What happened to August?

The summer has sped by. We have been busy, busy. We have had meetings in Tahoe, meetings away, company, grandkids, backpacking ~ and even Cinnamon. :) Busy, busy summer.

We are looking forward to one more week of company - close friends from VA. Still, town is more empty. We had lunch at our favorite restaurant and there was room on the deck. Summer's gone. ~ blessings

Grandkids in the Kitchen

Nice when the older ones are willing to help mom coat the veggies for frying. Yum!

How does a 4-year old make tea? By opening the tea bags of course.

We had lots of fun at both kitchens: the one in the house and the one around the grill on the deck. For an only child, it is fun to have my kids, grandkids and cousins gather in my kitchen.

When is it up to them?

There comes a time, I think, when we listen with compassion and caring and then have to say, "I regret you think that and this really is your problem." *sigh*

I know that doesn't make sense out of context and ... the woman was given every opportunity that every other woman in the group was given. Her expectations were just too high and we didn't meet them. With no idea of course that we were doing something unsatisfactory in her sight. I think we do the best we can - care for each other the best we can - listen and be aware - and then we have to let it go. We are all responsible for ourselves - for speaking up for ourselves, for claiming our own power and need.

Very random ~ still thinking it through ~ with blessings

Backpacking Gratitude

So here are some things for which I am more grateful than usual:

~ indoor plumbing

~ hot water showers

~ iced tea, lemonade or water

~ cheeseburgers

~ and more especially friends who are willing to take part of my pack when I got light-headed

~ and the same friends being encouraging and hiking with me even though I was Much Slower than their hiking speed

~ and an incredibly supportive husband who kept up the encouraging words even when I was tired and hurting and finding it hard to put one foot in front of the other

~ my own spirit that kept me on the trail when I wanted to sit down and cry

~ Gorgeous scenery all around that made stopping to breathe a visual joy

~ and finally the healing of time that eases the pain and makes me claim my pride in what I did even though I still hurt from my hair follicles to my toe nails. :D

It was a grand trip - and I Did It (with a Lot of help from my friends!) :D :D :D

Being "Un-American"

In an article published Monday, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer wrote: "Drowning out opposing views is simply un-American." Hmm - ok, the first thing I heard reported was that they had said the "protests" were un-American. There is nothing More American than protests ~ from the original Tea Party, to a chaining your own body to the White House fence while pleading for the vote, to crossing a bridge to Selma to free a still in bondage race, to walking out of classes so your class mates didn't have to walk into Vietnam. The people have power and one way we express it is to protest when we don't like what our government is doing.

"Drowning out opposing views . . ." is something else again and I still don't think it is un-American. It is Just Plain Rude!!! I have written here several times about civil discourse. Time to have some. And to have it, the upset, protesting, angry side needs to know that They Will Be Heard by the stand at the lectern with the power of the government behind them side.

We Must Listen to each other. And we must listen with the openness to actually change our minds if the other side makes sense. Are you listening, Government??? ~ blessings

Old Leaves

We all grow older - from the moment of that first bawling breath out of the womb. I, however, have reached the age where I am growing old. Doctors and chiropractors look at me with eyes that question if they should be saying this and say, "As we grow older, . . . " The dental assistant even patted my shoulder one day.

Given all of that and the fact that at 66 I am in training for my first backpack trip, I was very taken by this quote from John Burroughs on the Save the Rainforest website.

How beautiful the leaves grow old.

How full of light and color are their last days.

I am not near my last days by any means. And as my hair continues to grey and my body does its "as we grow older" thing, I want to be like the leaves. I want my last days - oh, make that my days, every day - to be full of light and color. I want to grow old beautifully ~ and let that process start today. Today for All of us, regardless of age or hair color or anything else. Live a beautiful life, full of life and color ~ blessings

Training for Backpacking

We set up the new tent - easy. It's not very big - and big enough for two of us. Then I tried on the back pack -- this morning I carried 16 lbs. I have another 10 to 15 to go. I'm doing this, folks! Have another 10 days to train so I am going to be fine. And So Obnoxious! Bear with me. Doing this for the first time in 66 years, I am going to claim my bragging rights! :D ~ blessings