#18 Vacation, Day 1

It's cold and gray in Asheville, just as it should be in December. today was nearly perfect, starting with a leisurely morning, a good walk, a noontime pedicure, an afternoon art lesson, then a run downtown for a takeout Harmony Bowl. Brief chat with my love, time for a book, then bedtime yoga.
Dammit, I have to do this stuff again tomorrow.
#LoveMyLife

#17 Stepping Down

For the past month, I’ve been marking lots of “lasts” in my adventure on City Council. Last Housing meeting. Last closed session. Last Transit meeting. And so on.

Today marked my last “last.” I had my last elevator ride upstairs where I turned in my keys. Last morning Staff meeting.  Funny, it was grey and overcast and my car seemed to be the only one on the road. My world was reflecting my melancholy.

Then the sun peeked out for our last City Council meeting. It was a celebration of us as we stepped down and a celebration of our historic new Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem and Council.

We speechified and clapped and stood. I received lots of love, many thanks, and some great hugs. A commemorative Bell Tower and a proclamation.

Now I’m sitting in the dark rejoicing in all the love. Tomorrow I wake up a regular citizen again.

We swore in a really historic Council tonight, but I’ll post on that another day. For tonight I’m just basking.

#LoveMyLife

#16 Framily

the parents of my daughter-in-law came to see Beacon Hall this week and we had a super time sharing our little town with them.
It’s nice on occasion to see your town through someone else’s eyes. All the things you take for granted are suddenly shiny and new.
#LoveMyLife

#15 So Much Love

This has been a week I hope never to forget. Wednesday brought my last presentation to 3rd graders. I provided cake and we celebrated. Guess what! I made it through without a tear. The press was there.
Wednesday City staff threw me a going away party at a local restaurant. Each of the department heads made a little speech about me and gave me a gift. Each of my colleagues on Council made a little speech as well. At the very end the Mayor gave me .... A KEY YO THE CITY. I was shocked. And happy. And humbled.
Thursday our 3rd grade party was on the front page. Our son’s in-laws came to visit. We toured Beacon Hall and showed off our little town. In the evening we split up. Men went to Jody’s men’s group and we went to my progressive womems group. I was greeted by a GIANT basket filled with gifts for my trip next week.
It’s been a week of so much love and goodbye-ing, it’s been a little overwhelming for this Alabama girl.
On Tuesday I will step down. On Wednesday I head to Asheville, by myself, for a little vacay.
#LoveMyLife

#14 Home

A rare day at home. Cleaning, laundry, long walk with the dog. #Thankful

#13 Friends

Slugging around the house today with a cold, a little exhausted from yesterday, when a text came across the phone. Two friends have bought me a massage in Asheville during the week when I'm taking a little sabbatical -- starting the day after I "step down" from City Council. "You deserve it," they said.
Ohmygoodness. I may deserve a massage but nowhere on earth did I ever deserve such kind and thoughtful friends. Overwhelmed with gratitude.
#LoveMyLife

#12 Thankful

It’s Thanksgiving morning and the sun is just coming up. Birds are beginning to chirp outside my door and it promises to be another beautiful, clear day with a sky of Carolina  blue.
It’s been a whirlwind week. Hubby and I were treated to a trip to the top of the nearby water tower. I cast my last vote as a sitting Council member. I rode in the local Christmas parade in a red ‘62 Chevrolet Impala. Convertible.
Our kitchen is jammed with food waiting to be cooked. In a few short hours our home will be filled with family and friends. Babies. Laughter. Music. I feel so, so rich, and immensely grateful.
Happy Thanksgiving.

Postscript. Dear Hubby took this amazing picture of our sweet great-grandson. His eyes opened wide when he saw me in the parade. If you zoom way in, you can see my red '62 Impala reflected in his loving eyes.
#LoveMyLife

#11 New Friends

We had friends over for dinner last night and it was just a lovely time.
Sweet hubby and I worked all week to clean house for them. I polished silver. He dismantled the oven and gave it a good scrub.
We had a simple but tasty meal and plenty of light wine — but the laughter! We laughed and laughed.
She was elected our new mayor a couple of weeks ago following seriously hard campaigning and they have been exhausted — and we were so happy to share a night with them of pure relaxation. Dear hubby and I are winding down as my term of office comes to a close. We are all in the same experience of public service, at opposite ends of the spectrum. Last night we just relaxed — and laughed.
#LovemyLife

#10 Heartstrings

On Tuesdays and Thursdays I take our great grandson to preschool and return to take him back home. Each and every time I show up, whether to take him to school or to take him back home, his face lights up and he is happy to see Nana. It just makes my heart light up like Roman candles. ❤️

#9 Performances

It was a hectic day with all the best parts of being a council member in a small town. In the morning I was invited to watch a senior citizen step team perform. What a treat! Then they served us a covered dish luncheon with the best of homemade food: fried chicken, ham, meatballs, macaroni & cheese, potato salad, cooked green beans, corn, deviled eggs, oh my! I can’t remember it all.
As I was serving my plate, a lady touched my arm and said, “I want you to go over there and get a slice of that homemade pineapple cake.” I smiled and said, “OK, Thank you,” and continued serving my plate.
She touched me again. “I mean NOW.” So I left the dinner line, ran to the dessert table, and got a slice of heavenly, made-from-scratch 3-layer pineapple cake with buttercream frosting.
It was worth the special trip.
Then in the evening I headed to our high school where I served as a judge for students’ senior projects.
What a treat.
I was a member of a team who judged 5 high school seniors who presented their requisite projects for graduation. 14 other teams judged kids throughout the school for a total of 70 presentations.
The kids have worked on these projects for a year and a half. They have practiced their oral delivery with mentors and advisors. They dressed up in their Sunday best and presented to us.
What’s always so surprising is how nervous they are.
The topics ranged from History of the Marine Corps to Benefits of Organic Food.
Every team of judges has an asshole, someone who is ultra-critical or loves to hear himself talk —or both— and I try not to be that person. I give them lots of encouragement and if they have given it good effort, I rank them high as the sky and send them on their way.
So the day started and ended with watching people do their best to perform for me.
It doesn’t get much better than that.
#LoveMyLife