Clump #12:  Get car ready for son to drive back to school.

The number of clumps lumped together for this one event are almost too numerous, and certainly too tedious, to list.  My dearly departed father’s car was sitting out, neglected for far too long.  Our son was the designated recipient.  So many steps, and every time we thought we had it covered, another one or three would rear up.  Many forms, lost keys, parts needed to pass inspection, the new battery installed by battery experts that was deemed too small for the car….  But yesterday it was finally ready for the road to college.

My dad loved this sticker.  Elon University is the alma mater of two of my nieces.  I expected my son to want to take it off, or stick one of his band’s stickers over it. He said he wanted to keep it; he thought it would be kind of funny.  -Love-

And off he goes … into his other life. (Sniff–Sniff), signature orange hat in place.  Another way to think of dearly departed.

Clump #13:  Write New Year letter, formerly Christmas letter, soon to be MLK Day letter.

No picture for this one.  2012 was a sad year, losing my dad and many other special people in our lives.  It was tough to look back.  I’ve sent late Christmas cards out before, but this is a record in lateness.

I really have to lighten up this post, so here is something I found incredible.  During the Miss America pageant the other night, cohost Chris Harrison gestured to the group of “losers,” (not chosen to be semifinalists) stuck on stage watching the “winners,” (semifinalists) with smiles pasted on.  He offered them a treat because “they haven’t eaten carbs in about six years.”  So big platters of doughnuts were brought out for them to eat!!  The other cohost, Brooke Burke said, “You have no idea how deprived these ladies have been.”  Someone could probably write a book about women in our culture based upon this one gesture, the message being,”Go ahead, honey, it’s all over, you might as well get fat.”  (My words)

I would not have been able to put this photo here without the help of my computer guru younger daughter.  Now I’ll have another cry at the thought that she’ll soon be leaving for school, too.