Whew.....

Wondering where I have been?  It has been a long two weeks, which started two weeks ago as I went for my annual mammogram. You know, go in once a year get your boobs squeezed  and go home.  Unless they call you back and tell you they need a few more shots. So you go back and they take more shots and take them back to the radiologist and she asks for a few more and them a few more and then the Doctor wants to speak with you and you hear blah, blah, blah, biopsy, blah blah call surgeon. 
And you go in to see the surgeon and he looks at the films and says blah, blah, blah, 35 % risk of malignancy schedule biopsy. And then comes the surgery where they say blah, blah, this won't hurt, blah OW!!!!!(that was me yelling). And then the wait, the week that takes forever to end.
And then today after sitting in his office for half an hour he walks in the room smiling, saying IT"S NOT CANCER!!
I am sure quite a few of you have gone through this, this is my second time. It never becomes old hat, it was just as scary or even scarier  this time.  Between my sisters and I we have had a lot of these moments. I always think this time it is going to be the one.
So far, we have escaped, I hope you do too!

Home

We are on our way home today. I am shocked at myself for doing so few posts. I have done a few tweets, Facebook and Instagrams, but they take so little time.  It is so easy to hit send after a photo.
But I think the reason for so few posts is the "enjoy life more instead of talking about it" mode I have been in. 
I really use the blog more in the winter to let my family know what we have been up to. 
We had a really nice time in Traverse Bay, but as I told my sister you can only eat and shop so much. I know J enjoys his rides here, but if you are not a water person there is not much else to do.   It has been so lovely and cool here I hope we are not heading home to 100 degree weather again at home.
Time is flying by so fast, before we know it we will be heading west.  Why does time speed up so the older you get?
Have a good one.

Sunday Praise

Smash Journal

My latest obsessions are Pinterest and Smash Journaling. Since we are on "vacation" this week I am allowing myself to work on them as long as I want with no guilt.

I use my Journal to motivate me.

I can not draw at all, lets face it I can barely write legibly, but since it is my personal journal I can pretend to draw all I want.

That looks like Izzie doesn't it?

This is my box of inspiration.

I pull things from magazines, newspapers, I throw in memento's like tickers to shows J and I have been to.

I save cards that were sent to me.

I cut, I paste, I draw, I write, I whine in the Journal, I smile and I cry working on the Journal.
It seems to work as therapy for me. And boy do I need all the therapy I can get.
It is beautiful here today. Please enjoy your Tuesday.

Happy Birthday Judy

Today is Judy's birthday, she would have been 64.  I always loved teasing her that I was a year younger than her. I am wondering now that she is in Heaven if that means we are the same age?  And that next year I will be a year older?  I don't like that either Jude! 
I am happy that I can tease you again, I was so mad when you died.  I felt you had left me again just like you did when you moved to Minnesota.  I worked my way through that and I am not mad anymore, that was just selfishness on my part.  But oh Jude, I am so sad and I miss you so much. I guess I am still being selfish.  There is so much going on right now, stuff I need to talk to you about, scary stuff. 
 I think I will still be missing you until we meet in heaven.  I don't really know what heaven is like, I don't know if our loved ones who have gone before us are watching over us.  Some things I think we aren't meant to know, but just take on faith.  
But I know I won't have another friend in this lifetime like you. 
But I will celebrate your birthday tomorrow and I will offer comfort to you daughter and your grandkids, they miss you so very much.  That is the thing that is really hard to understand, why you had to leave those darling kids that you loved so much.
God Bless you my dear friend and thank you for 27 years of friendship and all that it gave us.
Happy Birthday Judy

Traverse Bay Michagan

It is lovely here in Traverse Bay, yesterday was in the high 70's. 
 We went for a drive and stopped at a fruit stand and bought loads of fresh fruit and veggies. Snuck in a loaf at freshly made sourodough bread and some cherry balsamic vinegar.''

Here our  few shots around our space...

this is our back yard

so peaceful

even the weeds are pretty here

Home Sweet Hone