Good Saturday to you from our corner of Iowa where summer is showing it's beauty. So many shades of green, so many colorful flowers and blooming bushes. So many of nature's critters roaming about. We still enjoy the bunnies, squirrels, deer, and the variety of birds that grace our neighborhood. For several hours we had rain again last night and what I call "gentle thunder" rumbling as the storms passed by. I do enjoy a good ol fashioned rain with thunder.
We had to delay shopping for plants this year due to covid, so when we did go to the garden center we were able to purchase hanging baskets for only $5-10 ! They were a bit picked over, but we have plenty of color now to brighten up the garden up front and the back deck. The past couple of weeks, the sounds, the smells, the sights.....all a good thing!
Speaking of good things, last weekend we were up north for a grand's graduation and "mini" reunion. Most of us who traveled a distance stayed in a local hotel. It was extremely hot and windy...like sustained 30 mph in the country type winds with gusts that made it hard to hold your ground. The temp was in the 90's Sat. and hit 100 on Sunday. In the north country?! We still had a great time and enjoyed the celebration Saturday and Sunday morning. One thing noted by us and others.....we have aged a bit since the last reunion nearly a decade ago.....most of the aunts and uncles and grandparents pooped out and headed back to the hotel early in the evening. I figured we were the only ones tired, but one family member texted me that she was too tired to say good-bye to everyone when they left so would I tell them.....to which I replied, "I am already in the hotel in my p.j.'s! We had a good laugh over that!
Another good thing was my hubby celebrating his 76th birthday. This number gave him just a bit of pause before he leaped into another year! We celebrated with grilled pork chops, and a homemade rhubarb pie, Facebook messages, a few texts and a couple phone calls from family. Happy 76th Joel! May you have many many many more years ahead to celebrate.
Another "good thing" is that we have recovered well from Covid, although Joel is noticing a bit of fatigue residue as he calls it. I am draggier too, but traveling was in the mix also. His brother still has no taste or smell and is dealing with fatigue. Another "good thing" was my check-up with the oncologist. Good report and good bone density results. We are pondering the oncologist's desire for me to take a drug for the bones that has extreme side effects in some and just "bad" side effects in others. A person needs to way the pro's and con's of taking yet another drug that affects the quality of life. We will be spending time in prayer over this and doing some research. I was told I would need to stay on the aromatose inhibitor for 10 years....which is discouraging except for the fact that looking ahead 10 years to age 84 seems a bit silly. I am taking it now and doing okay with the daily challenges, some days better than others. And all I have is today.........just today.....
Speaking of critters, one we are not enjoying? We came home to an infestation of what we think are tiny grease ants. ALL over our stove and counters which gives me the "willies". Gross!! I know they are just ants but we have spent the last 6 days trying to get rid of them! We cannot, no matter how much we look, find where they are getting in. Right now a few Tarro ant traps are keeping them at bay, but we sure would like to get to the root of the problem. Those buggers are persistent, but so are we. Getting rid of what we see is good, but getting to the root of the problem ~ the entrance point and colony? That will take care of the issue. It's a bit like life's habits we are trying to change. We can take care of what we see but until we get to the root of the issue......the hows and whys, we will only see it rise up again. Get to the root! We have learned to pray for that too......God reveal the root cause..........so we can pray over the source of the "mountain" to be removed. Oh yeah.
Speaking of prayer, there is so much going on in our country that we could be on our knees in prayer 24/7. We seldom watch the news anymore, it is too disturbing no matter what channel you tune in to. In the late 70's we watched the movie, "The Wilderness Family" about a family that leaves L.A. for the Alaskan mountains to live in nature. Of course they ran into a lot of nature that did not want them around, as they had to make the movie exciting........but for many years after watching that movie, when things seemed to be overwhelming I would say, "Where is that cabin in Alaska? I am ready for it"! (The kids still groan when I bring up that movie). Lately I have felt the same feelings. I am weary of doctors and medications that do harm. I am weary of our country's violence and hatred. The "Great Divide" among Americans. Just where is that cabin in Alaska (or the woods)?? Where is that little oasis from our crazy world! Now where did I put that movie???
Today I am giving thanks for Joel and his 76 years here! Grateful for good reports, for family gatherings, celebrations, for rain and gentle thunder, for nature, for rhubarb pie for Joel, for safe travel once again, for God to turn to when we are weary, for ants that remind us to never give up, for that old movie, "The Wilderness Family", for flowers that brighten our landscape, for texts, phone calls, and so much more...........
Enjoy your weekend!
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