It's Over

Just because I have been on a blog sabbatical did not mean I should neglect the joys I find everyday. I decided I would keep a running list of them to post all at once when I decided  to return to blogging. And, if for some reason, I decided to never return I would still have my list available to me for my annual rereading on New Year's Eve.  

It's astounding, now June has flown by___time is fleeting!

Thursday June 1:*   We had a late afternoon flight to Portland with a brief layover in Dallas. I was in a little panic because our flight from Birmingham was delayed about 30 minutes and we had a small window to make our connecting flight. Turned out to be no problem since it was delayed also.   We made it to the hotel by about 1, hit the sack and slept well

Friday June 2:* Son1 met us at the hotel for breakfast then we went to Pips school to watch their Friday dance party ( outdoor recess with music, dancing optional) before checking her out for the rest of the afternoon. We talked a bit before she decided we would go to an udon restaurant. DIL1 and her mom joined us which was even better. 

We went  to their house to visit before going back to our hotel for some needed sleep.

Saturday June 3:* This was a day that made the entire trip worth it. We went to Pips dance recital and the grin on her face while her group was dancing was more than we could have hoped for.

 Sunday, June 4: We were still in Portland and got to see Pip's first role in a play. She was the tin man in The Wizard of Oz. It was a lot of fun watching all the kids perform but of course we liked watching Pip best of all.  After the play we went back to their house since we had already checked out of the hotel to enjoy a little more time with them before heading back on the red eye flight home.

Monday, June 5: We got back into town at 8:45 a.m, we unpacked, started a load of clothes, took showers to wash the airplane gradoo off of us then started our day. We were both tired but had things planned so naps had to wait. I met the participants of Independence Place at Scoops, an ice cream shop run by the participants of Unless U (another facility for special need adults). I was able to be with some of my favorite folks which did my soul so much good. 

TheHub and I were both tired and had an early night. I can't remember the last time I was in bed by 10. TheHub was asleep by 8 though, because he had to be up for a 5:45 flight to Boston Tuesday morning.

Tuesday, June 6: I slept until about 7:30, got up and had a leisurely 3 cups of coffee before beginning my day. I had a few errands to run, a long phone conversation with Sluggy, then got ready for a dinner date with one of my friends. 

We have known each other since our kids were in kindergarten, but lost touch when she moved to Nashville. She has since moved back to Birmingham and we vowed to do more things together. It felt so good to laugh with her.

Wednesday, June 7: I am starting this day's joy at technically 1:00 am. I had been listening to "The Girl With The Louding Voice" while I was painting the patio set and did not listen to it at all while I was in Portland. Because it was due to be returned in 3 days I decided I needed to finish it, so I got comfortable and was "read to" until about 4 am.  Though I did really enjoy the story I had actually rather read than listen to an audio book. Lesson learned!

I finally slept a couple of hours before getting up to get some things in the house and outside done to be ready for Son1's visit in a few days.

On a sadder note my last living uncle passed away, but I was lucky to see him recently and he was so lively at that time.

Thursday, June 8: Finally the water in the pool was ready for swimming. We were late getting it opened this year so having it swimmable was delayed. We need to keep it covered from the fall leaf dump until after the springtime great pollenation. 

It really takes 3 of us to take the cover off easily, and I had much rather do it the easy way than continually trying to pull it out of the water. Son2 is our go-to helper but with all that is going on at his house, it took a while for him to be able to be here. It really did not matter because the water was still a little cooler than I like for swimming. 

I was also very glad TheHub was home from his Boston trip. I miss him when he is not here at night.

Friday,  June 9: The day was uneventful but TheHub and I went out to eat at our favorite little local joint, The Electric. It is always somewhere we enjoy going.

Saturday, June 10: We woke and did a lot of early morning running around. We made it home in time to watch the last few innings of the Alabama baseball game. They lost but it was a good game.

Sunday, June 11:  As much as I hate doing yard work our back yard looked so much better after a day of it. We finished by late afternoon, came in to get cleaned up when we got a text that DIL2's mom had passed. She fell asleep, and transitioned with the people she loved most around her.

I think Son2 and DIL2 needed to get out of their house after things settled at theirs, so they came over to ours for a few hours.

Monday, June 12: Other than talking to my beloved sister , Sluggy, and Sissie nothing outstanding happened, but all three of them always make me laugh. And we all know laughter makes every day wonderful.

Tuesday, June 13: It was just another day in paradise here, if paradise means storms and high winds. At least I did not have to cook (for no particular reason other than I just didn't) and we picked up a quick meal to eat at home. 

Wednesday, June 14:  TheHub, My Beloved Sister and I went to Huntsville for my uncle's funeral. It was a lovely and very personal service. He was an aeronautical engineer by profession, but his passion was "making sawdust".  Everyone in the family was blessed with many items he crafted in his well loved workshop. Instead of a funeral spray on the casket, his family had a selections of things he had made along with screwdrivers, awls, clamps (hand made from walnut) and other woodworking accoutrements. One look at it and you could not help but think that it was U.B. personified.

Thursday, June 15: I was in a pissy mood for no good reason at all and continued until I got a much needed phone call from Sluggy. Nothing like a call with laughter to lighten a mood! Thank you Sluggy for the much needed lift. 

Son3 and DIL3 drove from Nashville (how wonderful that they are just a 3 hour drive away now) and Son2 and DIL2 came over to see them and have dinner here. Thank you Costa's for having ziti for four on your take-out menu. (Which really feeds 6 with leftovers.)

Friday, June 16: After a morning filled with unexpected twists and turns Son3's family finally arrived in Birmingham following a hellacious flight from Portland to Atlanta and a cancelled flight to the coast. 

We all know the airlines have no control over the weather, but communication (or lack thereof) is critical and where the airlines fail their customers. If they had been told it looked like their flight to Pensacola had been cancelled earlier than they were, I would have hopped in the car and driven to Atlanta to get them. At the least they could have slept in the car on the way here, then driven to the beach with the others early in the morning. 

Instead they waited around ATL until the wee hours (when the airline finally told them their flight was officially cancelled), booked hotel room and caught a few hours of sleep until their midday flight here. (They were not going to be able to be rebooked to Pensacola until Saturday evening)

Fortunately Son3 and DIL3 waited for them to land, have lunch then deal with a luggage fiasco before they all left  Whew! The miracles of modern day travel. 😑

Saturday, June 17: This was a bittersweet day. We went to DIL2's mom's funeral. It was a beautiful service on a very hot day, but we were so thankful it was not raining. 

We got back to our house as about 5, left for the beach at about 5:30 pm and were on the interstate when we talked with Son2. When they got back to their house after the funeral they found their dog immobile. She was an old lady and they loved her enough to take her to the vet and let her go, but their hearts were doubly broken that day.

We finally made it to the beach by about 10 pm, tired, sad, but glad to be there.

Sunday, June 18: We were at the beach with part of our family. Nuff said!

Monday, June 19: The day started with heavy rains which turned into some pretty serious weather, with thunderstorms and tornado warning. Even so, a bad day at the beach is better than a good day at home. 

Our beautiful niece drove form Daphne to our condo and we visited with her and her adorable son, then went out to eat a fantastic dinner at Louisiana Lagniappe. It was the perfect way to end the night, food, family and lots of laughs.

Tuesday, June 20: This was the day we were leaving for home. Of course after the bad weather we woke to a perfect day. The upside was the condo was on the 11th floor and you could see all the riptides while standing on the balcony. We would not have gotten in the gulf anyway. 

Our trip home was uneventful other than TheHub being on a zoom meeting for about an hour and a half while I drove. At least he was muted so we could talk among us, and all of his communication with the meeting was via text.

We got home to a beautiful afternoon and Pip hit the pool almost immediately. She was almost as glad to see Son2 and DIL 2 as she was to swim.  

One of our neighbors has a daughter close to Pip's age. They met last summer and stayed in contact through Facebook, so she had her over for an afternoon of swimming. 

After some water play it was time for some serious steak grilling and a delayed Father's Day celebration.

And what would a celebration be without playing Son2's new game. It created some serious laughs.

Wednesday June 21: Son3 and Dil3 left early to go back to Nashville. They had some work related things they needed to do. 

Swimming and reading were the main happenings for the day. M came over after Pip texted her, and they swam and played until dinnertime. 

They had a short night time swim before Pip and M left to spend the night at her house. After all what could be better than a night with a friend and her guinean pig, Talullah. 

Thursday June 22: More swimming, reading and general summertime laziness happened. Son1's family went out to eat with one of his long time friends who still lives in town, which gave TheHub and me a little break from family.

M came up after they returned and spent the night here. They had me up playing games until after midnight!

Friday June 23: Swimming, reading and general summertime laziness continued again. Son3 and DIL 3 drove back to Birmingham to visit a little more. Son2 and DIL2 also came to our house.

Friday night the temps were perfect for a weenie roast on the upper patio. Pip had never been to one before, so it was very nice to make a "first  ever"memory with her. We cooked our hotdogs over an open fire, had a variation on traditional s'mores  then had lots of conversations and music under the stars (or Edison lights) after the meal was over. It was a really nice night.

Saturday June 24: Son3 and DIL3 left to head back home to Nashville. This was the last day Son1's family would be here and they went to Lake Far-Away to see Son2's new house, then met us at The Dip for lunch. It is a deli that has been around forever and Son1 wanted Pip  to experience a place he grew up going to.

When we got home they spent a good deal of time washing their dirty clothes and generally getting ready for their butt early flight Sunday morning.

Son2 and DIL2 came over and we had a pizza dinner along with a night swim for Pip and M.

Sunday June 25: TheHub and I woke at about 5:30. He planned on driving Son1's family to the airport and I planned on hugs and kisses and goodbyes before going back to sleep a little longer. As with most of the plans I make, it didn't happen. 

Son1 came downstairs to tell us that their flight from BHM to ATL was cancelled and the next available flight would be at 11. Of course that would keep them from making their connecting flight in Atlanta. We all took 2 minute showers, dressed and we were on the road to the Atlanta airport. After dropping them off ( about 75 minutes before their flight), we turned around and starting the drive back to Birmingham. By the time we were about to Breman Georgia, we decided it was way past time for breakfast. Thank goodness for Cracker Barrel and their endless cup of coffee!

We made it home, watched some of the College World Series, then caught up on Justified before hitting the hay.

Monday June 26: I woke to a completely quiet house, started the first of many loads of laundry (towels, sheets, beach towels, etc.) had coffee, tried to be lazy but the damn laundry kept me hopping. Fortunately I mixed it up with a phone call to Sluggy, who always makes me laugh, even when she feels like crap.

Monday night TheHub answered the phone and it was Son3. They were planning to be back in town Friday night for a concert. Two of his classmates from school are in the band and they wanted to see them.

Fleet Foxes

They had the wrong date and told us they would be here Tuesday instead. What!?!

Tuesday June 27: We were supposed to have a meeting, but the guy we planned to meet was stuck in NYC. His early morning flight was canceled. Instead I did more laundry, made muffins from much too ripe bananas,  and had a visit from My Beloved Sister and laughed. I think we laughed much beyond the legal limit for laughter, but it felt so good! 

She had been gone about 10 minuted when Son3 and DIL3 pulled up. I am glad I knew they planned to come back so I had not washed the sheets on their bed. I just did not realize once everyone left there would only be one day between houseguests.

Wednesday June 28: This was one of those days when not a lot happened. Son3 and DIL3 left fairly early, I started another load of laundry then started reading. 

Thursday June 29: Woo hoo, I went to the grocery store because toilet paper was on sale. After all the company I was running short of my usual hoard of it that fills my master bath room tub. I felt much better once I had enough to at least begin to restock my supply.

Friday June 30: This was an insanely hot day and I was thrilled the only errand I had to do was running to the bank. Using the drive through allowed me to go still wearing my shorts and flip-flops without scaring dogs or small children. Some days the tiny things bring the greatest joy.

Now I will be back to my weekly blog activities and will do this joy thing weekly instead of monthly. Look for your joys, they are alway out there!

May all your weeds be wildflowers.

Anne

* The first three days are from a prior joy list that had already been published. I just added them so the entire month would be complete.