New Blog

Announcing - just what I need - another blog.  I am going to periodically write what we are making for dinner.   Go over to take a look at It's Not Dog Food..

I loved the line in the Julie & Julia movie, "I can blog.  I have thoughts."  It takes a lot more than thoughts, Julie, it takes discipline.  Something you found and I've lost.  A maelstrom of events has sucked me down, absorbing energy that previously might have gone into a blog or two.  Life is moving quickly and changing, all for the good but also difficult.

Big winds blow through my household, reorganizing as it does every year, our schedule for the coming year.  This year, Lauren will be off on her own at college.  It is the exact right college for her, and she is very much looking forward to it.  Anna will be returning, having spent five weeks away at the Governor's Scholar Program.   William grows older, requiring more structure.  I have much to do to be ready for this fall.

My foot surgery has hampered my normal "step aside, I'll just do it" attitude.  I have had to sit and let be.  I have had to let go.  I am ready to get back to work, but my foot says no.  And somehow, my lack of physical ability diminishes my thoughts, as if I must literally think on my feet.  I expected by now to be pain free and though wearing an ugly surgical shoe, back to nearly normal.  I guess my expectations were out of line.

Notes:
I have written about the two inbred idiot chickens that went broody and sat on imaginary eggs.  We tried integrating them into the large coop to keep them from sitting on (and pooping on) our good hay in the barn.  Lacking in intelligence, one expired due to heat exhaustion and not getting up to eat or drink anything, lest her imaginary eggs go unprotected.  The other, a black hen, was rescued by Lauren yesterday who thought she was headed  for a similar fate.  Lauren took her from the big coop and put her in a cage, where she ate and drank a lot.  Old grandma farmers were smarter than we hobby farmers.  This chicken should definitely be in the stew pot.

I miss my horses.  I suppose, now that the heat has broken somewhat, I could groom them in the cross-ties, but I must stay away from the miniature horses.  One misstep, and their little hooves on my bad foot could spell disaster.

A good part of this summer was spent preparing for Lauren's big graduation piano recital.  Surrounded by friends and relatives, it was wonderful.  It kicked off the 32nd Annual University of Louisville Suzuki Piano Institute, which took place all of last week.  I don't know how watching my kids take classes all day can be so exhausting, but it was.

Blah

The longer I don't write, the harder it is to get back to it, but I'm going to try.  I've been away having surgery on my foot.  I was sure I'd be up and walking two days post-op, as the doctor said that I could walk almost immediately on my heel after.  What he didn't tell me is that it would feel like glass shards were embedded  in my skin and that the foot would swell like a hot air balloon.

The timing for the surgery could not be worse:  Lauren will be performing a 45 minute piano recital Monday night, and there is much to do to prepare, and wonderfully, many people coming to visit.  Still, there was no other time to do the surgery - I couldn't walk well anymore and Lauren, my spare driver, is off to college soon.  I intend to be a vibrant old person, and must prepare while I'm still "young".

So here I sit, with a shoe that looks like a 90 year old man's Velcro shoe.  It will go marvelously with my dress, a new fashion statement.  Not to complain or anything.  I'm surrounded by wonderful friends and loving family.


Notes:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Lauren!  As I have told you, you have far exceeded any expectations a parent could ever have for a child.  I am proud to be your mom.  I can't imagine daily life without you here, but I'm so happy you have such purpose, direction and love for what you do.  I look forward to seeing how the next phase of your life unfolds.

At the Top of the World

I was beginning to think God was warning us away from our visit to Kentucky's Natural Bridge State Park.  Before the trip even began, my dad called me at 8 a.m. to tell me that all the trails were closed.  The first bear attack that anyone can remember ever happening in Kentucky had occurred during the week we were going to be there.

Still, we persisted, for the trip was planned around going to a reptile zoo nearby.  My nephew loves snakes, and the zoo is the sideline of a business that milks venomous snakes for research purposes..  On arriving, we found that though the rest of the place was open, there would be no extraction today.  The man who did this dangerous task had been bitten and was still recovering.  We saw him, and his red, puffy hand.  And that this maybe wasn't a one time event as he was missing parts of fingers.

We did find that we could take the ski lift to the top of the ridge, and surprise! the park rangers would take us under the bridge and give a little talk on geology of the region.  Here you see William and I standing on the top of the Natural Bridge arch.  I asked the man if he was prepared to fight to the death to save us should a bear appeared.  He laughed and assured me (not) that he would.

My sister, nephew, Wm and I spent the days instead of hiking reading books by streams, throwing rocks, swimming and laughing as we walked in the dark along the road.  I assured the boys that if we sang, the bears would be scared off, if nothing else by my voice.  So I began, "The bear went over the mountain, the bear went over the mountain, the bear went over the mou...ou...tain!  To see what he could see!...."

As of today, the bear is still running.  I am conflicted with mentally telling him, "Run, Forest, run!" and wanting them to shoot him dead.  Which is what they will do.

Notes:
I think I might start another blog that is more serious on field trips and things to do.  'Cause I don't have enough to do.

I am having my foot operated on tomorrow.  What will they do, I am asked?  Well, to not be too gory, take it all apart, use a saw, and sew it all back together.  That's all you really want to know.  Really.

Saw a raccoon near the chicken coop, 9:30 p.m.

Had a nice ride with dh.  Last one for 3 months.