Good Morning . . .

a letter from Aunt Olive . . .

I started my 365 day mail challenge about 3 weeks ago . . . I have mailed a letter to someone every day and hope to continue to do that for the next year.  I didn't really stop to think when I started writing letters about getting letters in return.  I was thrilled to get a letter from my Aunt Olive a few days ago - after she received the letter I wrote her.  What a wonderful surprise.  I see her when I go back to Iowa, but I have never really exchanged letters with her.  

I think I am liking this challenge.  The Internet is great . . . thanks to Facebook I can keep up on what most of my family is doing and see pictures of them, their kids, their food, their vacations, and even know where they go to dinner and with who.  But this letter . . . it made my day.  My Aunt Olive is over 90 years old . . . I could tell by her handwriting that it took her awhile to write her letter.  In fact, she even wrote that she needed to get the letter in the mail because she had been working on it for a couple of days.  But she took the time to answer my letter!!!   It probably took her a couple of days, because from the sound of her letter she is a busy woman.  She has scraped the paint off her house, then as soon as she had some good weather she painted it (two coats) . . . but she did say that she was careful and only painted up as far up as she could reach.  Now she needs to paint her front porch.  She wrote that she stays busy with her flowers and was getting ready to bake a cake for one of her granddaughter's birthday.  She told me that she hires someone to mow her yard, but admitted if she isn't happy with it she will go outside and go over it again.  She made the comment that maybe she was too fussy . . . I think she is amazing!

today was fun . . .

Today was good.

Today was fun.

Tomorrow is another one.

~ Dr. Seuss

Life is Good!

One of the things I wanted to do this summer while I was off work - was to ride my bike whenever I had to go somewhere.  I believe my summer bucket list read - "ride my bike everywhere".   Across town to the doctor when it is over 100 degrees does not work, but a couple of miles to lunch, or to the store to pick up a couple of things . . . that does work.  There is something about this mode of transportation that just appeals to me . . . although it is a little less convenient to stop and take pictures when something catches my eye.  

10 reasons today that . . . "Life is good!"

* Going to lunch with friends (on my bike)

* Seeing Charlotte

* Riding my bike

* Talking to Lily on the phone . . . she is always a little silly (and I love that!)

* Stopping by The Book Barn (I love used book stores)

* Having Richard wake me up this morning to kiss me goodbye!

* Reading . . . and reading some more

* My 365 day mail project (I have mailed 19 letters . . . only 346 more to go)

* Eating a bowl of "Sweet & Salty Caramel Pecan" ice cream . . . (even if I have to walk an extra 5 miles because I chose to eat it)

* Feeling relaxed!

for today . . .

Outside my window . . . early morning . . .  cool, but starting to warm up already.  It's going to get hot today.

I am thinking . . . that I could have used a little more sleep. 
I am thankful for . . . my time off during the summer.
From the kitchen . . .  coffee

I am wearing . . . cut off sweats and a zombie t-shirt

I am creating . . . playing in my art journal and working on some dolls.

I am going . . . to meet some friends for lunch at Michelangelo's today.

I am reading . . . Duma Key – by Stephen King

I am hoping . . . that I get to see Charlotte today . . . I miss her when I don't see her for a few days.  She is simply a joy for me.

I am hearing . . . Jason Mraz

Around the house . . . paper cranes and a jigsaw puzzle.

One of my favorite things . . . the "quote of the day" app on my phone.

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . no real plans . . . I guess that is one of the good things about being on vacation!

From my picture journal . . .

walking . . . new markers . . . PEACE!

 I saw this little group while I was walking today . . . this photo really doesn't show how absolutely adorable they looked.  I thought to snap a picture at the last minute . . . they were just all so cute, all I could do was smile, and of course all those darling little ones just smiled back.  There are two or three that you can't even see . . . it made my day!

 I was able to get another 5 miles in today.  I had hoped to maybe go 6 or 7, but I felt like I was getting a blister on one heel . . . probably a good thing I stopped.  I still had more songs I wanted to listen to . . . and more thoughts to go through my head, but the 5 miles was good. 

"Me thinks that the moment my legs begin to move, 

my thoughts begin to flow." ~Henry David Thoreau

"After a day's walk everything has twice its usual value." 

~George Macauley Trevelyan

"A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world." ~Paul Dudley White

 PEACE!

 New markers and discarded books . . . 

 . . . mean a new group journal for our house.  Luke and Lily just started drawing and doodling in this book . . . and I thought it would make a good "house" journal - for everyone to add to when they are here.  

So we will have to see what we end up with . . . 

Owen seemed to like the idea.

. . . and PEACE from Lily.

yesterday . . . simply a good day!

 

I like trying new beers . . . and even better when the beer is actually served in a glass that advertises the beer and brewery that I am drinking.  Now this is a unique beer glass!  That little glass pig on the bottom is great!

Yesterday, I had an appointment with my oncologist regarding some enlarged lymph nodes and a scan that I had done.  Everything came back fine, which is always a relief.  Even though I feel fine . . . having had melanoma - when my doctor is concerned about something - I tend to worry.  It seems like there have been too my doctor appointments lately . . . and they always lead to another appointment or another scan.  I have to say I am sort of tired of the whole thing.  

 On a much lighter note, I found my Ipod.  I love to walk no matter what, but what a difference the music makes.  I just kept walking and running . . . and put in 5 miles.  I was going to go another mile or two, but did not have water with me and didn't think it was such a good idea in the heat.  

(Today . . . I will take water.)  

Richard had to work late last night . . . so I went in with him and spent some time roaming around the library where he works.  I love being there when the building in nearly empty of people.  I took the time to put some of my cranes out.  I reached the 500 mark - half way through my 1000 paper crane project.  Richard was glad to get done when he did . . . I was hoping we would be there until after dark.  He promised to take me back late one night . . . for some reason that sounds like fun.

I haven't read anything by Stephen King in years.  When I was young - I think I read everything he wrote.  Luke has been telling me to read Duma Key ever since he finished it.  It has grabbed my interest.  Who knows . . . I may find a renewed interest in reading Stephen King.

Walking, good news from the doctor, reading, paper cranes, wandering around the library, and a cold beer in a fun glass - I would consider yesterday a good day!

1983 . . .

I am loving all the mail art that I see on Pinterest . . . and it reminds me of the letters that Richard and I would send each other years ago when he was in the Navy.  I've been wanting to get them out and look at them again.  They made me smile then and make me smile now.  Those were some long separations for us - before Internet and cell phones.  We talked on the phone some - but those bills would add up pretty quickly.  So mail it was . . . I think we wrote each other nearly every day.  I would go a week without getting a letter, and then one day the mail box would be full.  We seemed to have had a "Planet" theme going - obviously . . .

I may have to sit and read some of these letters while I'm at it.  We never seemed to run out of things to write about . . . and many of the letters we sent were three or more pages long . . . Just talking about Luke (who was a baby), and what we did each day, and how much we missed each other.  I think it would be much easier to go through those separations now with today's technology, but I love the time and love we put into writing to each other . . . and I love having my special box of letters from back then.