With a Little Bit of Joy

And now 23 weeks of 2021 are over and I am continuing my habit of recording the joys I find each day. Covid has limited a lot (nearly all) of my comings and goings, so my joys are a little different than they had been in the past. But during this time of a quiet life, I have learned to find joy in much smaller ways. Sometimes it is something as small as watching cardinals who are nesting right behind my fence, listening to frogs after a rain, or just enjoying conversations with TheHub or with friends, either in person or via the phone. Life is good , and as much as I wish for life to safely open up sooner rather than later, I hope I can remain content celebrating the little joys that happen everyday. With a little luck and a lot of intent, I will.

Friday: The day was the first day this week I did not spend substantial time at Mom's. Who would have thought there was a specific joy in just getting all the laundry done, uninterrupted.

Son2 and DIL2 came over for dinner and ball games. First we watched the James Madison/Oklahoma State game followed by Alabama/UCLA.  Both JMU and Bama won. James Madison is the Cinderella team of the softball NCAA World Series and I hope they win as long as they are not playing Alabama, but when/if that happens I will have to pull against them.

Saturday: My Beloved Sister and I had to go to a funeral Saturday for a childhood neighbor. It was a hot and muggy grave side service that lasted nearly an hour, far too long to have everyone standing in the hot sun. But I did get to see some of my childhood friends there and that was wonderful. The family was like my second family growing up. 

It is funny how easily you fall back into familiar rhythms and patterns, and relationships seamlessly resume where you left them. I knew they thought of us as  part of their family too, when  we were invited  to go to lunch afterward with all of them. 

Later in the day TheHub and I watched a few softball games. Though Alabama did not play, it did determine who they would play next.

Sunday: We streamed church services while sipping coffee on the screened porch. There is something very spiritual doing it while experiencing the birds, plants and weather outside my door. 

After the service ended we were very fortunate to have been invited to watch a Zoom meeting organized by a Swedish women's organization for their Swedish National Day. DIL3 performed and of course we love to hear her sing anytime. There were several talks also, but with the exception of an occasional word, we had no idea what was being said. It was fun just listening to the beautiful language. 

Later DIL2 and Son2 came over to watch the Alabama/ FSU softball game. There was a long rain delay and while we were sitting in the den waiting for play to resume. Son2 told us about a Youtube channel, The Dry Bar.  It has videos of comics with no profanity or "adult" situations. It was surprisingly funny and all of us laughed out loud several times. We did watch only one guy so I can't speak to the rest, but if you are looking for some clean comedy it might work for you.

The ball game resumed and FSU won. Oh well! Roll Tide!

Monday: Hooray! The back-ordered sink for Mom's kitchen arrived and the counter and sink installation was done. (Even if it took all day to install it)

 Later we watched the NCAA softball semi-finals. Alabama played FSU. FSU won and moved on. Roll Tide! (Yep, I am not just a fan when they win)

Tuesday: No one showed up to work at Mom's house (yes, I am talking to you, painters) so I had the day at home___all day (because I was waiting on you painters to call for me to unlock Mom's house.) .

 It was OK and I got some much needed laundry done along with some other odd jobs I had been neglecting because I was at Mom's, but I really wanted to go to the grocery store and run a few errands that did not get done. 

After dinner we watched the first game of the NCAA softball finals. Oklahoma played FSU. Florida State won the first game.

Wednesday: It was a frustrating day dealing with both the handyman and the painters. I am ready for things to be finished and they are on their own schedules and in no hurry to be done.  I have money and am ready to pay them but they must not need it that badly.

On a lighter note, before the ball game we drove around the lake nearest us. There was a flock of young ducks waddling  down the road in a straight line. They all had their white feathers, but still had a fluffy down cap on the crest of their heads. They looked like a gang of mohawk wearing teen age boys strutting down the street. It made both of us laugh out loud. 

Later we watched game 2 of the NCAA Softball Championship. Oklahoma won this one.

Evening rains mean a frog symphony!

Thursday: Handyman Jerry got the backsplash installed ready for the grout on Friday. It looks so good! He hopes to be finished by the weekend. I hope he is too. 

I was working at Mom's house and missed the final game of the NCAA Softball World Series.I am not a fan of mid-day games, especially not the final!  Oklahoma won, and now it is over for another year.

A a fern we bought to hang on Mom's front porch is dead. After watering t a few days we could no longer water it anymore because a little finch built a nest.smack dab in the middle of it  We have been watching it every day and now there are 3 plump little balls of fluff living there. 

In the late afternoon I had a fun phone call with my friend, some of you know as Sluggy!

Singing frogs were doing their thing again. at night!  I love it!

And now I will begin new week looking for happiness each and every day. I hope you all are able to find your joy this week. It is out there if you just look for it!

p.s. All this lovely rain that brings out the frogs is a wonderful thing, but we have been having hard and heavy rains daily.. There has also been sun shining for an hour or so every day, and everything green is thriving. That is a joy__except for my lawn which was cut Tuesday and is well over my ankles already. I am not a fan of "twice mown" weeks .