In My Skin

Finally, I'm feeling comfortable in my own skin again and am slowly getting into my summer routine. I was a fish out of water in France and I can't tell you how good it is to be home. I have spent the last few days being thankful for all I have in my life. I think this trip was mentally exhausting. It's always difficult when you go to a country where you don't know the language. (Not only do I not speak French, but I have a total deaf ear to it.) Yes, there were Parisian "incidents" that Raphi helped us through that I will never forget. Thank you Raphael. But there were so many more positive experiences that outweigh the few times where I felt humiliated. But, unfortunately, it's those negatives that seem to stick in our brains. I suppose it goes with the territory, but it truly shouldn't. At any rate, it is always good to get back to your own bed, your own familiar surroundings and your own happy existence. Oui? (About my extent of French.)

I have literally been puttering about the place doing little odd jobs here and there. (With only the teenager and I here, and he being gone most of the time, it's been extremely quiet.) My orchid from mother's day was filled with aphids so I quickly moved it outdoors and sprinkled it with Buhach. It seems much happier now that I'm home. Smile.

I found this little volunteer snapdragon growing from a crack in the brick off the front porch. It's always magical to me to find such things.

I am always mesmerized this time of year with all the different blooms around the house. Here are my hydrangea (blooming this year for the first time in many! No more cutting them back!). There are shades of white and pink and green--glorious!

My front magnolia is still blooming. Some of the flowers are just about gone, but you can still smell that intoxicating aroma. Lovely.

The front azaleas are in full bloom also.

The bee balm is budding. This is one of my all-time favorite flowers. So funky and wild once they bloom.

The nandina has almost finished its blooming.

I came home to find mom in miraculously good form--happy, alert and glad to see me. There were a few times she waited on Regis to come (even packed her bags one day, the hub tells me); but overall, everything seemed to be fine on the homestead in my absence. I think it's when we feel we are the only ones who can handle "situations" such as my mom's dementia progression that we put such a huge amount of pressure on ourselves. Of course, I am not the only one who can take care of her. My trip away proved that. My family and friends stepped in and did a marvelous job at taking care of her. I am so blessed by all of them.

While I was away, they all put their tidy hats on and worked on the hot spots that needed attention. My mom and Sherrie cleaned out our master closet (no small task) and folded and hung all of the hub's and my clothes. I admit, I am not a closet person. I have always had monsters that live there. Which makes a clean closet a highlight to me. It is rare and far between that you are able to see the floor of my closet. What a joy it is to be able to find my clothes without digging through a pile! Then, much to my astonishment, the hub cleaned out the dreaded office! He had told me he was going to while I was away and I just shrugged it off (as I have heard this for over a year now). I can't tell you what a load lifted it was seeing that room cleaned up. Thank you hub. With all the new clean and tidy spots, I have actually felt inspired to do a little more myself. I am finally changing the door knobs that I purchased over a year ago for the master bath. I've finally called some painters to come and give bids on painting the outside of the house--that is truly in need of. I found a scaper for Riverside; as the man who was cutting the lawn last year up and disappeared--unbeknownst to me! Yep, I've been puttering but getting little things done that I had put off before I left.

The hub made it to Paris fine, did his "bidness" and moved on to Rennes. Today, they are touring Normandie and hit the infamous D-Day beaches there--on the 64th anniversary of the invasion, no less. I'm sure the hub was moved by the experience. It has been one of his dreams to visit Normandie and the beaches that took so many of our own. (You can click on the map above to see how close Rennes--green hand--is to all of this history.) Just the thought of it brings tears to my eyes.

Yesterday, I spent hours transferring my photos over to this computer. I finally had to break down and purchase another USB memory stick that would hold more than five photos at a time. Pfffft! What a pain. After I got the new one, I was able to move all 600+ photos in one fell swoop! Geesh. Wish I had broken down earlier! I will post a little later on more of those.

Before leaving town, I had a bone scan. My doctor suggested it since I am no longer on any hormone replacement. Sure enough, I need to begin taking calcium. I put my three chewable calcium tabs out on a pretty little napkin which reminds me throughout the day to grab one and chew it up. Age=Fun.

Right now, it's lunch time and I'm sure momma's hungry!