I have been in a writing funk for almost a week, now. I started to write Thursday and stopped. I started, again Friday, and again Saturday and stopped both times. Honestly, the summer has been a whirlwind and lately, I have been having a hard time keeping up.
After a week in the hospital grandpa came home and my in-laws returned to Ohio late Wednesday; and grandpa is recovering, slowly. Beth returned with them and is helping where she can. The kids and I stayed back at the cottage and I feel, sort of guilty enjoying summer at the cottage. Though, I’m not really enjoying summer as much as I would or could. Beth and I talk several times daily with updates and frustrations – here and at home. We’ll travel to Ohio to pick her up when she’s ready.
Aunt Jill, Beth’s sister, flew up to be with her mom and dad during the crisis last week and stayed until Wednesday, returning Thursday. We went to dinner Wednesday night and had a campfire, along with S’mores before she left. We do not get to see her or her boys as much as we’d like and it is fun to hang out and enjoy family. She would’ve stayed as long as needed and did; it was good to see her. We shared a few laughs including our standing family chuckle – ‘the cottage menu throw-down.’ It’s too awful it took a crisis for us to see her, but sometimes life forces your hand, like three summers ago when my dad fell ill, and then passed away. Life has a way of making you do what you should when you need to.
Thursday brought much needed rain and cooler temps and we all laid low enjoying the slow change of pace a cool rainy day brings. O played with the kids down the lake and W hung close to home working on his Michigan boater’s class. I did laundry, read, and took a nap. Mid-afternoon, W asked me to take him to the military surplus store up the road for paracord and O and her friends tagged along. It was a fun trip and I’m glad we went. They all went to town to watch the movie, The Amazing Spiderman, at seven and Ivy and I stayed home. Actually, we went to the dump, ran errands, and then, stayed home. The kids came home from the movie about ten-thirty and W asked about going to the midnight movie – Batman: The Dark Knight Rises. I told him, “NO, you need your sleep, I need sleep, we all need sleep. Go to bed and don’t get up until you wake up.”
I got up early Friday morning, well before the kids, and learned about the tragedy in Colorado. I kept the TV off and enjoyed the morning and much of the afternoon, but word got out and W asked, why. I honestly can’t explain it, I don’t know if anyone can. Senseless, simply senseless.
Friday brought the best weather of the summer, at least here. O spent the day tubing with her friends. W made survivor bracelets from paracord, and stumbled and floundered from one task to another – reading, finances, laundry, and cooking dinner. I had resisted cooking anything other than salads and grilling all summer, lest I heat up the house. But, Friday was warm, not hot and I made my signature baked beans for dinner with grilled chicken breasts and a salad. That’ll be part of the ‘cottage menu throw-down’ when it comes. The kids gobbled it up and we enjoyed dinner on the deck. A summer night wouldn’t be complete without a campfire and O helped me set it up. Just as we lit the fire, her friend showed up to invite her to play and she looked at me with those eyes and I replied, ‘okay, have fun’ and she was gone. I enjoyed the fire, the sunset, and time to just sit and think. It was dark and stars were becoming visible when I doused the fire and came inside. W had been busy making survivor bracelets when O came home for the fire and it was out. She was disappointed, but there are more summer nights and plenty of wood.
Saturday came and went in a blur. It was windy and warm; the lake was choppy much different weather from Friday. I stayed in a funk, trying to break out, but not successful. The day zipped by and dinner was here before anyone knew it. The kids took a late swim and Ivy and I waited patiently for them to come home. I read and she lay at my feet on the deck.
The lake was like glass this morning when Ivy and I got up. I sat in grandma’s chair and watched the lake, reading. I resisted the urge to flip the TV on, but relented and caught CBS Sunday morning and then switched to late summer staples – the final stages of both The Tour de France and The British Open. Both sporting events bring back memories and I write and watch out of the corner of my eye.
Sunday’ll be gone if I’m not careful. I’ve got a few things to do. Actually, I have more than a few things to do and I’d better get moving or another day will pass me by as I stand watching. Today is gonna be a great day, better than yesterday, possibly the best day ever. Making the Days Count, one day at a time, moving forward one step at a time.
What are you doing today to make your day count?
I’m in Schenectady, NY spending time with my mother and my siblings. Yesterday we spent the afternoon at a beautiful park I’d never been to before. We laughed a lot and enjoyed the incredible vistas – from atop the escarpment we could see mountains in Vermont AND Massachusetts. Incredible!
WOW, thanks for stopping by. It sounds like you made your day count, too. I’d love to be able to see mountains. There are some hills here, but not mountains. Cool!
Sounds like you are getting in some relaxation.. that is always a good thing. Thank you so much for dropping by my blog! Love your pictures… take care and hang in there… 🙂
It was a much better day – weeds (yes, even on Sunday), swimming, and finished my book, and I’m sure there is something else – it just escapes me for now. Today is gonna be a great day! Thanks for stopping by and passing through.
I invited two of my daughters friends over for the day – we are 3 weeks into the summer holidays and to my kids it seems like they haven’t seen their friends forever!! We made pizza into happy faces and took life easy!
sounds like a lot of fun! kids having friends over is always a blast. Thanks for stopping by! keep making your days count!
I think I’ll survive Sunday, making it count!