Day 2 - Starting Over

Oh the life of the retired. I won't tell you how totally decadent I was today, only to say that I slept really late. A little clue as to how late - I awoke at 8 to a really terrific wind storm. I looked out the window to see the squirrel who frequents our bird feeder with his tail straight out behind him like a wind sock. After a good laugh, I went back to bed. To arise at a time - much later. It felt soooo good.

The problem with arising mid-morning is that my brain feels like scrambled eggs. It took me quite a while to decide that I could accomplish something in this day. I started with writing to my MIL. She is going to be so very surprised next week when she gets her weekly letter - FROM ME!! Jim writes every day and mails it on Monday. She won't be expecting a letter next week because of his hand surgery. I am having tons of fun writing to her. I wish I could see her face when she receives this one. She is such a peach of a lady. I'm so happy that I can have this chance to surprise her. Sometime I'm going to write about all the wonderful things she has done for me in the 39 years I've been her DIL. When I hear people complain about their MIL's I sometimes feel almost guilty. We (Carolyn,Bonnie and I) really lucked out.

Okay, on to the rest of the day. Last November, a young man with connections to our community, had an ATV accident which left him a paraplegic. His mother, who is divorced from his father, is from our town and people have been so very concerned for her and her son. The young man is in a rehab facility in Atlanta, GA, which has produced many expenses for his mom. Some friends of his grandparents have decided to sponsor a fundraiser. Next Monday they will put on a dinner to raise money to help with Mom's expenses as she goes back and forth to Atlanta.

I had been called upon to solicit cookies for dessert for this dinner. The original request was for 30-40 dozen. That was easy. I made a few phone calls and had these promised in no time. Last night the committee met and discovered they had sold 500 tickets to this dinner. I got the phone call in the early evening informing me of the numbers. Soooo, this morning found me back on the phone. I less than 30 minutes, I had 90 dozen cookies promised. Where else but in small town America could this happen? We are so blessed to live in this community where people care so deeply about one another.

I am so very spoiled. Jim retired three years before I did and just took over many of the household tasks. As I was still working, I don't think I really noticed how much he did. After my retirement, I took on some consulting jobs, began stamping and scrap booking and just took for granted the amount of work he did around here. ENTER carpal tunnel surgery. OH MY!! I can't believe how much I have to do in a day.

For instance:

Laundry

Jim, who arises much earlier than I, does most of the laundry. I do my very special things that need to be washed according to label directions. (Jim hasn't mastered the art of reading labels yet) But everything else, he takes care of. I am doing my best to keep up, but doing laundry really gets in the way of stamping and blogging. To say nothing of cooking, doing dishes, sweeping, vacuuming and dusting. I can hardly wait for his hand to heal so we can get back to normal around here.

We had a really nice surprise this afternoon when I went to the post office. There was a package from BIL and SIL with our Christmas presents. What fun we had opening the box and then opening our packages. It was like Christmas all over again. We called to thank them and had a happy conversation discussing all the gifts. Lots of fun!!!

So you can see, it's been a great day. Tomorrow I'm off to breakfast with the "Losers" and then to Michael's to spend some of my gift card. I can hardly wait.

He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.

Job 8:21