Unstoppable Joy

I saw the sunrise today; I watched gray skies slide into shades of pink and yellow and blue.

I watched the morning stretch and unfurl and glow; I saw the promise of this day.

This moment, I thought, I don't want to forget; the unstoppable joy of a new start.

Getting Back To Health

My road to recovery from illness is always waylaid by my urge to get things done.  I have a very hard time resting and by resting I mean literally reclining on the couch not doing anything as the dust bunnies build a village under the dining room table and the dirty laundry becomes Mt. Everest.  I always push myself too hard and recovery takes longer because of that.

Which is why I went to work 3 out of 5 days last week, and came home sick on two of those.

But today I woke up feeling better.  The sun was shining and my ear wasn't aching and my cough was down to a manageable level.

I went to work full of enthusiasm, filled with joy at just being alive and able to get ready for work without becoming exhausted.  

That euphoria faded around 11:30.  Thank goodness I live close enough to work that I could come home at lunch and nap!  I still feel better, I am on my way back to good health, but I think I will skip the weeding I thought I might attempt this evening.

I'm trying to recognize when the urge to accomplish things is crazy.

I think weeding after my first day back at work in a week qualifies!

17 Years Ago Today

Today I am not spending it how I have for the last 17 years.  We are missing our birthday girl!  But I wanted to make sure she knows I am thinking of her.  I sent her birthday messages and love and then spent hours going through old albums and scanning pictures of her from birth to now.

When she woke up this birthday morning, she did not have a morning present from Mom and Dad waiting to be unwrapped or Swedish pancakes for breakfast, but she did have so many notifications from Facebook: tags and likes and comments and there is no doubt that she is loved and missed!

After I posted the album, I told my husband I thought it was one of my favorite projects I have ever done, and he agreed.  Then we both reached for some tissue....

Happy Birthday Leah!!

Now That's A Puzzler

For years, I had one of the old style library cards.  A tan card, with no design, straightforward lettering, and it was literally held together with packing tape.  I had to hold it just right for the scanner to read my number but with a little finesse it worked and I refused to upgrade to the slick, shiny, bright new logo'd cards.

And then I lost it.

I've misplaced it before; I have a tendency to tuck it into my pants pocket and walk to the library, then forget to take it out of the pocket when I get home.  Or I do take it out of my pocket and leave it with a mound of crumpled receipts that inevitably get swept into the garbage.

This time it was lost lost.

I searched the entire house, de-cluttering, checking every single pocket of every single pocketed article of clothing I owned.  Finally I had to admit defeat.  I knew the last time I had it was when I rode my bike to the library, and since it was such a lovely summer evening, I kept riding.  I had to face facts that it probably fell out somewhere along my ride.

I can't live without a library card, so I had to get a new one.  It's okay, I guess.  It works.

Currently I am experiencing a summer flu.  It's been unpleasant, I've missed days of work, and just when I think I'm feeling better, I wake up coughing and miserable.  I drag myself out of bed and think tea sounds divine.  Not Lipton's, though, so I reach way into the back of the cupboard to find something zingy or fruity and as I pull out the dusty box of cranberry pomegranate green tea, it's upside down.  All the tea bags fall to the floor.

I heave a sigh, wipe my nose, and brace myself for bending down to pick up the envelopes and my old library card.

Yes.  The card I searched for was actually tucked into the tea box, hidden away for months.

Hmm......now that is a puzzler.

Today Is The Day

Today is the day.  It's finally arrived.  Today is the last Saturday morning that I will wake my daughter up for the summer.  Today she is off to France.

Her suitcase is packed, her back pack is stocked with books and snacks, everything is ready.

Except, not quite, me!

But I will act like I am and wave goodbye and cheer her on in this exceptional adventure she has been given. I'm so very proud of my brave, independent girl!

Those Dreaded Words

After my daughter listened to a long and mostly boring story involving me being unhappy that people I know saw me in my yard working clothes: my least flattering yoga pants (here my husband asks if any yoga pants are flattering?) and a ratty old shirt fit for nothing else but dirty yard work or the rag bin, after that story, my daughter responded with those dread words daughters everywhere fear:

"You sound just like Grandma."

What?  I am shocked!  I never!  I.....um......I agree.  

I remember listening to my mom fuss about being seen in her gardening clothes and it was so embarrassing for her.  But instead of being dismayed  that I sound just like my Mom, I thought of even worse words.

"She was right!"

Turning The Page

It is officially June.  I turned the calendar page.

It's not usually a momentous event; some months (like a birthday month) it is exciting to turn the page, but this time it was an event to stop and take notice of.

When I turned the page to June, a date three weeks from now is able to be seen, and on that day I will drive my daughter to the airport, see her off on a plane to France and not see her again until the end of summer.  It's a day I have known about and been planning towards for months, but it is now on the page of the current month.

It's shocking!  And exciting and a once in a life time opportunity and an adventure she will never forget.

Besides spending the next few weeks getting everything ready for travel, I'm going to spend some time getting fun in! I'm going to miss her like crazy all summer long.