I had a wonderful time snuggling my great niece this past weekend. She is five and a half months old and starting to roll over. She is the happiest baby! My older great niece actually talked to me and seems to be getting accustomed to me. She will be four this fall. I wasn’t around her much earlier on due to various circumstances in my life. They live a two hour drive away. I spend the night when I go.
I have enjoyed getting to know my niece as an adult. I was her shadow the first couple of years of her life. I was in high school when she was born. The first of her generation in our family. There is a photo I took of her at about age two on her icebox put there by her husband. Her oldest daughter looks exactly like her except for the hair color. I told my niece how proud of her I am. She is honest, realistic and direct about her opinions and feelings. I decided later she got that from her maternal grandmother. We wondered together where she got it. Finally, it dawned on me!
Later during the weekend, I had time with my own angel baby. She may be all grown up and taking care of me now, but she is still my baby. She helped me get a load of festive flip-flops on sale and went with me to see our dear friend for her birthday. I am humbled by the blessing of my daughter.
Our friend’s sweet hubby had cooked ribs and such for supper. We crashed the family party and ate supper. A moment in time to remind my friend that I love her and to remember that she loves me.
Had to run as soon as we ate to get home to see this man of mine. I missed him. Kissed him bye Friday morning and didn’t get home till after nine Saturday evening. Even when we aren’t in the same part of the house, just knowing he is close by keeps me from feeling lost and alone.
I spent Sunday camping under the gazebo our son and his bride left behind. Books, music, crochet, writing tablet, journal, cookbooks. Hours and hours sitting and thinking and reading and planning and writing and scheming.
I am saving up time to fly to Maui to see my other blessings: my son and his bride. So, I haven’t had my week off for vacation this summer. I will be off a few days later this month for the longhorn sale. But, I am missing my mid-summer regrouping time. Time to putter around the house and reconfigure things. But, I am cooking up a plan……………if it works out………the results will most likely be published.
Trying to keep connected to the generations of my family. I confess I have neglected the upper generations. I must try to rectify that situation. My aunts need to be on my list of visits, too.
But, the hardest part is leaving him. Even for a little while. Even to go see very dear loved ones. My heart is bound up with him. I sound like a silly school girl in love. I still get nervous and giddy waiting to see him. He is my best connection. The one that keeps me grounded, yet soaring above the clouds.
daughter-in-law
Trivialities
My son and his wife are enroute to Hawai’i to live for a couple of years.
Exciting and heart rending. We will miss them very much. I will not even try to contemplate Christmas.
And yet, all I need is a plane ticket to Maui and a few dollars spending money. Another trip to paradise.
The move for them meant breaking up housekeeping. A few things went to a storage facility, a few things to my house, a few things to her mother’s house. A lot sold and tossed. A few suitcases loaded up to take with them.
For me, it meant pulling things out of my closet in the back room to make room for storing their things. My things I procrastinate on dealing with. It is all piled on the dining table I recently received from him. And on the floor, and down the hall. Actually, the things down the hall I have already picked out to go to the donation bin.
I am reviewing each item and either tossing, giving away or processing into a completed project. Some things need a little paint. Beads and shells and string need to be made into necklaces. Fabrics need to be made into dresses or curtains. I am determined to be finished before my birthday on the 20th of this month. If I don’t get it done, it goes.
The only thing that bothers me is the thought of my fabrics. I love fabric. I do not have a large pile, but I sew very slowly and am concerned I will lose some yardage due to my tight deadline.
Seems like a very silly thing to be concerned with in light of other matters. But, I need to have something to do. I have to be careful to keep myself a little distracted without evoking an emotional meltdown. I cannot concentrate enough to read non-fiction and dare not read fiction with its artificially stimulated emotional response issue.
So, I will allow myself to wallow in my trivial pursuit of empty shelves and vacant drawers. One of my favorite lines, “I travel light”, motivates and inspires me. Someday. Perhaps.
Raining Orchids 