how about drinking?

I'm sorry for your losses, M0mmy. I hope you and your family find peace and ease. 😔

Mommy, sorry to hear of your losses. Grief is a powerful emotion, and not always welcome. You are fortunate to be surrounded by family. I am still sobbing my heart out, daily, missing my 33+ year marriage…painful.

Raising a glass to those grieving. Its so very hard. I've also been lazy as our heat has also been relentless. The ocean breeze helps. The drink above was actually purple - very unique and a first for me.

Mommy keep holding your boundaries against those who try to involve you in unnecessary drama. Also im sorry for your multiple losses. And Wally...cyber hugs continue.

Good morning friends!

Sorry I have been off the radar. I have been working through a gnarly late summer virus that started at the end of July and has had me going through all the phases of it. I am pretty much through it now in all it's glory but it came with some complications like asthma that now goes with any respiratory issue plus I got a weird viral rash this time too (that was a first). Not a normal time of the year for me to get something like this, but I have been spending some time in our clinics the past month with my project so I am blaming it on that. There are SICK people in those clinics! There is always a wave of crud when schools start (which they did the week before last) and then lots that goes around end of August into Sept. It has been a slow crawl out from this but find there is no such thing as a simple cold anymore…

Its been a miserably hot summer here but starting to get the mid- August slight cool down which has us around 90 degrees for hight instead of 100 plus. As much as I love all the things that summer offers here including the festivals and markets, outdoor summer markets, gardening, and outdoor music, it is harder to look forward to things with the increasingly hotter summers. I know I am not alone with this and know it's been really hot everywhere this summer. Plus, some areas are getting TOO MUCH RAIN and having terrible flooding. We have a bad fire to the north of Santa Fe that has been growing but they brought in a hot shot crew from CA and now have almost 500 wildfire fires working on the fire. There are hundreds of fires in the west this year.

Things are rolling along at work and still working to get some things taken care of financially as well as to be ready to go. I am going to have my new(er) car paid off in the next couple months (turned a 6-year car loan into less than 2) and have an HVAC system to update here at the house, plus some work to do with my financial advisors and to prepare for Medicare. I am starting my yoga teacher training next month to get ready for this next chapter and see a timeline between end of the year to March of next year when I reach full SS age. It's funny, I remember in my last year of grad school in the mid 80s being so focused to get my education and get into the workforce, now it's a whole process to be ready to get out of it too! I see my timeline anywhere between end of the year to March 2027 to be ready to go….

Mommy- I am sorry for the additional losses in the family and the family acting out. I have learned that family seems to be at its worst during times when things are not good, especially with sick family, eldercare, losses in the family, etc. I think you have some good boundaries with the problem children and keep those up while you take care of yourself. Sending hugs.

MinusTwo- thank you for thinking of me. I am rising like a phoenix from the ashes once again…

Wallycat- thinking of you too sister and know you are in deep grief with the passing of your DH. I have only way through big losses (or maybe any) is to feel what you need to feel. Do you have the support of a grief counselor or support group? Sometimes can be helpful, it was for me with the loss of a sibling many years ago when I was in my 30s. Please continue to take good care of yourself and sending love across the miles…

NM- hope you and mom are doing okay. Have you been out kayaking this summer? I have such fond memories of Maine in the summer from my youth and into my 20s when I lived there for one summer during college.

Teka- hope all is well in North Country!

Got some things to do to be ready for the work week and hope everyone else here is doing okay, is safe from natural disasters in all their shapes and sizes. Back again soon!