"The Time Has Come, the Walrus Said...

...to speak of many things. Of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings. (And why the sea is boiling hot, and whether fish have wings.)"

Time to update ye olde blogge with stuff and nonsense that has gone on in my meager little life since I last posted on Tuesday.

My sister lives in a lovely, lovely home in the country in central Illinois. She has a sunroom in the back that looks out over their estate to their flower gardens, vegetable garden, bird feeders, woods...to bring nature into their mornings. I have only my tiny backyard and covered patio. It ain't much, but I do so enjoy sitting back there to watch the flowers and birds and other local wildlife (rabbits, squirrels, and sometimes raccoons and opossums) just to be outdoors. Unfortunately, over the past few years, the patio has been the recipient of all of the clap-trap from the house/yard that had no other place to be, so my forays into nature have been somewhat cluttered. All spring/summer, I have worked here and there to get it cleaned off but have been hampered by heat and humidity. Yesterday, I took advantage of a bit of a break in the weather to make some more strides in getting it cleaned off and clean up some messy lawn areas that needed to be trimmed. I can tell the difference. Not sure anyone else can, but I really, really hope to have it done before my family arrives this next week. Wish me luck!

While my grandchildren have been in California visiting their mother, their custodial family in Indiana packed up their home in Muncie and headed for northern IL/southern WI, hoping to find a house to rent so their stepmother could begin a new job at Carthage College in Kenosha, WI. It's all been a whirlwind of activity for them. I got word yesterday that they found a place in Zion, IL, which is a northern suburb of Chicago, near the Illinois State Beach on Lake Michigan. Thus, when the children return "home", it will be to a place they've never seen before. Their house in Muncie is the only one they've ever really known, so it will be different for them. In one sense, I am happy that they will be out of the Muncie area; in another sense, I am devastated that they will be that far away from me. (It's a grandma thing.) As painful as all of this has been, I have no choice but to TRY to roll with the punches--and God knows, there have been a bunch of those over the past year!

I've been nursing a sour belly for the past few days--a result of meds. (My bro-in-law complains of the same things with the same meds.) Silly me. I get these bouts about every 6-8 weeks and figure it will go away soon, so I eat normally, then suffer longer because of that. I'll learn one of these days!

I am trying to pull together a birthday party for my granddaughter who will turn 8 on August 6th while being here in Plainfield. With family all spread out, it will be tricky. Robin wants a kitten and a cell phone--neither of which she is likely to get--but we'll try to make it a special day, anyway. (Interestingly, it will be hard to make Robin's birthday any more "special" than all of the days the children have had this summer. Not too many kids have experienced the things they've done this summer, from days on the beach, to touring wineries, panning for gold, camping in the Sierra Nevadas, visiting a famous aquarium, riding on Boardwalk rides, feeding ducks and beggar squirrels, and swimming in a pool, among others. Not bad gigs for little kids!)

A couple of my friends have been up against it taking care of elderly parents and injured spouses. Never fun. I pray that things let up for them a bit. Summer is supposed to be more carefree. (That's what we've been led to believe, anyway!) Ryan and Mike--keep the faith!