change of plans...

 This fine morning, I got up and got ready for the pool in a drowsy way, I had stayed up too late reading a good book, then woke up in the night to use the bathroom, and started thinking about things.  You know how that is, I got a few good ideas, and started thinking of all the things I have to do this week, I had to put a stop to it so I could fall back to sleep. 

When I did wake up again bright and early, my stomach was feeling really off.  Shh, it could have been the popcorn I had watching Downton Abby with the girls last evening, but I don't know.  I got ready and had a coffee, then left in good time to beat the school buses...because if you get behind a bus, it's game over, and you won't find a parking spot.  I like to get to the pool extra early to walk and stretch and doggy paddle and warm up.  

Well.  I got halfway to the pool and my tummy started in...I felt like I might need to make a run for the bathroom, which would be an absolute nightmare in the pool, especially because I cannot run!  I pictured the worst, so I drove right by the rec center and headed home.  I feel like I'm playing hooky here, but better safe than sorry.  My stomach is fine now, of course.  

Anyway, TMI, right?  I have so much to do.  I'm making a birthday cake for Miss Rhys, who is turning five this week and is having a party on Saturday.  It's going to be a really hot humid week, so I'm thinking to bake it today and put it in the freezer.  I also am doing some cupcakes for Evelyn's shower which is on Sunday.  I have to finish a project for that, and also wrap the presents for her, and for Rhys' birthday.  

I haven't gone to the Mennonite stand to get flowers for the deck yet, I am itching to do that too.  I have things around here I want to work on too, and every day the floors need vacuuming.  I know I am not REALLY that busy compared to most people, but this week I do have a lot to do.  I am probably going with Kathryn at some point to get some things for the birthday too.

Yesterday after church, no one was coming over here, which is unusual, but everyone had other plans.  Paul is in Hungary, so it was just the girls and I.  Charlotte Claire is starting nursing school in the fall, and mentioned she needs a desk.  I looked on Marketplace, and there was one for free, just a half hour away.  So, off we went on a desk adventure in the rickety truck.  

It's a good desk, a big old wood one with lots of drawers.  It's a restoration project dream.  She's going to clean it all up and decide if she's going to sand it down or just leave it.  It makes my hands itchy just to look at it, itchy to work on it.  

We then went to Target since we were in the neighborhood, the girls got a few necessities, and we got a salad kit for tonight's dinner, to have with grilled chicken, which I have to get into the marinade (dill pickle juice!).  The girls have been talking about getting "dirty soda", which I invented, thank you very much.  I've been putting heavy cream into diet root beer for YEARS.  I've also the queen of adding Diet Coke to a leftover iced Americano.  Anyway.  We went through the McDonalds drive through and they got  dirty Dr. Pepper, which is basically fountain soda with cream, Cam said the cream tasted like marshmallow.  I got a Diet Coke, which was splendid.  Cam also got a McChicken, and with the app got free large fries, yes, sometimes you have to live a little.  (no I didn't have any).  

Home...ahh, home.  Char made herself some crispy tacos, I made myself two smash burgers with sautéed onions and dill pickles, no buns.  And, we watched Downton.  

The girls took a break and brought Sunny for a walk, I went on the exercise bike for a bit, then we watched another episode.  Life is good, right?

So if anyone has been wondering...I mentioned there are three new granddaughters coming in the next few months:  Evelyn and Nate are having their first baby, a girl.  Abigail and Derek are having their first baby, a girl.  And:  Kathryn and Darius are having their fifth baby, a girl!  (They have 3 boys and one girl, Rhys, so they're quite excited!). 

So I'll have 22 grandchildren, the last six in a row girls (Kaia, Samantha, and Emilia, then the three unborn babies....). The girls are running away with it, 14 girls to 8 boys!

It's really fun, what blessings they all are.  

So my project is finished...the day has sped by.  I've puttered and kept busy, went outside for a bit (I draped some laundry around out there and it dried so fast!).  I marinated the chicken in pickle juice, and packed up all of my sewing stuff, which will go back into the storage bench in my room.  One of these days I'll get a sewing space in one of the empty rooms, but until then, I'll just haul it out when I want to sew.  

Since I'm blogging in fits and starts today, I have also gotten the cake baked!  I was going to just make cupcakes because Rhys is having a pool party, and I was thinking easier to serve.  But she wants a cake, and I did promise a cake.  So I baked a round one and a smaller round one, I'll stack them and make it fancy.  There will be a few cupcakes too, then two dozen mini cupcakes for the baby shower on Sunday.  When they cool down, I'll wrap them up and freeze them.  

Paul Face-timed me today from Budapest.  I was sewing, glad I wasn't in Target, ha.  :). 

The chicken is now in the oven, pounded between some parchment paper with a meat mallet, dipped in egg, then in a bread crumb mixture, on a pan with lots of olive oil in a nice hot oven.  Char made a pan of sweet potato fries, and Cam is making croissant rolls with mozzarella sticks.  I am planning to have a nice salad with my chicken.  I haven't eaten yet today, so I am hungry.  :). 

Ah well...you have a nice evening!  

my kind of day...

 My car is fixed, so I got to go rammin' after my swim class this morning.  First Target, where I spent too much, how does it add up so fast?  I behaved too.  I did try on two dresses from the clearance rack, but nope:  no way, no how.  I found a few gifts, a package of chicken, a package of chicken wings, half price pack of pork chops which are marinating in lime juice and olive oil and cajun seasoning.  I bought sour cream for an upcoming birthday cake, and shh, maybe some hair dye.  I didn't buy the Tineco cordless pet vac, regularly $299 for $89.  It almost killed me not to put it into my cart, I do love me a good vacuum cleaner.  Am I weird for loving vacuum cleaners?  Try to vacuum while walking with a walker, getting the cord all tangled up, and tell me you don't long for a cordless one.  Well.  I don't use the walker anymore, but a nice cordless one would still be just fine.  

I got myself an iced Americano, then went to Hobby Lobby.  I admit, I was slow going, after walking all through Target.  But I was all by my lonesome, and I had things to look at.  That store does not disappoint, except I do have a question:  Does the autumn stuff REALLY have to be out already?!  Seriously?!  Thankful signs and pumpkins and all the fall spicy candles?  nope, not yet.  Our summer has barely begun here in New York.  

Anyway.  I got my wrapping paper and gift bags and fabric and let's just say I sort of behaved in there too.  

Home...ahh, home.  I sit here in my chair, when I need to get sewing again.  I have to water my flowers and these floors need a vacuum.  But, after spending over an hour in the pool, then shopping my brains out, I am so comfy here in my chair.  :)

So I sewed a little bit more, when I ran out of bobbin thread I decided it was time to make dinner.  I bought these pork chops today, dated tomorrow, three dollars something for five boneless chops.  I dipped them in egg and breaded them, spiced them up a bit, put them in the air fryer with chopped apples and onions.  On the other rack:  chopped sweet potatoes, and broccoli florets.  I could have grilled outside, but meh, didn't feel like smelling delicious, ha.  

It does feel almost sinful to not be outside on such a nice day, but it's my fault for leaving this project for the last minute.  I do enjoy sewing, and I can still see the sunshine and hear the birds sing, so it's not totally criminal to be inside.  

And, now it is Saturday night!  It was a rainy morning, and Evelyn picked me up at 8 o'clock to go garage sale-ing!  We got soaking wet!  She found one little copper pot for her kitchen shelf, and I found one big plastic roller coaster for the grandkids to play on, with the little car they ride down on.  We also found a free patio table with a few chairs, which Ev and Nate went back to pick up in the truck, and brought it to Jon and Rosi.  We went to the thrift store, and there wasn't much there, but we got some coffee from 7Brew, and some donuts from a local bakery, which we brought to Emily's house.

When we got to Emily's, Ben and Ashley were there with Anya, Elise, and Declan.  They had most of the garage cleared out already!  Em and Mariel had rented a huge dumpster and wow, now their garage is almost empty.  They put some stuff out by the road, listed it on Marketplace for free, and it was GONE.  Margaret came over with Wulf, Tennyson, and Blythe, and Charlotte Claire and Camille came.  Jon and Rosi, and Nate were there too.  The girls made pulled pork nachos for everyone, and we got out the donuts.   Blythe, who is two and a half, is hilarious.  She had to turn on all the lamps in the living room, and when I asked her if anyone ever told her she was a nuisance, she said, "Yes, my mom did."  

Home....ahh, home.  I am almost finished with my sewing project, but reached a bump in the road and had to quit for the day.  I am not good at sewing.  I have the vision and I know what I like, and mostly how to do it, but I am not precise enough.  ugh.  But I have had fun.  

When I finished sewing, I cleaned up the scraps and put things away, then vacuumed my room, the hallway, kitchen and living room, folded a load of towels, washed a load of clothes (a cute dress for Ruth and one for Maeve from a garage sale, one dollar each!).  I finally sat down in my comfy chair and put my feet up, and realized we hadn't had any dinner!  I would probably be okay with just the lunch, but I asked the girls and they are now picking up a pepperoni pizza and ten dirty charred wings.  (they are spicy and vinegar-y, so good!  They fry them, sauce them, then char them!). 

They were busy cleaning up their rooms and getting things done this afternoon, so it was quiet in here.  Paul is well on his way to Hungary, yes Budapest, for work.  When the girls get home we'll probably watch some Downton Abbey....:)

Life is good.  But, as I always say, it's not smooth sailing for anyone.  Today I made a very conscious decision, for like the fiftieth time, to be super thankful that I can walk.  I can walk!  That is wonderful!  Yes, I'm still wobbly.  Yes, after I sit for a bit it's hard to get moving.  Yes, the "old" knee is cranky.  Yes, the new knee is still so strange and mechanical.  But.  I can walk!  Why not just celebrate that!  I've heard it said that if you're over fifty, and you wake up in the morning and don't have any pain, you're probably dead, ha.  It becomes part of life, those aches and pains.  But when you think of the big picture, we're lucky to have grown older, and who wants to be around someone who grumps about everything?  

Old Kitty is happy now, that I'm sitting here.  She is stretched out in her spot on the arm of my chair.  She would rather my lap, but the laptop trumps the cat:). When I was sewing, she was up on the table batting at the machine, walking across the fabric, purring and trying to get me to pet her.  She likes to come up close and touch my nose with her nose.  I got up and checked, she had food and water, and didn't want to go outside.  Then I made a mistake and had to rip out some stitches, so she happily followed me to my comfy chair for a few minutes...all purring and cuddly.  She's losing a lot of winter fur, so I have to brush her and cut some matted fur from her tummy, and she would shred me to pieces with those razor claws if I'm not careful, she'll purr and claw at the same time.  :)

This guy was in our back yard...a huge snapping turtle!  She's probably looking to lay her eggs...

You all have a good night!

oh so nice and sunny!

 So yesterday was glorious!  After the pool, I came home and shh, sat down and put my feet up for a little while...then Miss Suzanne Eleanor came in the door, followed by Kathryn Grace with Achilles, Rhys, Jamison, and Ellis.  I had to leave briefly to pick up my car, it was down the road at the mechanic's place, getting a brand spanking new wheel bearing and having it's exhaust system patched up, for only $622.  It's nice and quiet now!  Anyway.  It was warm and sunny, so we set up on the deck...opened the umbrella, rolled out a rug, filled the little pool and a water table, and enjoyed it.  I put towels down to walk on from the rug to the door, because that deck was hot!

Ellis had a good time splashing.  Rhys liked going in the yard on the swings, and Achilles was just happy to be there.  He has learned how to ride his bike with no training wheels.  He can read, he can swim, but he can't pump on the swings yet.  I told him he did all the hard things first, swinging is easy.  

Char and Cam came home, and made dinner.  I started grilling and Char took over.  Suze made the spicy salsa, they cut up mango and cilantro and onions, and made Basmati rice.  

This fine morning, I ventured outside for a little bit, watered some flowers, but I had a project to work on, a sewing project.  Char and Cam got up and packed a lunch and went to a waterfalls to hike and swim.  Sonja was wondering what I was doing today, but I had to work on this project.  It was challenging, it's almost done, and I am not pleased with it.  ugh.  But I do have to make another trip to Hobby Lobby to get some more fabric, and that's always fun!

So tomorrow after the pool, off I'll go!

On Saturday morning, Evelyn and I are going to some garage sales, then I'm going over to Emily's house to grill hot dogs and stay out of the way as they clean out her garage.  She had a catering business, and has so much stuff in there still....

Next weekend is Rhys' birthday party, she's turning five years old.  I volunteered to make a cake, she wants chocolate with pink frosting and flowers, I can do that.  The next day is Evelyn's baby shower.  I will make a few cupcakes for that, but am buying danishes/pastries for it, as she want's a coffee shop theme.  We'll have a few espresso machines, and a couple of very talented baristas to make drinks to order (Jonathan and Oscar!). I need to make sure we have everything we need for that.  

I need to get up and get on the exercise bike.  I haven't done much today, you know how it is when you're sewing.  You get up to iron a seam, to get another coffee, to use the bathroom.  If you're me, you go sit in your comfy chair while you pin two pieces together, just because that hard kitchen chair you're sewing on is brutal.  I'm extra limpy today, and I don't know why.  Maybe pressing that sewing pedal uses different muscles or something, isn't getting older fun?  The things you never even had to think about when you were younger!  

I don't want to spoil the surprise, so I'll post a pic of the project later, like next week.  

Dinner was bacon and eggs with protein bread toasted, one slice with raspberry preserves, mmm.  The eggs were just right, it was a good dinner.  The girls had leftover grilled chicken with corn tortillas, that looked good too.  

Well you all have a really nice evening!  I'm getting on that exercise bike!  

home early!

 

Our camping trip was wonderful!  The sunsets from our campsite:  lovely.  It was a bit chilly, sometimes we had to bundle up because of the wind.  But when the wind calmed down, we had some nice times at the beach.  It wasn't swimming weather, and the water was 49 degrees, brrr.  I did get my suit on and wade out to my knees, then decided nah, I'm good.  :)

We spent some time in the sun though.  

Bacon on the new Blackstone...mmm.  

We accidentally left the propane connector to our little Coleman gas grill at home, so we stopped at Walmart on the way up to get a new one.  Well, when we got ready to grill our dinner the campsite, we discovered the connector didn't work, it was for a Blackstone, so it can connect to a bigger tank and not just the small propane bottle.  I told Paul that we had $75 in Target rewards, and the small Blackstone griddle/grill was $149, so we drove up to a Target, and got one.  We already had the new connector!

Sunny....

This is how we (Paul) made dinner before we went to Target...it WAS good!

The heart shaped rock...

Just our camper table...full of fun things, that lantern is rechargeable.  

My favorite camping blanket...

The beloved camper.

The vacuum cleaner, and yes, I used it.  :)

Paul throwing the stick for Sunny

Sunny in the sunset

Marshmallows!

All packed up and ready to leave!  We were supposed to stay until tomorrow, but we decided to come home a day early.  It was sunny and nice, but the wind was very chilly.  We had an excellent time together, but we were ready to go home.  

Paul made a sling and got pretty good at sending those rocks flying really far out into the water.

I thought this heart shaped rock was so pretty...

The wind and the waves!

Anyway.  It's getting late, I have laundry to put in the dryer, and my gym bag to pack for the pool in the morning.  Suzanne is coming over tomorrow, and Kathryn is too.  When we got in the door with the camper to unload, the girls were making dinner, super yummy homemade chicken tenders, sweet potato fries, and Brussel sprouts roasted in the air fryer.  I helped them get it finished in exchange for them bringing in some loads of stuff...Char even put the refrigerator stuff away for me.  

Getting home from camping these days is a whole different ballgame than it was back in the day, with all the kids!  

I did meet a very nice lady while camping.  Her name is Susie.  Her and her husband pulled into the site across from us yesterday.  This fine morning, Paul was working out in the yard, exercising with his kettlebell weights, and I was practicing walking and doing some different stretches and exercises.  The guy across the street came over and introduced himself, and asked if I had knee replacement...he had both done...then his wife came over, Susie, and she stayed a while and we talked and talked.  You know when you hit it off with someone, so nice!  Well, when we decided to leave, later, I was in the truck as Paul hitched up the camper, and she came over and was very sad we were leaving!  I didn't get her info but she lives a few streets over from one of my daughters and I just know we will see each other again!

Anyway, I am tired, and I had wanted to write more about camping...about how I sleep and sleep in that camper...it's not even that the bed is comfy, because it's less so than my at-home bed.  I think it's being out in the fresh air all day!  I love sleeping in the camper.  I love that morning coffee.  Honestly, just being with Paul and making our meals and going for drives, it's like the old days, like playing house.  We still enjoy each other immensely, and have so much fun together.  (If any of the kids had come up, it still would have been nice, but we had a good time just us).  

At home we can get into our routines, so it's nice to break from that and change things up.  :)

You all have a good night!

Ahh, almost out the door...

I came home from the pool on this nice sunny morning, excited to be going camping!  The refrigerator stuff is packed, all of our vitamins and supplements packed, and shh, I am bringing:  the vacuum cleaner.  Paul said, "The BIG vacuum cleaner?"  It's not THAT incredulous!  We have an electric site, and it's very sandy, so why not?  I did go out and vacuum that camper the other day, but there were chairs in there, and the bunk ends weren't unfolded so the bed cushions that go on them were stacked in the way, so it really needs a better cleaning.  I actually like vacuuming, and it's vacation, you should do what you like.  I do feel like Mrs. Potato Head from the Toy Story movie...

A frying pan?  Garbage bags?  Pot holders?  I have a brand new table cloth and table cloth clips:). Ben and Ashley got us a new outdoor rug for Christmas, which will be nice to put under the awning.  I have my new chair too.  Oh, this is first world camping! (am I allowed to say that?). Well, it is, because I bought a new coffee grinder from Amazon, so we don't have to leave the girls without one.  oh dear.  Fresh ground coffee, twenty bucks...fresh ground coffee...yup.  

After a while my brain won't work anymore, and what we have is what we have.  I'm taking a nice break now, while Paul goes to town to gas up the truck, and get a bag of ice.  Our little refrigerator/freezer in the camper runs on electric and propane, so we can turn it on for a few days before we go, and start packing it.  It's not a fancy camper, and it's 13 years old, but I do love it so much.  It has a three burner propane stove, an oven which we haven't used, a sink (we fill the tank with water when we get there), and a little bathroom with a shower, which I have used for really quick rinse-offs, the campground is a state park and actually has really nice hot showers.  The camper has air conditioning too, but I don't think it'll get that hot this trip.  (My favorite is having that bathroom!  We tent camped for a few years, and ugh, I barely made it to the bathroom some mornings!)

Did I every tell you about my dad?  He was kind and generous and hard working and honest, but he had a temper.  He had mood swings.  My mother figured out that he was bi-polar (can we still say that?), but he wouldn't see a doctor for it.  He'd get in a really good silly talkative mood, then he'd crash and be miserable and quiet for days.  We avoided him on those days, and my mother would warn us.  My little brother didn't always get the message, and he would throw a tantrum and my dad would yell and it would be so stressful.  My father:  he basically ignored me my whole life.  I adored him.  I would kiss his stubbly cheek goodnight, and he'd wave me away.  I'd bring him his dinner because he always ate in his chair in the living room, and he'd say in a grumpy voice, just put it down!    But I never gave up, and sometimes he would give me the time of day and it would be worth it.

I thought all dads were like that.  Then I'd go to a friend's house, and her dad would look right at her and talk to her!  And to me!  hmm.

I'm bringing this up because it shaped who I am.  I look back and feel sorry for the little girl that I was.  And I find myself continuously testing the waters with Paul, expecting him to yell, but he never does.  When he's quiet I'm tiptoeing around wondering what I did wrong, but he is just quiet sometimes, and has nothing against me.  Believe me, I've asked.  He's in a very good mood today, he's glad to be going camping too.  My dad loved camping, but my goodness, when he had to back up and hitch it up, we heard every bad word there was all strung together.  (we could imitate him pretty well too!).   We tried to stay out of his way....but then when we got into that station wagon and started down the road, he would sing The Bear Went Over The Mountain!, and all would be well.  

Anyway, I think this is why the gospel has so much appeal to me, why it's apprehended me.  For people to live before God's face in their daily life, and be kind to one another, forgiving one another...it's how I want to live!  My favorite verse:  Oh how good and blessed it is when brethren dwell together in unity.  (Psalm 133).  I've been blessed to be married to someone who lives like this too.  It doesn't mean it's always smooth sailing, we need to work for our salvation, and for peace.  He's different than I am, and I don't always understand him.  (I think the "spectrum" is on both sides of our family).    But.  I am learning more and more to let it be when he's quiet or seems uninterested.  I am learning to give him freedom and to love him as he is, without having these demands that he is this way or that way.  It's good this way, and freeing, and happy.  

I had no intentions of going so deep on this fine day, but then I never know what will be coming out when I start typing.  It's my therapy.  

Sunny knows something is up.  Paul put her bye-bye collar on her, and she sees us bringing stuff to the camper.  He's not here, and she's not letting me out of her sight.  Of course I told her there are special treats in the camper, and she did that little head tilt.  She's a giant pain in the rear end, in the tiny little camper.  She has assumed the couch as her little throne, so we gave in and just put towels on it.  She's a giant Lab and the camper is 17 feet long (not including the bunks).  But this time I can at least vacuum up the dog fur!  To be fair, she does make it fun.  She's getting old and it's sad, but she does love the beach.  

Ah well.  I don't know what to make this evening for dinner...I have four meals packed and we're going for  five nights, was thinking to make a quick beef stew in the instant pot and heat it up when we get there...

I really really want to bring this MacBook.   I really do.  I'll have electricity, and I can get wifi through my phone.   I am not sure...it's nice to get away from it, in a way, but also nice to blog...I might need the therapy ha...

You all have a really nice day!!!

the department of motor vehicles, ny state....

 New York likes to keep us safe, and they like to tax the living heck out of us too.  We have to get our vehicles inspected every year, and who knew that campers also had to have a yearly inspection?  shh, not me.  I thought maybe big huge-0 ones, but not teeny ones like ours.  

I did know they need to be registered, then re-registered yearly, for a fee of course.  Of course it wasn't as simple as doing it online, Paul and I both tried and got an error message.  Our county DMV has moved out of the city (the building had a calamity during a storm, then asbestos was discovered)...over to near the county jail, on a nice country road.  There is plenty of parking, no parallel parking or parking meters to deal with.  It's a temporary set up, but oh my goodness, are they efficient!  They are so nice too, no Patty and Selma here!  

All I had to do was give them the license plate number, my driver's license, and of course the good old credit card, and in less than half hour, I was walking out with registration that lasts for the rest of the year, and a ten day temporary inspection, for the bargain price of thirty two dollars!  (I did contact our mechanic down the road, and he can inspect it for us before our next camping trip, which isn't until August).  So we're all legal.  

 Oh, and I saw a random act of kindness:  in NY state, when you turn in your vehicle's license plates, you have to pay one dollar.  A guy turned in his plates, and handed the nice lady his credit card.  Oh no, she said, cash only.  Well, he said, I'll have to come back, I don't have a dollar...he walked out, and a nice man ran after him...then came back in, then the guy returned with the dollar in his hand...and returned his plates.  He didn't have to make a whole 'nother trip, because a stranger gave him a dollar.  It made us all happy.

I was all by myself, and nothing on the agenda, so I went into the city, and to the thrift store.  I browsed and meandered, bought two books, a toy cash register (kids love them!), and two baby outfits.  

Then to Aldi for chicken, fresh mozzarella, nuts, lime juice, thick sliced peppered bacon for camping (mmm!), cherries, salad mix, and one lovely blue gingham tablecloth that I didn't even know I needed!  Oh, and a lovely potted begonia.  I did behave though, I wanted these hanging solar lanterns, but I didn't need them.  

Then, I went into Marshall's, because why not?  I found a little Father's Day gift for Paul, two outfits for Evelyn's baby shower, some rooibos chai tea for the girls, and that's about it.  

So the bridge on the main road here that leads to the small city is being replaced.  This means all traffic has to detour to either a small rickety one-lane bridge over the river, or go a bit farther and go over a different bridge.  I choose rickety.  Well.  On the way home, there was a big box truck, a Home Depot delivery truck, in front of me.  It stopped as it entered the bridge, and one of the guys got out and looked up, must have figured it would fit, and over it went...I was behind it, in the little red car (my car is having some issues), and that truck stopped again at the other end, and I was almost pooping my pants, picturing myself backing up over that entire bridge.  It's wiggly wobbly driving on it, and this car was my mil's car, it has no back up cameras, and I am a TERRIBLE backer-upper.  Thankfully the truck fit the exit part of the bridge too, phew.  

Home....ahh, home.  I put some things in the camper, then into the house with a comforter that was left in the camper, to put it in the wash.  I started that load, put things away, and here I sit in my comfy chair.  It was a good day so far.  

getting there!!! small victories!

 So this fine morning, I got up and went to the pool, without the cane, for the first time!  I know, it's been over six months, it's about time, right?!  But.  It's still a giant celebration for me!  I didn't bring it to the beach yesterday, either.  When we were leaving, I walked across that sand in bare feet, which is a glorious thing.  Lake Ontario in May:  the sand is warm on top, cool underneath, just wonderful to walk in.  I got to the sidewalk, dropped my Birkenstocks, then realized I had to step into them without leaning on anything.  Easier said than done, but I managed to do it.  

Even though it has taken so long to reach these milestones, I am so happy about them, probably even more-so because they've taken so long to accomplish.  My walking is still wonky, my knee still feels mechanical sometimes, but I CAN walk, and for that I am grateful.  A few months back, I would imagine camping, and the part where I walked to the water:  I couldn't fathom being able to do it!  I worried about if my camper has a handle to help get up the steps, and yes, it does.  I can go in and out easily.  

After the pool, I parked in Emily's driveway, and Kathryn picked me up to go Wegmans with her.  We each pushed a "car-car cart", those carts with the seats and steering wheels...so all four of her kids got to drive.  I got Rhys and Jamie, she had Achilles and Ellis.  My car-car cart swerved and bumped into things and took corners rather crazily, those crazy driving kids.  They loved it so much!  Jamie and Rhys told an older gentleman, pointing at the other cart, that their baby brother was so funny.  They chatted to him, and he said, "You have made my day!"   

I did forget to get Ezekial bread, and wandered willy-nilly around the store, but I had fun, and I did buy steaks for camping, and burger, and a huge-0 bag of popcorn, blueberries, and a loaf of bread for the girls.  I splurged on diet lemon Snapple iced tea for camping too.  

Home...I put the camping food in the camper, and put the rugs back in there that I had shaken and dried in the sun...Paul said the leaking came from around the antenna on the roof and that he patched it up and we should be good. You have no idea how happy that makes me!  I hate that I love my camper so much...:). (Seriously though, if a camper gets leaky and damaged by water, it's not worth anything, and it's not like we could just replace it...so we need to keep it nice!)

I'm going to get up and get moving and get some things packed.  You all have a really good day!