Month: June 2015

Real Tropical Living

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A weather system is moving in from the Gulf.  It may be a tropical storm by landfall.

Thankfully, I had some time in my schedule today to get the yard readied.  I moved my potted palms against the house along with the other pots of plants.  I picked up some odds and ends and put them away in the shed.  I put my yard tools in the shed from the carport.  I took his flag down and put it in the house.

I know it is only forecast to be at most a tropical storm.  Having seen the likes of Rita and Ike, I try to not get nervously excited over it.  Still, the wind and rain can make a mess of things and I wanted to do a little prevention.

I have plenty of food in the house.  Our water company is set up to provide continuous water.  I filled up my car with gas.  I hope the children and he did the same.

I am sitting out here on the porch now sipping coffee and listening to the rain coming down.  Just a regular rain at the moment.  No wind.  The windows are fully open.

This is one of my favorite kinds of moments.  The porch, the rain, the coffee.  My memories hold many moments of enjoying this kind of thing.  I love the sound of rain.  Thunderstorms are awesome to me as well.  No fear, just respect.

My son and his bride are home from the islands for a short visit.  We have had a little time with them.  This storm has disrupted some plans we had made.  But, just the brief moments allowed are appreciated.  So many people love them so much and miss them being here in Texas, we have had to share them more than we would like.  What parent doesn’t want to hold tight to their child after having felt their absence so intensely?

My daughter and I had a wonderful visit cooking gumbo and potato salad and all yesterday.  She, her father and I rode up to see the overfull lake and rivers.  She is full of plans and has an agenda to meet her goals.  Prayerfully, I hope for continued progress and blessings on her path.

I had not realized how quiet my home life had become until they came to see us.  Something about my two children is so intense and vibrant, it tumbles my heart around and I feel unbalanced.  They are not afraid.  We worked so very hard to make sure they were not afraid.  Their courage and boldness is awe-inspiring.  I don’t mind the unbalanced feelings.  It means they are dancing.  Just the way I always hoped.

I Can’t Believe It!

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I forgot to post last night.  I didn’t even realize it until he pointed it out to me!

I have been very busy with a new schedule and projects.  Plus, I have a very special event coming up day after tomorrow and I have been so focused on that, I just forgot about Raining Orchids.  Actually, I forgot about posting in Raining Orchids because orchids have been flooding my life.

I am not at a “talking about it” stage on the projects.  One you will hear about over the next couple of weeks.  The others will have to wait.  I don’t want to lose any wind from my sails by discussing it.  There is something to be said for keeping things private in the initial stages.

One thing I will discuss is food.  Meal planning actually.  I have been trying to feed us better meals.  Nutritionally better meals. I cook wonderful meals all the time, but they are not necessarily the things that contribute to great health and long life.  I have been making menu plans and preparing our meals accordingly.  I have found a product that is helping greatly.  A simple electric skillet.  It is coated with a non-stick surface, heats immediately, browns food well, cleans up instantly.

I cook every evening. I work my nine to five and come home and cook.  This evening we had stir fried chicken with pineapple, carrots and broccoli over rice.  Tomorrow will be lightly fried chicken over a salad.  We like to make a big green salad and add chicken strips, nuts, cheese, olives.  It is good with a nut and fruit only trail mix blend, too.

The meals are sometimes made up of left overs.  Or as mother called them, planned overs.  Because of his preference, when I serve planned overs, I also try to make them over.  I modify or reorganize the meal in some way.  It is a creative challenge for me.  I enjoy doing it.

Another thing that has developed with us is a planned snack in the evening.  We have popcorn a lot of nights.  Last night, it was grapes, cheese and crackers.  Tonight it will be nectarines and yogurt or cottage cheese.

By planning, we eat less and feel better.  Rather than getting a little of this and some of that and too much of the other close to bedtime, we have a healthful something to enjoy.

Enough of this.  I am getting hungry.  My week will be all messed up because of missing my Monday posting.  I will be a day off.  Now I understand why earlier I kept thinking it was Monday!    I can’t believe I am late.  But, I can believe all the things I have been doing that got me sidetracked are positives in my life.  Flooding orchids.