A Grande Illustration

... a grande illustration of the power inherent in personal choices. Gives reason to consider that the difference between a good choice/decision and a bad one is not so much in what you choose to do, but rather in why you choose to do it. ....Very entertaining too! :)

8 He has showed you, O man, what is good.

And what does the LORD require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy

and to walk humbly with your God.

Micah 6:8

A is for Art & Alzheimers

Nothing much planned so planning to do nothing much today.

When my neighbor was remarking about the beautiful summer we just enjoyed he seemed to think we hadn't had one like it here in a thousand years!! ... I wouldn't know :) - but that tells ya somethin' about how nice it was. Tall tell signs of fall are comin' on strong tho' ... shorter days, crows crowing, leaves turning, school busses out in full force - & this fella's been hangin' around ...

...all are signs pointing hubby & I to do what we needs to be done, now! When you throw a few big projects into the mix of daily life, it can really wreak havoc w/ your normal routine!

The past few weeks we've:

- Torn down & rebuilt a retaining wall
- Installed a new storm door in effort to batton down the hatches before the long winter.
- Painted the shed & fence
- Canned peaches
- Rearranged the downstairs & purchased (still need to hang) thermal curtains to section off of the living room portion and make it cozier /more efficient to heat
- Painted both entryway doors & sanded years worth (& layer upon layer!) of old paint off our front stair railings before giving them a fresh coat of black
- This weekend we opened our front windows for the first time ever since we've lived here. They were sealed shut by the previous owners. It took some work - but it was nice to be able to let some fresh air in that way.


Playmaker started dual enrollment at the local university. Big adjustment. She's doing fine - but it's no doubt challenging for her. She's learned her way around campus & made some new friends. Spends a lot less time in school - but a lot of time studying these days. ... & playing soccer. She made Varsity at the high school & has three hour practices most every school day!


Strike's adjusting to her new school too. So new/different - but now that she's getting used to the routine & is making new friends, she's doing well & enjoying it. She hasn't had much homework & I gather that as a rule, they don't assign too much.


And me? I'm adjusting too. I try to get most of my stuff done around the house before school is out bc when the girls are home, I really want to be all there -- for them. They always have so much to talk about now. The other day, Playmaker called me between classes just to talk. Her head was spinning after a heated debatein her opinion oriented Writing class. - Guess that's to be expected when the textbook title is "For Argument's Sake". Anyhow - she just wanted someone to talk about "the great debate" with & I can't tell you how pleased I was that of all people....she chose me! :)

Soon I should be able to find some time to work on the quilt I started last year...

Yesterday ... turned the kitchen upside down canning pears & apples & making vanilla extract & homemade pumpkin yeast bread. Spokes stopped in & ended up staying the night. So good to see him. He & his dad did some work on his car before we finally sat down to a potroast dinner complete w/ mashed potatos & green bean casserole (family favorites!), homemade bread & hot apple cider. By the the time we cleaned up the kitchen that last (umpteenth!) time my husband I were both about ready to pass out. It was fun tho' & as you can see, even Mak didn't want to miss out.

If his head isn't in your lap...he'd just as soon be underfoot :)

And just inserting a pic here that I took one morning when Strike was getting ready for school.  Mak has HIS OWN bed (same size!) in her room too. (& yes ... Strike wants her bed on the floor like that...go figure ;)

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I'd STILL be peeling if it wasn't for this ever so much time saving gadget :)

Applesauce, Spiced Apples, Pears, Pear Syrup & Puree, & Homemade Vanilla

Pumpkin Yeast Bread

Today ... not much planned sooo I'm planning to do nothing much - for a change :)

Mak's doin' his doggone best...

Mak seems to be doin' his doggone best to try to fill Katie's spot here in front of the door. I must say, he has it pretty well covered. Bless his heart.

Today...

Just added a new gadget to the top middle column of my blog... a "My Status" kinda thing that I've titled "Today ..." I've had many days recently where I just haven't had/made/carved out time to post. So much change is happening out our end & it's all I can do to keep up - but I think I should be able to handle updating this - even on those days :) I wish I could figure out how to make it more like a Facebook status that could be interactive/commented on. Anyone know how I might make it so?

Katie

Our sweet Katie passed away quietly & unexpectedly here at home yesterday. What a shock. My husband noticed her acting strange while he was out getting the smoker ready to cook dinner. I went out to see for myself and it was obvious something was very wrong. My husband stayed with her while I went in to call the vet and as I was on the phone with the vet he came in to tell me he thought it was too late - and sure enough .... she was already gone. It happened so fast. So quietly.

It was almost like she had waited to have her whole family together one last time. Spokes had spent the night before with us and we enjoyed a nice family night together. It was the first time we'd all been together in a while. And just before Katie passed away Spokes left to go back to his house & Playmaker had left for soccer. Strike had just gotten home from school and my husband had taken the day off work so he was home too. I'm so glad he was here.

Poor Malakai. Katie was like a mother to him. I'm not sure how much he understands. I didn't let him see her after she passed but I wonder now if I should have. When I finally did let him out into the backyard again he went right to where she had been and sniffed and sniffed and looked around as if looking for her & now that she's been gone overnight ...I think he knows.

She was a good dog. A loyal friend. Our kids basically grew up with her as their nanny. She taught them so much - especially about responsibility and she was protective of them. I certainly felt an extra measure of security when she was around. That reminds me, I should probably leave a note for our mail carriers so they know that they no longer need to approach our mailbox with fear & trembling! I think they eventually figured out that her bark was bigger than her bite - but she could be intimidating that way. Edit: She wasn't  mean - just intimidating/protective & that's one of the things I loved & will miss most about her. Every now & then a mail carrier or pkg delivery person, etc. would spook/startle her & yikes!... my heart would go out to them :)

This has been tough on all of us but especially hard on the kids. As for me.... well, her health had been slowly declining for a long time and God knew I did not want to have to put her down . I dreaded it. I did not want to have to make that decision. So - in all honesty, I was actually relieved & thankful that it happened the way it did. Quietly. Quite peacefully and suddenly.

Today it's just strange. Different without her here. We're all used to having to step over her to get in and out. Her spot where she'd lay in front of the door to keep an eye on things inside and out is empty. She made for herself a special spot in all of our hearts tho' & we'll keep her close there.