Day After The Fourth

I used to love the 4th of July when I was a kid.  If we were lucky, we'd get to wave a sparkler around after it got dark.  We'd drive over to the high school where the city would set off a few fireworks and it was one of those rare occasions when I was outside in the dark in the summer warmth and be ok with it.  (I'm still scared of the dark and rarely am out after dark in the summer warmth.)

I deal less well with the heat as I age. I've never been fond of it, many a book was read by me (growing up) from my perch on the stairs underneath the swamp cooler where it was a least a teensy bit cooler than anywhere else in the house. We've been having a heat wave.  I've been sick (sicker than I remember in quite some time, this really was a nasty virus) and being sick in the heat is just plain crummy.

We made a conscious decision to pretty much lay low.  It isn't often The Husband has four days off work in a row with no real plans for well, much of anything.  We read, watched some tv (found some old movies - The Husband still gets cheerful when he's watched "What a Girl Wants") played lots of iPad games and mostly just lounged around.  Inside.  Where the air conditioning feels just lovely.

I felt a bit of guilt that we didn't invite family.  Some of them wouldn't have come anyway.  And I didn't want those living south to have to fight the traffic through Provo to get here - Provo does the 4th up in a huge way.  So I guess I chose the small guilt over the inconvenience to our son and his family.  I hope they didn't feel too bad.  It was just too dang hot.  And today is even hotter.

Our celebration consisted of sprite/sherbet floats. And frankly, that was just fine with me.

Pretty good sized snake!

By the afternoon yesterday I began to think I would be able to fully rejoin the living.  The cough has somewhat subsided and isn't sounding so awful.  The nasal rinse seems to be doing better.  Though I still haven't a lick of energy and simply walking around the house wears me out.

I was sitting here at my computer day before yesterday when there was a knock from The Husband on the window from outside. A quick peek at him sent me scurrying for the front door.  This gopher (or bull) snake was attempting a break-in at the garage door when The Husband caught him. Unable to find a lidded container large enough, The Husband let him go back behind our fence where he disappeared quicker than we could blink.  I hope he's feasting on gosphers and voles and mice and anything else that we find objectionable. Just please, stay outside, ok?

Sunday another sister was added to the Compassionate Service Committee.  I'm so grateful for the help and she seems pleased about her new calling.  I'm crossing my fingers that there'll be no more funerals for a while.

And today I'm grateful.  Grateful for enough.  Enough funds to live off.  Enough to pay for air conditioning in this brutal feeling heat. Enough that I can opt to take in dinner to someone on my own. Enough that I can be comfortable about birthdays and anniversaries when they roll around. Enough is a wonderful word - I love that feeling of having enough.  And am grateful to know that enough really is enough, I need not envy (or resent or covet) those who have more.