Fall softly.

Fall arrives just before 9:00 tonight. Isn't is odd how specific it can be targeted? The beginning of a season? The morning had a nice breeze that gave way to some scorching rays of sun. We were outside much of the day. We planted fall vegetable seeds. Hopefully we will be enjoying lots of green leafy things to eat in the near future. We were even talked into a variety of lettuce called 'mache'. We were told that it is the rage in Paris. La. Te. Da.

There has been sadness in our family this week. Not sure how the story will end. It has reminded me/us how much we need each other. It has weighted our hearts. I can't even write the details yet. It is so sad. I have found myself praying every moment I think of it. That is all I can do. It is enough that I do that. And send messages of love.

Yesterday I drove over to eat lunch with the Super Carrot. It was Grandparents' Day at her school. AND. It was her 7th birthday. That was fun. She told me she had a big present at home and she chose Waffle House for her birthday dinner. She is so super special.

Monthly dance tonight for our dance club. Actually dinner and a dance. We are resting up right now.
Hope your weekend is zippy.

Shalom.

98 and counting.

The queen arrived in style...complete with bubble machine in the backseat.

Sister Marsha chauffeured Mom in her convertible. The day was beautiful but hot. 

Macho doesn't give out hugs freely. So. This is a rare moment captured on film. For posterity. 

SIL got the recycle award over the weekend. She had saved these from Mom's 90th birthday party and with a slight alteration they were just the ticket for #98. 

Mom enjoyed her non-alcoholic beer with her barbecued shrimp. And. We enjoyed lots of laughs. 

She admitted that only recently has she started to feel older than 68. That was an ideal age for her.

:-)

The meal was wonderful. We sang Happy Birthday and lit a spectacular musical-twirling candle. I thought I was video taping it all. Fail. 

Mom opened her gifts. Took a little nap at the table. 

Then it was time to take our leave. 

I hope we can do this for #99, too. 

We crashed at Beach Boy's house. Millie got my phone and snapped this photo of her sister.

And she snapped this selfie with me. 

We had stopped at the Mennonite bakery on the way down. The sausage-cheese biscuits were scrumptious. 

Peyton had written me a letter and asked me to bring some white string and a needle to repair one of their toys whose arm had fallen off. 

Upon arrival at the toy hospital I discovered not one, but three toys with dangling participles. 

Legs and arms were reattached. Holes were closed. 

Everybody was happy. 

After Mass with Mom we took our leave. We grabbed a quick burger on the road and made a surprise visit with Out of Town Son and family. Cc was so busy. Alice was busy being cute.

Sister Paulette was hosting another sister and husband, so we made a quick visit in town before driving the few miles back home. 

It was good to be in my own bed last night.

***

This morning I awoke anxious. 

A good political/social phone call with Daughter cured me and I am back to normal. (Abby Normal.)

Washing clothes and dust mopping floors is the fair this afternoon. 

Count down continues. 

Less than...

Shalom y'all. 

Winding down...

Summer is not officially over. It is waning, though. Tropical Storm Gordon moved through this week and brought us much needed rain. Can you believe there are still tomatoes on my vines? Just a few. 

My little butterfly garden has had its zenith. I had butterflies aplenty, and caterpillars. The caterpillars devoured my fennel and ran away. There are still some straggler butterflies and bumble bees because the zinnias and Mexican sunflowers refuse to stop blooming. But my efforts are going to seed for the season end. 

I pick the tomatoes before they are fully ripe to avoid the war with the birds. There was a perfectly dead cicada on may patio last week, and I have kept it. Milkweed pods and Mexican sunflower seed will be dried and put up for next spring. 

One hand left. Or. One hand, left.

Either way we are in the final countdown.

Macho says it can't get here soon enough. 

He is feeling "over it". 

Kind of hard to believe they are still adding things to his plate, which will soon be someone else's plate. 

***

Yesterday and today I have had "kick off" gatherings.

Yesterday my garden club had its first meeting of the year.

One down. Seven to go. 

It went well, mostly. There are some opposing personalities at play here and I try to tread lightly.

This morning was the kick off for our First Friday Mass & Brunch. 

That went better than I had hoped. Last minute help ratcheted up and everything got done nicely.

It feels like a win. 

**

The weekend will be fluid. Our plan is "there ain't no plans". 

But. There are possibilities.

Namaste.