This Perfectly Imperfect Life

Hope you're having a beautiful morning and have a beautiful day! (Taken this morning at 'home away from home.')

Life Without Summer: A Novel by Lynne Griffin My rating: 5 of 5 stars GoodReads description : "Life Without Summer tells the story of Tessa, a mother who has just lost her four-year-old daughter in a hit-and-run accident and the grief counselor, Celia, who tries to help her to put her life back together. When their lives begin to intersect in powerful and unexpected ways, they discover that the answers one needs might be the other’s only chance for peace. Each woman’s intensely personal journey reverberates with universal themes about the connections between love, marriage, truth, and forgiveness that no reader will forget." ( http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4130217.Life_Without_Summer_A_Novel ) I was immediately drawn to this book at the library 2 weeks ago while browsing through the 'new arrivals' section. I didn't even finish reading the jacket when I clutched it to my chest and decided it was coming home with me, knowing it would most likely be a painful

This evening is the last beach concert of the Summer. It's flown by more quickly with quite a few were cancelled because of storms. I know Summer seemed short this year and figuratively, because of the weather, it was. And while I like Summer because of my gardening (especially towards the end because aside from watering there isn't much to do and I can enjoy the blooms) but I LOVE LOVE LOVE Autumn and I'm already getting excited!!!

...To our Nation's Disabled and Retired Citizens: No Cost Of Living increase for Social Security in 2010 OR 2011. But Medicare insurance costs will Increase so in affect I/we will be losing money! More of our hard earned money that We've paid into the system! And in this economy?! Shame on you Mr. President! Shame on you Congressional Budget Office! http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/03/us/politics/03benefits.html

See the first 4 albums listed at http://picasaweb.google.com/gardeningjo for new photo's. (Will upload slide show's here during the coming week).

Lizzi over at "Life According to Lizzi S." (http://arizonasteenbocks.blogspot.com/) has tagged those reading her post about "...the 10th photo in my 1st folder & its' story..." So here's mine! This is the 2nd floor of the building where I got my prom dress for my senior prom in 1993 and where my Mom got her prom dress in 1957. I took this picture sitting in the passenger seat of Mom's car, waiting for the traffic light to turn red. I happened to look up and see the mannequin with the dress in the window and thought it would make a good picture. Now, you're it!

Well, first off I have to say that I'm a bit stunned, disgusted & worried: My brother-in-law's home down in South Jersey was robbed this afternoon when they went out shopping. We don't know yet what was stolen but apparently the SCUM hurt their dogs and they can't find their cat. This world is far more scary than I could have ever imagined and it's getting worse. I know S & A are alright, I just pray this doesn't traumatize them too much and I pray the dogs are going to be alright. They were rescues from a shelter, abuse victims. The cat I'm sure will show herself eventually. She's never been fond of strangers and hearing those dogs go nuts probably scared her to death. Sigh. Sorry to burden y'all like that. We just found out. Now to switch gears as abruptly as the evening news: I took the pic above out front this morning. My first Sunflower of the season! Another will be open tomorrow. I have to check my seed packets because t

Tonight is the second to last beach concert of the season. I can't believe it's gone so quickly! (A lot of the concerts were cancelled this year because of storms). Thankfully it wasn't as hot today or I don't think I could have come down here because of having my iv treatment yesterday - have to be careful with being in the sun & heat for a couple of days afterwards. I tell ya what though, walking in the sand saps the energy right out of me today! Whew. (I'm normally tired day of and for a couple of days after the iv). I can't wait until we camp out here! I've wanted to for a long time and this is the year we're finally going to. Tomorrow night we're coming down here for 8pm for a lantern tour of the Fort! I'm really looking forward to it.

Their 'bedside manners' are a little more 'hands on' than most, LOL! I had my IV treatment here at home this morning. Supposed to rest and drink lots of fluids today & tomorrow. Need to get crackin on those fluids though. I'm reading right now to take my mind off my 'woe is me' moments and my worry that I'm becoming immune to the iv meds. Living with disease is anything but easy 99.99% of the time and that is an understatement.

This had me literally so upset this morning, I couldn't speak. I just cried.

Received this yesterday evening from Nephew.

This evening, I finished my first Summer journal with roughly 219 pages journaled and roughly 6 other pages of lists in the back. I started it the Summer of 2005. This is only the second journal I've completely filled, ever. (The first one was my first Winter journal the Winter before this one just passed). Until I started using 1 journal for each Season (therefore only writing in one for 3 months at a time), I had journal ADD. So far I've journaled 62 pages this Summer, more than most Seasons and I'm very pleased. I've started using my journal for all of my writings, regardless of genré, i.e. book reviews & discussion questions, daily CoW half hour writings, CoW weekly kickers, fiction pieces, novel idea's, my daily 3 pages (aka "Morning Pages" though mine aren't always done in the a.m.), crafting idea's & notes and my "Timepieces." I haven't done this before and I like having everything all together. I'll continu

It's their way of telling me to read instead. (See prev post & you'll understand this one).

Come in all forms, shapes and sizes.

(Some may think I'm crazy here, but it's whatever you believe). I've been off balance, so to speak, and not feeling well since June. I'm not getting any better and even though for me with my health there's only so much better I can be, I'm tired of feeling like crap every minute of the day for weeks on end. My body is producing too much bad flora, often a problem for those of us with auto-immune diseases, and I've been trying to get it under control. That bad flora is spreading itself into other area's of my body, which I didn't know it could do until I was Googling around one night before bed, wondering if there was a connection. But, there's been more to it than that. Sure the up and down weather hasn't helped, us adjusting to Vic being home all the time hasn't helped either. But, I've known, off in the distance of my mind, that there's something else, creeping into my chest, leaving its' invisible mark on everything in our

Golden sun light warms the color of all it touches, casting friendly shadows Sirens blare to and from the fireman's fair around the corner The air is gloriously cool, barely 70 degrees, the low humidity such a relief Our home smells of cinnamon and vanilla, another batch of zucchini bread baking in the oven, this time with dried cranberries instead of raisins Sunflowers bloom elsewhere but will bloom in my garden sometime this month, Morning Glories blooming on the trellis since last week The mole is back, I found more of his mounded trails again this afternoon in the back yard The fat little black mouse is back too, scurrying to and from the thick over growth on the other side of the fence out back to eat bird seed The windows & doors have been open all day for the first time in weeks Finally the courtyard is quiet, all seem to be in for the evening or at the fair Lightning bugs, taking flight, blinking Crickets chirping, Cicada's buzzing grumpily, some other kind of insec

Our 2 year old Grand Niece Emily, during her birthday party weekend before last.

Thank God our journalists Laura Ling and Una Lee are home safe and sound from North Korea! Thank God! Watching their arrival in Burbank, their plane touching down, their reunions with family and Laura Ling's speech choked me up to no end. The fact that North Korea has seemingly been using these two women as political pawns and tools to punish the US and UN for our stances on their nuclear "activities" has terrified me from the get-go. I cannot imagine the sheer terror they have experienced for the last 140 days, nor can I imagine the sheer joy and relief when they were brought to a room for a "meeting" and saw President Clinton standing there waiting for them. The possibilities are overwhelming and I literally, for once, cannot imagine. Thank God they are home. Thank God the North Koreans followed through on their word that if President Clinton went there, they would let them leave with him. Thank God President Clinton went. (He looked anything but comfortable a

Part 3 Hubby walked in the house as thunder rumbled over head, both causing me to jump in my chair. "Hey sweetie!" I called from this kitchen. "Hey jumpy!" he yelled back from the living room, already changing out of his work boots and into his slippers. I giggled and felt myself smile at the sound of his voice, but it quickly faded when my hand started throbbing. I sighed. Should I tell him about this morning? He'd probably be quick to think I'm making something out of nothing. He was too logical and rational when it came to things like this. Not that he wouldn't believe me, he would. He would also have an simple explanation for it. I sighed again. I didn't want to think about this anymore. Besides, I still had to get dressed! Part 4 The thunderstorm had brought little relief from this morning's heat & humidity. In fact, it seemed worse. Against my better judgment, I told him about my experiences earlier. What piqued his curiosity was the

Well, the dock is off to our right and I'm actually sitting in my favorite spot, the little beach down by our harbor. Great place to watch the sun set and listen to the water. That little figure in the pic to the right is Hubby. When ever he comes down here to fish, I tag along, sit up here, take pics, talk with passersby and relax. Maybe do a little writing or reading. A lovely older man mistook me for a college student when he saw me taking pictures! (Yup, I'm feeling pretty good right now!) *No good deed goes unpunished: Older gent above turned out to be a NUT case who kept harassing me about how I should be taking pics, that I should be moved over to the other bench (further away from Vic), how he wished he had his camera because this was an "a-list" sunset, one of the best ever, was I going to take any pics? If not, could he use my camera to take a few for me of the sunset and "that old guy fishing"? (My husband is not an old guy you old bleep).

Country music playing softly on the radio Rain falling, pouring since 5, tapping & thudding on the roof, splashing in the lake A single bird chirping merrily Suddenly sleepy again Doe walked up to me at dusk last night not 10 feet from me Wild Turkeys and their young around the bend the little ones following their parents as if exclaiming, "Mama! Mama! Mama!" Great Blue Heron, stood regal lakeside in the afternoon sun BEAR up in the tree Correction, Bear under the tree He causes a commotion, interrupts my writing, then wanders off before I can take a picture Hhrumph.Some nerve!

August 1st. Already? Really? Yeesh. I'm calling this "Did You Know?" for the time being. And I did have a direction for this when I started but then lost it towards the end. Did You Know? In Celtic times, August 1st was called Lughnasadh (pronounced loo-naa-saa). Today was traditionally the first grain harvest of the season and was celebrated from sundown through following sundown (though sometimes started at sundown on July 31) with a festival honoring the harvest & grain gods and the god Lugh, referred to as the god of the harvest, the god of light and the god of sun (depending on who's opinion you read). Corn and blackberries were also harvested. (The corn husks were kept to dry and be made into 'corn husk dolls' a tradition carried over and continued in America to this day). It was also considered to be the first day of Autumn! The last "official" Lughnasadh festival took place in Ireland back in 1169. After Catholic influence appeared, th