This Part of my Journey

Several years ago when I had stayed away from church services for three weeks doing instead my meditations, I told Dean, “no one ever told me Sunday mornings could be like this.” They had become lovely. I would sit on the deck sometimes in silence, sometimes with gentle music playing, and meditate and pray ~ pray more deeply than I had for a while. There was great peace in that. At that time however, I thought I would be returning to regular services very soon. That didn’t happen for all sorts of reasons, the biggest one being the experience I just related. 

I thought of that this morning again as I settled into my rocker in front of the fire, a second cup of tea in my hand, surrounded by sun streaming in across snow laden pines. I miss the church community. And I cannot bring myself to return to the Sunday morning discipline of attending. I have found a website from my denomination that has a 30 minute service where I can worship in a more traditional way if I want. Mostly I stay with my prayers and meditations. Sometimes I sit in gratitude for the beauty around me and the blessings of my family. 

More and more I am convinced that the important thing is the recognition of the Divine in our lives ~ whatever form that takes for you, whatever name you call your Deity ~ and especially how you live out your life in service to others. In gratitude and with blessings for your journey ~ 

The Bliss of an Apology

I charge my cell phone every night. Because of where the outlet is, in the morning I unplug the phone and the cord, placing the cord on a nearby table. 

Several days ago I went back to the table to get the cord in order to download some pictures to my computer. The cord wasn’t there. Gone. Poof. Disappeared. 

I looked everywhere. And began to have shades of dementia hovering around my 71 year old brain. Dean had no idea. He wouldn’t have taken my phone cord. And I was going to Ashland. How would I charge my phone there? Well, we worked all that out but still ~ where was the cord? 

One day while I was in Ashland Dean called. In the middle of the conversation he said, “I think I owe you an apology. I looked in my grey backpack for my phone and there were two cords in there. I think I must have taken yours.” 

Apology accepted!!! Apology accepted with great laughter and giggles and explosive breaths of relief!!! Wow!!! No dementia. No magic. No 4th dimensional time warp. Just picking up stuff and missing the fact that he had picked up one cord too many. *sigh* Lovely. 

Spring Break in Ashland, 3

A spring afternoon in the park. We crossed Ashland Creek on a little bridge.

Puck and his brother. Apologies to their mom whose picture I did Not take ~ she was dressed nicely and still went out and played and even mucked up her thumb and I didn't get a picture. *sigh*

The Owlet is not only a fashionista, she is also a monkey.

It was a lovely, lovely trip both in terms of environment and family visit. 

Home to spring in the mountains, meaning some rain, some snow, and still layered clothes. 

Unpacking, repacking and off in three days to SoCal where I will wear capris and sandals.

And you will be treated to pictures of another set of grands!

Spring Break in Ashland, 2

After spending a long time on the ideas, concerns and conversations with her brothers, the Owlet decided it was time for some Mama Susan time to herself. "Mama Susan, may I take you to a shop for girls only?" Of course. And here she is in her new kitten outfit ~ the leggings even have kittens on them. And of course she is as cute as one. 

Mama Susan in email: Michelle, would you make me a chocolate pie while I am there. 

Michelle in reply: Of course. 

And so she did. I did not pollute good chocolate pie with whipped cream ~ and I did let Puck have my portion.

~ another pie lover, grandson's girlfriend. 

Spring Break in Ashland

I wrote about the delightful trip to Ashland. Here are a bunch of pictures of my delightful time so far. 

The Owlet, Mama Susan, and Puck on the front porch swing.

The Owlet and Puck up the web in the park ~ 

~ and on top of the high wall.

Spring in the Japanese garden.

Joshua, the Owlet and Puck

Even the Mama Susan played Munchkin Pathfinder!

My beautiful daughter and her handsome son!! 

Travel to Ashland

The trip to Ashland was delightful. No pictures because I was driving and my focused purpose was to get to my grandchildren. However, here are some verbal pictures of the drive. 

~ a pasture of llamas. Beautiful, graceful little animals blessing the green, green grass. 

~ a pasture of lovely horses and later of cows. 

~ unfortunately a couple of young skunks didn’t make it across the road - I dodged them and still knew they were skunks - eeewww. 

~ a sign announcing a “summit” that is lower than I live

~ coming down out of the mountains onto beautiful land with green grass and the beginning blossoming of redbud trees

~ coming down further to blossomed redbuds

~ a farm surrounded by a white fence, reminder of Kentucky horse country

~ butterflies, my first of the season

~ temperatures ranging from low 40s in Tahoe, to 73 in Redding, to upper 50s in Ashland. It is indeed spring. 

~ Mts Lassen and Shasta, heady with snow towering over spring landscapes

~ and finally, of course, arriving and walking to school to gather grands in my arms for hugs. A nice, nice day ~ and glad to be with family. 

A Walk in the Woods

It is so much fun to take Oso for a walk in the "back yard". There are always new things to see or (if you are Oso) to sniff. Five extra steps up or to the right and you are in the middle of different rocks and stumps and clusters of pines. This morning was delightful. I walked a slow steady pace. Oso ran and stopped to sniff and ran and stopped to sniff. And when I would walk on suddenly there he came, racing past me like the wind only to stop and sniff some more. Toward the end of the walk, he knew we were heading home and the running became almost frantic: down to the deck, up the hill, down to the deck, around the deck, up the hill, down to the deck with a finally stop for wiggling at the door hoping it would open by itself. It didn't however. He had to wait for pokey ole mom to get there ~ ah but once inside there was a treat!



A sunshine path up the hill ~

Interesting trees ~ 

Oso way ahead wondering if I am coming ~ 

Lightning strike from years ago with lots of neat smells around the bottom ~ that dark mound is Oso

One last view of the lake, the woods and the sky as we head to the house. What a special back yard!

Vanity Got Me

A while ago - maybe 3 months - I ordered a pair of pants on line - not quite sweats but just a bit up from that. I ordered a large. They came and were Way too big. Wow! How nice. So I returned them and asked that they be replaced with a medium. They sent me a small.  *sigh* — I tried them on anyway and they fit. Another wow! The smalls fit. How very, very nice. And so I wore them. 

Now, here’s the thing. I don’t have a full length mirror. So what I saw fitting was around my waist and hips. Still very good. But . . . one day I see myself in the porch door glass and there are three to four inches of white sock showing between my sneakers and the hem of my slacks. Oops. Hips are not the only place clothes are sized. 

They have become my gym slacks - perfect as long as I don’t go anywhere but gym, PO and grocery store — very early in the morning. Forget the selfie to illustrate this. You get the image and that will have to be sufficient. 

I Continue to be Amazed

== Another wonderful use of video technology! I can’t really call it baby sitting because the child in question can no longer be a baby - far from it. So let’s call it being there just in case. An 11 year old grand was sick today. Now at 11 he is old enough to stay by himself for a while and has done so. Today though he was sick. Mom’s job is only for 3 to 3 1/2 hours but still - he was sick. And so we arranged for the Mama Susan to stay in touch. Our Skype windows were open. I let him know by IM that I was heading for a haircut and was on my phone. I let him know the same way that I was home and on Skype if he should need to IM or video chat. He was fine - rested, slept and watched Netflix and I didn’t hear a word until his mom came home. 

What I learned is that I needed him to check in - just once - just a quick IM - Mama Susan, I am fine. :) The important thing is, his mom didn’t have to worry and made it through the first day on the new job just fine; I was here for him just in case; and it all worked out. 

Rolling Thunder

There is a line in the hymn How Great Thou Art, “I hear the rolling thunder.” Last night I was awakened by a great rolling (before I ever thought of the hymn). It woke me, I wondered, I realized and I grinned. Thunder. As I was drifting back to sleep, another less loud and less long roll came by and then I heard the rain. Smiling now, I snuggled down and went back to sleep. What a lovely, lovely night. 

We are Not You

When were restaurant servers told to use “we” when what they really mean is “you”? “Have we decided what we will have for lunch?” I was So tempted once again to say, “well, I don’t know about you, I am having the seed waffle.” *sigh* 

And so with the first words out of his mouth the young man turned me off. Otherwise, he said nothing different than any other server but there was something about his attitude that bugged me. He is new to this restaurant (a favorite of ours) and I really wanted to ask for one of our usuals. Oh well. 

I still want an answer to my first question ~ and Please, restaurant owners, stop that habit before it forms.