Thursday Thoughts

I keep thinking I'd like to have a visit with you but there never seemed to be a time for it.  Well now no excuses!  The Chairman called that there's an accident on the freeway so he's working late.  The MYP are also all gone for various reasons.  So this is my chance!

I was just shopping today and noticed yet another mother with a little babe in the cart.  The whole time she was pushing the cart she was scrolling through Snapchat.  I thought she was looking up a coupon or something - but no.  I so wish I could have walked over and told her to pay the little one some attention, but I don't like confrontation.

I currently know eight people in various stages of fighting the awful disease called cancer.  It seems like every time you turn around you hear of another friend, neighbor or family member.  Is it the food we eat?  The air we breathe?  The phone we carry?  What in the world is making cancer so prevalent?  And as I said before not too long ago, I hate no man.  But I do hate cancer.

I recently purchased some Marmot brand lightweight khakis to use for walking, yard work, etc.  My dear, sweet daughters were looking at them and then they started calling them the "Zookeeper 5000's".   I asked, "why are you calling them that?"  They said they looked exactly like what zookeepers would use and they are the "5000's" because they're name brand.  Plus they look like they could hold a lot of monkey treats.  Kids have such a way of humbling you.

I just spent a couple days chalk painting an end table to get it up to date from 1994.  I love how it has turned out.

When I get in the car to go to a regular destination I go to each week the screen comes alive and tells me exactly how long it will take to get there.  It's kind of spooky and neat at the same time.

Dogs are such a joy.  Such a reward.  And so beautiful.  Just look at that face below!  But I think the thing most people don't think about when getting a dog is the poop-scoop clean-up duty that drastically needs to be done after the snow has melted.  I wonder what she's thinking as she stands there watching me scoop all that stink?  Good thing she's cute.  Or I'd sell her to the lowest bidder.

And then there's the cat.  This morning as I was quietly reading I heard a weird, frantic fluttering on the back window.  I hop up and see our cat with a huge mourning dove in its mouth.  I don't think he realizes they are a sign of peace.  I could see the sheer terror in the bird's eyes as he was frantically trying to get away.  I open the door and there's feathers flying everywhere.  So I whopped the cat on the head and off the dove flew.  I've saved at least six birds from death so far.  For some reason the cat kills and eats rodents, but birds he brings alive to the window so I can thump him on the head and he releases them.

Aren't old pictures just the best?  I mean how often are you going to see matching plaid vests like that?  Meeshka!  By the way that's my siblings, my sister's husband to be and his younger brother that always hitched a ride to South Dakota.  

So I'll look at my pictures and see what's on the camera roll:

happiness is a ukulele with a friend

happiness is celebrating a friend turning 40 with her sweet daughter

happiness is an indoor climbing wall 

i like this

I've been doing a lot of this lately

One of the MYP sent this meme to me.  For some reason it tickled about every funny bone inside of me

So this is enough!  Happy weekend to you!

Well it's Wednesday

Greetings from the Chairman and Co.!  How are you?  I'll try to just have a few bullet points for you today of things that have rattled around in my head.

* Our winter has been a complete bust if you desire snow.  We hear glowing reports from other areas of the country but seem to fail to get anything significant here.  So we stare at brown lawns and hope for an early spring.

* I wish there was an emoji for a person smiling with a tear because that's how I feel very often.  Son #1 just asked for me to send him four pictures representing stages of life and so I went digging through the photo albums.  And I was smiling with tears once again.  I mean seriously, if you have little ones, don't blink.  However, I am so so thankful I love the little ones -  now big ones just as fierce.

* The Chairman and I snuck away for an overnight last weekend.  The last time we went somewhere alone was ten years ago so it seemed time.  I figure next time we go we might be grandparents and I'll be using a walker.  Or not.  We both agreed it was too long so maybe, just maybe, it'll be in five years instead of ten. 

* On our way home, I received a couple texts asking/informing us that a couple extra teenagers would be coming shortly.  So we went from utter peace and solitude with us two to a house of five teenagers and a lot of chatter and commotion.  And do you know what?  I love both just the same.  This picture actually has six since we invited another over for Sunday.  😊

* I ran to Aldi yesterday,  on Valentine's Day, to pick up a few things and noticed a buzz around the flowers.  I saw there was a two/one special on flowers and they were $1.99!  So I bought them and brought them home and texted the Chairman to save his few nickels.  I'm so cheap romantic like that.  Not a bad bouquet for $1.99! 

* I had a great privilege just a couple days ago.  My friend and I were both moved to go visit our friend that was nearing the end of her journey.  We just didn't realize how soon.  We got there and saw that she had labored breathing but seemed comfortable enough.  She couldn't respond to us much but we said a few things.  As I stood there I realized whatever I said would be my last words to her.  Whatever you say seems so insignificant.  Words truly fail.  Thankfully the Spirit does not.  The text came just two hours later that she was gone into eternity.  I personally never heard her complain though life wasn't very easy for her.  I'm thankful for people like her that will continue to influence me long into the future.

So this is enough.  I would add a few little 'funnies' I saw this past week, but it doesn't feel like the time nor the place.  

Have a great week ahead.  Will touch base with you soon!

Words on Wednesday

I'm sitting here in my fuzzy-blue bathrobe and it is nearly 11 in the morning.  Don't judge.  It's just that I've gotten a lot accomplished and it is warmer than clothes.  However, I think a shower is in order as soon as I've typed some prose.  I've made coffee.  Fed a few people breakfast.  Fed the dog.  Fed the cat.  Made five loaves of cracked wheat bread.  Looked at Facebook a couple times.  Unloaded and cleaned out under a bathroom cabinet.  And swept the floor.  Riveting morning, eh?

I've been on a rampage to get some unattended things taken care of around here.  Yesterday was the mudroom.  I'm ashamed to say we've been here about eight years and it was a mess above the cabinets.  I cleaned and sorted and purged and found old pieces of candy from 2014.  And now it looks and feels much much better.  So today I'm doing under sink cabinets in the house.  It's amazing how I've been getting a literal bag of garbage from each room.  Lovely.

I was making a kale/kefir/hemp and chia seeds smoothie the other day.  Son #1 asked, "what did you do that makes you feel you need to punish yourself with something that gross?"  He had a point.

Did you know my name is something special?  I read that it is the trendiest name out there - ever!  Apparently in the late 50's and early 60's many many people chose the name Linda for their baby because of a couple songs that were written.  I'm on the tail-end of the trend.  When I was younger, I must admit I didn't like my name much at all.  The older I get the more I like it.  And today I can say I really am glad that's my name.  Thanks mom and dad!  Even though my name doesn't begin with a "K" like my two siblings or that I'm not named after any family member.  I'll get over all that after a few rounds of therapy.

I took a dog breed selector quiz and it said that I was a perfect match with a golden retriever.  Go figure.  I told Lisi that so she appreciates me a bit more.

How often do you go out with your spouse?  I'm talking about those with MSC (many small children) or MYP (many young people)... do you have a date night once a week/month/year?  The Chairman and I may be sneaking away for a day soon.  I'm not sure why but I'm excited and nervous at the same time.

So that's about all there is from me this week.  Not too riveting but I do think I better get a shower done before the MYP come home and want to admit me to an old folks home.

How we walk with the broken speaks louder than how we sit with the great