"Hey" to You and Yours

An "About Me" Post and explanation of Seven of Seven

Hi, I'm Lori. I'm 58 (53 at time of writing this original post in 2019) and live with my husband, Thomas, in Southern Indiana (Kentuckiana). We have been married for 37 (32 in 2019) years and have two grown children. 

I'm originally from Kentucky where my mother and three (four at time of original post) of my five sisters still live, and where most of my parents' extended family live and have lived for generations.  We have been in Indiana for almost 33 (28) years now, but I still consider myself a Kentuckian.

SEVEN OF SEVEN

ca 1987, from top, l to r: #5 Lois, #6 Barbara, #1 Dennice,
Daddy, Mom, #2 Alton, #3 Maxine, #7 Lori, #4 Phyllis.

I'm the youngest of seven. My brother, sadly, died in 2019 (just a few months earlier than this original post). I'm still dealing with that, and it is the reason I called this new incarnation of my blog "Seven of Seven," because I am not ready to take him out of something that has been my identity for so long. I AM the seventh of seven, and I still feel him there in that equation. He is Two of Seven and always will be. Having five sisters and a brother is Who I AM, if that makes sense. I'm not doing too well, yet, with the death of a sibling. It is so totally different from the death of a parent (my father) or a friend or cousin. I would not have guessed how different this feels.

THE EMPTY NEST

Our son, Andrew, is 35 (30) and is no longer married (married for just over two years at the time of original post). Our daughter, Eler Beth, is 28 (23) and has been married for six years (a year and a half) to Anthony. We do not suffer from the typical "Empty Nest" syndrome and never have, though. We still have most of Eler Beth's pets and rescues living at our house, along with our own pets, so when Eler Beth married and we were asked how we were dealing with the Empty Nest we had to laugh.  

THE BLOG

I'm still building this blog. I began blogging on AOL Journals back in 2005, then moved to Blogger when AOL shut down its journals in 2008. So this is the second reincarnation of my original blog. I used to blog very regularly but got out of the habit. I'd like to get back to posting at least semi-regularly. I am able to keep up with so many of the old J-Land (AOL Journals) crowd on Facebook, and I am thankful for that.

Little by little I'll build the tabs at the top of my page. This blog is for me as much as it might be for readers, whether new ones or my old blogging friends. I don't read my friends' blogs like I used to, and many are not posting any more or very rarely. And although I'll write as though I'm talking to someone who is reading, it is okay if there is actually no one reading but me. I'm entering into a new stage of my life -- WE are entering into a new stage of our lives as a couple, as a family -- and I want this bit of me online to record that, even if it is only for me. 

But if there IS anyone reading, old friend or new, welcome! I hope you nose around and find a post or two that you might enjoy. Leave a comment if you like, and a link to your own blog if you have one. At least once a week I'll try to visit my friends, and I'd love to drop in on you as well.  This post will be kept as my "About Me" and will be updated as needed. 

That's all for now. 

"Hey" to you and yours!  

~~ Lori