For those of you heading off on vacation, have a safe journey and a wonderful time.

4:05 PM....

The hummingbirds have found the feeder! 

Trudy Memorial

August 3, 1997 - August 23, 2011

Under the flower pot and mulch lies the small stump of a tree.  Enough of the roots of that tree were always above ground and formed a V, just the right size for a corgi to snuggle in for an afternoon of sun tanning or napping.

Scribbled on a scrap of paper......

I just found something that I scribbled quickly on a piece of paper a couple of months ago.  It was said by a minister on the Lutheran Hour, a radio program that I sometimes listen to on Sunday evenings.  Our all too human "woe is me attitude" was referenced in that Sunday's gospel and my priest also commented on it in his homily.  I think the minister hit it right on the head when he said,

"There is no greater "woe is me place" than hanging on a cross for sins you didn't commit."



Mystery Solved

It was pretty clear to me when I arrived at State Farm's parking lot just where this bus trip was heading.  Yes indeedy, all of those Yankee T-shirts gave it away.  We arrived in the Bronx around 5ish and the game started at 7:00PM.  We had seats in the Mohegan Sun Sports Bar which is located right in back of center field.  The game was packed and it was a good game at that, even though I've never been a  Yankee fan.  I was disappointed that I couldn't get a photo of Gumby with AROD or JEETER but that's the breaks.  At least I got to see them play, and win.  Also enjoyed a Nathan's hotdog.  We passed on the beer and stayed with Diet Pepsi. 

Today's Agenda: 
It's a mystery.

The comfort of an old friend.

The friend who knew you when you were a pup.

The friend who's still there, with a laugh or a broad shoulder.

The friend who likes you for who you were, who you are and who you might become, time willing.

How did I get so lucky as to rekindle such an old friendship?

It was in God's plan or it wouldn't have happened. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPcgM1MnDnI

Look what I've discovered....this is just too much fun.  I have to turn this computer off and get some work done!

*April vacation :) 

Old Soul, My Soul

“I’m enjoying the old soul in me:  tea, books, the feel of newsprint and a good crossword puzzle.”

I read that quote in this mornings’ paper and smiled because at that very moment I was enjoying the “feel of newsprint” and anticipating the daily challenge of my word jumble and crossword puzzle.  The only change necessary to make that quote mine is the word coffee instead of tea.

How blessed I am to be able to sit here on my back porch in the morning, enjoying my coffee and paper while easing into the day.

I thank God for giving me this time of retirement to remember and enjoy the simplest things that were always there, but sometimes overlooked.  The quiet sounds of morning.  The songs and sights of countless birds:  the smell of morning, always fresh and clean.  The sound of the water sprinkler as it gives the garden a gentle drink before the heat of another summer day sets in; the always pleasing sight of vegetables and flowers flourishing.  The caress of a cool breeze.  This comfy old metal lawn chair that I’m sitting in right now: the dog sleeping beside it.

Life is good if you just take notice.

Not My Usual Day

It was an unusual start for me at the hospital today.  I was alone in the office when  an elderly lady and her husband walked in......barely.  The woman was obviously not well.  As she leaned heavily on her cane, she started to tell me that she had been having chest pains all morning and would like to cancel her 10:00AM appointment.  Her husband said nothing.
"Certainly," I said to her, "Would you like to go down to the emergency room?"   No, she wanted to call her heart doctor and ask him what she should do. Her speech was labored and I became very concerned. 
She asked me to call her to reschedule her appointment and slowly started to turn around to go to the door.  I couldn't help but wonder why she came all the way to the hospital to cancel an appointment when she should have gone to her doctor right away.
She started to leave when I decided I'd better dash down the hall to get the nurse educator that she had been scheduled to see that morning.  I quickly told her of the situation w/the lady. She grabbed a wheelchair on our way down the hall after the poor elderly woman and her still silent husband.  We got her to sit down but she insisted on calling her doctor's office for instruction on what she should do.  OUR nurse spoke to her doctor on the phone, advised him of the situation and then escorted the woman down to the emergency room where she was admitted. Hopefully she's OK now. 
I can't help but wonder why her husband didn't insist she go directly to the emergency room when they arrived at the building. She had been having chest pains all morning.  What was he thinking? 
He probably wasn't thinking at all.  Sad.

A Job Well Done

I've never minded paying to have something done right the first time.  Unfortunately, the "first time" is actually the second time for this driveway but I'm confident that this will last 20 years.  I know I won't last that long!

Thank God for young men with stong backs!

OYE....They're coming tomorrow morning at 7:30AM to finish the driveway.  This should be interesting :)  And I was just getting used to the gravel driveway!

July 4th

So what do you do on the Fourth of July when you're bored?  I chose to play in the vegetable garden.  Playing is actually another word for weeding. Look it up. 

It was a beautiful morning.  Although a bit warm, the garden was still in the shade so I had no excuse for not playing farmer.  I thinned the beets, hilled up the beans the way Uncle Henry taught me years ago, put up the tomato cages and a tall wire cage for the cukes to climb. Then came some nice fertilizer to give everything a boost.  The pepper plants are still small but they have tiny green peppers already.  Everything looks healthy, not like last year.  By this time last year I had all but given up on my little vegetable garden.

I decided to leave the purple cone flowers right where they are, tucked in with the zuchinni and herbs.  They were just plopped there last year to "hold them over" but I like looking out at them from the porch.  Pink daisies were always my favorite.  I'll find a home for them in the Spring.  Probably not all of them as they'll multiply by then and I know I'd miss seeing them when I have my morning coffee.