Hold That Thought

Have you ever gone through a period of time when you felt like you were standing still...no forward motion? Like the Universe had pressed some mondo HOLD PLEASE button?

Yeah. Me, too.

I'm currently in limbo with my life, so I'm feeling like an expert in this matter. I will be here to help out as long as I am needed, and that's as it should be. But it means delaying gratification in so many ways. And we all know I hate to wait!

To deal with any related stress, I'm focusing my psychic energy on my happy place: THE BEACH. I've changed my avatar on Facebook to my Shells and Waves beach scene, which was snapped a few years ago on Litchfield Beach, in the Pawleys Island area of South Carolina.

And, I'm using this Litchfield Beach Resort coffee mug in the mornings. It's huge...requiring 2 packets of sweetener for the 16 ounce capacity, but it's a tactile and visual cue.

The problem with super-sizing your coffee is that it gets cold before you reach The End. And for me to say coffee is too cold is the same as saying something is too salty! Oh well, I'll just have to deal with it, right?

And, of course, that's the answer: deal with it. Find a way to go over, under, around, or through your problem...or, learn to live with it. Make adjustments. As someone recently posted in response to a Facebook friend's empty-nester angst: "put on your big girl panties and deal with it." Ahem!

So, here I am with my big girl panties on, sipping lukecool (that was Missy M's word as a child...we've used it ever since...:) coffee from a big Beach scene mug...dealing with it. (Now that's probably more than you wanted to picture at this time, right? No worries; I also have my gardening duds on too, silly geese...)

One thing I have learned is that in dealing with anything, it certainly helps to spread the wealth, so to speak. And that would be why I'm here with Daughter With The Broken Foot and the Dog Pack while Mr. T is spending his Father's Day weekend at home.

Remember a while back when I posted about getting new countertops? About how I have wanted to replace the ugliest Formica countertops in the USA with granite since we first set eyes on this house a little over three years ago? Did I also tell you how we had arranged for thr project, signed the papers, and chosen a Brazilian stone called White Spring, which is mainly white with black and burgundy-red veins throughout...which matched the dark cherry-stained (maple) cabinets and also lightened up a rather gloomy kitchen? I may have posted all of that on Facebook...or possibly just forgot to mention it here when all that happened.

Anyway...

They are installing those beautiful granite countertops as I type this post. Mr. T is leading the charge on this one...and I have to say it's the best experience I've had with home improvement...ever!

I sit in another state, sipping ever-cooling coffee, and occasionally stepping-and-fetching for either Daughter or a Dog, while the washer and dryer do their things respectively...and he deals with the noise and the dust and the challenge of having a team of installers in your home for a day. Oh yeah, I'm loving it, to quote Mickey D.

[Funny aside: We wanted a new faucet for the kitchen sink (although we are reusing the faucet on the bar sink). I had already selected new undermount sinks from a catalog at HD, and they were in the hands of the installers via the templater who had come out to measure. Well, it was crunch-time last week, and still no faucet.

I had looked online at seemingly thousands...but I was feeling a little gun-shy about making the purchase online without knowing whether it would fit properly (I had done this once before, 3 years ago after the home inspector found the old faucet was leaking, and we made "repairing or replacing" a contingency. I bought one online while we were still in MO, but the plumber for the sellers said "that one won't fit; I'll just fix the old one." End of sentence.) So that meant actually having to go into a store and select this one. Arrgh! Like I can just zip on over to the local HD. Not presently.

So, that To Do moved onto Mr. T's list. And he made several stops this past work week to scope out the selections, take photos for my benefit...and buy the thing. He was in an HD in Pennsylvania, and he runs into a couple in the faucet aisle (if there is such a thing, HD would have one...:). While chatting with them, he tells them what he's there to buy. And the Wife asks: "is your wife OK with you selecting and buying a faucet?"

OK? H3ll, I'm ecstatic! Over the moon!! Thrilled!!! I can give him a list of my requirements (high-arched faucet, pull-out attached sprayer, stainless, with soap dispenser; plus a separate heated water dispenser), and he can handle the hundreds of options that just befuddle and confuse both me and the issue. We make a great team!]

Back to the present...and a hot mug of coffee.

As I write this post, I am getting regular text updates from HPNC, complete with photos. It's almost like I'm watching a really good episode of This Old House...only the house isn't all that old...:). But when it's all said and done, it will be all ours!

Maybe I'll make that my new happy place. My own kitchen! Hold that thought...

=========UPDATE!========>

The installers are finished with the countertops! Now, I know there's still a way to go before we can put a The End on this adventure...i.e., installing the faucets; wiring and installing the undercabinet lighting; and installing the subway tile backsplash...you didn't think it would end with new countertops, did you? But, I wanted to share with you the "ta da" photos of the breakfast peninsula and the kitchen counter that Mr. T just messaged me:

Oh yes...my new happy place indeed!

Summer Reading

I love a good book, don't you? And what better time to read than Summer? A cold glass of iced tea...lotsa lemon...and a slice of this warm banana bread I just took outta the oven (recipe below). It's still pleasant enough to park myself under the umbrella at the table on Missy M's deck, where I can enjoy all those container gardens I planted last week...and still be accessible to her if she needs anything. Her wifi is strong enough to give good service, even outside, so my iPad and I are connected...know what I mean?

Of course, I used to swear that I'd NEVER read an ebook. No. It had to be hardback or paperback, or nothing! Not even a papyrus scroll was considered good enough to qualify as a "real" book in my book.

Well...it all happened so gradually, you know.

First I started with audiobooks. I detest any long drive by myself, and the drives I was making to and from Atlanta for work were l-o-n-g. So, I borrowed from the library one or two classic Agatha Christie mysteries, on CDs, read by favs David Suchet and Hugh Frasier (the definitive Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings, in the TV versions of Poirot, respectively...in my humble opinion). And, then I fell down the rabbit hole, I suppose.

When I got an iPod, I began to download new audiobooks as well as classics. And when I got my iPad, well it was just one small step to downloading ebooks. Of course, by this time, it wasn't about listening to books while driving. It was all about easy access...whenever and wherever...and there has been no turning back.

Now, don't get me wrong. I haven't abandoned "real" books. Since I've been at Missy M's, I have ordered two large boxes of books, delivered to our front door by a very overworked UPS person (he has also had to deliver our dog food, which comes in 40-pound bags...:) and M's quilting and knitting orders...which seem to arrive every other day like clockwork. Here's the evidence:

Most of these books are gardening-related, I must admit. And I will be reviewing several of them over on my gardening-related blog in the next post. I have downloaded gardening ebooks, but I find them to be few-and-far between, shall we say? Gardeners as a group are not known to be early...or even mid-to-late...adopters of new technology. So publishers don't seem to be in a real rush to get gardening titles on their ebook lists.

Two of my favorite fiction authors have hit those lists lately, though: Margaret Maron and P.D. James. And I have followed up on recent e-mails about their e-book titles with e-nthusiasm. Ahem.

Via ebooks, I have caught up with Maron's fictional Lieutenant Sigrid Harald, NYPD series, and I am working my way through James' series starring Adam Dalgleish, rereading many but this time in series-order. I have downloaded and utilized the free Nook reader ap from Barnes and Noble, as I like it a little better than the iPad's iBook reader (although I like the way iBook allows me to organize my bookshelf).

And just as I am about to get weary of London (where the current James' book is set), I came across the Summer of 2012 Reading List from Deep South magazine:

http://deepsouthmag.com/2012/05/2012-summer-reading-list/#comment-7223

Hooboy howdy. Where in the world do I begin?! I was instantly attracted to several of the authors (John Grisham and Dorothea Benton Franks, to name a couple), and I feel a strong pull to read the book about Helen Keller, whose biography I read as a child...although it now appears that not everything was mentioned in that version.

A couple of the selections mention that they are second or more in a series...and I am tempted to locate the first books before I read them. I like reading things in order, don't you? Of course, that just means the list just got longer.

So, how will I decide? Believe it or not, it will probably be "which one(s) can I get as an ebook/download?" I'm sorta in neutral at the moment, not able to hop in the car on a whim and head to the bookstore. And I don't have a library card locally, so I can't reserve and checkout any of the listed titles while still here in KY.

Decisions, decisions.

As I am currently using my Shells & Waves avatar on Facebook...and concentrating on the beach when needing to relax and go to my happy place...and looking so forward to our SC beach vacation later this summer...I think my first read from the Summer Reading List will be...

Dorothea Benton Franks' Porch Lights, which just came out a couple of days ago. Believe it or not, I've just purchased it, downloaded it into my Nook Library, and sneaked a peak at the first few pages.

I "discovered" DBF one summer vacation in Litchfield, SC...read all her books to that date in one week, and even got an autographed copy of her Pawleys Island book at the local bookstore. She really brings the Low Country alive! And since that is one of my favorite places on Earth, why not be transported there in words and story?

Now, let me see if Commander Dalgleish can get these two murders in the Little Vestry solved, so I can pack my figurative bags and hop a literary flight outta Heathrow...and touch down in Charleston, near my destination of Sullivan's Island. I can almost hear the sea gulls calling, can't you?

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Thursday's Banana Bread

3-4 over-ripened bananas, mashed
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup oil
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup nuts, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with Pam. Set aside.
2. Mix together the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar and mix well.
3. Sift together the dry ingredients. Add to the wet ingredients. Stir batter until moistened. Stir in nuts. Do not overbeat.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan. Place in oven on middle rack. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, tenting the top of the loaf with foil during the last 20 minutes to prevent overbrowning. Test for doneness.
5. Remove to cooling rack to cool before slicing. Enjoy warm or cold, with butter or softened cream cheese!

And the Answer Is..

The toilet broke. Of course, it's now considered all my fault because I laughed in fate's face in that last post and asked "what's the next thing that's going to happen around here?" Now we know...

Fortunately, Mr. T had kept the business card of the guy who had installed the new hot water heater "just in case." So see...being prepared for whatever is going to happen next IS a good idea, right? Not that we could have imagined needing a plumber again so soon...but regardless, we were ready.

Missy M is currently holed up in the guest room (aka: my bedroom), propped up with multiple pillows, keeping her foot elevated per Dr's orders, and securing her two dogs. I managed to herd my three houndz out the back door and lock the doggie door when I saw the utility van backing into her driveway at 7:58. The plumber had said "between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m.", but I knew I had to be ready before that. I set my alarm for 6:45 so I could be showered and dressed early...and so I could have the dogs fed. Unfortunately, my first cup of coffee was only halfway finished when I saw them arriving. Sigh.

Can you count it as your second cup if you never had a chance to finish the first? Ahem.

Anyway...

Just to prove to you that we are making some positive progress around here, let me show you a picture of the brand, spanking new central AC unit. Ta da!

She's a beaut...and after a little hitch on Day Two that can only be attributed to a poltergeist in the basement (don't ask...do not even ask...:), she's humming along like a dream.

Ok. Time to release the houndz! Less than an hour into the house call, and the diagnosis has been made and the surgery performed on the wax ring of the toilet. Don't know what that is? Don't ask! It's done...write the check...and try to get the house back to normal. Whatever the heck that is these days.

"Normal" is normally difficult to achieve, especially when so many things are going awry. But I have latched onto my lifeline, here just like at home, and my answer is: a garden. Missy M has the nicest area on the east side of her house...all fenced and protected...that we call her Secret Garden. And there, you will find two lovely raised beds, one 8 x 4, the second 8 x 5. She had drawn up her planting plan for 2012...and then she fell, of course. Well, I took her fabulous plan...and tried my best to bring it to life.

The Right Garden, which Mr. T prepped a couple of weekends ago, is, in general, tomatoes and peppers...with onions, carrots, basil...and four watermelons at the very end, so they can run toward the fence. I got it planted last week, and things are growing right along.

The Left Garden needed a bit more prep work, which Mr. T did this past weekend, and it is now hosting strawberries, squash, cucumbers, eggplants, melons...and the tuteur that her Daddy built for her a few years ago. It will support the pole beans planted at its base...Kentucky Wonder, of course. There are also bush beans next to the strawberry bed. I put the final seeds in the ground as the sun went down on Sunday. And per plan, there are marigolds everywhere.

See what you think...the first picture is of the planted Right Garden; the middle pic is showing the Left Garden au naturel with the planted Right Garden in the background; and the last shot is of the planted Left Garden.

Everybody say "ahhhhh..."

OK. Back to the present. Now that we've settled down a bit, I have begun making a pasta salad. Since I got the plants in containers a week or so ago, Missy M's cherry tomatoes are producing up a storm here on her deck. I've been harvesting the ripe ones, two or three each day, and I now have enough to work with.

I have a Pasta Salad recipe I really like that I got from a Mount Carmel Auxiliary cookbook, when I worked in Columbus, OH. How many years ago was that, you ask? Let's see...I worked at Mt. Carmel '91-'93. Wow! Nearly 20 years I've been using this recipe! Amazing!!

Anyway...again...

I did my best on the recipe...more or less from memory, and using what I had on hand and from the gardens. One of the banana peppers came with a pepper already on it, so I harvested it. And, I raided the Salad Garden (which is on the west side of the house, nearer the kitchen door) for fresh oregano and basil, since Missy M had already gotten her herbs, salad greens, carrots, and onions in before The Fall.

The question now is...what should I do while the Pasta Salad is chilling? Missy M is back in bed, enjoying a needed rest on fresh linens. The dogs are all, more or less, napping...in between barking at noises that might mean a return of the plumbers. Should I go pull weeds in the garden, or do a load of clothes in the basement...or, (as our pediatrician told me long, long ago) "sleep when the baby sleeps."

And the answer is...

☺


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More-or-Less Mount Carmel Pasta Salad

1/2 box Penne Rigate pasta, prepared per box instructions
Packet of Italian Dressing mix, prepared (or 1 cup bottled dressing)
Fresh oregano
Fresh basil
1 pint cherry tomatoes (more or less), sliced in half
1/4 large onion, finely diced
1/4 large green pepper, finely diced
1 hot banana pepper, finely diced (opt.)
1 small can sliced black olives, drained
4-5 small carrots, finely diced
Fresh broccoli, steamed and washed with cool water
1/2 package turkey pepperoni, quartered rounds
4 oz. provolone cheese, small cubes
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup Dijon mustard, more or less (I like more...you may prefer less...:)
Fresh ground pepper to taste

1. Prepare pasta per package directions. Drain, then wash under cold water to cool.
2. Prepare Italian dressing per package instructions, adding as much fresh oregano and fresh basil as you like.
3. In a large bowl, combine all other ingredients. Add cooled pasta, Italian dressing, mayo, and Dijon mustard.
4. After mixing thoroughly, chill for several hours.
5. If a bit dry (since the pasta will absorb the dressings), add more dressing(s) to taste. Enjoy!

Little Black Raincloud

What's next?

Officially I have been banned from asking that question, but seriously... what's the next storm on our horizon? I need to ask so that I can be prepared. As if...

To recap: I was just getting to where I didn't cry at every passing thought of Momma when I took that unplanned shortcut down the stairs in January. Finally, finally...come mid-May, and I was feeling much better and on top of both my back problems and my positional vertigo nemesis. Getting back in my garden brought joy to my sore soul. Hooray! Then...

Missy M fell and broke her foot and possibly damaged the tendon, putting her on crutches and out of commission for a minimum of 6-8 weeks. So we throw a few things in the Endeavor...including the 3 dogs...and head to KY for the duration. Well, the dogs and I are here for the long-haul; Mr. T has to keep the pedal to the metal, driving back and forth, to and fro, hither and yon.

And then...

Major rainstorm gathered and dumped gallons of water...flowing right into her basement. Two dehumidifiers, a rather large squeegee, and a box fan eventually helped handle that problem.

And then...

The hot water heater here gave up the ghost. Lots of research via the Internet pointed us in the right direction, but Mr. T still had to go to Lowe's to purchase and sign the forms. It seems that Jefferson County is one of the few places on Earth that requires a permit to install a hot water heater, broken foot or not. Sigh.

OK. So got that taken care of. New one installed last Monday. Ain't she a beaut? And churning out lots of lovely hot water. Ahhhh...

And then...

The central AC stopped conditioning any air. Of course this happened on a very warm day...and Missy M is uncomfortable enough dealing with that heavy (warm) cast. Thank goodness, she had two window units from Bro T and SIL LaD stored in her basement. Yea, Bro T!!! Mr. T installed these jewels before he left, and the weather cooperated by turning a tad cooler.

And then...

Gus got sick. He's probably the oldest of the 5 dogs...possibly nearing 14 or 15; not sure of his age when we adopted him 9 years ago yesterday. He has severe arthritis and congestive heart problems, but he keeps on keeping on. But then he kept on throwing up. For a whole day. Possibly a bad stomach reaction to his meds? Not sure, but he seems better now. Still, Missy M was trying to care for him while I was out getting her prescription refilled when she took a tumble off her crutches and onto the floor. She's OK...a bit battered for her efforts...and permanently banned from helping again.

And then...

Duche$$ got sick. She's got more of those cysts that she's had surgery for in the past...and of course, one has opened. Got her on antibiotics. Fingers crossed.

And then...

The guy who came out yesterday to repair the AC says the fan motor is shot ($750...for the second time in 5 years), and she's probably better off buying a whole new central unit. He's sending an estimator to check it out and give us the bad news today.

Any bets on what happens next? It's a bright and shiny...and warm...day here in Derby Town, but is that little black Raincloud still hovering above? We shall see.

[Thank you for allowing me to vent. I know that these are not major problems, only life's little annoyances...well, except for Missy M's foot...and we will deal with them, each in its own fashion. I just needed to capture all that was happening, because we'll need a good laugh in the future...:)]

If It Ain't Broke...

Oh, but it IS broken. Took Missy M to the foot doc yesterday, and he confirmed what was suspected on her trip to the ER last Sunday: her right foot is broken. He told her "6 to 8 weeks" for the bone to heal...and because he's concerned about the tendon on the outside of her foot, he ordered a full cast...toes to just under her knee...as you can see in the picture...not the walking boot she'd hoped for. So, no weight on the foot yet, which means she's still on crutches. And no driving, which means I'm her new best friend.

Also, he tried to tell her "no work," at least until after her next appointment on June 7th...tried to get her to accept the written excuse so generously offered. Of course, she's genetically predisposed to thinking she can do anything she puts her mind to (now, where could that have come from?), so she blew that suggestion off (as well as any concerns her new BFF shared...:), and we headed her car to The Big White House (KFC's headquarters...in the picture below, along with the Colonel...:). She had to be in a meeting.

Now, don't get me wrong. She's a whiz on these crutches. I honestly don't know how she manages them so well. But, between the steps in the front of the building and general accessibility issues (you cannot just drive up to the front door and hop outta the car), and the heavy backpack (with her computer, etc.) she was carrying, and the extended period of having to sit and contribute coherently (read that: w/o enough pain medication) without having her foot properly elevated...well, maybe that doctor (and her BFF and Mom) weren't so wrong after all. Her director told her "to work from home as much as possible," and she ended up wagging home another pack of stuff to support that suggestion. By the time she got in her house, she was beyond exhausted...and more than ready for a rest.

So, it looks like I'm going to be Driving Miss Maredith for the next few weeks. And running the errands...in an unfamiliar city. I got lost twice yesterday going to the Super Target to pick up her new prescription and get our groceries...and I had the GPS map to get me there. This should be interesting.

Mr. T, on the other hand, is traveling further afield. He had to make a work-related dash back to NC on Wednesday so he could be in Charlotte on Thursday. Not all bad, though, as he is checking on our house, watering the garden, etc. He emailed me that fab picture of the first blooms of the year on the Buddleja 'Black Knight' butterfly bush in our back yard and this wonderful shot of the Kitchen Garden...looking toward the house...where you can see the beans and tomatoes in full-growth mode. Does my heart so much good! I wonder if that early Early Girl tomato will ripen while I'm away?

Meanwhile, he's picking up a few necessities we left behind in our rush to get on the road on Monday. He'll probably make more such down-and-backs between now and ...? West Virginia should be pleased, as their toll receipts will show an increase over the next month or so.

As I said, this should be interesting.

The Merrie Month of May

My goodness...it's the third week of May already? I started this post on the 16th...but here it is the wee hours of the 23rd before I am finally finishing it. We're just zipping right along through 2012, aren't we? Well, maybe limping along might be a better description for this year. More on that in a minute.

Yes, our Adventures have had some limitations this year...and the great casualty of the evil-twin combo of my back issues and positional vertigo has been any ability to make plans and follow through on commitments. Still, we are trying to do things we enjoy...whenever we can.

One particular thing we have enjoyed is getting our baseball fix by going to Greensboro Grasshoppers games. It's great!! Lots of fun...especially with the mascot, Miss Babe Ruth...shown in the picture below, acting as batgirl...:) And so very convenient, too!

Let's compare...

A Braves game in Atlanta? Drive for 5+ hours to get there (to the general area.) Spend the night. Drive an hour or more to get to a prepaid ($12) parking space that's still 1/4 mile from Turner Field...with more steps to go to arrive at your seat. Enjoy the game...but know that you have to reverse the process to get home...happy, but exhausted...and a good bit lighter in the wallet.

A 'Hoppers game? Leave home 30-45 minutes before game time (depending on whether you need to make any stops along the route). Easy drive down Wendover to Market to downtown Greensboro. Pay $4 to park a block away in the Grace UMC parking lot. Leisurely stroll to NewBridge Bank Park and arrive at our seats behind home plate with plenty of time to spare before the National Anthem. Enjoy the game...and usually fireworks...knowing that you will be sleeping in your own bed tonight...with dollars to spare.

OK, so maybe the calibre of play isn't as great, but the enjoyment factor is far greater in Greensboro. And I find I'm liking the Braves on our big screen TV just dandy...:). Ahem.

Anyway...back to not being able to make plans and keep commitments. I had made plans to attend the state conference of the North Carolina Master Gardener Volunteer Association this week in Asheville. Had even volunteered to help with registration...way back last Fall when I first signed up for it, and before I took that shortcut down the stairs in January. Who knew the Winter and early Spring would be so difficult? Not I.

So I reluctantly cancelled my plans for Asheville for this week because I realized it probably wasn't prudent for me to make that trip alone, much less sit for 4 hours at the Registration Table. Then we had to cancel our plans for Memorial Day/Anniversary in Atlanta because our dog sitter would be at the beach when we were to have been at the Braves. Sigh.

'All things happen for a reason,' "they" say. Of course, "they" are usually right, aren't "they?"

After a real pace-setter weekend, when we had worked like stevedores on our new Rose Garden in the Way Back...and even taking a timeout on Saturday night for a 'Hoppers game and fireworks...we were cleaning up the remains of our hamburgers-on-the-grill-&-veggies-from-the-garden Sunday supper when a call came through on my iPad. "Never a good sign when it rings after nine." That's something else "they" say.

"Mom, I think I may have sprained my ankle," said Missy M. Through the wonders of technology, she flipped the camera and showed me her swollen right foot, and I knew she was probably underestimating the damage.

Seems she had taken her dogs with her on her supper-run to Wendy's. When they got back home, Ella Rae...her little part-dachshund, part-gazelle...made a dash out of the car, still wearing her leash. Missy M gave chase, even though flip flops would not be classified as track shoes in any catalog. She stepped on the wrist-handle of the leash, rolled her foot, lost her balance...and wound up driving herself to the ER shortly after our chat.

Long story short: xrays showed avulsion fracture of the fifth metatarsal with the ankle sprain. Temporary stirrup cast, until she sees the specialist on Thursday. Currently on crutches...and dire warnings about "no weight on that foot." In short, she was in a bit of a pickle. Here's a picture she took in the ER of said pickle.

And so, that's how we found ourselves...with all our dogs (no sitter, remember?)...in Louisville. We drove up Monday after packing in record time. I harvested as much of the garden greens (photo below) as I could before we headed the car toward the mountains and the Parkway.

We aren't certain how long we will be here to help. Mr. T may even have to make another round trip there-and-back before all is said and done, probably sooner rather than later.

Still, it feels good to be able to keep a commitment. One that we made when we became parents 30+ years ago.

===================
Bear with me. I'm posting on my iPad with all its limitations re: attaching/sizing/captioning photos. I have loads of great pics of the new roses blooming in the new Rose Garden...and I'll post them when I get back to my trusty ol' Toshiba. Promise.

Walking in Sunshine

Yesterday was a special day for Mr. T and me.  We headed the car down Westchester Drive to Hospice Home of High Point to attend the Dedication Ceremony for the 74 newest additions to their Tribute Brick Walkway...one of which has Momma's name on it.

To be honest, I had mixed emotions about going.  It was a beautiful afternoon...abundant sunshine with Carolina blue skies, mid-70's with low humidity...you couldn't ask for more perfect weather for an outdoor function.  But, I still have a difficult time in making that drive, even after 10 months...and even after some "practice" in the past few weeks.  My neurologist's office is in the building across the street from the Hospice Home entrance, and I feel this heavy weight on my shoulders whenever I've had to keep an appointment with him.  Well, heavier than if I was just bothered by having to keep an appointment with a neurologist about my back, shall we say?

Anyway, I could feel the lump coming into my throat as we pulled into the parking lot.  Now, where is my little purse pack of tissues when I need it?

We were met by a staff person carrying a basket of daisies, and we each took one.  Then we joined the small crowd gathered at the beginning of the walk, located to the right of the front entrance to the building.  Thom Gill, the talented volunteer who played guitar and sang softly in the center of the facility (where the two main halls intersect), was playing and singing...and I was so happy to see him again.  We greeted the sweet, gentle chaplain, who was there to give the Invocation, the Rev. Jeanette Robertson, and she remembered visiting Momma when I pointed out the window to "her" room.  It made me feel surrounded by love again.

We could see a daisy here-and-there, that a loved one had tucked in the join on a tribute brick in the path...but I really didn't begin to look for Momma's name until we were inside the walled Serenity Garden, which is located at the end of the path and just outside of the Chapel.  Somehow, I just knew her brick would be in there.  And...it was.  As I posted to Facebook when I checked in, "Momma's brick is front-and-center in the garden.  She'd be pleased."

And I do believe she would be.