Survived…but barely. Send electrolytes. 🥵🥾🌄

My legs are shaking, my clothes are soaked in sweat, and I'm so exhausted I want to cry. 
Yeah, buddy—I’m a wimp.

Heron took us straight up a dang mountain this afternoon. 
He said it was a hill—hill, my fat fanny! 
That was a blooming mountain.

Tomorrow we hit the road… pray for me, not him. 🛣️😬

I have absolutely nothing.

The only one to leave the house today was Cowboy, and that was to go to morning and evening service.

Old dog — said with love, sealed in ink. 🐾❤️🖋️

We slept pretty late today—I even managed to sleep until 8:30 a.m. 
I think it was probably close to 11 before Badger crept out of bed. 
That long hike did a number on us.

Seven Islands gave us the gift of time together — adult kids, one dog, and a golden evening 🌅🐕🌳

We were in the middle of the “get ready for the weekend” chaos when Badger handed her daddy her glasses to put the screw back in. 
Well, Daddy discovered that she’d broken the earpiece clean off. 
So we rushed on up to Walmart. 
She’d waited until nearly noon—and Cowboy leaves for work at 2:30 p.m. 
It’s not like we live door-to-door to Walmart or even a mile away. 
It’s a 24-mile round trip that takes a bit of time.

“Evening walks are better with grown kids and a four-legged friend 🌙🐾🐕”

We walked three miles tonight—we haven’t done that in a very long time. 
We had Heron and Lady with us, so I felt safe walking that far. 
We’d planned to walk around the Bend, but it was getting dark too fast. 
It’s at least a five-mile walk around the Bend.

Colonoscopy: preventative, proactive, priceless.

We made it home safely, just before 4 p.m.

The procedure went well. 
Cowboy was taken back at about 12 p.m., and we were in the recovery room at about 1:15 p.m.

♥♥♫♪ Happy Birthday to you ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥¸ ¸.•*¨*•♫♪ Happy Birthday to you ♪♫•*¨*

Oops, almost forgot the birthday, but remembered just in time — classic middle-kid moment.

I had to have Cowboy drive me to town today, to go to Walmart for Raven's birthday card.
 I forgot his birthday—again. 
I know I'm a horrible mother; maybe he has a point when he complains about being the middle child.

"From ‘don’t blink or you’ll miss it’ to ‘yield to progress.’"

I was in a deep sleep this morning, as were Gealach and Cowboy, when I heard Badger stumbling around.
 It was 7:57 a.m.—not even 8 yet.
 Normally I’m up before her, so that was a bit odd. 
I knew Peacock said he’d be up at 6:30 a.m, so I quickly checked my phone. 
He was on the way, so I hopped out of bed. 

Nothing passes as quickly as a Saturday with the people I love

Man, I turned around twice, looked at the clock, and it was already 4 p.m. 
I don't know where the darn time went.

We didn't have an exciting day—it was a stay-at-home day—so I don't know where the time flew.

My tiredness is on a whole new level today. 😪

Cowboy didn’t get home until 6:14 a.m. 
I know for a fact that Badger didn’t get to sleep until at least 5:30 a.m.
 I catnapped through the night.
 I woke up at one point—probably around midnight—and read myself back to sleep.

” ‘Later’ is the best friend of clutter”

We worked until nearly 1 a.m. yesterday, and it's going on midnight, and we're just finishing up.

Obviously, we didn't get to the store today.

I didn't realize how much stuff I stuffed into those tiny little closet shelves of mine.

"Clutter is the physical manifestation of unmade decisions fueled by procrastination."

I don't have time to put anything down. 
Badger decided today was the day to do a deep clean on my master bedroom closet. 
The only problem is, the vampire didn't start until after 6 p.m.

"Live fast, fake your death"

I told Cowboy to go down to the RV when he got home from work and make sure the door was tightly shut. 
Heron was at his girlfriend's, and I have this irrational fear of his cats getting outside. 
So, apparently, he did.

"Throughout history, people have seen things that defy explanation. To dismiss them all is to erase a part of who we are."

Sometime around 11:30 p.m., Badger yelled me awake. 
Apparently she’d gotten sick, called me—and I didn’t hear my phone. 
How in the world I slept through the Addams Family theme blaring at my head, I can’t tell you. 
She wobbled in and collapsed on my floor, where she stayed until Cowboy finally dragged himself to bed—probably around 1:30 a.m. 
Then she went to sleep on the couch.

"Every book is a new adventure waiting to unfold. 📖"

This could be titled Sunday at Home, or How I Was Bored—but Content.

Other than Cowboy heading to morning and evening service, we didn't leave the house until Heron came up and said he was cooking supper tonight. Then Cowboy and I went to the Dollar Store really quickly for a TV dinner for me—let's face it, without teeth or dentures, I can't handle a steak. Yep, I'm still gumming it. Ew. I really doubt dentures will ever be in the cards, not with how badly my TMJ is. I got home, though, and Badger had wobbled out to the kitchen and made me some meatballs. That was much appreciated.

Rainy days: nature's way of saying "take a nap."

It poured down rain today. 
I'm not complaining—I can't remember the last time we had a good, soaking rain. 
But at times, it was so heavy you couldn't see the car in front of you. 
And Cowboy can’t see when it’s sunny. 
Riding with him in a downpour was particularly hairy.

"Craving something I haven't tried before."

We made it into town and got our groceries. 
Badger's still a bit wobbly and feeling unwell, but she pushed through and made it through the stores.

Badger wanted something different for dinner. 
Unless we throw something in the crockpot, we never have time to eat at home. 
Eating out has become our Thursday habit.

July ends with a soft sigh, a trace of regret, and the slow hush of summer fading

Goodbye, July. Goodbye, summer. 
Sure, we’ll still have hot days—probably right up until Thanksgiving—but the kids are already heading back to school. 
That always signaled the true end of summer for me. 
School starts so terribly early these days; it used to be after Labor Day. 
They say we have air conditioning now, so there’s no need to wait anymore.

Well, that escalated quickly. Unexpected detour to the ER.

Today was just a little too exciting.

Badger felt unwell all day—nothing new there. Certain times, she feels very unwell.

She spent the day in her room.

The day went along as the days do—chickens got fed, naps got taken, dinner got cooked, dinner got eaten, and Cowboy went to work.

♥♥♫♪ Happy Birthday to you ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥¸ ¸.•*¨*•♫♪ Happy Birthday to you ♪♫•*¨*

“July, with its days of blue skies and time that seemingly stands still, holds a special place in my heart.”

Checking through my indoor camera, and a hooded figure popping out of a dark hallway at 2 a.m., is enough to make anyone's heart skip a couple of beats. 
Raven heading to work. 
I don't know why he had a hooded sweatshirt on, though.

It’s July. I’m not lazy, I’m in energy-saving mode.

There’s absolutely nothing for me to write about.

It was cooler today… I think.

WBIR hasn’t posted the day’s temperature—not that it’s very accurate for us. 
We’re not Knoxville, so what they are—and what we are—is degrees off.

In July, ice cream becomes therapy and air conditioning becomes religion.

There really isn't much one can say that hasn't already been said a million times.

Cowboy always goes to morning and evening church services, unless it's been called off, they're having VBS, or there's a special service of some sort.

Boredom level: maximum 😒

This has been one terrifically long, incredibly boring day.

Badger and I were stuck at home.

It's so freaking hot outside, we didn't dare go out for fear of melting.

It's not just a ring; it's a promise of tomorrow, a whisper of forever. 🌿💍

Raven left for work around 1:30 a.m. and took all his things for the weekend. 
He hasn’t come back, so I don’t guess we’ll see him—or the kids—this time.

 We got up pretty early and headed to M to send off the package Badger had. 
Then we stopped at Walmart to pick up my ring. 

Remember when I wanted it to be summer? Yeah, I take it back. ☀️🚫

It was another miserably hot day—and they say next week’s going to be even worse.

Luckily, we got done in town before the worst of it hit. 
Cowboy still refuses to run the A/C in the car.

“Anger always comes from frustrated expectations.” –Elliott Larson

Health woes—no one wants to listen or read about them, I know. 
Believe me, I know.

Most mornings I wake up with sticky, blurry eyes. 
Usually they clear up by dinner—sometimes they stay that way till bedtime.

Humans cannot live on coffee alone. That’s why donuts were invented!

Badger had therapy today. 
While she and Cowboy were gone, I went through the potatoes Cowboy dug up about a month ago.
They’ve been sitting in my hall, slowly rotting.

I put the rotten ones outside for the chickens, put the larger good ones in the kitchen, and the smaller ones in a bag. 
Those, I walked over to the blessing box.

Good night, sweet prince. Long live the Prince of Darkness

You can have your space or you can have your stuff. You can't have both.-The Home Edit

We had some storms roll through this afternoon, bringing a good, soaking rain. 
We needed it—it cooled the temperature down a bit, too.

Badger decided it was time to clean out her closet.

Remembering Malcolm: The Smile That Marked Our Time

“Then came July like three o’clock in the afternoon, hot and listless and miserable.” — Allie Ray, Holler

I went to bed at 10 pm last night, and I mean I went to bed.
No reading, no watching TV-just laid my head on the pillow and was out like a light.
That's a bit unusual for me.
Cowboy also went to bed earlier than is normal for him.
I think the heat is starting to get to us.

I like my hair like I like my coffee – short and bold ☕✂️

This was a very long, hot day.

Cowboy, as is usual, misheard the time for our appointment, so we were an hour early. 
He tried to blame me and Badger, but when you tell someone something three–four times—well, you can't really blame the messenger.

Rise, grind, repeat

 Some days are just non days, days we don't go out, we don't really do anything.

Even on non days, there still is a loosely followed routine.

Adventure in every lightning strike 🌩️⚡

With the proper motivation, this fat old gal can still book it!
Badger and I had walked down to sit at the creek for a bit this evening.
It had been rumbling thunder all evening, but eh, thunder rumbles—we never get a storm.

Squirreling away memories in every adventure 🐿️🌲

I'm starting to get a bit suspicious the animal kingdom has it in for me.
I went outside this morning, I like to get that morning sun on my face when I first wake up, went to the carport side of the house, and heard a loud rustling in the tree.
Then I heard angry chattering in the tree.
I look up-a squirrel looked down at me-and then he took a mighty leap onto the tool shed roof, chittering all the way.

Raccoons: the masters of aww-dorableness

Oh my word, I just walked up on a raccoon!
Badger and Cowboy fuss, and fuss, and fuss at me 'cause I feed the strays late at night.
To avoid raccoons, they need to be fed before sunset.
But-this new set of strays only pop out around 10 pm, prime raccoon 🦝time.

"Never regret anything because at one time it was exactly what you wanted."

Today was a total stay-in-the-house kind of day.

I had a major stomach upset.

I'm very sensitive to kale, which we had at supper last night.

Just a cozy Sunday at home.

Today was one of those stay-at-home, be-a-little-bored kind of days.

Of course, Cowboy went to morning and evening church services, but Badger and I stayed home.

Badger has stayed in her room the majority of the day 🤷🏻‍♀️

Food truck feasting: it's nacho average meal

Cowboy didn't get home from work until 3:47 am-then he had his coffee and snack so it was after 4 am when he got to bed.

Badger and I had already made plans to walk back over to the yard sale, so that worked out really well in keeping quiet so he could sleep. 

Treasure hunting, one yard sale at a time

Badger and I were up and out the door by 9 am.
Some cat rescue place is having a yard sale in the school cafeteria.
We didn't find anything except some books, the knife Badger had her eye on was just too expensive.
The person running it said they'll be there until Sunday, and they'll bring new stuff in each day.

"Is it just me, or is the feed getting a little overwhelming?"

I'm tired of living in this time we're in.
No, no, I don't want to die, sheesh.
I just want to go back to when I grew up, the late 70s -early 80s.

♥♥♫♪ Happy Birthday to you ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥¸ ¸.•*¨*•♫♪ Happy Birthday to you ♪♫•*¨*

Keep calm and coffee on—it’s only Wednesday

Cowboy had to go to the doctor for blood work this morning.
I stayed home, the elevator in that building gives me the willies.
He'll go back, I think, in two weeks for the results and what they want to do.

You can't change who you are, and you shouldn't be asked to

Badger had therapy today.
While they were gone, I straightened up my closet, finally put away a couple loads of clean laundry-what? I'm lazy, so what.
And gave the house a general tidying up. 

Bad dog energy! 🐕‍🦺💨

 We had a disaster this morning!

Lady and Duffy had to go out to use the bathroom, before we left for the dentist appointment. 
We know better than letting Lady out without a leash, but, you know, we're lazy.
It's just a lot easier to leash Duffy, because he's a runner, and can not be off leash, and let Lady run loose. 
Heron has Lady mostly well-trained to stay in the yard, and with her people.

Grow old along with me, the best is yet to be

A daughter feels her mother’s absence forever—time softens grief, but never erases it.

"Good food, good mood, happy ( early) anniversary!"

I am stuffed to the gills and exhausted. 
After Cowboy came home from morning services and got his nap in, we headed to Austin's Steakhouse for our early anniversary dinner. 
Of course, we took Badger. 

I'm here for the fireworks and hotdogs 🌭🎇

I think it was around 2 a.m. when Cowboy got home from work, so he slept fairly late. 
Oddly enough, Badger was up with the chickens this morning. 

Cue the fireworks—and the mosquito bites

Oh my gosh. 
This has been the most boring 4th of July-not that any of them have been all that exciting.

Peacock brought Turtle 🐶up early; he was going out with friends, and Madame Turtle can't be left alone during fireworks. 
We’ll get to that little issue of hers soon enough.

"Stars, Stripes, and Freedom—Happy July 4!"

"Grief doesn’t follow rules; it crashes into your life and reshapes everything."

Another town day come, and gone.

I'm just going to be flat out honest: Hippie Aunt sent me a text day.
It seems like she is having a very hard time, she's still grieving badly.
You know, she lost both a brother, and a sister within a month of each other. 
She's 72 years old, she's the last member of her immediate family.
Her parents are gone, all of her siblings-three of them-are gone now.

Taking care of me because I deserve it.💖🛀

We'll call today a mental health day.

We did absolutely nothing but stay inside—watching TV, reading, playing on the computer.

There are times when I don't blog to remember anything, I blog just to keep track of the days.
Time has a way of rushing by.

When your head is a human barometer 🌩️

I'm self diagnosing myself with atmospheric headaches.
I had a busting headache all day, one of those that sends you cowering to bed, hoping you don't upchuck.
The storm broke around 4 pm, with rain moving in around 7 pm, and my headache finally eased off.

Walking the Neighborhood: When Routine Routes Turn Risky

I went to sleep at 10 p.m. last night. 
For once, I didn't read myself to sleep, I just flopped over and slightly died, I think.
 I wasn’t any more active than usual this weekend. 
Maybe I got just a hair less sleep than normal, so I’m not sure what was up.

Back to peace and quiet...and maybe a nap!

No matter when I go to bed, my eyes pop open between 6 and 7 a.m. 
It doesn't matter if I've had eight hours of sleep, or six, or four.
My inner alarm is set in stone, it seems.

We’re horrid grandparents. 
We let Gealach watch TV until she falls asleep. 
This morning, I woke up at 5:15, the TV was on screensaver, and Moon was sound asleep. 

Making memories and finding outfits with my sweet granddaughter. 🛍️❤️

This has been a very, very long day.

Cowboy and Gealach didn't go to bed until 2:30 am.
Gealach clearly has inherited that owl gene from her pappaw.
And of course, if they're awake, I'm awake.

To some people, I'll always be the bad guy

I’ve sat so long, my rear end is numb. Gealach’s curled up on the couch, content, and I’ve huddled all day with library books at my desk.

Peacock brought his daughter 👧🏻 and the dog 🐶 up at 12:15. It’s his anniversary—staycation style, minus the child and the dog. I’m not sure why she can’t stay with her mom, but we enjoy having her. We don’t see her as often as we used to, and we miss her.

Sunburned and crispy. Extra crispy, to be exact.

Another Thursday, another Town Day down, done, and over with.
Cowboy was looking at all the firework tents, trying to figure out how much time we had until the 4th of July. 
It's next Friday-next Friday.
Where the living heck is time flying off to?!

My skin is so red, even lobsters are jealous.🦞

I have nothing.
 You step outside, and you melt.
I managed to sit in the she shed until 1 pm, but after that?
Forget it.

Sparkle and shine! It’s dentist time!

Today was new dentist day. 
Despite me telling him multiple times, Cowboy was pulling into the old dentist parking lot.
I had to yell at him, it's the next parking lot up.

Ladybird: Protector of the Porch, Terror of the USPS

I took Duffy and Lady outside around 9:30 this morning so they could do their business. 
I figured we were safe, letting Lady off-leash-Heron’s trained her not to leave the yard. 
Normally.

At that time of morning, it’s rare to see anyone outside.

Treasure hunting at the flea market 🗝️✨

Cowboy went to morning services, came home, took a nap until 2 pm.
He went out, fed his chickens, gathered some eggs, came in “Let's go to the flea market”
I'm like man, it's the upper 90s out there, but 🤷🏻‍♀️why not?
Badger was not happy, we told her she could stay, but she decided a possible heat stroke might be better than bored at home.

Summer is here, and so is the heat!

I let Cowboy and Badger sleep late today.
I'm pretty sure Cowboy was down at the chicken coop after work, with a gun, making sure the remaining chickens lived another day.
That meant it was closer to 2 am when he got to bed.

On the summer solstice, the sun stretches the day into a canvas of endless golden hours.

Happy Summer Solstice!

Today was a nothing day.

Same usual morning routine. 
Same old Cowboy heading to work at 2:30 p.m. 

Summer Solstice

 

My mood today: a mix of annoyed and over it. 😤

Today is Thursday.
Don't you duh me.
When the days blend together, it's hard to know what day it is.

Just another day in the land of meh

Pretty sure it’s Wednesday. 
All the days are blurring into one lately, they're all just dull and boring, and meh.😒

Thunder roars, and I listen

Cowboy had his appointment with the gastroenterologist today. 
He didn't get home from work until 4:15 am, and then we got on the road at 8:40 am.
I don't sleep when Cowboy isn't home, or very rarely do I sleep, so I was awake until he came in.
I was out of bed at 7:30 am-he was out of bed at 8:15 am.
That's roughly 3 hours of sleep for me-and four for him.

Books are my escape from adulting

As I was awake, I crawled out of bed at 7 am.
Some mornings I'm up with the chickens, some mornings I'm lazy.
I'm not like Cowboy and Badger, though, I never sleep until 10 am.

"A father’s love is etched in our hearts forever."

Badger cleaned until 3:30 am, which meant I didn't get to sleep until 4 am.
I wasn't helping her, I've learned when she gets in one of her intense cleaning jags to stay out of her way.
But, I was semi-awake in case she slid in a puddle of Dawn or something.

the name of father was another name for love

Cleaning spree: because a clean home is a happy home

We had a lazy morning.
Cowboy woke up, ate his breakfast, and went back to sleep in his recliner.
As it was a pretty day, I went outside to the she shed, curled up in my recliner, and read the morning away.
I assume Badger was in her room, apparently cooking up plans she didn't share with anyone.

Threw salt over my shoulder, knocked on wood, and still stubbed my toe. Friday the 13th wins again.

Today is Friday the 13th.
I don't think we had any bad luck, and we live with a black cat who insists on cuddles, so there was no avoiding her.
Some countries consider her to be lucky, though.
China and Japan, supposedly, not only consider black cats lucky, but also that they attract wealth.
Actually, I think Annabelle is letting us down on the wealth part.

Feeling lucky?

 

Progress, not perfection

It's nearly 11 pm, way past my bedtime.
Badger made the mistake of opening my desk drawer, she saw the mess, and flipped her lid.
I very happily shove everything I think needs keeping in my desk drawers, and my file cabinet drawers.

I think there is little harm in venting here and there about things, as we are all human, and it is good to express emotions.

We went to East Town Walmart, despite what Cowboy says, every Walmart has different stock.
I grabbed a solar mushroom, and a solar lamp to put by the front sidewalk.
I don't know why I bother, because the front yard is never dark, we keep the front porch light on until Cowboy gets home from work.
Our local Walmart does not have the pretty mushrooms.

Coffee first. Tuesday challenges second

Sunday, I got a text from CVS that Cowboy's medication was ready for pickup.
I went to the CVS webpage, I call it patient portal, where all his meds are listed.
This was an antipsychotic medication-and definitely not Cowboy's.
I canceled the prescription-and forgot about it.

☔️ Coffee and rain: my peaceful escape

The house is all clean now, except for Badger's room, and you do not touch Badger's room.

As Badger slept on the couch last night, when I woke up, I just played on the computer so as not to wake her up.

"Trust is earned. My dog has it. 🐶💌Strange dogs? Seem to collectively agree I'm on the menu. 🍽️"

After Cowboy came home from morning service, we headed to M. to Aldi's, Badger wanted to buy some chicken, we like Aldi's chicken best.
While we were there, we also stopped at Walmart, Badger was complaining she didn't buy TV dinners for the upcoming week.
She didn't buy one darn thing, so I don't know what she'll live on.
She's an adult now, it's not really my problem.

A tad bit of rain. A tad bit of coffee

I really have nothing.
We've had off and on rain showers, at one point really heavy rain.
It was a good stay in kind of day.

"Burnout is real. Coffee tried. I need a nap."

I have nothing.

We decided to mostly rest today, at least Badger and I did.

I don't know what Cowboy got into.

"Errands done, house semi-functional—I'll call it a win."

I'm running out of steam for cleaning and blogging.

The kitchen is finally back to being a working kitchen, so we went out, got our groceries today.
No more cold sandwiches.

We came home, and Cowboy took the trash to the dump, and stopped by to see his sister.

"I survived the Great Kitchen Remodel of 2025. Barely."

Tempers really flared today, but we can safely say the remodel is totally over, and we have a functioning kitchen again.

We owe Badger a debt that is not repayable, she tackled the entire moving kitchen junk out, and moving kitchen junk back in, not to mention the cleaning that went along with it, herself.

"The remodel is done! Time to rescue the coffee maker from the bedroom—and start the hunt for all the lost and misplaced kitchen gadgets."

Cowboy is very frustrated with the urologist, all they want is to draw blood, draw blood.
They never update the patient portal, so I don't know what was discussed or done.
I do know that the last PSA result they had was from November, this despite his regular physician telling me that they were sending over their PSA results from April and May.
I sent a message to the regular doctor to re-send those results, not that it will do any good.

It’s happening: Cabinets, counters, and running water—almost like a real home, if you ignore the lingering chaos.

It's 11:15 pm, Cowboy is still grinding away in the kitchen.

Much progress has been made today, even though we had to make yet another run to Lowes.

It's a good thing we're on the tail end of this thing, tempers flared, and the neighbors got a good show today.

That’s a DIY remodel—tempers flare, voices rise, everyone retreats to their corners to sulk, and then the work continues.

"June 1: Remodel hell persists.Storms outside, chaos inside—send caffeine and a fast-forward button. 🔨⛈️☕".

It's 10:15 pm, the flooring is down, and Cowboy is putting on the baseboard.
He says he wants to get a cabinet or two in before bed, but at the moment, that seems a bit optimistic.

"The kitchen is gutted, the coffee maker is in the bedroom, and the dishwasher has claimed squatter’s rights in the living room.My patience is on the endangered species list

I don't have a living room, I don't have a bedroom, I don't have a kitchen.
Thank goodness I do have a bathroom, although getting in there is a little tricky.

The mess is driving me bonkers.

Hey rain, you’re not going to stop me from shopping!

We woke up to heavy rain, and off and on rain showers all day-of course.

It was a very, very disappointing buying trip, and all we bought was the countertops.
Cowboy insists I can not put extra cabinets in the kitchen.
So-fine-I'll put one of those ugly plastic garage shelves up to hold the overflow.

"Kitchen floor? Done for. Weather? Threatening. Husband? Frustrated. Us? Doing it anyway.Send luck.🚧☔"

Today was more of a scout out materials trip to town than a grocery buying trip.
The price of materials has gone up considerably since we did this in 2019.
And yes, we ripped that kitchen out in 2019, and redid the entire kitchen.
To be exact May 2019 so happy birthday kitchen you're getting a six-year facelift.

Grumpy is my default mood, don't take it personally

It was a grumpy day.

Cowboy needed a blood test done before he could see the doctor.
This practice changed his appointment from June to July without notifying us.
I knew that I could not get him to go in for the test again, he's done this same test at least three times already.
So, I called the doctor, and they gave me an appointment for the first of June. 
When I first set up his appointment, they swore on a stack of Bibles they had no appointments at any of their locations until the end of July or in August.

Sometimes you just need to vent to let out the steam before you explode

Although it rained off and on most of the day-and the evening- it was a more active day for Badger and I.
We took three short walks throughout the day, we've not done that in a very long time.
The first walk was our wake-up walk around the block.
The second walk was our be nosey walk up to the highway.
Our third walk was because I was about to slap Raven into next Sunday, and Badger thought it would be better to force me to walk the explosion off. 
We'll get into that in a second or so.

"Unofficially starting summer with Memorial Day, a light jacket, and mild seasonal confusion."

I have absolutely nothing.

Today was a bad day for me, for no earthly reason, I was just pi$$ed off at the world today.

Badger stayed in her room all day, says she still feels bad.

"On this Memorial Day, we honor the fallen—not only as soldiers, but as sons, daughters, and family whose sacrifice left an unfillable void and echoes through generations."

"This used bookstore is a maze of teetering stacks, swirling dust, and time-worn pages. Bring a map."

After Cowboy came home from morning services, we headed to the WP Used Book Store.
I thought Badger wanted to go to Mc Kay's, but no, WP.
Mc Kay's is better organized, brighter, and more easily navigated.
WP is a maze!
A dusty, questionable maze.

Embracing my inner sloth

Today has been a very quiet Saturday.

Heron worked night shift, it was after 2 am when he got home from work this morning.
He expects it to be as late tonight.

. “My bursting heart must find vent at my pen.” — Abigail Adams

Even though my bank account is a lot lighter, Uncle now has a box for his ashes to rest in.
It was pretty much in and out, I chose the cheapest box they had.
I say cheap, but their cheap was like well over $100, so not a cardboard box.
I did not want an urn, no ma'am.
Urns are just asking for disaster in this house.
I got it home, and Badger said that Hippie Aunt was wanting a black coffin-and my box is black, so that worked out well.

"Breaking the bank for broccoli 🥦💸 #GroceryBudget"

We got to town, another Thursday over and done with.

We stopped at the thrift store, I didn't find anything to put Uncle in, but I found a nearly new pair of brand name Crocs.
Vera Bradley, we Googled when we got home.
Badger and I had a tossup for those, she tried them on, and says she can't wear them.
I suspect she's just letting me have them 'cause our feet are the same size.

“Fully inspected, medically approved, and ready to feast. 🍕🩺”

Doctor's appointment done and over until August, and I really don't know why he's got me coming back so soon.
Test results are already in, my urine results worry me-but he says they're OK.
My cholesterol has gone down considerably, yay for a lot of turkey, I guess.
I've gained a considerable amount of weight, which gets me angry.
As Badger puts it, we're fat, but we're reasonably active, and really don't eat a whole lot.

"Hearing that unmistakable sound reminds us: safety first, always. Find your safe spot and stay protected, everyone. 🌪️❤️ #WeatherSafety"

I've taken to waking up, and going out to walk around the yard, before my morning meds.
It's not much of a walk, but I get some fresh air, and sunshine.
I enjoy that time of the morning, usually around 8 am, the silence, the stillness.

Feeling blue, but still pushing through

Up bright and early for Badger's doctor appointment.
We thought it was a yearly, but Doc said it was a six-month follow up-and he scheduled her for another appointment in August.
He did not explain why, and it slipped my mind to ask-well, I didn't know about the three-month follow up until we were checking out, and he was long gone.

Yesterday drained me. Today, I just exist

Cowboy went to morning and evening services, he napped some, and disappeared outside for a while.
I didn't keep up with him.

Badger stayed in bed late, lazed around for a while, and then got to work cleaning the house.

The coffee is the only good thing about today. 😩 #roughday

I was asleep by 11 pm, did not even know that Heron came home from work.
He was roaming around our house at 11:46 pm, and I was dead to the world.
He took a shower, he grabbed some water, he sat on my couch and played with the dogs.
And I snored right through it all-and my bedroom is off of the living room.
He headed down to his RV at 12:21 am.

“We’re both old enough now to know that a marriage can’t be all passion and fireworks. Sometimes it’s just peace and quiet and doing your own thing.”

I really have nothing, there are lots of days like that.

This was a TV day-mostly.

I found a movie on Disney, curled up-watched it.
It was fairly long.

Then Badger and I finished up watching Hair this evening-now that's a long movie.

Groceries? Bought. Laundry? Done. Thursday? Successfully adulted

Thursday is our errand day or town day as I like to call it-and Badger's hate me doing so.
We made it home at 12:45 pm, so Cowboy fed the chickens, gathered the eggs, ate his lunch, and got a nap before work.
That's pretty good for a Thursday.

"The great escape artist strikes again. Houdini would be proud. 🐾"

Sasha 😺got out of the house early this morning, she stayed under the house until 2 pm.
Badger stayed on the she shed hoping to lure her out.
Sasha would hop out from underneath the house, run as fast as she could to that giant bush near the a/c unit.

Some days, grief hums softly. Other days, it crashes like a storm

I made it through another day.
Today was a better day.
Still have random periods of wanting to cry-but I think I'm cried out.

"Every hug, every lesson, every act of love—today, we celebrate mothers everywhere."

I had a good Mother's Day, three of my kids were here-no grandchildren, though.

Raven made it down late.

Badger made baked chicken, Peacock made ceviche.

We had frozen pies.

Mother: the most beautiful word on the lips of mankind

"Mother Nature, you have one job: tornadoes and humidity. Tennessee earthquakes were NOT on the list!"

♥♥♫♪ Happy Birthday to you ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥¸ ¸.•*¨*•♫♪ Happy Birthday to you ♪♫•*¨*

“Grief is like the ocean. It comes on waves ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim.”

Another town day come and gone.

We had a few stops to make today: Walmart, Food City, the tobacco store, B.K., Tractor Supply and Goodwill.

Badger found a good pair of hiking boots, and I found some new walking shoes at the Goodwill.
I know there is an ick factor to some people, but I did not grow up going into a store, and buying new clothes and shoes.

"Guilt is perhaps the most painful companion to death."

Grief hits at the most unexpected times. I'll be doing fine, and then the tears will start. I cared deeply for my uncle, although—truth be told—we never had a touchy-feely type of relationship. It's also true that I had not visited with him in a year or more. Still, he was family.

“I keep thinking I should have visited more. I should have called. I should have made time. Now they’re gone, and all I have is this grief tangled up with regret.”

When we got to my Uncle's this morning, Hippy Aunt, one of her daughters, and two of her granddaughters were already there.
The living room floor was piled with papers, I don't know if Uncle left it like that or if they had gone through the house, found everything that looked official, and just piled it in the living room.
The same for his bedroom, it was a mess.

Some calls stop time

My heart is broken.

A cousin called today, my uncle was found dead in bed. A neighbor called the police to do a welfare check.

I called the police— they think he probably died up to two days ago. I know I sent him a text on Saturday, and he did not answer. He always answered.

One of the neighbors called his sister and said he was out mowing today, but I don't think they would do a welfare check if he was seen today. More likely, he passed in his sleep Friday—early Saturday.

Out of my grandmother's four children, only one remains.

My cousin said my aunt is not doing well. She just had heart surgery last year. They're afraid she'll have another heart attack or stroke—and she's had both. They say she keeps crying that she's all alone now.

We'll go up tomorrow, see what needs doing. Aunt is next of kin, so I can't do anything legally.

Cinco de Mayo is a time to celebrate the beauty and richness of Mexican culture

"Oh, fantastic. I finally treated myself to the Dumb and Dumber haircut I never asked for."

After Cowboy came home from morning services, we headed up the road.
All I am going to say is that we really should have waited for Ms January.
It's just difficult to fit in a time for us to go to her-and she's moved her salon.

Badger's hair looks amazing, she had a different stylist than me.
Of course, with her curly hair, she rarely gets a bad haircut.

"May the Fourth be with you."

 

“Write Down Your Feelings,” They Said. So I Did. Here.

This was a very quiet, stay in Saturday-and it felt amazing!

Of course, I didn't sleep in, I doubt if I could sleep in if I tried.
But, at least I was not screamed awake at the crack of dawn.
I had a gentle awakening.

TGIF... and the rain is a bonus for extra cozy vibes.

Raven waited until 5:30—only after I texted—to say he’s not coming down this weekend. 
Talk about mad. 
That’ll make you plumb mad.

The cats were put in the laundry room at 3 pm, we had everything locked, and put away-and he didn't have the decency to tell me as he left that he was staying up there.

A sip of coffee, the sky still pale, May drifts in on a petal trail, With summer standing at her gate

Heron got home just after midnight, he decided to take his dog down to the RV with him.
He's not done that in a long time.
We've got used to her being with us, it was a little odd waking up without her.
Of course, he brought her back up when he went to work.
She can not be left alone in that RV.

I'm not procrastinating, I'm just waiting for the right moment... forever.

It was well after midnight before I went to bed.
Then Cowboy woke me up at 3 am, I'd just dozed off, he was putting a fan together.
He does a lot of small jobs around the house when he comes home from work, it's not bedtime to him.
Usually, he's quite as a little mouse.

The worst kind of sad is not being able to explain why

Today is a blue day-I hate blue days.
No rhyme or reason, some days I just wake up feeling like Eeyore.

"I look spectacular."👓

I woke up to a text that I had an email from the Urologist.
They had scheduled Cowboy for an appointment tomorrow.
So, I sent Cowboy a text telling him-he wasn't at all happy about it.
To jump ahead in the day, they called around 1:30 pm to tell him that the doctor had overbooked, and rescheduled for next week.

Two volumes: loud and louder

I watched TV until midnight, then went to sleep.
I woke up out of a sound sleep at 3 am, checked my cameras, Heron hadn't come home.
I stepped outside to make sure, nope, no car.
I sent a text, no reply.
I stayed awake until I heard his car pull in at 4:39 am.
He chatted a bit with me, then he went back to his RV at 4:58 am.

Outhouse life: before Charmin, there was reading material. 😉🧻🚽

The weekend guests were unusually quiet this morning—we weren’t jolted awake at sunrise like usual. 
A rare treat, and no complaints from me.

"Raw, honest, and unlikable—that’s both me and my blog in a nutshell."

It's 10 pm, and I'm sitting in a quiet house.

Raven got here at 5 pm—he has all of his crew this weekend—took them straight to his room and hasn't come out since.

Oddly enough, the little haven't made a peep. 
At least not very much. 
Which is a bit peculiar.

Linking to a fellow blogger navigating health challenges

Town Day-again, Badger hates me saying that, but we do go to town so there 😝

We stopped at the thrift store, Badger will only wear shorts below the knees, and we're having a terrible time finding those new.
I think she found one pair here.

“If today was a flavor it would taste like beige...”

This is a nothing to write-didn't leave the house kind of day.

I really have nothing.

Cowboy works-we sit.

That's our life in a nutshell.

Caffeine fix, because adulting is hard

The optometrist signed Cowboy's little form, but the woman who orders your glasses got all hateful, and refused to check off the boxes saying what his prescription was.
That's understandable, as we did not buy his glasses there, but she didn't have to be so hateful about it.
We told her we knew he didn't purchase glasses from them, but his place of work still insisted he come back to them with the form.
Hopefully he'll still get reimbursed.

So children have their Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, and the Easter Bunny … Why can’t I have my Cleaning Fairy?

I called the optometrist as soon as their office opened, their computers were up and running, and they did have my bill and prescription.
So, I woke up Cowboy and Badger, not an easy task, and we got on the road.

We go in, the bill is whoa!
She claimed the insurance only gave a discount on the exam, and that it was cheaper to run it as self-pay.
I went here in October, and I'm fairly sure the insurance covered the exam, but like a dummy, I lost the bill.

“Post-divorce, even kind gestures from former in-laws can be seen as crossing the line.”

It was well after 1 a.m. when we got to bed.
Heron got home from work at 12:30. 
I said howdy, and he jumped a foot.
 “You’re never awake! What are you doing up?”
 I told him I was keeping Badger company.

Rejoice! He Is Risen

 

♥♥♫♪ Happy Birthday to you ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥¸ ¸.•*¨*•♫♪ Happy Birthday to you ♪♫•*¨*

“Messy, raw, and real—honesty over likability every time."

Let's see if I can be a little coherent.
Badger is crankily cooking, she won't let me help, but I'm in the living room should she yell.
I do not do late nights, I'm not a vampire like Cowboy and my kids.
Come 10 pm, and I'm ready for bed.
We're heading on to midnight, and I'm drooping.

“I’m a grandmother with chaotic weekends and blunt truths—I never asked to be liked.”

Holy cow! Shopping on a Friday, and Easter weekend, is the worst idea ever!
The stores were ridiculously crowded, and lines long.
None of us were happy campers by the time we headed home.

"On the first Good Friday, light overcame darkness, and goodness triumphed over sin. It was the wondrous miracle of our Savior’s sacrifice, forever changing the world."

 

"Eye exam results are in: my future’s clear, but my vision isn’t. 🤷‍♀️🔍"

Cowboy and Badger's eye exam today.
Surprisingly, Cowboy's vision has changed very little, and he's only beginning to really get cataracts.
Apparently, he's just a terrible driver, it's sure not his vision.
The thing is, he's only started driving like a blind, drunken bat the last few years.
We'll see how things go with the new glasses-little change or not.

Just me, my thoughts, and a cup of coffee.

My wacky brain woke me up at 5:30 am, I managed to lay until 6:30 am-and then just gave up, went into the living room.

I'm organizing files, and pictures on the computer.
A boring, but necessary task.

"Every tree felled is another nail in the coffin of our planet's future."

The tree trimmers were here before Heron left for work, at 8:40 am.
Today they were right in front of my window, I was sipping my coffee, something moving behind me caught my eye.
I look out, and there is a cherry picker sitting there.

A cup of coffee and a heart full of gratitude 💕☕"

The tree cutters-is that a word?-cut the neighbor's tree down early this morning.
It was after lunch before they started on ours, luckily Cowboy was home mostly.
He had to go to work before they finished, well, they have to come back tomorrow they didn't get done today.

Heron said he wouldn't have been those guys for anything.
It was very windy all day, and here they were up in a bucket, sawing tree limbs.

Here’s to coffee, comfort, and slow Sunday mornings ☕️

We've not left the house, well, Cowboy went to morning and evening services, and we had to make a very quick trip out for Badger some Tylenol.
Raven worked tonight, of course, and Heron went to his girlfriends.
Other than that, though, we've had a stay at home day.

"Venting is not complaining; it's a release for the soul."

The Blue House Neighbor across the street sent me a text at 11 pm last night asking for me to go over, pick up her medication off of her porch for her.
I did not see the text until 7 am this morning, I was dead to the world at 11 pm.
Luckily, they do pack it very well in dry ice.
So that is now sitting in my fridge waiting for her to get back.

“On the mend from a lightning-fast virus that hit like a runaway train but is finally losing steam.”

I'm on my feet, but still not 100%.
I had whatever Cowboy had plus some.
Holy Cow!
Several times during the evening I was curled up in a ball, with my knees to my chest, bawling my eyes out.

♥♥♫♪ Happy Birthday to you ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥¸ ¸.•*¨*•♫♪ Happy Birthday to you ♪♫•*¨*

"Virus wins this round. Couch-bound, clutching water, questioning existence."

 

"Move over, garden gnomes—Big Foot’s made my flower bed his new hangout spot, and my dogs won’t stop barking their furry heads off. 🌸🐕👣 #SasquatchTakeover"

The biggest drawback to going out for groceries on a Wednesday?
We've spent all day thinking tomorrow is Friday, all of us.

I mean, we know today is Wednesday-but we always go to the store on a Thursday.
So, if we're bringing in the week's groceries, I guess our brains assume it's Thursday.

Trying to find excitement in a sea of boredom

Another colder day, so another day of staying in

What?

No, 53 °F (ca. 12 degree Celsius) is not warm-it was downright nippy, and as always the wind was blowing.

What is with the wind? 

Under the weather. 🌧️

We're in one of our little winters, probably redbud winter, although I've seen dogwoods blooming.
There are debates on all my Facebook weather pages as to which one we're in.
With climate changes, the old way of predicting the little cold snaps we get doesn't really work out.
The redbuds started blooming in March, and now we're seeing dogwoods blooming.
Our last cold snap should come in May, and then we can finally put our winter woolies up, and turn off the heat for good.

"The birthday girl embarked on a quest for magic, adventure, and unforgettable moments—and she delivered! Wands up for the most enchanting celebration ever! 🪄🎂✨🌟 #BirthdayMagic"

I am exhausted!
Having to people is tiring, and Magiquest was wall-to-wall people.

Plus, the party room was on the 3rd floor, right on the roof.
Badger and I do not do elevators, so she and I walked up three flights of stairs-twice.

"Air it out before it eats you alive."

Cowboy woke up, ate his breakfast, went out for a ladder, and then crawled up in the attic.
Unfortunately, I've run the air conditioner a time or two, so it was too wet for him to work on.
To say he was unhappy would be an understatement.
It's not easy to crawl up in that attic, nor is it easy to maneuver around up there.

"Just another chat with myself—honestly, I’m getting pretty good at this."

No one wants to hear my boring prattling.
At home, I am reduced to talking to the animals, the dogs at least cock an ear.
The cats glare at me, and stalk off.
The blog is my place to prattle away without feeling like a nuisance.
I'm talking to myself-but that's par for the course.

Darkness has a way of making the ordinary terrifying

I really have nothing.

These days, I may as well be living alone.

Raven, Heron, and Badger rarely pop out of their rooms—or come home. 

Cowboy is here, usually napping, until 2:30 pm, and then it's just me and the cats.

World Autism Awareness Day

 

🌙 Nighttime peace, just me and my thoughts⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

I have nothing.

Badger stays in her room all the time now, I'm left to my own devices.

I spend my evenings reading, I'm back to going through two books a day. 

Life is not at all exciting around here.