PSALM 116

Years ago, while we still lived in San Leandro, Uncle Dan put this lovely psalm to music. I don't remember what chords he used on his trusty guitar, but the message flowed as we sat around the fireplace in the family room. I remember it often and am grateful for the family the Lord has given me. We love each other, even with some of the rough edges still rough. But, when jostling around with each other we do tend to wear off some of those rough spots. After all, it is the giving of ourselves that we do achieve true happiness. Verse 12 asks: "What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?" Verse 17 suggests: "I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord." Can we do less?

All of us are slowing down. It is good to recognize our individual capabilities and limitations and to live accordingly. Gone are the days I delighted in having 42 for sit down dinner. I have fond memories of our get togethers with themes...the Irish, the Greek with stuffed grape leaves and baklava; Italian for Jim's birthday; Oktoberfest; Hawaiian Hukilau beside the pool with appropriate games; the potato bake after Henry and his 8-month pregnant daughter gleaned the fields in Winchester.

Soup worries with diet without potatoes, Butch struggles with weight and diet controlled diabetes, our Kakalena puts too much on her plate to maneuver, Lala Lee is all quilted out. Freckles wears her arm brace day and night but still hurts, Bones has just plain accepted Hashimoto's Syndrome...nothing to be done anyway. I am glad to wake up in the moring one day's march nearer home.

Furry Friends

Saturdays we sleep late. I didn't get up until 7:30. Freckleface was already out on the patio doing things to what we had stored back in the front corner by the chimney...boards, painted and unpainted, pots, shards, etc, etc. Bobbie and Lily had decided to rest the last few minuted with me. they knew it was Saturday so they both stretched out full length and yawned.

Bobby is reluctant to go walking with Freckles every other morning. He just looks at her with one eye opened. Lily doesn't want even to go outside. So they stay home with me.

When we adopted Bobbie we took him to the vet for a look-over. Dr. Ballenger said he looked to be about five or six until he came to his eyes. "Well, he's a senior citizen...he has cataracts, he must be about ten" he said. That was five years ago. He has been spunky and frisky until lately. Evidently he must have arthritis because he can't jump as high and moves more stiffly. He gets part of a baby aspirin with his supper. We think this helps him get a good night's sleep anyway.

Lily, at a year and a half, wants to play, to wrestle and jump around. She licks his neck, his ears, but when she licks his nose he rebels. He doesn't like kisses. The last hour both have been on the patio swing with me while our other roommate scurries around rearranging the stuff out here. The Spring Fever Bug has bitten.

Tomorrow is the Sunday School Treat in Shadow Hills. My two great-granddaughters plan to spend the night so they can leave first thing in the morning. KJA will pick up Roger for the trip. J and D will trade passengers and take me to meeting.

And the thunder rolled and rolled and rolled

Could that be thunder? It's not warm enough for one of those refreshing summer storms, yet...

I opened one eye, the right one, I can only wink my left eye...the right one doesn't see much. Anyway I perceived that hazy pre-dawn gentle light filtering through my blind and drapery. The digital clock on my bureau said 6:52. I tried to go back to sleep even though two furry balls took their half of the bed out of the middle. I clung to the edge.

Bump, bump, bump...in my half-awake state I dreamed Kedj was doing the treatment of our white things in the washer...Now a rattle, rattle, "HELP ME! HELP ME! M-O-M!!!" I came fully awake and bounded out of bed I stumbled down the hallway...her room was empty, the bathroom was empty. The dogs followed, curious, but not barking because they recognized her frantic call. The living room was empty as was the kitchen and dining area. There she was in her bed socks and robe out on the patio shivering.

The back gate was locked and the key was hung inside by the garage door. She couldn't climb over the fence like Comfortably Crazy does because we had moved the garbage can into the garage. The curtain rod that secures the partly open sliding glass door had fallen back down into the track. Two happy waggy tailed creatures slipped out the opening to greet her...I removed the rod and slid open the door so poor little Kedj could get back into the house to warm up with a hot shower. Three of us went back to bed.

What a way to start the morning!

Lily

Somewhere out there in never-never land in the beginning of this post. This morning, Kedj took Bobbie with her on their two-mile swift constitutional. It is just too much effort to chase and catch Lily. She doesn' want to go. However, when the two exercisers came back home there was her ladyship lollygagging around in the sun in our front yard, (thank you very much). She had dug herself out under the front fence. Bobbie has never attempted to dig. Kedj fixed the escape hatch with some bricks. Hope this helps.

We wonder about all this activity. At first we thought he needed company when we were gone. Once when we returned from an extended outing he was on the porch swing howling at the moon. It was a pitiful, but gentle howl. It made us feel sad. I didn't ask the neighbors what they thought. Lily torments him mercilessly. But there is some togetherness...they both hightail it to the front door when the bell rings and to the back door when the garage door opens. When I take my afternoon nap I usually have her draped across my hip and Bobbie settled on my ankles.

Time will tell. Kedj was told that she could return the bundle of licks. She lost her last home because she couldn't get along with the other dogs in the family.

Maybe I can find the first half of this blog and send it along.

Her Ladyship, Lily

We wonder now if we have made a mistake or if we are getting too old to adjust to new situations.

When Bobbie went in to the groomer, he was treated well, got his winter coat trimmed, and came home looking lovely, but with a friend. Her immunization papers called her "Cha Cha" but that didn't seem to fit. Kedj suggested "Poppy" but that sounded too much like "Bobbie." We settled on "Lily" because it does seem to fit and she answers to it.

Her coat had been badly matted and soiled. The groomer cut short ear feathers. She is creamy white with an apricot tinge to her ears and tail. She is soft and cuddly, about a year and a half old. But she gives everybody kisses. Imagine waking up in the morning with someone wet whispering in your ear. She kisses Bobbie's neck, his ears, his nose. He does not like this at all.

We arrived home from Saturday's Shower for Jenny to find Bobbie quivering on top of our dining room table. Of course we held him and loved him and he settled down.