Too much sympathy....

I have needed entirely too many sympathy cards lately. Last Wednesday, my very dear friend, Linda, called to say her husband, Bob, had died. I was shocked. Bob was one of the funniest people I have ever known.

The story of how we met Bob and Linda has always been one of my favorite stories to tell. None of us remembers exactly what year it was, but it was probably 15 years ago. Tim and I went to Seattle for a conference he was attending. As a side trip, we decided to spend the weekend on San Juan Island at a bed and breakfast. The B&B, Hillside House, had an aviary and all of the room names were bird-themed. I recall there being one that was the only suite on the third floor, and it was called Robin's Nest. I wanted to stay in that room, needless to say! Unfortunately, it was already booked, so we took a different room. When we arrived and mentioned to the owners that were from Atlanta, they said there was another couple staying there from Atlanta. And THEY were in the Robin's Nest.

So, the next morning at breakfast, the owners introduced us to the other Atlanta couple - and it was Bob and Linda. We hit it off immediately and have been friends ever since. Linda even loaned me her very nice rain jacket that day since they were leaving, and we were going on a whale watching excursion. She said we would just have to get together when were all back in Atlanta so I could return it to her. Shortly after we returned home, I heard that Hillside House was for sale. I just did a quick search and found that it's still there, but now the third floor suite is called the Eagle's Nest.

We are so very thankful that we had them over for dinner and to spend the night with us a couple of weeks before Christmas. We had such a good time together.

The card above is the one I made for Linda because she commented on this card that she loved the background paper. I have been planning ever since to make her next birthday card with it, and this Gina K. Designs stamp, but it seemed really well suited for a sympathy card, too.

And, as if that weren't enough sadness for one week, last night we received the call that we have been dreading for the last year or so. My mother-in-law passed away yesterday. She was a wonderful, caring person who welcomed me into the Kirkpatrick family with open arms almost 25 years ago. She had been in deteriorating health for a while, but when we spent Christmas with her, she seemed to have rallied and be doing better. Tim, his brother and sister, and all the spouses have been planning a visit to see her and take her out to dinner next month to celebrate her 80th birthday, which would have been March 16th.

Sorry to have a downer of a post today, but that, unfortunately, is life sometimes. Thanks for 'listening'. Hug your loved ones....