Live Goes On - and Very Nicely

For months, I never wrote anything because the same thing happened this year that happened last year - spring came, things bloomed, I complained about the heat and lack of rain during the summer, fall made me happy, and then I complained about the cold weather when winter came. The dog got out/learned a new trick/did some cute things. The cats were cats. I worked and went to the grocery store and post office and sometimes the fabric shop. I regretted so little time or inclination to sew. A few times a year, I would go someplace or eat lunch with a friend. I talked with my family and visited them sometimes. Took Mama to the beauty shop and Wal-Mart every Friday and to church on Sunday. Worked, it seems, all the time.

But times have changed, and life is fun again - or most days anyway - since Mike's moved back. He didn't take well to retirement the first month, but just yesterday he realized how much fun it was to work at your leisure in the yard with no deadlines to be back at work on Monday morning, to take a walk in the middle of the day, to sit on the front porch with a cup of coffee. We're working hard, doing some cooking, lots of laughing, a few meltdowns on both sides, playing with our new phones and his new computer. And most of all enjoying the nice weather.

I don't have time to do pictures today, but I have a few and will be back more often hopefully. The trouble with doing a lot is not having time to sit down and post journal entries and download pictures. We (mainly Mike) have spent the week on cutting back and cleaning up our front and side yards. I don't have any before pictures, but maybe I can do some after ones. We went to my godson's beautiful wedding in Jacksonville Beach and have pictures from there. I'm going to add this blog entry of Sherry's, the mother of the groom. She has some sweet pictures of the wedding plus some quilts. I'll add some more later.

My mind is so full of things I don't want to forget.

Just a few hurried pictures taken when I was trying to cheer up the inside of the house a little bit.

The napkins need washing, so I don't have the napkin rings on yet, and one placemat is upside down, but it makes me happy, especially with pumpkin spice candles and cinnamon roll coffee to lift your spirits.

So life is good for the most part. My father-in-law is still feeling bad and needs prayers, so please remember him, that he will be feeling stronger and able to enjoy life a little more. Also prayers for our friends in Guatemala who are battling devastation from flooding. E-mail from Gaby: "The rain started a week ago and we haven´t seen the sun again. Please pray for us, pray to stop the rain."