A sad day

I have mentioned before that we live quite near campus in a college town.  As a result, there are very few houses here that are owner occupied.  That number is now one smaller.  I learned this morning that one of our dear neighbors quietly slipped from this world yesterday.  She was 82.  I am afraid of the impact this will have on our little enclave of neighbors.  This particular lady was the one who organized and hosted the annual neighbors get together.  We would gather at her home around the holidays, bringing food and instruments.  We would eat and talk and then sing Christmas carols around the fire.  It was a wonderful time to get to know the few people who live here on a permanent basis.  We are the last family here with young children.  Every Halloween we would make a special trip down the street to her home.  We were the only Trick-or-treaters she had but she always made sure she had candy for the children.  We would take her May baskets of flowers from our yard.  She worked at the polls every election and was an active member of the community band at the Senior Center.  

As I walked down the alley on my way home I passed her home, standing dark, with the holiday greenery still hanging on the house and fence.  I said a prayer for her.  She will be much missed.  I find it hard to believe that she is gone.  Just last week she was waving at me as she drove by as I shoveled snow.