A Dog and a Daughter

Oscar is heading to a new and wonderful home soon. I will miss him. But I realized that I can't give him what he needs. Every time I have had to leave him, especially for an extended time, he becomes stressed and anxious and all kinds of bad behaviors ensue. But I'm past feeling sorry for him now. He's been staying with Chantel and getting all kinds of loving and consistent attention, even sleeping in Owen's bed every night. Chantel has been managing Oscar, along with her already busy life as a wife and mother and the owner of a 7 month-old lab. She's taken numerous calls about Oscar and thinks she's found the perfect home for him. I'm waiting to hear.

Chantel has been and continues to be a mother's dream of a daughter. She treats me with nothing but love and compassion no matter how stressed her life is, and she always agrees cheerfully to run any errands, bring me anything I need, visit with me at the hospital, or talk with me on the phone. She radiates love and beauty to a depth that never ceases to amaze me. I'm in awe that Heavenly Father sent her, and she agreed, to come to earth and be my girl.

Buzz, buzz, buzz

Once upon a time, again

my hair began to shed
just like cats in summertime
the mess I made, oh dread!
I flew that week from East to West
to Mama's house I went
No brush or comb I used at all
and silk scarves was I lent

When I got home I couldn't wait
to have the mess removed.
My daughter turned the clippers on;
my sanity improved.

Owen helped; his little face
it bore such concentration.
When he stopped Chantel resumed.
His look of consternation
disappeared, he laughed and shrieked,

"You look like Uncle Clayton!"

I thought I did, and maybe do
look like my youngest child,

But John and I look so alike,
as he would say, "That's wild!"
(I love ya, Bo!)
And family, thanks for the buzz party!

Christmas Time

This year I vowed that I would involve myself in as many holiday events as possible. Last year I was moving and missed almost everything. This year was a different story. I attended numerous musical events at the D.C. Visitors Center, including several choir concerts Chantel was involved in. I took my friend Kathy to see the lights. I went with the Calders to see the lights again and enjoy a barbershop quartet, and I attended two different ward Christmas parties. In addition, I made goodies for my neighbors, most of whom I barely know, but had fun leaving goodies at their doors. Christmas eve was spent at the Calders. I woke up to hear Owen, "Grammy! Wake up! It's time for stockings!" I love stocking time and always have. Once again, Chantel filled mine without my knowing it. She is an angel daughter. After breakfast we opened gifts. Later in the day, we picked up my friend Kathy and she, along with us and another family, enjoyed a ham feast complete with tablecloths and candlelight. A wonderful, lovely, Christmas day.

Beauty and Disorder

Beauty and disorder reside together very nicely in my apartment as you'll see from the pictures below. I love being able to work on projects (in this case 30 years of photos) and leave everything out indefinitely. Whenever I return from being out, everything is right where I left it.

Paint Party!!

Friends gathered on the Saturday before I moved to help me paint the apartment. As it turned out, I wasn't in very good shape so I wasn't much help. I am so thankful for this selfless act of service. My place is really beautiful. This is the only shot I could get of Mary G. She kept turning her head. But she brought a happy spirit with her while she worked. Thanks, Mary!

Chad did most of the directing.

Lori was really fast at taping off. I've always painted without the tape but I'm so glad I bought it this time. It really was an amazing time saver.

Kim, home from college. Cheerful like the rest of her family.

The finished dining room. It really isn't pink, I promise.

View from my bedroom looking toward the living room. I love how the colors turned out and how quickly the work got done. Three rooms in under four hours.

The paint "Krew" (They'll get what I mean) Chad, Kim, Kory and Lori. A great family and wonderful friends. Thank you all so much. This place has a wonderful look and feel now, thanks to all your hard work.

Trying out the Colors

Who would have thought that I'd find an apartment complex that allows its tenants to paint?!! I was THRILLED beyond words when I found out. Beauty and order have become more important to me, more so as I've gotten older. I think it's because our pre-mortal home was a place of beauty and order as well, so it's natural to gravitate toward the familiar. I don't need things around me to be perfect, but too much disorder leaves me feeling confused and out of sorts. Sometimes I just can't think straight until I've cleaned up, or at least created a couple of neat piles.

Before moving in, I did a bit of experimenting with paint colors and different effects. Below is one of the bedroom walls. Two colors worked well in the condo because the walls there are heavily textured which added another dimension. But when I tried to get the same effect here, it just didn't work. These walls are smooth, so in the end I opted to paint with single colors only.

Trying to pull out the mauves and wine colors of my couch cushions.

The living room wall with two different colors. I took some advice that I got a long time ago from Deborah, a good friend and an interior designer. She said to always spend a little extra for sample colors and put them on your walls before you commit to buying gallons of paint that might be completely wrong. I'm so glad I listened to her. That advice worked in the condo, and it worked here also. I would have chosen the lighter mauve and would have ended up with a living room that looked little girl pink. As it was, the darker color turned out to be perfect.
Taken in the living room with the dining room in the background. "After" photos will be on a future post when I'm finished unpacking and hanging pictures. Soon. I promise.

Garden Party in June

Went to a Relief Society garden party on June 12. It was held outside around a beautiful pool and amidst wonderful flowers and foliage. The ambiance was perfect and the food gorgeous and delicious. Everyone wore hats and some of us even won prizes! Below is a great photo of my dear friend, Ann. We bonded quickly when we met and spent many hours together in the temple (and riding together and talking). She and her husband just moved to Nauvoo to enjoy the kind of life they've always wanted. I love you Annie! She won the prize for a hat most likely to be in a fashion magazine.My hat won for most colorful.

These two ladies are newer friends but equally dear. Barbara, who helped found and was once president of La Leche League International (she still works with nursing mothers) and Jenny who has a heart of gold and a husband with one too. Barbara got the prize for the oldest hat. She wore her nursing cap which is a replica of the one Florence Nightingale used to wear. And Jenny won the prize for most like a garden party hat.

Jen, Annie, Sonja, Megan

Close up of my hat. Some of the women thought the flowers were fresh. They were--fresh from Michael's! I used floral tape to put them together and floral wire to attach them to the hat. Not a bad job I think, considering it was my first try. I just wish we lived in an era that encouraged hat wearing like they did when my parents were younger.

How Do I Love Thee?

Early dawn stillness, waking up softly to the sound of birdsong. Peace filling my periwinkle room with gentleness and light. My favorite time of day. My hope for heaven--perpetual morning.