Sweet diversions

This is what I've been doing the last few days. I went to see my oldest grandson graduate from kindergarten. Then I brought the two darlings home with me so that we could spend some quality time together with Papa on the farm. So not much time for blogging. But then, these days are precious and not to be passed up. I know I will blink my eye and he will be wearing this cap for college. We did manage to get a little art going on the sidewalk. Even a neighborhood friend joined us.

Have I mentioned that I have this beautiful little friend that has stayed by my side, literally, for 9 years. She is almost blind now from diabetes but she still follows me everywhere. This little minature Australian, I call "Annie" knows a huge vocabularly of English words and is constantly eavesdropping on my conversations so she can anticipate where I'm going and if she will be welcome. She also knows my shoes and whether they are conducive to her coming with me. She knows when I am sick and won't leave my side even to eat. She immediately defends me against all new dogs or strange people. Once I fainted and hit my head on a tile floor, I woke up to her licking my face. And she watches me like some small sphinx (or at least stares towards me, and listens to me)- constantly, when she's not asleep by my side. It can be unnerving sometimes but mostly it is very comforting. She is a very dear friend - I know no other way to describe her. We get each other and always have. I believe dogs will be with us in heaven because I believe we will go back to a garden setting where animals dwell peacefully with us. After all, that's what He intended all along before we messed it up.

Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace." - Milan Kundera

Work, Rest, Play

I got up early because I wanted to get to my Challenger swatther and prove to myself that I could service it before I ran it today. What good was I really if I couldn't service my own machine? I drove up to my new buddy- my big ole honking machine (i love things that make me look small but make me feel powerful) by 6:00 a.m., filled it up with diesel and then worked to learn how to turn on the air-compressor that would help me with an air-pressured grease gun. I had watched our mechanic do it several days before and I was certain I could figure it out. Well, I turned it on, pulled the cord, (okay it took me a lot of pulls to get the rhythm) found several other levers. Are these the gas, choke, what's this other little silver thing-a-ma-ghig? Called husband. He's a little put out with me for trying (he's always worried I'll get hurt) but he realizes I'm going to do it with or without his help -so he begins to describe to me what I'm looking at. Well, all I could do was try and low and behold --it started. The purr of that machine made me giddy, like I always am when I learn new things and conquer something previously unknown to me. I found all the grease zerks in the front of the header (husband says it's vital that those be greased regularly). I found all 6!! I'm on a roll. I can grease things and blow out things (because it has air-hoses attached too). I'm a pretty handy dud. Husband was surprised I didn't know this stuff already. He can't even take himself back there because he can't remember a time when he didn't know how to start a small gas engine. I told him there were still lots of buttons he pushed with me and he didn't have a clue what he was doing. He agreed. And he left me with my own self - gloating.

Odd Chick Works Sometimes

That's me in a Challenger winnrower. It cuts feed like hay and barley from the fields. Husband taught me how to drive it and I have worked several straight days from morning to dark. One day I worked from 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and only got out to tee-tee. I had brought snacks thank goodness. I had my ipod, a good radio, a good air conditioner and an air-ride seat, and lots of time to just think and pray. I'm not roughing it by any means. Plus, I cut hay in wide-open hay fields and saw 2 coyotes, a pheasant, several hawks, rabbits, antelope and lots of birds. Your view is high above the feed and when the wind blows the barley in orchestrated waves below you, you can almost hear music in the field. Not a bad way to spend the day! Poor hubby had to work all day and check and bale hay all night. He only gets to sleep in snatches. Me - I fall into bed and sleep like a baby!! I'm so grateful for the work and for the way God blesses us every day. What is work anyway? My six-year old grandson would consider this a JOY ride! It is only our perspective that changes about a circumstance that we began to call it "work". It is what I wanted to do so I enjoyed it like a six-year old. Maybe the new will wear off and I'll forget I had fun at my "work" and I'll have to remind myself that work is either fun or drudgery - it depends on your attitude. I like fun. - and you thought I was just goofing off the last few days!

Joy of Painting

My daughter and grandsons came to visit me and we painted. I got so much joy out of watching them choose color and become so engaged in their projects. I think they got a lot of joy from it too!

No surprise, Gus wanted to paint a truck. So he drew a line and I drew a line and he was pleased. But the next day, he wanted to draw a manure truck for his dad (which I thought was fitting since I give my son-in-law manure every chance I get, and vice-versa) and he did an excellent job. Under the picture, he wrote in his 5 year old script, "We are friends". It's a good thing I love his dad too, or I would have kept the darling picture. Even their Mom, my sweet daughter, slowed down long enough to paint. I think she is very artistic. She just doesn't know it yet. She's in survival mode with 2 kids, a high-pressure job, and doing other things (besides being a good wife to my lucky son-in-law) like in the community, her church and the kids school that would appear to most to be another full-time job. I think this is a gift she will unwrap for herself when she's 40 or 50 so I want to help her dabble. Anyway, we got her to paint and collage. Isn't she cute???

Gus told me I was "Peggy Sue Awesome To The 10th Power". I'm feeling pretty awesome alright after their visit!