July 11, 2010

Blessed Be Nothing

My grandmother was fond of saying, "Blessed be nothing," and she lived by that motto. Partly through necessity, but mostly through choice, she lived her life free of unnecessary "stuff." Our recent battles with water and mold have brought her "travel-light" philosophy into a clearer focus than ever before.

Flooded basement

We've spent the last week going through all the things that cluttered our family room and too-spacious storage rooms. Faced with decisions about what to pitch, what to give away, what to keep, and what to recycle, we're determined not to repeat our past acquisitive mistakes. As these photos will show, we first need to restore the drywall, cabinets and ceiling tiles before adding anything else to the mix. I'll keep Grandma and her saying in mind in the future. I hope.
 



BLESSED BE NOTHING. AMEN!

July 2, 2010

June: a month of ups and downs


Like all of life, June was truly a time packed with highs and lows. A wonderful family celebration in St. Louis of Peter's birthday was definitely a high. Friends and relatives came to the party, which included a surprise visit from our daughter-in-law, Kara, who was back in the States for a wedding and business.


Peter doesn't feel a day older the day after his birthday.

We came home to find that our basement had flooded while we were away, leaving the kind of destruction that only water can create. We have to get rid of everything, including a hefty mold infestation. Definitely a low. An expensive low, although highly expensive.

However, the next day brought a magnificent high when I received a contract offer for my historical novel HANNAH'S LEAP! Cedar Fort, Inc. an independent publisher in Utah, will bring Hannah's story to life. I'll be posting more about this as the process develops. In the meantime, I smile a lot.

The following weekend our cat Precious died. Almost 20 years old, she was my constant companion in the garden and made me smile every day. She was a sweet, funny little cat and I'll miss her. A sad low.
The mighty hunter hoping to play with a ground squirrel.

So, on to July and the highs and lows it will offer. It begins with the massive cleanup downstairs that we're undertaking before the pros come in to rid us of mold and other dreadful conditions. Then on to my mother's 98th birthday celebration!