I have to tell you, by the time I finally settled down to write last night, I was pooped. So, I’m going to reprise a post from four years ago. I had decided to sell the Colorado house and I was just two days shy of putting it on the market. With my friend Deneene downsizing right now, it has brought back many memories of what I was going through back then, so I thought I’d share. Thank you for indulging me…I needed a night off. See you in the morning! ❤️
“My dreams have returned!”
Something changed a couple of weeks ago. I started dreaming again. Oh, I’m sure I’ve been dreaming. We do every night. But when I lost Mr. Virgo, I lost my dreams. I couldn’t remember them at all. And suddenly, I’ve started remembering them. Their complexity is increasing. I’m recalling more detail. I even see some color creeping back in at the edges.
“It’s important to keep up with your routine health screenings.”
When I was married to the doctor, my healthcare was absolutely top shelf. Specialists who depend on referrals for their patient load may go above and beyond for a physician’s family. A referral pattern is a terrible thing to waste. I never had to wait for appointments. My doctors always answered my calls. Testing, including my mammogram, was done quickly. And, they accepted whatever insurance paid and never charged me a dime. Professional courtesy, it’s called. I have to admit, I was pretty spoiled. My doctors in Colorado were the same ones who took care of me when I was married to the doctor so my level of care pretty much continued even after the divorce. That changed when I moved to West Virginia.
“That is one BIG steak!”
My friend Deneene is having her estate sale this weekend. Then it won’t be long before she packs up a U-Haul and heads south to live. I met her through my blog. She was a fairly new widow at the time and when I found out she was local, I invited her to coffee. Dee is one of those people you run into that becomes your instant, lifelong friend. I am going to miss her terribly, but this means I have yet another place to go visit!
“The Ponderosa in the afternoon.”
This little slice of heaven right here is The Ponderosa…that beautiful home place that came with Mr. FixIt. When I tell you I’ve been out mowing, it’s here. A flat four acres, this job takes about two to three hours to complete. I put on a radio headset and ride around and around. It’s not even like work. And this week has been perfect for mowing. With highs in the 60’s and low 70’s, even I can mow with the push mower out at my family’s farm without stopping more than two or three times. It’s been lovely.
“Coming or going…it’s a matter of perspective.”
A friend of ours from high school is laying his wife to rest today. She struggled for quite some time with COPD. There were many times we thought we were going to lose her. She went in the hospital for the last time five long months ago. In and out of ICU. Ups and downs…crisis after crisis…this family held on to every hope that their mom would come home. That his wife of 38 years would again sit by his side. A couple of weeks ago there was a picture on Facebook…she was sitting up. She was eating dinner. She was hugging her kids and grandkids. She was smiling into the camera. Thinner…but recognizable. Tired…but hopeful. She had rallied and again, the hope was raised. But, alas…it wasn’t to be. The last crisis came and she was just worn out. It was too much for her tired body and she went to her heavenly home.
“Visiting TOW-Wanda!”
I don’t get to spend as much time camping as I used to and I don’t like it. But, there are things that need to be done…mowing, keeping house, cooking, cleaning. Such is the life of “sticks & bricks.” I am very fortunate that Mr. FixIt lives on five acres and I can keep TOW-Wanda here with me. When we came back from camping last time, we parked beside the building/shop/garage and plugged in. I wanted to be able to clean and run the sweeper so I needed electric.
“Live a life worthy of the calling you have been given.” Ephesians 4:1
My daughters hit the jackpot when they chose their mates. Both well suited for their personalities and life goals. I remember when Daughter #1 was dating her husband twenty-some years ago. He and I ran to the store one day and there was a couple walking ahead of us. They wore black leather and had multiple tattoos and piercings. Their hair was spiked all over. I slipped my hand through my future son-in-law’s arm and said, “Ahhhhh, there but for the grace of God. I’m so happy she chose you.” Then, Daughter #2 became the one with multiple tattoos and weird color hair. I looked down at the “strange” people and my beautiful daughter, who has always danced to her own music, chose a highly unconventional lifestyle. That, my dears, is Karma.
It was a mostly cloudy, humid day in the Mid-Ohio Valley yesterday. Lots of fun activities to kick off some summer fun. First, we met family at a Chinese restaurant to celebrate a birthday and we got to play with the great-grandbaby for a little while. That was fun. Then we headed to City Park for a picnic that we were too late for, however, there was a car show going on so we walked around and gawked at some seriously gorgeous cars. There was a red 1953 Chevy there that was killer. Hard to believe it was built the year I was born and it wasn’t rusted out. Harder to believe I’M not!
“Doe and fawn on the front lawn.”
The quality of this picture is very poor. It was dusk. I was shooting through a window in a dark room. And these two had almost made it to the end of the yard where they ducked into the cover of the trees and bushes. There is a small creek running just on the other side of them so I imagine they were heading for a drink. The only thing that worried us is up above them beyond those trees is a fairly busy highway. I always say a prayer when I see them go up that bank. I’d hate to hear or see one of these beautiful creatures get hit. The cars race by on that road.