Updates

My trip to Merrillville to the Salvation Army Commissioning Service went without a hitch.  It was nice to see Majors Pat and Carmella again, AND their family.  I hadn't seen their grandchildren in quite a long time.  How they do grow, and how handsome they are!

On Monday, I was supposed to go to school but opted to stay home to get things done since I had radio club that night.  Meg and I had cleaned ourselves silly on Saturday...then Sunday was busy...so I needed the alone time just to regroup.  Unfortunately, I was up at 4:00 AM because my bedmate kept thrashing and stealing covers.  ARGH!

Tuesday, I took the children to day care because Meg had to be in court in Muncie early.  As of yesterday morning, my daughter is officially single and a McNary again.  There was no rejoicing.  There was some relief and some sadness, with tears (from me, too).  I just wanted Meg to know that I understood, so I set the dinner table with the good china, put a small bouquet of flowers on the table by her plate, and got her a card that expressed my feelings about her life...and waited for her to come home from work.  I think she appreciated it.  I didn't want the whole day to be a downer for her...  

Today, Ryan Holly gave up yet another of his days off to come help me with some of the household repair projects that we didn't get done last week.  I'll bet he wished he hadn't!  I had added one thing to my to-do list--and that one thing took most of the day, out in the sun and heat.  I had asked Ryan to look at my gas grill to see if it was a goner.  (I hadn't been able to get it to light.)  This grill operates on a natural gas line off the house supply.  It's not an issue of dumping it to get another, and replacing it in kind would be an expensive venture.  I really didn't intend for Ryan to repair it, but the more he looked at it and did trouble-shooting, the deeper into the project he got.  It was after 5:00 before he was able to leave, and his own household projects ("chores" he calls them) went begging.  I hope his wife wasn't too upset that I stole him for most of the day!

And speaking of Bonnie, a couple of years ago, she started a copper punch project for the inserts in my buffet doors.  At long last, they are done and installed.  They look fantastic!  No one else in the world has a buffet like mine!  Robin looked at them this evening.  The top and bottom of each panel have a lotus blossum.  The centers have, respectively, butterflies, dragonflies, frogs, and fish.  Robin, ever the sharp one, said, "Two things that can fly and two things that can swim."  I continue to be amazed...

I have spent a lot of time over the last four years just spinning my wheels with household projects.  It seems that I run full tilt just to stay in one place all the time.  This summer, so far, some of the little projects are finally getting done.  For instance, I have been messing around with the problem of the back door for over a month.  The dog scratches at the door to get in.  She has scratched off the paint in places, and mere repainting wouldn't solve the problem.  Over time, I have managed to get the new paint and have a "scratch plate" made to install.  FINALLY, today, while Ryan was scorching in the sun, I painted the ding-dang door and installed the plate (after Ryan made the pilot holes).  What a difference such a little thing makes to my morale!

I have puttered and puttered around on the patio, doing this thing and that thing to improve the back yard experience.  The grandchildren and I spend a lot of time out there, so getting it right is important to me--from planting flowers to getting the turtle sandbox situated the way I want it.  Although it seems a little ridiculous to spend so much time working outside when there is so much to do inside, I don't care!  That is what summer is all about for me!  I can go out to the patio early in the morning before the heat of the day has hit and enjoy listening to the fledgling birds annoying their parents for food.  It is a simple pleasure.  There are also young squirrels that amuse...

Things are easier for me now that I am on "vacation".  Easier for Meg, too.  Generally, I do the laundry and I have supper ready at the end of the day.  I also pick the children up from day care.  The stresses that happen during the school year don't happen now, so that helps.  Meanwhile, it is important to me that Meg and the children feel comfortable here.  It isn't the best situation, but we are making do, and no one seems the worse for wear.  In due time, everything will work out.  God provides!

I will go to school tomorrow, hopefullyfor the last time (except for meetings).  Thank you, God, for all my friends and family!