Thanks to each and everyone of my online friends, for the loving words you have expressed over the past couple of weeks. It's been rough going, but absolutely made easier by you friends. I, and my whole family, have been so blessed with friends who are kind, and caring, and loving, and we have appreciated each and every one of you so much. It is so hard to lose a parent, especially a mother. The only thing worse that I can imagine is losing a child. (I don't know how you carry on Robbin....I really respect you! Hugs!)

So, now life goes on. After spending almost every day with my mother for the past 6 months, I now have to figure out what to do with myself. Oh, I could clean house, sort through those boxes, get to my quilting, do something with a cedar chest packed with photos, clean my closet, and on and on, but I just don't have the energy to tackle those projects quite yet. Maybe it's
because we did so much packing, moving and unpacking in the past few months, that I've yet to get over that. Or maybe it's the extra pounds that have gathered during this time that I've completely ignored proper nutrition. And quite possibly it's because exercise has been nonexistent in my world recently. Those are things that I can do something about, so I guess it's time to do so.

We have planned a little vacation in August. Hubby's family is having a reunion in Duluth the weekend of the 15th, so we are going to attend that, and then we are going up the North Shore and camping for a week. That will be a big boost for me. I love the North Shore, although it has slipped to number four on my list of favorite places. (#1 Alaska #2 New Foundland #3 Montana)
I can spend a couple of nights camping on the shores of Lake Superior at Temperance River State Park, and I am refreshed and re-energized and ready to face life again. We are taking my youngest sister Lois with us, as she also needs a vacation from stress. Hopefully after sitting on the rocks along the shore of Lake Superior and just taking in the lake, the sky, the rocks and God's wonderful creation, and hiking along the Superior Hiking Trail and maybe climbing Minnesota's "mountains," and perusing the gift shops and outfitters stores, we will have the miracle of rejuvenation.


This picture on the right is of one of the varieties of coleus that I found this year. I think it's very unusual, but very pretty. I have done nothing with my plants this summer, but fortunately hubby has watered for me during the hot days. He has also kept the carpets vacuumed and the dishes done up for me, which I appreciate so much. I just ask him not to touch the laundry as I'm afraid I am very picky about that chore. Fortunately our apartment includes a washer and dryer in the kitchen closet, so I've been able to keep up with that, even at odd hours.

This is a very disjointed and rambling post. I started off to thank you, my online friends, but kind of went off in a couple of other directions, too. That's kind of my mind right now, scattered! Hopefully that will improve. Meanwhile, thanks for sticking with me!