Sunday, July 12: I struggled last week to 'feel good'. Adding to my overall malaise, I have had a sciatica attack that is painful and bothersome, and I want nothing more than to toss in the towel. I might have done just that had I been able to lie down or sit for an extended period. Alas, I could not, which meant I had to be up and about and if I was going to have to be up and about anyway, I might as well do something. Right?
July 1, Wednesday: If Memorial Day officially marks the start of the BBQ season for the warm months ahead, to me July marks the true beginning of the summer. I do realize it starts in June. Never mind. We have milder temperatures in June as a rule, but July comes in with all the heat and humidity, gnats, flies, mosquitoes and pop-up rain showers or heat produced lightning and thunder that is characteristic of true summer here in the south. Most of all, it is full on peach season. Farmers stands are filled with fresh produce that is truly fresh and locally grown.
Suddenly I find myself thinking of sitting under the sprinkler on a hot afternoon, watching the droplets of water form rainbows and shivering delightfully as the cold-water hits hot skin. Or spending an afternoon watching great fluffy cumulus clouds floating overhead. Cicadas lull me to sleep at night with their persistent rhythmic sound.
Monday, June 22: A few weeks ago, I asked Sam and Katie both what they'd like for their birthday gifts. Katie's wishes were practical. "I really need bras..." Well, I bought her bras, but I asked again later if she'd like something more. For her second wish, she sent me a photo of a set of crochet hooks. "I've wanted this forever, but I can't bring myself to buy them for myself." I know too well how it is to have something stuck on a wish list that somehow you can't bring yourself to purchase, even though you might have the money and know you will put it to good use.
Monday, June 15: I'm done. I've done all I can possibly do to finish off the legal work, paperwork, transfers, etc. related to John's death. I am awaiting one piece of paper that is going to come to me in about a week, one bit of legal proceeding that is entirely out of my hands before I have that piece of paper. All I had to do is done.
I am so relieved!
Tuesday, July 9: Let's go back to yesterday when I took Millie out for the day. The boys have gone to camp, and we went together to do an errand, eat lunch, do a little shopping and come back here. The day went too quickly, but I personally found my day out with her a delight.
First she confessed to me her worry that her Papa Pat was dead. I told her he was not dead. "But he's old..." "Yes, and one day he will die, but he knows Jesus as his Savior...He'll be in heaven with Grampa and one day you will be there, too." Perhaps only a Southern child finds this line of thought logical and reassuring. I don't know, not ever having dealt with any but Southern children! However, Millie chatted happily after that and made me laugh out loud with several funny observations.
Monday, June 1: As a reminder, that indeed, June is still Spring, the weather today was very mild. There was a little breeze that carried a surprising coolness. I've no idea from whence it came, but there it was, and since I spent midday doing an onerous task (washing the siding on the front of the house) I am here to say that it wasn't unpleasant to be outdoors at noon on the first day of June at all. And the front of the house looks rather nice, if I do say so.
The only sad thing was that the tree frogs hiding about got sprayed too. I was terribly sorry but not able to do a thing to help them. They seemed to recover well, and I did rinse them off with a spray of plain water, best I could. They all climbed back up the wall again, so there we are. I shall have to continue swinging open the screen door and waiting for the frog to drop before I step out!
Wednesday, May 20: I did it. I finally took the plunge and went to a 'proper' salon and got a proper haircut. Even though I had only a lot of pictures and vague ideas of what I wanted, I got a decent cut. I was flabbergasted at the cost, roughly 2.5 times what it costs at 'Gyp and Clip'. But this experience includes the shampoo and styling...Making it an experience to enjoy. I've contemplated over and over again whether it is genuinely worthwhile to spend such a sum getting hair washed and cut.
I've decided that yes, yes, it is. Number one because they do include the extras, the things that makes one feel they are in a salon, the things which are all extra fees at 'Gyp and Clip' and would run their costs up nearer to what they charge in the proper salon. Number two, I felt pampered and cared for. Not rushed. Number three, they suggested I not return for 8 weeks since I am still in the process of growing my hair out. So, the extra cost is at least spread over 2 months and not a monthly charge as it is at the places I've gone to in the past.
Saturday, May 2: I had a lovely day today, despite it being rainy and cool enough to warrant wearing a sweatshirt when we were out. I was up early and ready to go out with Katie. Then I sat down and folded the basket of clothing I'd left unfolded yesterday when I did sheets and towels. I decided to put the linens in the trunk and that needed a good sorting out and neatening up so I did that. Productive on a Saturday...What is the world coming to?
Sam and Katie both arrived at the same time. Sam came to pick up the mower blades, reporting that the transmission on the mower had not leaked one drop of transmission fluid since he removed it from the mower and refilled it. Then he left to go home.
Thursday, April 16: I was on my way out of the door this morning when I pulled the door shut and caught my shirt in the latch of the locked door. I couldn't pull it loose. It was held too tightly about my arms to allow me to shimmy out of it. I couldn't turn to use my key to unlock the door. I stood there for a moment rather put out but then called Bess back to help. She'd just started towards her car. Thank goodness she was still here!
On my way down the highway, I was suddenly very unsure of exactly where I needed to turn when I got to the city where the lawyer's office is located...I pulled off the road into an empty lot and managed after numerous struggles to enter the address so I could follow the route accurately. I realized then that I had a 52-minute journey ahead and only a half hour to arrive...
April 1: The past few mornings, I've gone out fairly early and sat on the back porch with my coffee. It's so calm and quiet, so tender green and fresh, a little chilly so I wear a jacket. This morning, I marveled how the droplets of dew had fallen into the serrated edge of the leaves of the rosebush.
Amie and Ben, Lily, Ross, Rose were packing up this morning. Amie was up early, earlier than any of the rest, anxious to get the journey homeward underway. The rest of the family slept in a little. It's been a busy week. They never had a chance to catch up on themselves after that long journey. They had a long journey ahead of them to face again. I didn't blame them for lingering in bed and resting. But I understood Amie's desire to get going and start the journey homeward.
Bess came over to have coffee with me before she left for work. She's been doing that most weekday mornings. This morning, Amie, Bess and I sat on the porch with our coffee and chatted until Bess had to leave for work.
March 23, 2026
Dear Friends,
My husband passed away yesterday, March 22, 2026, at 7:09 officially, but it was really about 7:00 pm. It was unexpected and while the weekend behind is still fresh in my mind, I am writing this post. It will stand alone for the final post of March and then I will go on with life as per usual, because that is what I need to do, what he would want me to do. But life will be forever changed. There is no denying that.
John didn't feel well Saturday. Not well enough to go lead worship which he considered a privilege as well as a duty. He didn't shun duty. But he didn't feel well enough to go so he called and cancelled at the last minute which he loathed doing.
John didn't believe in 'giving in' to being ill. That was his approach for all of the years I knew him and it remained strong on Saturday. But very quietly Saturday evening he asked me if I'd take him to the hospital. "I think it's going to be a long night, and I might as well be there."
March 1: It's not spring by any means but this morning when we went outdoors the birds were fairly screeching their heads off in busy homemaking joy. It made me smile to hear them. I'd watched an especially eager bird begin the nest last week in the Faith tree. He even caught Isaac's attention. "What is that bird doing?"
I looked at the weather app once we'd settled in the car. Sure enough, the day and nighttime temperatures are far more in keeping with spring than with the last three weeks of winter.
Along with the warming weather, comes my impatience with the last of winter. I want to plant flowers, and dress in lighter things and see a flush of green. I'm completely unreasonable, because if I don't dress in layers I'll either burn up or freeze. About the only flowers I'm going to see are the bouquets I'll buy.
February 17: All that smoke that hung in the air on Friday afternoon and Saturday, was washed away on Sunday with heavy rains. No complaints from us. The smoky smell was still in our house ductwork and every time the heat came on it smelled like woodsmoke. John was experiencing some dizziness, so we stayed home from church. Later, I turned my head to speak to him and felt the world spin. I think now it might have been allergies, but we thought we'd picked up a virus.
Not that I complained over staying home. As I said, the rain was heavy and it was nice to be home out of the weather, but it did rather spoil my plans for the week ahead, because I'd meant to go grocery shopping after church.
Sunday, February 1: What a cold and blustery day it was on Saturday. The kids came in half frozen from their fast run across the field to my house.
I'd planned a Waffle lunch. I'd told the kids I was having a waffle lunch. I told Sam on Friday I was making a waffle lunch when he asked if it would mess up my plans if he took Isaac for a haircut on Saturday morning.
When Millie came in the door about lunchtime yesterday, she had a full-sized family pack of chips and a bottled drink. She proceeded to open the chips and I said, "Whoa...Hold on. I'm making lunch right now." "Dad said I could have them." "But we're about to have lunch...." "But I want my chips!" "Then wait and have them with lunch." "I don't want them with lunch. I want them now. Dad said..." And then the boys came in with the same, a full-sized bag of chips and a soda each. And then Isaac said, "Dad took me to Waffle House for breakfast."
January 16: While I'm not much of one for perfection, I am one to want to do things nicely, even if I am just learning. On Thursday, I'd played about with a new junk journal, as a practice piece. It was incredibly sloppy. It bothered me no end that it looked so messy even if it was meant for practice. I realized that some things I need to analyze and if I'm not just being perfectionistic, give myself permission to start over, make it nicer...If only to know how I could do better.
So, this afternoon, I tore down the original work I did and went back through, refining what I'd done, straightening lines, thinking carefully about what I wanted to accomplish with it. In the end, I have nice, neat pages. No decorations of any kind but the pages are nicer. Now I can begin again, perhaps with more inspiration.
January 1: We are not party people. We don't purposely stay up on New Year's Eve to see the old year out and the new one in except by accident. This year wasn't one of those rare events. I went to bed at 10 p.m. with plans to watch a couple of videos while relaxing in bed. John came in right behind, crawled into bed and barely got prayers said before falling asleep. No good night kiss for me...and at midnight when the clock ticked over, I when I woke, I said to the room, "Happy New Year." Then I put down my phone and went right to sleep.
I woke in a fabulous mood this morning. That didn't last. When I came out, I said cheerily "GoodMorningHappyNewYearILoveYouthereI'mthefirsttosayit". John went "Mmmm." I should have taken my hint right then.
What put him in such a grim mood? The same blame thing that makes him grim at least once a month: he went to review our bank account and didn't like the balance. The same balance we have every month when payday is still two weeks away and I've already told him twice, "No more spending!"
Well, I promised I'd return in January, so here I am. I thought I'd share with you what December was like in our home. Thrift, splurge, family and all. I'm going to recount a bit of November because Thanksgiving is the start of the Christmas season for me.
Thanksgiving week and weekend: Katie made dinner the day before Thanksgiving and invited the whole family. Sam didn't go. I picked up his kids and took them with us. JD and his kids came.
Katie did an excellent job. She served 20 folks (including kids) and it was all lovely and delicious.