Where has the time gone?

I've been trying to come up with something interesting to write about and I realised today that I haven't written since August! How you all must be yearning for the balm of my words to flow over you, lol! The problem is, is that I haven't been doing anything but work. The store is pegging along but it seems to consume my time anyway. I'm kinda homeless right now because I'm still staying with Jess and Alex ( bless their hearts) and I get homesick a lot. I miss my boys, I miss my cats and I miss just being in my space with my stuff. I can't wait for four days off this weekend to sleep in my own bed, bake and cook. The kids are all coming and I'll get sick of their noise ( I don't know where their vociferous ways come from, must be a skipped generation thing) and in the end will feel whole.

It's been a bit of a tough weekend because my second mom died on Friday. As most of you know Brenda and I have been like  "peas and carrots" since we first met oh so many years ago. We shared each other's houses like they were our own and the passing of mom Gefucia is the final chapter with both our parents. Both mom's had the privilege of living long lives and are sorely missed.
I've been thinking about the two most influential women in my life and I realised that as much as I didn't understand the stay-at-home mom thing growing up I grew to appreciate the importance of being the anchor that secures the family during my ten years at home. I am too much like my parents in that I'm perfectly happy in and of myself. Brenda's parents showed me adults who had strong close friendships, enjoyed lives that didn't include their kids all the time and people who gave back to the community. I'd love to be that way but I'm not.  One thing both our families have are crazy senses of humour. May had a wry wit that she didn't parade out often but it's easy to see why she had so many loyal friends.
So, to be a little maudlin here Brenda and I have lost our anchors. Brenda saw her mom as the calm in the chaos and I had my mom as the voice of reason. We're now left to take what we've learned and carry on. I'm sure Brenda will be better at it than me because she plots her course and follows it while I tend to fly in the wind. I've found that the past three and a half years have posed challenges where I could have really used mom's practical advice. Whether I took it or not her comments made me stop and think. Hard to believe that we are becoming the elders in our families. I'm continue to try and figure out what I will be when I grow up!
With the celebration of Thanksgiving this weekend I plan to toast the two greatest women I've known, born in an era when you did what needed to be done and carried on. Here's hoping I stop and think just often enough and look outside myself to include others in my life. Cheers, ladies.