Saturday this and that

I was looking over my followers list there on the right hand side of my blog this morning.  I had almost 500 followers on the old blog, and only 31 on this one, but you know what I really LOVE about that?   I know all of you by name and by sight.  I think that is just so special!  I would rather be followed by 31 people that I know really well, than by a whole pile of strangers I hardly know at all.  Moving was a good thing.

I thought I would just do a this and that sort of a post this morning, nothing special, just a sort of catching up thing.  I hope that you don't mind.

It's raining this morning, and it rained a good part of yesterday.  I don't mind the rain. It wasn't pelting down, just a soft rain and the gardens need that sort this time of year so that they can grow well and reward us with their beauty in June.   A big mystery here though . . .  my bay laurel tree has disappeared!  Todd had put it into a trough when we first got it, but it's a tree really, so I told him last autumn that it needed to be put into the ground really.   Now we can't find it.  He put it into the ground, but exactly where, we don't know!  It is one of life's great mysteries I guess!  We may never know.



My son and his partner moved into their first bought home this week.   Up to this time they have lived in a PMQ (permanent married quarters) on the airbase where my son works.  It's a very exciting time for them, and for their little fur baby Baxter.  It's not hard to see who takes priority in that family however . . .  Baxter has his own (leather) bench for sitting on to look out the window!



Mind you, he is such a cute little boy that it's easy to understand why he is so important to them.  



Mind, it's been a really BIG week for Bruce and Sara full stop actually.  Not only have they moved into their first real home, but Sara won an Inspiring Lives Award this week.  This is a photograph of her with Starr Dobson, who is a provincial news celebrity back home. (Live at Five on ATV)  Sara has a Mental Health Blog called Saratonin, which is well recognized and loved.



It looks like a pretty hefty award actually.   It appears to be made of blown glass.  This is from left to right, my son Bruce, Sara and then her mom and dad.  I have never met her parents actually, but  maybe one day.



I had a message yesterday from our Eileen on face-book to tell me that she and Tim have been asked to present Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall something when they visit Nova Scotia later this month.  It's very exciting news for them.  I'm very proud of them.   They are awesome people, living amazing lives.   All the people that used to laugh at them and make fun of them when they were growing up have never ever achieved half of what this sweet couple have.  They certainly have made a wonderful mark in the world that they live in and I am so grateful to have them in my life.



My father has settled in very happily at my mom's.  I am so happy that they are together again and that they are, neither one of them, alone any more.  It makes my heart glad and I am so grateful for my sister and all that she and her partner Dan do for them.



Mom is looking more like her feisty old self again, and on this weekend, which is Mother's Day in Canada, I am so very grateful that we still have her with us.  Last year on Mother's Day she was still in the hospital and things were pretty touch and go.   I am grateful too that she will never have to spend another mother's day all alone.



Gabriel was looking really happy this week and it looks like the Tooth Fairy must have visited him just recently.  It's hard to believe he is 8 years old already.  It seems like just yesterday that he made me a grandmother for the first time.



I love this photograph of him with my son, Anthony,  when he was really, really small . . .



And this one of him with his mother, Anne . . . makes me smile too.  So much love and joy to be found.



And little Luke (or little L as he is known) was enjoying this brisk and sunny spring morning as well.   They had spent the night with my son's friend Joe and Anthony had gone to pick them up to walk them to school.  That's Joe in the hoodie.  He and Anthony have been friends since highschool.  I am glad he has good friends in his life.  They are so important.



In a week that's been tinged with sadness, there has also been many pockets of joy.  I am grateful for the sadness which makes the joy ever more precious.



Grateful too, for all these other little people in my life . . .



For dirty faces on little beauties . . .



And beautiful baby blues . . . they are all a part and parcel of this wonderful tapestry which is my life.  All of the laughter and all of the tears, and everything in between.  I am grateful for it all.

It makes me think of that country song, "A life that's good."

Two arms around me, 
heaven to ground me, 
and a family that always calls me home, 
Four wheels to get there, 
enough love to share and a 
sweet sweet sweet song 
 At the end of the day, 
Lord I pray , 
I have a life that's good. 

 Despite any sadness . . . life is very, very good.



Little boys on my mind this week.  I did this painting yesterday afternoon and wrote the poem which is on it.  Not a very good poem, I know, but oh well.  I can personalize these with any name a person wants on them.  I used the name Joshua for illustration purposes only.

A thought to carry with you through today . . .

ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ
"We need time to dream,
time to remember,
time to reach for the infinite,
time to be . . . "
~Gladys Taber
ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷღೋღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ 

 

Cooking in The English Kitchen today . . . Crunchy French Toast Batons!  So good!


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Have a great, GREAT Saturday!