A Different Kind of May

I've been purposefully quiet on the blog for over a week now. That's a long time for me. Considering that this is Post #1542 on this blog alone (I have others), the lull has been my way of cutting back time online and making more strides in my home management.

Truth be told, the "pull" to blog has decreased tremendously. I have read others' blogs (a few) but every time I've thought about sitting down to post something on mine, the content has seemed petty. I think how silly and insignificant are some of my thoughts. My very average life; whoopdee doo. Even this post seems almost worthless to me, but I did say I'd blog four times in May, to sort of let folks know I'm here and doing okay. We need a new laptop adaptor, because our desktops are frustratingly slow right now. When the laptop is back up and running, I'll post pictures. 

 My feet have been giving me a lot of trouble. Pain and swelling in the ankles, sometimes in the left, sometimes the right, sometimes both. Other times they work just fine and I go about my business like a normal 40-something. But when they give out or I give up on them, I sit with them propped on a bag of frozen veggies wrapped in a towel. Tonight when I was finished using them in external therapy, I actually ate the cauliflower broiled and topped with lemon pepper seasoning and shredded sharp cheddar

Enough "old people" talk. I sound like my grandmother and mother.

So, what have I done instead of blogging?


I've made better meals, planned out and executed rather than looking at the clock and saying, "Woops! It's 5:00 already? What can I thaw in fifteen minutes and throw in the oven?"

I've accomplished a lot more on my daily to-do lists.

I've played more games with my boy.  For a change I beat him at Monopoly and whooped him at Masterpiece.  But he still dominates me at Stratego.

I've thought about couponing and stockpiling.  I'm not sure how well I'd stick to couponing, so I haven't officially started, but it's on the front burner now, so to speak.

I've been reading more. Currently I'm reading The Help. Author Kathryn Stockett excels in writing dialogue, my favorite part of a book (which should come as no surprise to those who know me).

I understand my dog better.  I know, I know. This sounds weird, but paying attention to your critter has its benefits.  The thirstier he is, the higher he jumps, with all fours completely off the ground --a vertical leap of about 18 inches.  I bet he could jump over the moon if I left him in the Sahara Desert for a week.  (At times I'm tempted, but then he gives me "that look" and I gotta admit I weally wuv him, I do, I do. Mwah, mwah, mwah.)

I've reduced the mountains of laundry to molehills.

I painted a still life on 16x20 canvas and realized again how I love acrylics and how relaxing it is to create art. 

We (Paul, Sarah, Joel, and I ) went to Delaware for  a free JJ Heller concert with Paul's brother and his wife.  They invited us to stay overnight in their lovely home which his brother built. The best night's sleep I've had in a long time, and a yummy breakfast casserole and hot coffee to wake up to in the morning.  (Sidenote: JJ Heller's darling 3-year-old daughter sang with her on stage. And she said, in the sweetest, tiny voice, "It's hawd being cute, but SOMEbody's gotta do it!") 

While at the concert, I met a blind man and his service dog, a golden retriever named Doer.  I got to pet the dog who was oh-so-soft-and-gentle, and chatted with the man a bit. He is getting ready to go to Johns Hopkins Hospital as a visitor with Doer. I told him we adopted our golden with hopes of training him for therapy as well, but three days after getting him, I was the one who needed therapy.  I think Reilly could do search and rescue because he is more task oriented, and is OCD about retrieving tennis balls.  He can find ones that were buried under three feet of leaves in October.  So anyone who were to get  lost within a hundred miles of Wimbledon would surely be found by our pup.


Some great news worth reporting, however, would be:

1. My husband still has a job. The office tension is still high and he comes home thoroughly drained, and has a major stressor hanging over his head right now, but at least the stress is not about getting laid off.

2.  Our youngest, who broke his clavicle (collarbone) just two days after the wedding, has now been declared healed. The orthopedist has never seen a clavicle mend so fast. Normally he says it takes 10-14 weeks. Joel x-ray at 7.5 week this past Wednesday looked perfect, with all new bone in place. He can resume full activity on Monday, and so let the hallelujahs rise!

3. Our school's spring concert and art show were held last night and went very well. I am so thankful for the school and the privilege of being part of the faculty in the smallest way as an art teacher.  I am grateful that God has given us the gifts of art and music. Our son performed in song and on the recorder and really seemed "in his element" despite the nerves. His art is also (I know it sounds like bragging, but it's just the truth) the best in the 4th grade class.  I'm not just saying that because he's my kid.  I was also very happy to have my whole family there, including my dad.  (My mom doesn't yet feel safe to go out with the eye that had the corneal transplant a few weeks ago. It's not quite healed.)  To see all my kids together, and my new daughter-in-law too, gave my heart a  hot air balloon ride.

Okay, speaking of hot air, this is too long for one post. I'm sure I lost some readers back at  the third paragraph.

I shall close and bid you adieu.