Cooling down

After hitting the highest temperature ever recorded here on Tuesday (108), our forecast for today is 93. Life is a lot easier when you don't feel like you're in a toaster oven.

It is 101 degrees outside.

This is ideal weather to be somewhere else.

Back from the stomach bug...and the heatwave...

and the blackout... There has been a lot going on these past few days. Between the kids bringing home a stomach bug and the heat, most of the folks in my house have been down for the last couple of days.
My dad is doing the garden thing. He has a big watermelon patch, squash, okra and purple hull peas. He tried to talk stuff about my lettuce, cilantro and chiles, but I told him that's stuff I don't have to buy from the store, so it's good to me! Shoot.

the view from up here

Yesterday we went up to the mountains for some hiking and hanging out near the waterfalls. It was a beautiful day to be out. Everybody seemed to have a good time, but Al asked about walking in a cooler, more comfortable part of the mountain. I guess he's on his way to being a teenager after all.

Perspective

Yesterday the day started off pretty well. I was getting things done around the house and then I ran into a series of technical difficulties. Then I spoke to the technical people and started to get some things fixed. Unfortunately, once those things were fixed, I discovered that Max had helped himself to my flour. For what reason, I have no idea, but it was all over the pantry, in the kitchen and all over him. It was such a huge mess and I know I only took my eye off of him for a few moments to actually get something else done. I was so disheartened and tired thinking about replacing the flour and why it isn't legal or to tie up little kids when they do stuff like this, not to mention the fact that he was a ten pound baby and I was in labor for hours and hours with him... but then I decided to call my parents and see how they are doing. My dad told me that he was cancer free!!! It's something how things can seem to be dismal and futile one moment and just plain joyous the next. I mean cancer free supercedes flour everywhere, kids fighting, my day being off schedule, technical difficulties. Everything. I'm just happy now and thankful now.

The process of forgiveness.

Sometimes it is so easy to forgive people. Like if they didn't do anything major, or if you don't have to see them on a regular basis. But sometimes they really hurt you and you have to deal with them daily. So forgiveness becomes a process where you learn to move forward in life and in relationship (and sometimes out of relationship) to the person/people involved. All of this without bitterness and resentment. Sigh.