For many days I knew she would be here, daughter, Bev, at "Scratchin' The Surface",or "Life of Grits" (About a girl raised in the South) and then she arrived, and she did not disappoint. One son went with her, to be with her father, and then it was my turn; mine, all mine.

The visit with Dad included her taking on getting through eighteen holes of golfing, after flying from PA, and knowing she had a long drive ahead, to get the two of us to my other daughter, Barb, at "A Chelsea Morning". So I do think God understands that this daughter, whose faith is so beautiful, needed a good sleep and rest, before the next phase of her carefully planned sojourn, to be with family, and more miles to drive, so we did not go to Sunday services.

Then we headed West, very West. Both of us packed and prepared for the trip, but did not hurry. Sitting sedentary a lot can result in blood clots forming, and causing serious threats to your health, so we stopped several times, and took time to walk sometimes a block or more, or find a friendly looking spot to enjoy icecream, or something, and then headed out again. None of this not needed rushing through our so beautiful state. and it did not disappoint either. The Aspens were starting to turn, but no severe weather. We took time to drink in all our state's beauty we could. And my new knee really appreciated the rests.

Once we got to Barb's, life picked up speed. Her grand children are so beautiful, and the grandson, about four, immediately fell in love with Bev. She has a way of including whoever is around in the conversation, and she quickly did that with him; showed him how to hold a sea shell so he can hear an ocean roar, or something like that, and he did, while I loved seeing generations of my kin be closer. Something about it helps me know there will be harmony between them long after I'm not here, but even that could be selfish on my part, for perhaps I'm hoping to leave a little of myself.

We stayed up late several nights catching up on family, and even took time to sleep in. Being rested helps enjoy everything more. If I could I would outlaw the concept of multi-tasking. Have you noticed how our culture carefully creates words to make unpleasant things seem like good ideas. I don't care what you call it; physical assaults like that on the body should not exist, and if I am ever elected to a position where I can, I will try to banish it from the working class.

Part of our all being together included a night out for the females of the family, and we agreed an Olive Garden dinner, and a movie was what we needed. It started pretty well, with some diner coming to our table, and asking why some melons could not marry, and cracked up laughing at himself, as he concluded it's because they cantelope. Even I got the idea. But then I had some trouble that caused me to laugh at myself. As the waiter stood at our table, holding a bottle of wine, and an empty wine glass, and asked if we'd like a complimentary one, the word "complimentary" registered in me, and I, like someone who just landed on our country told him yes, and felt like a really stupid fool, when he poured about a thimble full of wine, and handed it to me. For quite a long time my budgeting does not include eating out. Perhaps I may be able to work again, but I haven't for a long time. My church is great about giving me a "Complimentary" box of food every week, but it does not include Olive Garden dining.

For the most part, daughter, Bev paid for our trip. Would only let me help a little now and then, to make me feel better, and it helped that we used my car. On our way back we stopped at different places, and drank in more of the countryside's beauty. Every time I finally take time to fall in love with Colorado again, I wonder why I waited so long, for if you've seen her, you have to know how beautiful she is, like my daughter.

During our last day here together, we drove around so she could see old landmarks connected to her younger years here; and we mailed a box of books back to where she lives, that will help her with her serious world study plan. Then we tried to check on different kinds of housing for me, in case I can sell my house, but we needed somewhere to park. She pulled into a place called "The second Chance Shoppe", run by an auxiliary of our town's hospital, and we went inside to check it out, and I was proud of her all over again. When she paid for what she bought, She asked the clerk for permission to park there, so we could check on the housing, and they were glad to let us. This daughter personifies being a real smooth lady.

Talk about class, Bev had them eager to do exactly what she asked, and she's really good at spotting quality clothing. Got herself some nice blouses and a sweater, and I spotted a wedding gown that may be just right for a member of my church, whose engaged, and could use help in keeping the costs down. I can't wait to tell her about it.

Before Bev had to leave here, even though she was pressed for time, she helped me with computer things I've not learned. I have a really good program for learning spanish. Got it at a thrift store for about four dollars, but a tape I really need is missing, so Bev found it on some place through the computer, for a few dollars, and ordered it for me. I especially appreciate this gift.


After Bev was taken to to the airport tonight, to be with her husband again, and someone brought me home from our last evening together, I walked around awhile in the house, not quite knowing what to do with myself. She gave me so many gifts not necessairly the kind you wrap with ribbon, and I so wished I could do more, but while this uncertain time continues, I must be careful with money. Then I realized the best thing I could give her is myself, and I sat down at this computer she had done a lot of working on for me, and I dusted off the pages of that book I started
long before this surgery, and wrote two new crisp ones for it.

Here I am again, hoping to bring you something more interesting than knee replacements. Earlier this year I bought a nice Daytimer, kidding myself that I would use it properly. But stil I try, and so I filled up more than half of it,
with medical appointments and birthday reminders, and a few social things, but clearly, my life needed more excitement than these.

Because of the surgeries, I couldn't sit at the computer much for several weeks, and had already given up on dealing with changes in TV reception. So all I had left, for a while, was books. Lots of them, and soon I was in a make believe paradise. Never, not in my entire life, have I had so much time to enjoy getting lost in them. So far I have about four or more started, and it all depends on the frame of mind I'm in. That determines which one gets me today.

I was more than a little surprised how entrenched the old paycheck mentality kept tugging at me. Did not realize it governed even how long I chose to read.
How easily we let ourselves be controled by the very thought of that scares me.

This nice down time may end soon, but I'll not forget what I learned while living it. Could have done without dealing with the skunks that seemed so determined to live beneath my house; and I certainly didn't need that unexpected leak in my roof, but my son helped much with both of those problems, and today he trimmed hanging tree limbs, some of which were getting tangled with electric lines.

I can't tell you how very blessed I am he's nearby, and helps so much. Years ago, when my sons and daughters were almost devouring our set of World Books, that Bev at "Scratchin' the Surface", or "Life of Grits" wrote about today, in her post called "Look It Up", I didn't realize what else they were learning. Not that they always wanted to, but I knew they must, and it's paying off today. While they absorbed their required school work, somehow in the process, maybe because I cared enough to teach them how to learn, they also learned they were loved, and now it's coming back, many times, to me.

As a mom, and sometimes as a grand Ma, I worry about family situations, but today when I drove up out front, and son and grandson were carfully pulling big tree limbs with a rope behand his van, to take them someplace, having designated grandson to walk near the limbs, to keep them going safely, the whole contrived scene of it struck me as so humerous, haven't had such a happy laugh in I don't know when. When I asked son how he thought of doing that with the tree limbs, he said something about having seen it somewhere, maybe people clearing land, but I don't think that idea came from World book. Still, I could be wrong. I know, I know; Look it up.