The light is changing.

And just like that July is over. Today is the last of it.

Our sunlight seems shier somehow.

My little garden is waning. 

Rain and slightly lower temps are predicted today. 

The day felt softer when I stepped onto the patio this morning to snap this pic.

This week started hot.

Yesterday Macho came home solemn. The heat is weighing him down.

Retirement is looking better and better. 

Our meetings to navigate insurance and finances make our brains heavy. Research and googling are taking up hours of my day. I believe we will have, at least, half a dozen meetings to begin to understand and make decisions about our future. 

Yet thinking about him not having to deal with the elements of weather makes my heart so much lighter. 

***

Grandchildren are preparing to start school  next week. Residual sad feelings still linger this time of year for me. I was always melancholy when ours had to go back. 

August.

Our anniversary is in August. 

Hurricanes happen in August. 

Dog days are in August.

Light changes in August.

School begins in August.

Football starts in August.

Summer fades in August.

September follows August.

It is all good.

Shalom. 

Wedding #2. Selfie weekend.

It was a bag of mixed emotions over the weekend. 

On our way to the second wedding, in as many weeks, we got news that a dear friend had died.

It hurt our hearts. 

The weekend was quick. We checked in the hotel Saturday afternoon, visited a little, then got ready and attended the rehearsal dinner.

Yacht club selfie. 

We ubered to and from the rehearsal dinner.

Sister has the app. Not us.

Sunday was wedding day. After mass we ate at a Bonefish Grill.

It was our first experience at one of these restaurants. 

Though the food was good, it wasn't exceptional. 

Our waiter was very nice. 

Wedding at 4:00. 

The chapel was precious. The reception was outside.

The heat was bearable. It could have been much worse.

And. 

It could have rained. 

Thankful for what we got. 

Selfie with Sister Steph.

Me and Sister Marsha. 

Me and Sister Mimi.

Sister Lynn, Sister Mimi, Me. 

Me and MOG, Sister Machelle. 

Me and Brother P.G. 

The happy couple in front of their get away car. 

We left before they did. 

They were very happy. The weekend was sweet and filled with family and friends that just knew these two were meant for each other.

They went to the chapel. 

They got married. 

They lived happily ever after. 

Shalom. 

Sum, sum, summer time.

We are in between weddings this week. Last weekend was lovely. Everything went smoothly. The bride and groom radiated happiness and it was reflected on to all the guests. 

The reception was total fun. Dancing for hours.

My body is almost recovered. 

I don't know why I was not on the dance floor at this moment.

Cause I stayed there most of the night. 

Selfie. 

My Mexican sunflowers are finally blooming! These are my puppies, I raised them from seed. 

Yesterday I finally spied a butterfly enjoying my flowers.

Sisters, Paulette and Stephanie, and Uncle Harry came over to spend the day. (S & H are staying with Paulette in between weddings.) We enjoyed a large taco salad for lunch and visited most of the day. The three girls enjoyed a quick card game of hearts. I was the biggest loser. It was fun.

We had heavy rain in the morning but sunshine in the afternoon. The temps were not quite as brutal yesterday, but today promises to be dangerously hot. I am thankful that Macho will be in the office most of the day. 

***

The beat goes on. I've had garden club planning to keep me busy. Retirement planning is at the forefront of our thoughts right now. We are learning the ropes. Social security and Medicare were checked off Macho's list this week. So much more to do. 

**

We are invited over to a friend's house tonight for a blessing party. They are relatively new to our community. It will be fun. 

Tomorrow we travel to the next wedding. 

Always the adventure.

Shalom. 

Unrequited intentions.

I really meant to post when I said goodbye to June. Now it is July 6 and I only have a few moments to jot my thoughts. July will prove to be almost as brake-free as June. It will go by in a fast skid.

Tuscaloosa grands came and went. We had a few fun activities, but as we all know, tweens and teens are not impressed easily. Activities included fishing, repeated science experiments, movie, 4-H "Fun" Day, small sewing lesson, skating, card playing, and cooking. The parents had not-so-fun adventures getting home, but finally late Friday they pulled up in the driveway. Parents were glad to see children, children were glad to see parents, all were happy to be in their own spaces at home at last.

Fishing with Granddaddy. 

Jurassic World. Super Carrot did not accompany us to the movies. 

Lauren requested the skating trip and she can skate well. 

Super Carrott? Reluctant skater. 

***

Macho and I made a quick trip to celebrate Cecilia's #3 birthday on Saturday. We hurried home to insure our stumps got ground up properly in the front yard. We worked and sweat for a while getting roots raked up. This project will stretch on for a while. A good lawn does not grow overnight.

Monday I left for the coast and to visit my ailing Mom. I found her very tired and somewhat frail on Monday. Tuesday she slept late and was better, but that should be qualified...she will never gain the ground back that she has lost. She was delighted to have me spend the 4th of July with her. We did not do anything exceptional, just visited and breathed. And her breathing does not come easily these days. She still does all that she was doing pre-hospital stay, only she does it a lot slower. A lot. Two months and a few days and she will be 98. I think she will make it. I can't promise 99, but I believe she will see her birthday this year.

New glasses. New hair do. 

Thursday, after a trip to the barber, I packed and drove to Beach Boy's house. We joined my two coast sisters for a nice evening meal and then drove home and did this...

The first paper lantern flew south then west with very little breeze.

The second lantern was more jiggy since a feisty little wind swirled up. It took off low and slow then flew south until it melded with the clouds and we could no longer see it. 

I am home. I am unpacked. Next week will bring information on the new chapter we are about to begin. Macho emailed his bosses this week informing them of his plan to retire on his birthday in October. Here we go! This will be a great adventure.

Shalom.