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.

Friday

Used to be that Friday was kind of a fun day, mostly in anticipation of Saturday which generally included a movie (there's absolutely nothing playing these days that is worth the high cost), a bit of a sleep-in (can't seem to sleep past 5:30 unless I'm ailing) and a nice change from the day-to-day routine.  Now the days just all seem to blur together. 

Today we went to Costco.  I try to not go very often, but that means when we do go my list is very long. Today's list was not only long but I eliminated a couple things just because they felt too expensive.  And we still spent w-a-y too much money.  (Though I did end up in the line of the checker I generally avoid because she has a habit of throwing my items down the checkstand.) I get a little nervous about how we'll continue to afford what we need - consequently we do very little "fun" spending.  It requires a bit of faith to traverse the course of life.

Hard to see some of the deer.

It can be daunting, this life we have. I can feel a bit alone.  I have wonderful daughters to help if I need.  The sons?  Not so much.  Extended family? Have none.  So it sometimes seems as though my "support system" is small-to-barely-there.  (Please don't think I undervalue my daughters, nothing could be further from the truth.) Told Heavenly Father recently that I would love to feel seen. Since then, I've had to say a couple prayers of gratitude.  One day a neighbor showed up with cookies.  She claimed that she likes to bake but can't eat everything because she has heart trouble and is very careful with stuff like that.  Yesterday we received a phone call from a neighbor/friend/fellow ward member.  "Have you eaten supper yet?  Great, I'll be over quickly with some soup."  It was truly the yummiest soup, he's a good cook.  There was also some garlic bread, a couple oranges and an apple.  Generosity towards us for no other reason than he wanted to.   Also, I had sent an email wondering if a music arranger that I like happened to have some cd's that we could play (we don't pay for anything "streaming" beyond Amazon Prime - we're old and are fine with our old cd player).  Happy to pay for them.  Nope, they said they were gifts.  Would I be willing to pay $5 to cover the shipping.  Of course!  Which I did when I finally received the invoice.  That musician could easily have ignored my email.  Instead I was not only treated kindly but generously.  

Then, the other morning, after having remarked that it's been quite some time since we've seen any of the urban deer around, we came across a group of 11 - seems like that's more than usual the number of deer.  One was so close to the fence between us that it felt like I could just reach out and stroke her nose.  Was nice to see.

A sweetheart.

And our daughter's cat?  She instantly won my heart.  Yup, totally besotted with her.  She doesn't spend a ton of time in our part of the house.  But last night was fun.  A late work night for our daughter.  The cat wandered in and around as she does.  Finally landed on the love seat beside me, then used me as a path to pad over and curl up on The Husband's lap.  He loved it.  She was there for a while then all of a sudden stood, stretched and came back, curled up on my lap (purring! yay!) and stayed there until she heard the garage door - meaning our daughter was home from work.  What is it about the bestowal of a cat's attention (maybe even their seeming affection) that calms and feeds your soul? At least that's my perspective. She's probably more therapeutic for me than for anyone else in our household.  

I'm working hard today to find more gratitude.  That often is the antidote to negative emotions.  I'm grateful for the snow we've had all day long.  I can actually see lots of blue sky between the clouds, so the storm has mostly moved out.  We need the moisture so much. I'm grateful for gifts of cookies, soup, and cd's which are representative of kindness and thoughtfulness and awareness of others.  I'm grateful for forgiveness.  The Husband surely has to do a lot of forgiving me.  And I'm grateful for the ability to try again, and again, and again to be a better person.