Friday, July 29, 2011

TREASURES IN MY LIFE

Today's post is in conjunction with TWO  blog tours, the Sweet Sixteen Blog hope and the Blog-a-Licious Blog Tour, both fantastic blog hops that bring together bloggers of all genres, backgrounds and locations.  Do stop by and say hello plus some of us are having giveaways and contests. Enjoy! 
Websites listed below.


Me



I have had many great treasures in my life, and like most people, I have reached an age where I realize the greatest treasures are your loved ones, your friends, your faith and your integrity.  Sounds very corny but if you get to be my age and you haven't figured all that out yet, then either (1) something really awful happened to you; or, (2) you're a idiot.

Mr. and Mrs. Sven Julius Hamrin

First of all, I had good parents.  Who knew when I was a child how rare that was?  I was raised to believe in God, I had plenty of food (plenty!!!!) and love and education.  And food.  Did I mention food.  Yeah, I guess I did.  Well, it's Italian food my dears, fresh bread and homemade Raviolis. Hubba hubba. 
I also have a brother that I adore but don't see nearly as much as I would like.  He's north and I'm south - such is life, I guess, when you grow up.

Bunch of people I don't know



I have also had friends, friends that have been with me for over fifty years.  My best friend, Diane, I met in first grade; another best friend, Judy, I met in second grade and my best friend Fay was my next door neighbor - I was seven and she was about nine or ten.  That was over one hundred fifty years ago and we still are close, talk nearly every day. 

Darcy



I have had animals all of my life.  God, I love dogs and cats - well all animals to tell you the truth - more than I like most people. We recently adopted a shelter dog, a year old Cattle Dog/Labrador mix that had been taken from her owners because they chained her up to a tree day and night.  We named her Darcy (what else) and she is already spoiled rotten.


Mr. and Mrs. Richard G. Wasylowski


Then, when I was forty and all hope of love and romance was nearly dead, I met Richie.  He was an accounting supervisor and I was a lowly Staff Accountant.  Boy, God was with me that day. I remember the first time I saw him, I thought to myself, "Why are the good ones always taken?"  He was so cute and funny and relaxed and kind that I knew for certain he had to be already married.  Turns out he thought the same of me (however, I had better looking legs).  My friends at work kept telling me to go out with him and his work friends were pushing him.  My only comment was, "we are both so laid back and polite that we'll probably never make it out of the driveway.  'Where do you want to go?'  'Wherever you want to go.'  'No, I insist we go where you want to go.'  'Oh, no.  I'm fine with whatever you want.' " 
Yada yada yada. 
It happened too, and still does.  It takes us hours sometimes to come up with a dinner location but we also laugh like crazy loons all day and we rarely argue. 

He is my life, my north star, my reason to breathe.  He helped me take care of my mother, a woman out of her mind with Alzheimer's Disease, for four years until her death.  We never put her in a home.  Near the end he helped me feed her and diaper her. 

He is by far my greatest Treasure.

DARCY AND FITZWILLIAM

Richie was the one who encouraged me to write also.
He wanted to get the remote back.
 So, because of him, I have a book published.  I was a CPA.  I was a terrible CPA but I was a CPA, not a writer.  So this is my current mini-treasure.  The thrill of a lifetime.

This whole life has been a roller coaster ride of ups and downs, but thank the good Lord, more ups than downs.  I have few regrets.  I wish we had had children, I want to go to England, and I would love to get a decent haircut for a change. 

But when weighed against my Treasues, the regrets don't stand a chance.


1. Dilman - http://dilmandila.blogspot.com/
15. Dora - http://blogaliciousblogs.blogspot.com/


SWEET SIXTEEN BLOG HOP

4.
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10 comments:

Debra Brown said...

Where's the giveaway? Dang, I wanted you to give me your book. :(

Mel Creates Often said...

Hey Karen! Thanks for posting my hop on your blog!

Karen V. Wasylowski said...

I'm way too cheap for a giveaway, but I should though, shouldn't I?

Grace Elliot said...

I love the comment about Richie encouraging you to write, in order to get the remote back! Classic. I'm jolly glad he did (encourage you) though!
Grace x

LucyParker said...

Your blog today makes me smile. Good for you, you deserve every happiness that comes your way. Except, a tiny part of me is sad that you got to Richie first. Oh, well....Hugs to you all!

David M. Brown said...

Integrity is a great one. In fact, we should treasure all our good characteristics: patience, warmth, courage, honesty.

I really enjoyed your pictures as well.

Dave

Karen V. Wasylowski said...

Thank you LucyP and David and everyone. Funny that internet pals can feel so real. Love you all.

Shelley Workinger said...

I love how and your husband were meant to be together and now you actually are. What I mean by that is that I believe everyone has someone they're supposed to be with (I don't really want to use soulmate, but am at a loss for a better term - what a phenomenal writer, eh? :).
Anyway, for whatever reason, many people just don't find each other; they either don't see who's right in front of them, or they don't act when they get the chance, and then one day they find themselves with only a very empty chest instead of glorious treasure like you have clearly found.

Karen V. Wasylowski said...

Oh, Shelley, that was so nice! And you're right, we are soul mates. I had no problem being single believe me. If I hadn' met Rich I would still be single. It was him or no one. Corney huh.

Your Blog Host - Janet Beasley said...

Hello - stopping by with the tour...Janet/#9 here. ;-) What a nice post. Integrity is quite the treasure in life I will agree. Thank you so much for sharing.