No Pictures Or Maybe Only One Picture

And it makes me sad that I haven't any good enough to put here.  I keep taking them, deleting them, taking more and then thinking they're not worthy of space here on my journal. Or they're faces of loved ones that I really don't want on here. 

So, yesterday was my last day on the organ for a couple weeks.  It's a relief.  The practicing is great for most everything except my aching back.  I can only manage about fifteen minutes before I'm in so much pain that I have to quit.  I guess it's a good thing I'm no longer invited to accompany people for special musical numbers in Sacrament meeting.  The chorister yesterday was discouraged because she thought there were so few people singing.  It was actually because there were so few people in the meeting - it's that thing our area does that if there's a three day weekend, probably 85% of the ward is out of town.  Doesn't make the music less important to sing, doesn't make it less enjoyable.  Just a bit quieter.

Drove to Idaho Falls on Friday - nice drive in spite of the crash caused delays.  Spent the night in an AirBnB that our daughter rented.  Her kids and grandkids (our great grandkids) were there, also.  So fun to see them.  We hadn't previously seen the youngest and he'll be a year in a couple months.  Anyway, we were there for our granddaughter's wedding.  It was one of the loveliest wedding/sealing ceremonies I can recall.  I am very impressed with the new husband - hoping we will get to know him a little better.  The Idaho Falls temple is lovely, though I was happy there were plenty of people there to guide us,  I could easily get lost in it, it's bigger than it looks. 

We left the festivities probably earlier than maybe was optimal (I so hate to disappoint loved ones)  but as it turned out, it was for the best. I suspect our travel days are completely behind us, sad as that is to contemplate - just that overnight trip was almost too much in spite of the wonderful happy occasion.  I always feel like I really need something to look forward to but frankly, in all honesty, I'd rather be at home.  My head is a bit of a traveler but my heart is a homebody.

I've been busy today; the laundry is done, the ribs are in the crockpot, I managed to get to a sale for a replacement pair of walking shoes, I've wrapped a couple birthday items.  I forgot my FitBit this morning for our morning walk, but even without that I've gone nearly 5,000 steps just around the house doing all the stuff that needs doing. 

We've got a few things this week:  lunch with my storehouse friends, lunch with our other friends, Hale Theater, haircuts and dermatologist appointments.  I'm down to my last two library books - most of the stack went back to the library either unfinished or skim read.  Is it my age?  I'm just having a heck of a time finding something engaging, clean and worth the time.  Even some of my favorite authors have let me down.  Yes, it must be me.  😞

I'm grateful today to have a bunch of things checked off the list so I don't feel so much pressure.  Lately anything pressuring me seems to feel more overwhelming than it should.  I don't know how people manage to stay on top of all they do - the house and family keep me plenty busy.  I'm grateful to see the couple squirrels we just saw out in the yard - they are so funny.  Those tails!!  The way they were chasing each other around and up /down the trees in the backyard looked almost like a graceful dance.  I was glad though that the bird feeders are still down because of the nasty starlings.   Hopefully when the bird feeders go back up the starlings will have moved on.  The can completely eradicate all the suet and seed in just a few hours - the greedy little buggers.  I was so grateful last night to have the kitty come sit on my lap for a bit.  She wasn't really sleeping, just resting on me.  Felt comforting.

I'm grateful for hope.  I cling to that hope.  Hope for a bit of peace, for some fun, hope for some financial stability in these turbulent times, hope for the ability to manage all that's required and come out "proven" enough that we'll be welcome in heaven.  I need all those things and hope for them. 

And I found a picture.  Taken through the window of the car as we drove toward Idaho Falls.  The clouds were pretty, the day was beautiful.  I love the beauty of our world.

Stuff Going On...

...all the time.   Most of it is stuff that isn't interesting enough to want to remember.

Was treated to brunch (meant to be breakfast but that place is always so very crazy busy we had to wait for quite some time even that day before that particular Sunday) for Mother's Day (which added to the busy-ness, because lots of people want to treat Mom to a meal she doesn't have to fix for that specific day).  Yummy and I refused to feel guilty for eating some banana bread french toast.  

Our daughters both gifted thoughtful gifts.  Things I will use and enjoy.  The one son took us to brunch ( and gave me tulips!😊 ) and the other son wished me a happy day so it was all ok.  A friend of mine brought me the little bundlet cake they gave the sisters in R.S. (I skipped out on R.S. -just couldn't be there listening to women bragging about how wonderfully they're treated on that day) and she stayed and chatted for nearly an hour.  Such a kindness - to bring me a sweet and a visit when it was Mother's Day for her, also.  That sort of gesture is very rare for me to receive.  

Had a guy come to the door - soliciting.  We get so, so much of that especially this time of the year. My policy is to generally NOT do business from door-to-door solicitors - I try to not even answer the door for them.  This time we actually bought his services - some pest control.  We're required to sign a year contract which we did this time but I've already determined that I'm going to cancel once the contract is up. I dislike his sales tactics, and I'm not sure I trust everything he says.  But the wasps are a real problem this year and The Husband isn't able to remove all the nests.  (We didn't really have a winter, nothing froze so there's lots of pest activity this spring.) That's a good peace of mind.

And more peace of mind:  after the neighborhood kids caused us anxiety with their "mischievous" behavior, we had the alarm company come out.  This morning they installed a doorbell camera and a couple other cameras.  I despise having to spend that kind of money. One friend had previously asked me if we had a doorbell camera and when she heard we didn't, she said that was probably why the kids are targeting us - because they know they won't get caught.  Well, that problem is solved.  I think I'll enjoy being able to see who is at the door without leaving my family room.  Even if it did cost a ton of money that I wish we didn't have to spend that way.

And I have a new iPad.  My old one, besides being old, had memory that was too full to update a few things.  It kept freezing on me all the time.  So a new one is mine.  I bought the smallest cheapest one I could and my old one is in process for trade-in, hopefully I'll get refunded the amount they estimated I'd get. Some things are so different on the new one that it's a bit of a learning curve but I'm enjoying it so far.  I feel selfish, but so grateful.

My friend is undergoing a clinical trial for a cancer treatment. I've been taking her acai bowls from a place we love up the hill but rarely go there because they're so expensive.  They help my friend's tummy feel better.  Bought one for her the other day.  Bill was $13.26.  I gave the worker 26 cents and a twenty dollar bill.  Neither she nor her coworker could figure out my change.  One ran to fetch her phone to use a calculator to subtract 13 from 20.  😩 That's really a sad situation that basic arithmetic is beyond her ability. Especially working retail.

The peonies have been so beautiful this year.  My only problem with those flowers is how short they bloom. But so glad we get to have their beauty even for a few days. Yesterday it was hot out.  After being hot out the previous day and sweating through the night I finally bit the dust and turned on the air conditioning.  It was a super windy day yesterday so we wouldn't have been able to have the windows open anyway. 

So:  I'm again and always grateful for air conditioning to keep us comfortable (I set it as high as we can stand).  I'm grateful for the beauty of the flowers. I'm grateful for the kindness of people who didn't have to be thoughtful and kind, yet still were.  I'm grateful for the little kitty that roams our house and calls to us (when we're the only ones home) just to know where we are.  She's such a sweetheart.  I'm grateful for the public library.  I've checked out lots of books lately to have something good to read.  It's a blessing to be able to try out all kinds of books and know that I can (and I have lots of times) return them without a second thought if they turn out to contain too much offensive language or bothersome violence or graphic sex.  I won't read smut, I don't like how it makes me feel.  I'd rather be entertained and uplifted not dragged through muck. I'm grateful for something to look forward to tomorrow - even if it is only a Wildside acai bowl - been saving and planning for that luxury. I'm grateful for calm winds and moderate temperatures.  I know feeling true gratitude is good for me.

Finally, all the pictures, I hope.

Bird Bush

Close up of bird on top branch

 

Free sandwich

Beautiful sky!

Fox!

So Lovely!

Yum!!

Lots of Pictures

So, I think I'll just say why I took these pictures and then try to get them on here without making this space too messy.  I've always been tech averse, in spite of The Husband being involved in the computer industry our entire marriage.  It's not how my brain naturally works so it's harder than I think it ought to be and I am w-a-y too easily frustrated.  So this little corner of the world where I keep my thoughts and things to remember often looks "less than".  I do my best and that's good enough because this is mostly for me.  

On our morning walks, we have several different routes we take.  I've noticed that on this one particular route, at one specific spot, there's always a small bird of some kind - maybe a finch - that sits on the topmost branch and sings its little heart out.  And just as we walk past, it belts out a good morning.  Of course, I'm sure I'm reading more into this than is the reality.  I just know that every time we walk past that particular bush there's a bird singing.  It truly brightens our walk. (The one picture is of the bush, the second one zoomed in on the birdie.  So fun!).

Yesterday was the promotion at our local Firehouse Subs.  Any one with a certain name or recognizable variations of that name that could prove it with an acceptable ID received a free steak and cheese sandwich.  So off we went.  I ordered one of the same and it was really good.  Very unusual for us to receive anything free from a retailer. Fun to have a lunch out.

The iris that were gifted us are blooming so lovely (and still have some that are just buds).  I am glad I've become so fond of the iris.  They are plentiful around here and so pretty.  Especially when they thrive in spite of our clumsy attempts at gardening.

The skies this morning were stunning.  We saw more deer - been seeing them most days and I love that. They don't come in our yard so much so I don't mind that these urban mule deer are hanging around. This morning's bonus sighting (which I just loved) was a fox.  We haven't seen one of those for several years.  Yay for us. 

Were also gifted a couple yummy luxuries from our favorite doughnut place - a little local shop called "Donut Star".  The cronuts are absolutely luscious, the crullers a perennial top favorite of mine.  Why, oh, why, does sugar and fat captivate our tastebuds so much?!?!

Ten o'clock the other night - lights are visible from the street so it's obvious we are at home.  A horrendous banging on our front door- it's full glass.  No one was actually at the door when we opened it, but we could hear the teens / kids laughing at us from where we couldn't see them.  I figured it was one of the latest TikTok challenges where they are trying to kick in doors and usually causing quite some damage.  Can I just say I despise TikTok? Anyway, we decided that meant the time has come for some security cameras.  Waiting for the proposal bid to come in so we can figure out if we can afford them. A friend yesterday said that she thinks the reason we keep getting targeted is because we don't currently have a doorbell camera.  I think it's just the neighbors kids being somewhat "gentle parented" -  in other words little to no discipline, guidance or boundaries, just encouraged to do whatever they want. But whatever, we'll be spending some money for our own safety and boundaries. 

Don't recall if I mentioned we received the results of our CAC tests.  My score was so high I'm not telling anyone what it is.  It's been a couple weeks and I haven't heard anything from the dr. - figure if I don't hear anything in the next few days I better call and find out if he wants to do any medical treatment.  I am constantly praying to not have any attacks or problems with my heart.  I have lots to do still - I'd rather not be having heart trouble.

I think I've been in "complaint" mode lately.  Was reminded how detrimental that is in so many ways.  I've always kept a lot of things to myself - but these past weeks I've found myself vocalizing hurts and frustrations and concerns in a more negative way and I don't like that.  I think that's a black hole of emotion that just spins and gets bigger and sucks more and more happy and optimism into it leaving more and more negativity and pain.  So I'm on a personal campaign to not complain.  I'm working hard at it.  I don't think complaining is something I should be doing, nor something that Heavenly Father wants me to do.  I hope - am actually determined - to watch my words and remove the complaining part completely from them.

I'm grateful today for a lunch with my friend - it'll be quicker today because we've got stuff going on.  I'm grateful to think there might be a new iPad in my future.  (The memory is so full it won't update anything and the battery is apparently shot.  And here I am justifying my need for a new one which is totally unnecessary.)  Grateful for prayer.  I don't often get the strong sense that they are being answered, but I still am grateful that I can have a heart filled with prayer, it helps me get through stuff.  And grateful that all the music folders from the church building are all filled with the latest new hymns release and back at the church.  It was a busy afternoon taking care of all of those.  (I've already tried to add the pictures and after only one addition things are already mucked up so I'll just do a separate post with nothing but the pictures.  Sheesh, I'm such a dufus. 😂)