Extentions

Last Sunday I attended the baptism of my niece's baby girl - my grand-niece. I still can't believe I can be a great-aunt, despite the fact that I am a grandmother! I remember my great-aunts from years ago and they seemed so elderly and decrepit! Is that really me?

Events like that are so special for the way they connect us with our extended family and weave the threads of love throughout our life's tapestry. Each one of our extended family members brings special gifts to us and adds to our family in a unique way. And watching the family continue to grow as new lives are added - well - it simply confirms the whole idea of family being our safety net during the stormy times of life. We're there for each other when most friends move on - they keep us afloat when we most need a life-preserver.

It was a wonderful thing to be part of, this special event, and I was so glad I was there for it. These are the things that make life a gift. Those threads that strengthen us and make us know the gift of love.

Father's Day

Father's Day always makes me think about what a great choice I made in the person who would be come the father of my children. This year, for the first time in awhile, all the grandchildren were here for Father's Day and watching him interact with them always makes me grateful for who he is. He was a great father to our children and now a wonderful grandfather to our grandkids. I hope they all realize how lucky they are.

Growing up I had two very different grandfathers. One was a conventional, warm and kind, gentle man who was the very epitome of a grandfather. He would walk us around his garden, explaining what the different flowers were, laughing at our antics, and just loving us to death.

The other was not so warm and fuzzy. He was funny and larger than life, but physically and in personality, but I never sat on his lap or played with him in any way.

If I had a choice I would have preferred they both had been like the former rather than the latter, but we don't have choices about such things, do we? In later life I learned to

Yikes

For the first time since I started blogging, I forgot to post something one day. Suddenly yesterday came and went and no blog. Is this a symptom of my advancing age? Or simply a result of an extremely busy time in my life. Between being sick all week and having the family arrive from Pennsylvania, I must have been a bit overwhelmed.  At least...I hope that's what it was.

This is post number 1852 which means I've been writing this blog for nearly six years now. Every once in awhile I think I really have nothing else to say, or I feel as though I'm repeating myself, but the reason I started this blog always comes back to me - its my therapy. It helps me to verbalize my thoughts and work through them. It's easier to vent about traffic than succumb to road rage. And I even keep a private blog so I can rant about personal things that I would never make public in consideration of the people I may mention.....they shall forever remain anonymous!

Well, so yesterday shall forever be a blogless day. Not that it wasn't memorable, because it was, but I have a week ahead to talk about the things I did in retrospect. And so I shall!

Down - but not out

I spent two days on my couch earlier this week. An allergy became a respiratory infection and suddenly I felt as though I'd been run over by a truck. I think it's the worst I've felt since chemotherapy four year ago.

So I took to the couch and rested, intermittently sleeping and paying video games,watching television, and reading when my eyes weren't hurting. It was a boring two days and it reminded me why I am one of those people who likes to stay in motion.

It's the same thing that makes a vacation at the beach uninteresting to me. I could spend a day or two on a good book but after that I'd go stir crazy without something to do. I like to sightsee and shop and get to know any neighborhood I visit.

I have to be pretty sick to stay at home. It's just not in my nature to sit around all day. Not that I'm not a lazy person because I certainly can be guilty of that, but I have my limits. It might be a result of my mothers work ethic - she rarely sat and read a magazine! But whatever the reason, being home made me once again appreciate my health and ability to move. May I never take it for granted!!!

Rain rain rain

I've always loved the sound of the rain. I have no desire to live in Seattle, but occasionally I do love a good soaker.

Last week we had a tropical storm blow through - the first of the new hurricane season - and I found myself dealing with a touch of insomnia at midnight. It was a nice cool night and I was sufficiently tired, but sleep was elusive so the sounds of the passing storm were background for my thoughts as I lay in bed trying to fall back to sleep.

I especially like the sound the water makes as it pours from the gutters onto the deck below my bedroom windows. The constant flow of it, accompanied by the staccato of the heavy raindrops pounding the house, is soothing in its steady rhythm. Don't ask me why I couldn't sleep with such a great, relaxing background - but it was enjoyable to listen to in my sleepless state in any case.

We had 4 inches of rain fall that night and at times the filed across from my house was ore like a lake than a green, but my newly planted pots on the deck were happy and we won't have to water the new privet for a few days either. Eventually the sounds of the night did put me back to sleep but not before I said a little prayer of thanks for the sounds of creation just tipping its hat at the world.

Brides

I have to say if I've learned one thing by watching television its that I'm very glad didn't go into the bridal business. Which is odd because I've always thought I'd like to be a wedding planner or own a bridal shop. After all, I loved planning my own wedding and helping with each of my childrens'. But....

There are a number of shows on television right now that center on the bridal business. There are shows that take place in bridal salons, and show that follow horrific brides in the days leading up to their weddings when stress is high and manners in short supply. And honestly, I don't think I could handle the people.

Which is a life lesson, really.  I may love bridal gowns and weddings and all the trappings of such an exciting occasion. But the people that are attached to them....well...that's another whole issue.

Eyes

I've always liked eyes. I don't know it they are truly the window to the soul as someone has suggested, but they certainly are a magnetic part of a person's face. And I've never been partial to any one color - I find them all beautiful.

Now that I have grandchildren its fun watching their eye colors change as they get older. Some started out bright blue but have mellowed to a softer one. Others are now more hazel, and still others becoming that deep brown that dances in the light. Each is distinctly their own, all different shades and certainly reflecting their personalities as they twinkle and shine with mischief.

My own eyes are a cross between blue and green and my husband's are brown. We had only one of four children with brown eyes - the others all have various shade of blue/green. So now the grandchildren are also displaying the same genetics as the differences are sprinkled throughout each family. Genetics aside, none of them has the same eye color as we do - some have my shape and his color, some their father's shape and my color, but none has them in the same combinations. I love the way our genes get put into a virtual blender and come out in so many interesting ways.

Eyes. Truly one of my favorite facial features.