This sudden change from 90-degree weather to 40-degree weather with rain sucks the life and motivation right out of our empty nest. If I’m not careful, I can turn into a wild caged animal.
We’re determined not to let the weather dictate our life, though. It’s our new mantra. We must not be fuddyduddies. Get out and do stuff…
We stood looking at the crack in the window and the house which is still in disarray.
Not motivated to put new holes in the window frames by rehanging the curtains. So we forced ourselves to get dressed and head out to the winery to drown out the blues as the rain continued to pour. And pour.
We bought a square chunk of cheese. While we sipped our wine, we put a good dent in the cheese. But couldn’t eat it all…and the crowd thickened, the noise was overwhelming, so we grabbed our plate and headed to the car.
We wanted to save room for pizza. Mr. pulled the car over to let the line of traffic get past us. And he dialed the pizza spot to order a large deluxe with all the fixings. We know how to do comfort food in style.
I watched the rain falling.
The wipers wipe. And the puddles form. And my mind wandered to when our kids were young and we’d take road trips with them in this car. The crack in the Durango’s window has seen many miles on the road.
When our kids were little, we’d have their boredom to nudge us to find something fun to do. Now we’ve got each other to encourage us to keep trying new things and find ways to get out of the house.
Even a cloudy day Irvine Park would be a prime place to go as a family.
We went there a month ago. It was a chilly day then too. We even ended up with ice cream that day. Yum…
At the park at this time of the year, when the kids have gone back to school, the crowds thin as the majority of the rented animals are returned back to warmer zoos. The petting zoo closes, but the bear and the tigers and hyenas stay (longer).
Their homes are cozy and full of play items for them.
Families, young and old enjoy watching them. This animal den structure wasn’t here when our kids were young. They would’ve loved it, I’m sure of it. I could almost hear them saying, “Look he just walked in front of me…he’s so big…did you see there are two of them?”
I’m always melancholy when looking at these animals. Their dens are located across from the bricks engraved with names of businesses, like the one Mr. worked at for 19 years and the one I worked at for about 11 years.
And of course, bricks have also been donated by families or loved ones. The donations help funds needed to keep the park going.
100 years ago the Irvine family donated the property to be a free park forever. There’s one young boy, our family knew, who never got to see the park as it looks today. I wonder if his family and his twin sister have been back here to look at it. I’m sure they have.
We were on a family trip when we got the news of his sudden death. Just like many families who bought a brick to remember a loved one, I’m sure it is hard to imagine life without him/them.
Moments like that when I’m reminded of how precious and short a life can be is when I don’t mind the cracks and bumpy times of life so much – every day I get to see another one, in our empty nest or not, I’m thankful. Living life by filling our frames with perspective-changing moments makes me smile even when I’m feeling blue.
Post Inspiration – a late entry into Becky’s October Lines&Squares Challenge, and Lens-Artists #66 – Filling the frame and Sunday Stills – Lines and Squares
PS – What memories from your children’s childhood trigger melancholy for you? Do you have a free zoo/park in your area? How long did you work at a company before it closed doors? What is your favorite kind of pizza?
It’s the lack of memory that makes me melancholy. I’m coping by not remembering. No free zoo near us but there is the Quadrangle where you can pet the deer. The company B worked for closed in October 2018. He finished a job for them but has been on his own since January 2019. Very scary. Re: pizza, I’ve never met a pizza I didn’t like. I prefer thin crust but as for topping, anything and everything is good.
I use the lack of remembering at times as well. I bet it is scary to go out on your own after working for someone else for a long period of time. Mr. did that after 19 years. There are days neither one of us know how we do it.
You sound like a pizza fan as well. I had leftovers last night and they were darn tasty. I feel the salt overload puffiness today. 🙁
I’m scared but if B is scared, he hides it well. So far so good. Day by day works well.
Pizza puffiness is always worth it. 😊
One day at a time, one pepperoni at a time too. We can do this thing called living! 🙂
Last time I was at a zoo was 10 years ago with my grandson who now lives in Germany. Jacksonville Florida it’s on the St Johns river, the closet zoo to Savannah. We also used to go to Columbia S Carolina (Riverbanks) probably still a good place to go without little ones because it has a botanical garden
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Alice. You’ve seen many fun things in your travels. I’ve only been to a botanical garden a few times. They are so nice, I should go more often.
I try not to think of the years when my kids were small, a tough subject. But pizza? Pepperoni, black olives, mushrooms and sometimes sausage. Yum!
No worries, I’ll never make you share what you’re not interested in sharing! But…that pizza idea, I might make you share, that sounds delicious!
Hi last time I went to a zoo it was about 70 mile from where I live called Chestrr zoo . I was a small kid and I think it was a school trip.
Pizza I like chicken and also Pepperoni pizzas.
Sounds like you have fun memories of the zoo. Yum…your pizza choices are favorites of mine too. Thank you for sharing!
Lovely photos and trip down memory lane.The memorial park/brick/bench area is so special. I don’t live near a zoo, but the kids loved a chance to be up close to any animals.
Rainy days can be hard and bring on the melancholy more easily. Trick or treat night triggers it for me, along with first day of school…among other times…when I least expect it.
Thank you, you understand my feelings! It is those out of the blue moments that keep surprising me. 🙂
You’re welcome. I do understand. It can be hard to know how to handle those moments – except, perhaps, to write about them 🙂
You’re right, life certainly presents us with blogworthy topics!
Mary likes sausage, I like pepperoni, and Home Run Inn sells a frozen pizza that has both. Almost as good as the ones they sell at 31st and Kildare.
I’d have to say remembering the time that Dad was in the hospital before he died and after bring on the hardest memories.
I only worked for one company that actually shut its doors, and that was a couple of years after they let me go (because they were losing business). Everywhere else has been a case of we were bought, merged, etc.
Yum, that’s nice you’ve found a brand of frozen that tastes good. We went through a lot of brands with the kids as they were growing up.
Saying goodbye to parents is really hard stuff.
The company that let you go learned their lesson, right?!
Thank you for sharing, John!!
The company has changed hands a couple more times since I left. I doubt they’ve learned anything.
Frozen pizza used to be something you outgrew by the time you were in high school, but they’ve gotten so much better since then.
Some business habits die hard, that’s for sure.
You know – I agree with you – back in high school they were a quick snack that I could polish off a whole one by myself. Now, it’s just a couple of pieces to savor as I hold back the desire to eat it all!
Oh, I can still wolf down a pretty good-sized pizza by myself…
If I’m not careful, I can do the same! I need to pace myself.
Wine and comfort food are perfect antidotes to the coming cold and dark. We visited grands in Canada this week and that was fun. We wanted to get it in before the roads are questionable. I guess that means we’re getting older, as the weather rarely stopped me in younger days. Ha! But it’s lovely to be home and sleep in my own bed, too. And the rain has FINALLY stopped here for a day and we had sunshine & brilliant color to greet us.
Don’t you love people who donate land and money to make a community better? We have an AMAZING botanical garden and sculpture park near us and we sing the praises of the donors every chance we get. An empty nest can be challenging but having a partner to get you out and about is helpful. 🙂
I had plenty of both this weekend, so maybe I’ll be good for a bit. 😉 Were the trees still colorful? The trip sounds fun. I’m with you on the roads and not wanting to travel when they’re bad.
We had sun yesterday, and it was glorious. Hopefully it will shine again today.
Yes, the donated park is so nice, and the requirement that it is free for all to access seems to bring on more generosity in the community.
We’re getting better at encouraging each other to do things. It’s easy to stay in and do the same old stuff. 😉
Comfort food is necessary when life’s conundrums get to you … you are brave for beating the elements to go for cheese and wine, then pizza. I am more inclined to look outside and whine about it.
LOL – we had enough for two days worth of meals. Mr. enjoyed not cooking. It took all of my might to go out in the rain, but we’re glad we went it was fun.
Yes, if you don’t have to go out, it’s hard to budge. My issue always was that for years I took the bus and had to wait when it was bad weather as the bus was often late in the a.m. or p.m. so you’re out in the elements. Not so nice and I vowed after working at home I was not going to subject myself to that again. I have bought footwear for rain this year though – but we’ve had more torrential rain than a garden variety rain.
I swear I melt in the rain, it’s the wicked side of me, I guess. The weather has been wicked too. 🙂 I’m not going to let it win any longer, until it is 30 below.
I hope we have a while before that – I don’t like the “Farmer’s Almanac” prediction – one Polar Vortex (at least one is how they put it – you mean we could have two like a few years ago?)
Yikes…I don’t want another one of those!!
Yours was worse than ours – I thought ours was bad until I read your account of the never-ending snow.
Yeah…I’m not up for that again. 🙁
Thank you for the tour of this special zoo. That is a generous donation from the family!
Thank you, Amy! Yes, the family’s generosity is wonderful and long-lasting in our community. Your photos this week are wonderful examples of how to fill the frame. The sand shot and the butterfly were my favorites. Thank you for sharing your tips too!
Lovely photos and memories . . . and this would also fit perfectly into this month’s Squares. Terri borrowed my theme for her Sunday Stills to help connect, be fabulous if you were able to join the October Square Gang on #lines&squares too
Thank you, Becky! I appreciate the invite to join, I tagged the post and hope to join in again this month!!
Wonderful 🙂
Thanks for sharing!! If you love wine, this is the part of the country for you! Organic wine
Thank you!