The green, green grass of home

Feel free to listen to this 
as you read because you'll probably sing it anyway after reading the title of my blog.  I just asked James if he knew this song and he didn't (which shocked me) so maybe everyone doesn't know this song like I thought.

The song speaks of a few things on my mind tonight.

James and I went to visit my family in PA for Christmas like we do most years.  It's always good to touch the green, green grass of my childhood home and be with my mom, sisters, their families and friends.  I was worried there would be a cloud hovering over us because it was our first year without Dad.  While it was different, it wasn't because  of Dad.  He was definitely there in spirit.  Mom decided to spend Christmas eve. and the first half of Christmas day in the hospital so we had other things on our mind than Dad's absence.  Mom is home and doing much better and was able to celebrate with everyone after her scare.

The end of this song goes, Yes, they'll all come to see me in the shade of that old oak tree as they lay me 'neath the green, green grass of home.  Mom and I went to visit Dad's grave on the 26th.  Dad lived in Bucks County his whole life and I'm sure there's no place he'd rather be laid to rest.  If he could have been buried in the shade of the maple trees on Stoopville Road that might have been even better.  Though it was sad, it was ok because he was as close to home as he could be.

We returned today to learn that a dear friend died on Christmas Eve.  It makes us so sad we didn't get to see him since he's been sick but we'll be there when he's laid to rest near his home.  He could play the clarinet like nobody's business and I'm sure could have played Green, Green Grass of Home without even seeing the music.  

On a happier note, it was so great to return to my own home where the grass is as green as we've ever seen it in December.  This weather has been incredible.  It was 75 degrees here today.  We haven't had to feed hay to the animals yet because the grass is still growing.  

It's always so much fun to have the animals gather around me when I get home.  They seem like they really missed me or maybe I just want to think that.  Keri, Rex, Willo and Jaz followed me everywhere I went.  Willo was especially affectionate.  

Some of our yard isn't so green.  We're adding on to the house so the east side is more mud than grass.

We have a lot of projects going on here but it's nice that someone else is in charge of this one.  We get to sit back and watch professionals do things the right way, unlike the kitchen sink/countertop I'm working on. This deserves a blog of its own.  Hopefully, if all goes well, in another week I'll be posting a final reveal and it will look better than this.  There's a long story behind this.

Adam and Melissa are getting married here in June so that's motivation to get some things done that needed doing long ago.  Our pergola had some rot issues so we're rebuilding.  Two weekends ago we put up some new cedar.  It all needs to be put in place but at least we got it up where it belongs.

It's been a month since I last blogged but I have good intentions of doing better in 2016.  

A belated merry Christmas to you all.