Spring

I remarked today as we were driving along that I have loved the "greening" of our little area of the world. It has been eye candy for me whenever I'm out and see the trees, bushes, grass all turning that beautiful shade of spring green - such a refreshing change from the dull brown of winter.  I am a big fan of winter (though I wish we'd had one this year) as well as spring and fall.  Summer?  Not a fan at all.  But spring this year for some reason feels especially pretty.  And I need some pretty. I took a couple pictures.  

falling flowers

The one is just to illustrate how odd the seasons are this year.  It is barely March, I took that picture a few days ago on my morning walk a couple streets away to show how many of the trees are already losing their blooms.  W-a-y early.  I'd rather the blooms stay on the trees for a few more days - even better a few more weeks - so we can enjoy their loveliness a bit longer.  It even feels strange to drive down the street and see the spent blooms drifting like snow down to the ground. Again, w-a-y too early.

Our little sargent crabapple in the front will be in full bloom soon, I love how the buds start out pink then turn white as they open.  I love that little tree.  The newest maple in the front only has very tight buds, but the mature maples in the back are beginning to sprout leaves.  I love that proof they weathered the "winter" and are ready to provide beauty and shade to our back yard. If they get enough leaves we'll be able to leave the light blocking devices out of our windows at night - the streetlight from the next street over shines right at our bedroom window keeping me awake when I want to be sleeping, I've become aware I need it pretty dark to sleep well.  All this is to say I'm loving the spring.  I've joked in the past that our spring needs to last longer than two weeks.  We'll see what happens this year since we already experienced two weeks of summer in March.  The world is changing for sure.

crabapple blooms

Went to lunch today with a friend.  Had such a good laugh.  Her face turned beet red when she told me this, while laughing at herself.  We all do such dumb things.  She'd taken her garage door opener out when she was with friends to easily access the house on her return.  Had tossed it back in the car.  Went out next day to run some errands, hit the wall mounted garage door button to open the door while she got in,  started the car and began to back out.  Only to run smack into the garage door.  She had sat on the opener which triggered the door to close as she was exiting the garage.  Big repair bill there.  She's such a sweetheart and cute and funny.  Just a delightful 79 year old to spend time with today and commiserate about spending all our money on only two things:  our bodies and our homes. 

maple leaves

FedEx lost our blind.  The company rushed through another blind build and it arrived the other day.  Soonest install date was a week out.  Then a cancellation occurred so they're coming tomorrow to replace the broken blind.  Took just shy of a month.  I think I've mentioned before that if I ever have a choice I will never ship FedEx.  They just lose too many items.  It has happened to us on multiple occasions.  Am anxious to see how the new faux wood (he wouldn't even quote me a price for a wood blind, it would have been so high) blind looks next to our original real wood blinds.  Hopefully it won't be so bad that having a working blind will outweigh any aesthetic concern. I'm also hoping that I've matured some.  I remember a time when all the fuss and delays would have cost me much frustration and maybe even a bit of anger.  This time I was able to just laugh it off.  Wow, that's quite an accomplishment for me.  Tightly wound is my natural state.  :^)

I'm so grateful for our good furnaces that can be turned on with just a touch of a button when the world can't decide if it's time for heat or air conditioning.  I'm grateful for a kind friend who wanted to go to lunch with me.  I'm grateful for good books to read.  I'm hoping for something fun to look forward to, grateful for hope.

Busy

Pretty tree

 We've been busy enough that we don't get too restless but not so busy that we feel like things are "too much"!

Since we had no winter, our small portion of the world feels like it's alive with spring.  The trees, shrubs, grass - everything really - are blooming, greening, fragrancing (yep, made up word) and enriching our lives.  The forsythia are the ones that are the first to herald spring.  This year, they have plenty of company blooming and making our world so pretty.  Everything is at least a month early - snapped this picture on our walk to church yesterday morning:  the lilacs are generally just finishing up their bloom by Mother's Day - May!  It feels kind of scary to me to contemplate what the summer is going to be like.  I'm already grateful for the air conditioning that will help alleviate the heat and keep us comfortable.

For a couple weeks we've manage to use neither the furnaces nor the air conditioning (yay!).  That cost savings just transferred over to the guy mowing our lawn.  He started last Friday.  It feels fundamentally wrong to be mowing the lawn in March.😮

We finally bit the bullet and had the guy come to measure for a replacement blind.  It was supposed to take two weeks.  We're at 2 and a half weeks and still no sign of the blind.  Not that we're in a real hurry, just that I super dislike unfinished tasks.  Had a bid on replacing the filters on our reverse osmosis unit (yes, I's aware it's controversial to drink that water all the time, but we like the taste so much better that we'll actually drink our water instead of avoiding it) and of course it was astronomically high.  Our grandson, and the two of us will attempt it this afternoon.  Fingers crossed.  Yet again, a reminder of all the things The Husband has easily done over the years, saving us tons of money.  It's hard that it is no longer possible for him to do what he previously did.  I'm grateful our two sons and two daughters inherited that "can-and-will-do" ability.  Wish I had more of it.

Lilac flowers already?!

So, let's see:  the grass is mowed, the sprinklers are fixed and working, the blind is ordered, the RO unit filters will either be replaced or not, the weeds have been sprayed again, the iron put on the tri-color beech (hoping for pink again this year), plans have been made for Easter dinner, our larder filled from a Costco trip (while our account was depleted), we have a meeting with one of our financial guys this week along with a couple lunches planned.  Right now no one is sick, the aches and pains of aging are mostly semi-controlled, we've food in the house for lunch and dinner and I've plenty of books on my eReader (though I intend to hit the library today or tomorrow - I need a real physical book to read).  All of that considered, I'd say we're in decent shape right now.  I always want to be grateful - and I truly am.  But when things are getting accomplished and there's no really unpleasant issues, I get a tad-bit nervous about what's coming.  The world is in a bad and extremely concerning situation.  I do my best to be at least a small contributor to the good. And I pray always that the will of our Creator will not only be made known, but happen according to what He knows is best.  Can't actually do any more than that, can I?

I'm grateful to still be able to physically move pretty well - sometimes (rarely) without pain.  Grateful for the beautiful world we live in.  Grateful for some small things to look forward to (including a new working blind) and grateful for a very small stash of chocolate. 😍

Weather

Pretty trees.

My friend and I decided we're done with the tv weather people.  Our crappy weather is leading all the newscasts - all doom and gloom:  no water from our not-really-winter, year round fire season, heat and I could go on and on.  The kicker?  There's absolutely not a single thing any of us people can do about it. Sure, we can conserve, we can not go camping or start fires anywhere.  So far I'm refusing to give up my shower and will do my best to keep our trees alive.  But seriously, can't we just not be so alarmist with the weather forecasting?

Because of the extraordinary heat (it's March for crying out loud, why is it 80+ degrees outside?) we've been able to turn off the furnaces in the house.  The best thing has been the stunning beauty of all the trees! They're in full bloom a whole month earlier than they should be.  (The other flourishing thing is the weeds but that's a whole 'nother annoying subject.)  The Husband managed to get the sprinklers going to give our pines bordering our lot in the back a much needed drink.  So happy he was able to do that.  And so grateful we have a sprinkler guy in our quiver of home maintenance people.  He'll help us get things properly going once I can get in touch with him.

Was fun to see our daughter last week.  We always love when she comes to visit.  Thoroughly enjoyed picking up our granddaughter's wedding dress - it's so pretty.  I love being with my two daughters, they are cherished. 

Lucky quarter, maybe?

Yesterday morning our walk included double sweatshirt and jacket for me.  This morning:  short sleeves and no jacket.  I did find a quarter.  Hopefully it'll be a lucky quarter.  I could use some luck. 

I'm on the organ again this Sunday.  My co-organist had carpal tunnel surgery yesterday.  Fingers crossed he's back on top of things again soon.  My back simply will not allow me to sit for so long at the organ every single week.  And  our Bishop is coming to visit me this week.  I suspect he's going to ask me to also play for Primary since they put our pianist in a stake calling. Am so struggling with what to say to him if that's what he wants.  I try to always say yes to everyone.  Don't even really know how to say no.  But maybe this time I should try it?

I've finished all my library books again, and have a couple fresh ones to read.  Haven't had a minute to even start one.  I used to read several books a week on the regular.  Now it takes me several weeks to finish one.  How did that happen? 

Today I'm grateful yet again, and every day, for the opportunity to try once again to be a better disciple of our Savior.  To work harder at being kind and full of grace for others.  At this rate, I'll never be good enough for heaven.😏

Thursday

I thought today was going to be a super-great day.  And maybe it's been pretty good.  I find I'm more easily overwhelmed these days, there just seems to be so much to take care of.

Ran down yesterday to Utah county to pick up our tax stuff.  I so enjoy working with this CPA and  so grateful to have found her through a friend's recommendation. I love that friends are willing to recommend people that they know and trust.  I dread the day this sweet tax preparer says she's going to retire. Then we'll be begging all around for another referral.

Also sent an online message to our doctor.  We both need to see a dermatologist.  Ours moved out of state.  It's taken me quite a while to find someone I think will work for us.  Insurance requires our dr. give us a referral.  Dr.'s office very promptly replied that a referral has been sent to the dermatologist.  I hope she accepts and we get in to see her before too long. It's nice that the dr.'s office got right on that. 

Woke up and decided to not walk this morning.  Had someone coming at 9 or so to give us a bid on replacing that darn broken blind (not enough time for a walk and get ready). We've spent quite a bit of time trying to get the manufacturer to fix the blind - without success. Anyway, he came, and worked pretty hard trying to fix it.  No such luck.  It's a bad blind. New one is required.  About double what I expected to pay and it isn't even going to be wood, it'll be faux wood.  Sigh.  And lesson learned, won't give that first blind company any more of our money.

Then, had an appointment with a company to come look at the broken window in the laundry room. They never showed.  Didn't respond to texts.  Back to work trying to find someone else.  First call:  "no, we don't do that, we only replace the whole window, you need to get someone to replace just the glass."  Had no idea that was even possible.  Called someone else.  He was less than interested, totally unhelpful.  Sent an online request to yet another company and "got the gold".  Within only a few minutes the company owner was on the phone, actually calling me.  We chatted for probably 20 minutes.  He answered all my questions, gave me a bid based on what he could tell over the phone.  And ended up reassuring me that it wasn't absolutely urgent to replace the broken glass right now.  I can save up.  Which I will.  And I will absolutely be calling him for the new glass.  That's someone who knows good customer service.

Bottom line is, I expected today to be productive and it kind of was, just not in the way I expected.  I dislike having to waste so much time waiting on someone, especially when eventually it is clear they aren't going to show up.  So it feels like doubly wasted time.  So, there again:  sigh.  I feel like I'm constantly playing "whack-a-mole".  Get one thing sort of handled and another several pop up all at once. There's still a lot involved with managing the household and trying to be a friend, minister to my assigned sister (I take her dinner every three weeks on her cancer treatment day which taxes my brain to come up with something I think she will like) and somehow find time to read or crochet or cross stitch.   

Was looking on my phone for a picture to put here, doesn't feel right to say things I want to remember without pictures to also jog my memory.  Seems like 90% of my phone pictures lately are of our daughter's kitty.  She's been such a welcome addition to the household.  And The Husband and I get the best of everything:  some of her attention and some of her affection, we get to give her food treats a couple times a week but don't have to worry about her food or litter box or the vet or really anything.  Our daughter does all the hard work and we get the fun.  What a luxury.

I'm grateful today for actually making progress on getting some things handled.  Grateful to mostly remember to try to have the Spirit of our Savior with me. Some days it's easier than others, but generally this week I have managed to take a deep breath, slow down, be more calm and try to speak more kindly and with less frustration.  Grateful to be able to see our our-of-town daughter tomorrow for a few hours, it's good of her to make such a long drive to see us.  Sunday is my off-week for the organ, for which I'm grateful.  Then I'm playing the following two weeks.  Fingers crossed my back will handle it.  And grateful for not having to pay any extra taxes this year.  What a relief.