I think that there is nothing that makes you realize your own mortality then the death of a sibling. I have lost three other siblings before my sister Pat passed away last month. But something about her death has hit me harder and made me take a long hard look at my own life and health. I guess it’s because I am older now. I have really been trying to clean up a lot of unhealthy habits in my life. With my weight being the main issue, as far as I know anyway, I have been working really hard on eating better and moving my body more. I am down about seven pounds so far and hope by this time next month it will be even more. I am not doing anything radical or taking diet pills or drinking shakes or anything like that. Just better eating and exercise that is what will have to do it for me. I have always been one to eat my feelings instead of feeling them. By numbing myself it is easier to avoid feeling bad. Well that is until all your clothes don’t fit and you can’t walk a short distance without being out of breath. There is a lot of life to live and I want to be the healthiest I can be to do it. I want to be better physically. I just felt the need to share all of that.
A busy weekend over here. On Saturday my sister and my nephew helped me clean out some things in my mother in law’s house. We know that realistically she will never be able to live at home again and the house has needed a good cleaning for several years. We worked for several hours and then I went to visit my mother in law at the assisted living village. Her short term memory is getting so bad and she asks me the same questions over and over or tells me the same story over and over. I just pretend it’s the first time I have heard it. She loves for me to show her pictures of the babies. I try to take several throughout the week so I will have plenty to show her. She has so many stories of when she was a young woman, newly married, riding a greyhound bus to Knoxville every day to business school. The trip was over an hour each way. She studied on the bus and the bus driver always flirted with her. She can still tell these stories like it was yesterday and I love to hear them. Sometimes I start asking her questions so she will tell me one of those. She has such a look on her face when she tells them like she is still seeing every memory and I am sure she is.

After our visit I bought groceries. I am amazed every week when I see the price of groceries. Of course having seven babies to buy for isn’t cheap. Scruffy and Molly have to have canned dog food because their teeth, or lack of them, makes it hard to chew hard food. Also dog food and cat food have become really hard to get. I know you have heard the horror stories about baby formula.
Sunday my sister had a cook-out at her house for my nephew Tyler, he graduated from college last week. I was lucky enough to get a ticket to go. He only got four tickets and his mom and dad of course went. My brother in law, his grandfather, couldn’t go so I was able to get his ticket. My sister and I went and sat on the bleachers in the gym for three hours. It was more than worth it. We all went out to eat afterwards and had a really good time.
I have been doing a lot of walks with the babies. It has been really hot here so we don’t go far. I have also been working on the temperature blanket. I am still a little behind but working on it when I can. I can’t wait to show you what I have.


Work continues to be busy but manageable. I am trying to get my house de-cluttered, I think that is an ongoing process and that is o.k.

That is what has been going on in my neck of the woods, how are you doing?
Always remember
Love your day your way!!!!!!
