Smiling Saturday

Normally I post Silly Saturday photos or stories but today I’m switching to Smiling Saturday. I’m telling myself I’m okay and will have a wonderful day driving to Cherokee like Rich and I would always do on our anniversary weekend or close to it. We would visit waterfalls, hike the trails, have quiet times together and share memories of our past trips to the mountains. Our 58th wedding anniversary is Tuesday July 29th and yes I’m still counting the years because even though Rich is not here physically, he is still with me in spirit. 60 years together and 58 years married after meeting on a blind date is something for the record books.

While I will always be grieving, I’m trying to make this weekend our happy weekend like it has been for many years. I know my sweetheart will be with me as I sit on the bank of the Oconaluftee river in the Great Smoky Mountains and toss in some roses.

This first picture is shortly after I met Rich in 1965, even way back then we were into nature. The other was when we went on one of our last little sneak aways (as I called them) to Cherokee just to get out in the peace and quiet of the great outdoors.

It was quite a hike to get up to Clingman’s Dome but it was well worth almost passing out because of the elevation to see the top of the world views.

These are some photos of the past that make me smile and I hope you smile with me.

We always seemed to find the highest peak and gaze out at the beauty. Rich’s last words on our last trip on March 23, 2024 were, “If I got any higher, I would be in heaven” and I know he is there.