Success (sorta)

I successfully (sorta) survived my first day back in the empty nester world. My DH had a very long day at work, so I was alone from the time I woke up until about dinner time. The house was startling in it's quiet-ness. Even the dog knows that things are different now. She just laid on the floor, close to me no matter what room I was in. I had to run out to the grocery store to pick up dinner fixins' and she acted very worried when I grabbed my purse. Monroe, my grand-fish is gone as well. He went back to school with C so I don't have the morning routine of feeding and chatting with him while I drink my coffee anymore. Things change so much in the blink of an eye. I guess I was "successful" in surviving in the way that I didn't sit in her room and cry all day, but the "sorta" part was more telling. I got things done. I did my regular chores. I did my regular sewing. I did my regular cooking. But there was something alive and vibrant missing from those things. My daughter is a wonderful young woman. Caring, compassionate, sweet, loving, funny, loyal, smart, beautiful and with a helpful spirit. When she's home, there's not a chore that I set out to do with out hearing "Momma, do you need any help?" Today, that spirit was missing along with the stupid inside jokes and movie quotes and random dance breaks and all the other stuff that we do that no one else gets. My heart hurts because I miss her but more importantly my heart hurts because it's bursting with pride and love for her. She is becoming a successful young woman with good friends surrounding her and a goal in front of her. I did a good job and that makes me happy. From here on out, everything else in my life is gravy. I was blessed with the loan of two amazing people. I raised them and then gave them back to the world. I am a lucky woman. But I sure miss them

deb

My last day with C. The summer went so fast. Today will be spent packing and cleaning and trying not to cry. We leave by 8 in the morning to take her back

It's Getting Hot Out Here

When I log into my account to post a blog (which I've been meaning to do) it tells me when the last post was made. June 28th, I believe it said. That's just too long. At that point, we were living without the big a/c unit. We went without the big unit for a couple of weeks, and then a friend of mine offered the loan of a portable a/c unit for our bedroom. It has been pretty awesome. I learned that we could conceivably live without a/c, but I'm really glad that we don't. Especially these last couple of weeks. We are in the dog days of summer. Temps over a 100 every day and not a cloud in the sky. The sun is just beating down on Texas baking everything. It sucks the life and energy from you and all you want to do is take a nap. Which sucks because now is the time when I should be getting my fall garden set up. I have beds to weed and re-plant along with all the regular yard work, plus I'm slowly digging up plants and laying down cardboard and mulch in the front to get ready to plant my new edible landscaping this winter or next spring. Plus, I had planned on painting my house this summer. I've just been staying inside and ignoring the outside but I realized that I have to cowboy up and just get things done, so one task in the morning and one task in the evening will have to get me by until it starts to cool. Last night I worked on mulching the front yard and this morning I weed whacked in between the veg beds so I can at least get out there and work and not have to crawl through the long grass. Tonight, I think I'll plant some pumpkins in the old corn bed. I left the stalks in there so it will shade the soil a little to give the seeds an opportunity to germinate. hmmmm...maybe I should start the seeds indoors and just put the plants out in a few days. That might work better. The other task I was going to have C help with is to wash the rocks in the bio filter. It's getting a little clogged up in there and I'm losing water as it drains over the top.

I lost some plants due to the heat and lack of water, but with my gray water system up and running my pepper plants have survived, along with one watermelon plant and a few tomatoes. I will be cutting the mater plants way back and letting them start again for fall tomatoes. My garden wasn't quite as productive as I had hoped this year, but I'm learning (always) and next year will be better. It always is.

The broiler chickens were processed on July 22nd, so now I have a freezer full of delicious homegrown meat. I ordered a meat grinder attachment for my mixer and now I'll be able to make chicken sausage and such to help vary the ways to use the meat.

Seems like my thoughts aren't really flowing well today. Sorry about that. I'll blame it on the heat. :)

y'all stay cool