We had a lovely afternoon with our grandchildren. Several weeksa go, GD had asked for a purple raincoat. After extensive fruitless searching locally, I finally ordered one online and it just arrived. The look in her eyes was worth it! She loved it so much that she insisted on wearing it to the park.

She's been trying for MONTHS to conquer the monkey bars. Today, she stood there, afraid to try, so sure she wasn't going to be able to do it. So we talked about fear being such a difficult thing to rise ourselves above (I'm an expert on letting fear steal far too much of my joy and life away!), and I shared a tip that I had learned in knee therapy...to focus all her energy on the part of her body that most needed it at the time, in this case, her arms. So she took a deep breath and DID IT...all the way across, for the first time. She was so proud!

Then we bounced between the monkey bars and digging deep holes in the dirt, which was a lovely dark dirt, perfect for building anything and everything. We talked about a lot while digging. She's desperately afraid of water, so much so that she dropped out of swimming lessons last year. But she insisted on taking them again this year, determined to learn. Her first swimming lesson was this morning. And she told me, in so many 7-year-old words, that she was essentially paralyzed by her fear. So we talked about the monkey bars, and that maybe she needed to do the same trick with her energy...focus all of her energy on her mind, pushing the fear away and JUST DOING IT, like she had done today on the bars. She seemed to "get it", so I'm interested to hear how she does at her next lesson.

At one point I asked her what we were building, and she said, "Oh I don't know yet, but we'll know what it is when we're finished." Isn't there a wonderfully profound tidbit of wisdom in there somewhere?!

What a wonderful day, Eagle. We can learn so much from children, and teach them well.

Tomorrow is my mother's 81st BD. Yesterday, Gina, Katie and I took her out for lunch to celebrate. The restaurant we wanted to go to was not open for lunch so we had to go somewhere else. It didn't end up the best choice, but our options were limited because we had to pick kid friendly. The lunch wasn't that great, but it was nice for the four of us to be out together and my mom enjoyed some time with Katie. Of course, she can turn her hearing aid off if she wants and we didn't have that option. It wasn't one of Katie's best restaurant days. Luckily, there were a lot of elderly people in there so they probably didn't notice as much as we did.

selective hearing? And the phrase "it's the thought that counts" comes to mind.

Happy 81st. birthday to your mom Louisa. If shes anything like my mom or me too for that matter, just having our kids want to be with us on our special day would make it all okay...

Hi everyone! I really enjoyed reading what everyone has been up to and their thoughts about things.

MA--I liked the idea of organizing something that you have wanted to do for ages..on the day that you retire. I really like that.I just may buy myself a dog! I am longing to have a dog again..but can´t while my partner´s son is too young..he´s 13 now. But by the time I retire..I should be able to get a dog.He´ll be about 17 or 18 then.

Eaglehart..your grandchild certainly knows a thing or two..which children so often do.

And the dinner, Louisa..I bet it was wonderful anyway. And Happy Birthday to your mom!!!

I am home after work..it´s the evening here and I am nursing a cold with a cough that I got from my partner. He was down with it all last week. I am nursing it with some powerful cough medicine and whiskey.

Tomorrow evening, after work, I am going to babysit my grandchildren..all 3 of them ( a 12yr old, 9 yr old and a 3 yr old). Will grandma have her hands full?? YES!!! But I love my them my time with them..they give so much warmth and love and joy..well, you know.

Well, signing off for now!

Whiskey and cough medicine? Is that the latest pharmaceuticals for coughs in Sweden? Might knock me out along with the cold.

Ahhhhhhhhh....I'm enjoying a lone day off from work after having my weekend ON. Trouble is, there's just so much to attend to in one day. The remnanats of Ike are passing through but without rain....only a cooling wind after a day and night of uncomfortable humidity. The skies are blue and my wind chimes are having a great time musically! I feel good. My hospice job is exactly where I belong and though very tiring, it's all good. I feel priveleged to do what I do. We accomplished much this season on the outside of the home and it's serene, quieting and calming to return home to at the end of the day. So I'll get busy and get some things done inside and will spend some time in the refreshing air outside. 'Tis a great day to be alive!

Oh, and coming here to spend time at BWS and catch up has been sooooo nice! I've missed being a daily regular here!

Today I am recalling yesterday when our area had Open Days.
This event let the general public visit behind the scenes
at different venues.
So many to visit..but we saw the Theatre..lighting sound and
back stage .The art Club.In a former Nunnery laundrey.Many talented people made us welcome.The Town House.A place where the county is run from.Important stuff for the area is decided.lovely architecture and historical data.Then the Sherrif Court.Cells...waiting rooms.Courtroom.It was thought provoking.The guided tour came down heavily on the wrongdooers.The most serene place was Maggie Centre.A place for support and education about cancer.It is a holistic heaven.The modern architecture is so supportive to healing.The people friendly.
We did not go to the Police station...nor the Crematorium.Time flew and there was only so much a mind can take in.
Next week more...and no doubt just as interesting.
Mountain ash