only constant.
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Company you don’t have to clean for? Send them over! Sounds like a great week all around. Graduations always leave me saying “wait what high school?” That time flies!!
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It was a great weekend. We ended up at a John Denver tribute concert. It was fun. I remembered all the words!
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Of course you did, but do you remember why you went upstairs? NO…lol
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or where my keys are. Oh yes, I have a smart key so there isn’t any.
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There’s a funny commercial airing now with the Dirty Dancing song. An older, slightly plump, woman runs toward her older, slightly plump, husband, in their kitchen; he tries to pick her up the way Patrick Swayze picked up Jennifer Grey. They crash on the kitchen table. Must be a commercial for insurance or something….I’m not sure but I thought it was funny. Yup, my cousins’ kids are now all getting married. When did they become old enough to get married when I’m still their age??
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I’ve seen the commercial and I can see myself doing that (and getting hurt)! You are so right. I am that age inside my head. Maybe that’s why I have so much trouble believing these kids are old enough.
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I still watch Dirty Dancing when it’s on TV. I enjoyed the music and of course the shirtless Patrick scenes. I had a great week! My sister was in town visiting and boy did we shop. 🙂
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Shopping! And with a good friend. That’s a perfect week!
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Patrick Swayze, gone to soon. Those stones found a good use. God, I hate when time passes so quickly. Retiring, and free to explore your passions. A lot of memories this post, Kate. Get out there and make a whole bunch more. ;o)
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Yessir! I’ll start making them tomorrow!
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:O)
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Family gatherings should be more present as we age but our family is too large to have everybody over at once and the gatherings are rare where everyone can make it. And so like you I become nostalgic for the good old days.
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Yes and some of my favorite people are gone. I get homesick for them.
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Me too Kate.
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🙂
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It was a good week here – can’t complain! I like having company I don’t have to clean for either. And I always something planned for a holiday even if it is simple. Have another good week and thanks for the visit and comment to my post! And it is nice to know you visit the cemetery.
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Thanks for stopping by!
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Dirty Dancing inspired me to take dance lessons, which is where I met my husband. So, I guess you could say that Patrick Swayze helped to introduce us!
I don’t know about you, but I’m still hot (or, weren’t you talking about flashes?).
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Oh yeah, them too but that’s not what I was talking about.
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Except for a few hints at decay and if I avoid mirrors, I am convinced I am getting younger. It’s the fine art of self delusion and no one can convince me otherwise. I do love your take on life Kate. Never mind the commercials to get rid of age spots. Stay hot!
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I don’t feel any different (and I know everyone says that as long as they are healthy). I use mirrors a lot less than I did when I was younger. Hehe.
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Yes, I have retired. It is more emotional then I could have ever imagined. But, I am looking forward to shopping for sure! OMG, Dirty Dancing. It is one of my 5 top favorite movies. However, it is not just because I loved the music. (I did) But, I knew those people in my former life…we had a ’57 black and white Chevy and the pure joy seen in that last dance scene is so uplifting. We’ll talk about that hormone thing later!!!!
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Retiring was extremely emotional for me. In my position I was the “no” person. No you can’t do this and no you can’t do that. I was stunned that people liked me! I always wished that people would tell others how important they are without an exit happening (retirement or otherwise).
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I loved Dirty Dancing when they shimmy to Do You Love Me. He died so long ago and so young. Always mind-boggles me, that eternal exit.
Graves…I’m a big cemetery girl, leaving stones in my wake. Love that Hebrew custom so they know you were there.
Nice you added the video.
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Well, it was a Catholic cemetery so it never occurred to me that maybe people put stones there as a sign of respect. Oops! He was so talented. Pancreatic is a terrible cancer.
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Bill Hicks died of pancreatic cancer. I love Hebrew customs…there is something so beautiful about them…simple, humble. I recently went to pay my respects to Babe Ruth, an idol of mine, in upstate New York. Oh My…talk about letting him know we were there. My little stone paled next to the baseballs, pints of whiskey, Yankee T-shirts. It just moved me beyond belief.
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I forgot about Bill. So sorry. Takes people so fast. The CEO of my first company died in two weeks. I’m starting to feel a little guilty about the stones. Especially since they were really nice rounded smooth ones. My husband could believe they came out of the grave. Looked like they were smoothed by years of being in water. A pint of whiskey? I’m surprise someone didn’t process it through their body first….(or is that an old Irish joke?)
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I think it’s nice you took them. You’re adding life to their trajectory. Yes, pc is fast…I remember Michael Landon going on Johnny Carson to more or less say good bye. Less than a month he was gone. Bill lingered longer than they gave him…pure will as I saw it.
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I remember Michael Landon too. He was one of the first that I remember who had it.
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You can’t live without your pancreas…like a car without its motor.
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I hear they are doing transplants but don’t know for sure. They need to develop screening so it can be caught early.
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Life is all about letting go . . . hotness fades, the dearly departed depart, children commence new chapters, careers end, and family traditions evaporate.
I’m not convinced that “the best is yet to come.”
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I stopped at hotness fades. Oh no! I don’t know about “the best” part. Some things do get better but you always give up something else. Tradeoffs. Boogers.
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Yup. Boogers!
Why was the internet full of Patrick Swayze videos this week?
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I have no idea. I wondered if it was the anniversary of his death or of Dirty Dancing. Never bothered to look it up on Google. Just enjoyed his hot bod!
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