Mon.-Memorial Day. Yesterday I ate wrong and last night I got little sleep thanks to Sheriff and his hourly desire to drink and pee. I was tired all day and didn't exercise or do anything quite right. Phil said that maybe I should give him away and we could both focus on Princess. He also said that maybe Sheriff should be an outside dog. He's been a bit more than I can handle at night and when we walk, he pulls on his leash and strains my already strained neck and shoulders. My heart broke and Susan came and hugged me and asked what was wrong and when I told her that I was thinking about giving Sheriff away, she said, "No. We can't give him away. He's already attached to us and we're attached to him. I'll walk him for you, Mom." And I thought about how good it would be if we had an outside dog and an inside dog. Princess loves to be in with Phil and Sheriff loves to pee on Phil's things and bite through his cords, etc. so it would be better for him to be outside. I wonder if he is secretly jealous of Phil. Or not so secretly. Regardless, for the time being, I am allowing my heart to love him more and more.
Susan and I went down to the river today and I sat with my chair in the river and she swam and got tan. We went over to the neighbor's where she put in some time pulling weeds. I cut up a ham and made some of it and took the rest down to the river to roast over the fire. I did not have energy to host a party but Tom's came down to the river and had a family supper and invited us and we enjoyed their fire and their food and contributed chunks of ham, s'more ingredients, and carrots. It was nice to have a party that I didn't have to do anything for. Tom even cut up a tree that had blown down to make room for us to sit. The other tree that fell was used to prop roasting sticks and fishing rods against and to hang up extra pieces of clothing.
We brought the little girls up with us and let them go in the puppy pen and Isaac and Sheriff backed away from them and barked and wouldn't let them pet them. I don't think they liked their wet swim suit dresses. They sniffed suspiciously at them and the little girls just stood there, unsure of what to do. So, I got Sheriff and put him on the front seat of the gator and the little girls sat in the back and off we went out the lane after communicating our plans to the rest of the family who were just coming up. On the way back down the lane, I held Sheriff on my lap, and he put his huge paws on the wheel and relaxed his whole body on my lap and he 'drove' the gator back home. It was the cutest thing. I had to show Phil when he got in from the field. We put Princess on the front seat and Sheriff drove on my lap and we went around the yard and after awhile, Sheriff just wanted to lay down on my lap and go to sleep, just like Adi did yesterday. Phil said, "He Loves it!" and laughed.
A few days ago, Phil brought Princess in and left her with me in the bedroom while he went into the bathroom to take a shower. He closed the door so she couldn't get into the bathroom and get into the trash can, etc. But she would have none of it and wailed outside the door, wanting to be near him. So, he laughed and let her in. She wasn't thrilled with the whole idea of his taking a shower either and barked a bit but then she found her own fun in the toilet. Fortunately, the lids were up and the toilet was flushed because she put herself head first into the toilet and dug and splashed and had a high old time. Her back legs were sticking up and her front legs were pawing away and water was flying everywhere. Phil wanted me to see it and sure enough, she did it again. I have never heard Phil laugh so hard in my entire life.
I froze some quart containers of water and hung them upside down over Princess's cage right over her water dish and as it thawed, the drops kept her dish somewhat filled. Otherwise, she wants to dig in her water dish. All of them want to do that. It must be instinctual. Wild animals dig in order to find water. I guess humans do too, if you think about it.///
I am thankful for the nest of turkey eggs Phil found as he mowed today. He was pretty sure the mother wouldn't be back to take care of them with no grass growing around it so he rescued them and put them in a nest of grass right under the tractor seat and kept them with him the rest of the day. This evening, he ran over to the Jone's to borrow their incubator and we hope to raise the little turkeys ourselves. I am thankful that I heard Philip's truck pull in. He spent the day at Bug's Island on the water with friends. He must have been tired because he didn't come in to tell me about his day. (He did later. Had a great time.) I am thankful for Tom and Helen and their family. I can be tired. I don't have to dress up. We don't have to do anything and it is enough.
Tues.-Took Sheriff down to the river for our walk today. That puppy loves to swim! He never ceases to amaze me. He likes to drive. He likes to swim. He likes to eat cow poop, I am embarrassed to say. I say, 'No Poop!', in a very stern voice, and he runs ahead of me to get away from the shame with his ears drooping. So I say, "Good boy. No poop! That's a good boy!" and he comes by my side again, happy as can be and avoids the piles of poop thereafter. I worked in the old house Pig Roast room for an hour today. I have a goal to work over in the old house for 1/2 hour day until it is all organized. That is my goal for this year. One of them, anyway. Susan and I went out to town and ran some errands. We stopped in to drop Adi and Emma's shoes off and Lindsay fed us rice and bean tortilla's which was great because we were getting hungry and we still had a few more hours to go. In the evening, Susan made some watermelon smoothies. She blended watermelon and then added ice cubes and blended it again. Refreshing and filling. Philip checked on Cynthia L. via phone while we were around. She had split her jaw open at Bug's Island yesterday and got at least 9 stitches I believe. She sounded good. I am working on washing more summer clothes. Susan bought some shirts today. We split the cost 50/50 this time around. It's time to take Sheriff for a drive on the gator. Maybe we can find Phil on his tractor somewhere.///I am thankful that Makenzie is going to be closer this summer than originally thought. Her dad will be working in Danville. I am thankful that Susan gets tired of shopping about the same time I do. I am thankful for the sweet note of encouragement I received from the sweet daughter of my soul. It was just what I needed. I love her so.
Wed.-Went out to Loy's and visited with Doreen and Graham. What a beautiful farm and vineyard they have. Came home for a short time and left at 3 to go out to church. Susan helped decorate the youth building for the graduation ceremony. I met a new younger friend at Country Cookin' and 2 1/2 hours just sped by and we were both happy when we left. After running a few errands I shared the excitement of a new marriage, a new life, and new beginnings with some folks in the youth building. Got to bed late and couldn't sleep.///I am thankful for the opportunity to watch God redeem a sorrowful situation. I know He will. I am thankful that the little birdies living in my shoe on the back porch are so big that any day now, they will be tumbling out of their nest. I am thankful that I found some yard toys at the dollar store so I didn't have to go into Walmart.
Thurs.-Day at home! By the time I took a walk to the river, it was hot. Worked for 1 1/4 hour in the old house. Did some wash and fulfilled insurance on-line educational requirements. I put big blocks of ice in the dogs water dish and they insist on digging it out and letting it melt on the dirt. ///I am thankful that Makenzie and her family will be closer than Kentucky this summer. I am thankful that Susan knows how to mow with the big mower. I am thankful that it was Isaac who got into the horrible smelling stuff and not Sheriff. I am thankful that I am about to take two little puppies on their gator ride. I am thankful that Sheriff likes watermelon.
Fri.-Went to Joanne Fabric with Alli, Erin, and Susan. Met Lynn and Makenzie there. Makenzie is staying with us for a few days. Alli, Erin, and Susan found sundress patterns and material. Then we went to Sweet Frog and ate frozen yogurt. I got chocolate, coffee, and cappuccino. Amazing! When we came home, we cut out Erin's dress. It is green and has golden elephants on it. Looks very Thai. Alli went back home to wash her rental car and exchange it for her red car which had been side swiped a few months ago and is now fixed up. Erin and Philip went to the Benson's for a pond party. We used to make rafts and row boats. Now they have jet ski's which make me a bit nervous. 'Fun' gets more daring with each generation. Makenzie and Susan watched '17 Again' which has a few good points and I made them some popcorn and enjoyed part of the movie with them and talked with Janelle on the phone. Phil is out making hay.///I am thankful that I am going to start getting ready for bed and its not 8 yet. I am thankful that the girls want to learn how to sew. I am thankful for Ezekiel bread, soy cheese, guacamole, onions, tomatoes, spinach, and peppers and the wonderful sandwich they make when grilled together in a waffle maker machine that's been sprayed with olive oil.
Sat.-Slept in today. When I woke up, Phil was in bed too. He said, "I bet its 7:30." I said,"No, it's 8:12." "It is?!" he exclaimed. "I don't know if I can make it to Sunday School." "This is Saturday," I said. "It is?" he asked with surprise. "Yes, and besides, our last Sunday School class was last week." Phil and Philip made all of us sausage and eggs for breakfast. Makenzie and Susan weeded the flower bed out front and then went to cool off in the river. Alli and Freeman came over. Freeman weed whacked and power washed the porch to get it ready for staining. Alli and I cut out her pretty pink eyelet sundress and its pink lining and Freeman finished his work soon after we were finished. Phil ran down with the four wheeler to get the girls who were sitting in the river and we all raced around and got ready to go to Calvary Chapel for Cynthia L's and Becky G's Graduation ceremony. It was a moving service and Marv's teaching from Timothy directed to the two young ladies was a strong and gentle reminder for all of us to live well with the call, authority, and vision of God. My highlight was Ms. Fisher's hug. Oh, I miss her and her warm loving ways. She said that I am the sweetest person she knows and she was bragging about me to others around her as I was bragging about her. It's nice to be bragged on once in awhile. We visited for awhile and then came home and started our work day all over again. Makenzie vacuumed. Susan took care of garbage and trash. I washed the floor and worked some more in the old house. Then Susan and Makenzie burned all of the boxes I had accumulated on the old house porch and made quite a large fire. Susan and Makenzie were screaming outside and here a black snake bit Susan and they were rather excited about it as most of us would be. They came in to watch 'The Ringer' and I washed several more loads of wash and took a walk and took Sheriff for a gator ride. Phil and Philip worked in the fields and Philip went to visit with Erik at his place for supper. ///I am thankful that Rosie has the same idea to go up to Pa to visit her parents a week out of every two months just as I want to. Her parents live not 5 min. away from my mother. We'll take my car because she has a car available to her up there. She loves to drive and that would be a relief to me. We are so excited about this arrangement. I am thankful for the reminder today to not neglect old friendships even as we cultivate new ones. I am thankful for calm deep teaching and sweet unhurried fellowship. I am thankful for the energy to work and to organize the old house. It is proof that I am feeling better. I am thankful for the opportunity to see Christy getting around on her crutches. I am so glad she is doing well and recovering nicely from her four wheeling accident and hip surgery. I am thankful for the book I finished reading this morning, "The God I Love" by Joni Eareckson Tada. I love when someone is real about their struggle with questions about God and what He allows. This book has some hard earned answers that helped me settle some things in my soul. For the time being anyway. I also recently read "A Severe Mercy" by Sheldon Vanauken. I read it at least once a decade. He taught at Lynchburg College. I would highly recommend both books for book club and personal reading. If you are looking for an intellectual challenge, read 'A Severe Mercy.' It will stretch your mind, soul, and spirit. Joni's book will help ease the stretching pains in your life.
Sun.-Overslept but got to church on time. We need to get the Pig Roast invitations out to everyone. Tim consented to sing at the Pig Roast today. He does an Elvis impersonation and we are hoping he will do it for us that day. Church was sweet and good and deep. I applied some parts of the sermon as a post script to a blog I wrote yesterday about 'Season for Fruit.' The other part of the sermon had to do with the anointing of God in our lives. We need the breath of God poured out on our lives and we need to be engaged with that anointing. We need to DO something with it. And as we do something with the anointing we will become established in our identity as the Bride of Christ. And when we are anointed, engaged in the anointing and acting on the gifts and calling that God has imparted to us, we will begin to walk in the authority we have as the Bride of Christ. And that affects the harvest. We will be witnesses of Him in our daily lives. And as we are witnesses of Him, we will in turn be a witness of the things He can do. Signs and wonders will follow those who believe.
After church, we had Susan's missions meeting. I am so excited about her upcoming trip to New York City. Then Philip treated us to Pizza Hut and we came home and Phil and I slept and Philip took the girls fishing and when I woke up, Erin was here, and everyone was watching, "The Night at the Museum." I made some popcorn and an Israeli rice dish. The kids played a card game after the movie and then watched another movie. They banned me from watching since I can't handle 'scary' so I am back here writing. It is after 9 but I must go out and visit Sheriff for a little bit.///I am thankful that Michael went to a little Mennonite Church 5 min. away down from his street in Winchester. I am thankful for a day to completely relax. I am thankful for a little puppy who loves me more than he loves any other thing in the whole wide world.
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