I am alone tonight. Every other evening, my husband has been sleeping at his sisters to give her a break and a chance to catch up on her sleep. They've had a rough week. It looks as if their father will pass on tonight or tomorrow.  While it is cancer that brought him down, in the end, he will technically die of dehydration and/or starvation as the body shuts down, which makes for a dismal, drawn out end. I don't want to write about this, because I think it is intrusive considering the sensitivity of the issue and my ability to state observations with honesty and/or reflection that isn't always sugar coated or inspirational. I don't want to add to what is a very difficult emotional time, or make it about me, so I will not reflect upon this event in our lives, but I will say that I feel for my husband and his sister, and I myself am lonely and sad this week. Leaves me feeling non-conversational, as if words jam up in my throat (or fingers) because I can't bare to explore what I'm feeling for fear it will open floodgates better left to simmer privately.

But I will leave you with some pictures - examples of the more positive things going on in our lives.  There is always a positive side to life, and the knack to being happy is learning to focus there. So, "there" I'll go. 


I thought you might enjoy seeing Kathy. Note her shirt. Ha. This is a girl determined to stay clean!
I couldn't get her to smile. She is like those pictures of the country man and his wife with the pitchfork that are solemn and stern. What is it about country people that they think pictures demand a serious grimace? Anyway, this was Monday, before she cut her hair. On Wednesday, she had a haircut - the first she's had in 25 years. Her hair was down to her waist, but she had a "makeover." She is making herself over in every way imaginable. Go Kathy!



Ah ha - a smile at last! It was a bad hair day for me. Be lenient with your Ginny evaluation here.

This is a picture of the blueberries I picked today while waiting for the horse to eat. I picked the same amount yesterday, and the day before and the day before, and the day before. You get my drift. I am drowning in blueberries. They say life is good if it is a bowl of cherries. I say it is pretty good when it is a bowl of blueberries too.
  
For those of you who have been losing sleep because you can't wrap your brain around this notion of my chickens being exquisite - silkies and afro-headed cutie-pies, here is a pix. Gotta admit they are more interesting than normal Purdue chickens!


Last but not least, the house is coming along. Mark is creating all kinds of new, remarkable treatments that wow the workers and visitors. People are coming to the house because it is the talk of the town and asking if they can use Mark's designs. His work stands out and others want to hire him now. Doesn't surprise me or any of you who have worked with him creatively in the past, I guess.  In the entryway, Mark has rough sawn wood tinted dark with bark edged wood on top to give depth, character and an artistic flavor. It is gorgeous. I don't think the picture does justice, but I'll put it in anyway.   This is an unfinished area, but you can see how it is coming along.


Last but not least, Mark doing the one thing that helps him forget his troubles. Loving his logs. Gee, who'd a thought a girl like me would ever grow up to be jealous of a log? Amazing what your competition is when you've been married a long time. I've heard of golf-widows, but log-widows? I think I'm the first. Pardon the size of my pictures tonight. I don't want to mess around saving them resized and all. I'm not feeling creative.


Good night.