Whoa

I'm a little late to be posting this, but must say HALLELUJAH for the rain last Friday and the cooler fall tinged weather!
Praise God for His mercy on us here in Central NC:)
I feel a weight has lifted:)
We desperately need more rain, but what a sweet purifying of the air and the earth for a brief time, and for my peaceful refreshing wash within!
So sweet!

Horse movies

I'm not sure why but I am a sucker for a horse movie.
I must say that there are at least 4 horse films that rank in my top 10 favorite movies.

Keith & I just finished watching "Dreamer", with Kurt Russell, Elisabeth Shue, & Dakota Fanning. Sonador is a red filly who is injured and threatened to be 'put down', but finds her advocate/redeemer in a young girl named Cale. Sonador means "Dreamer" in Spanish. A sweet story, surprisingly well made & acted, full of heart.

"The Horse Whisperer", "Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken", and "Seabiscuit" are my other favorites. All beautifully written & filmed, "Seabiscuit" & "Wild Hearts", like "Dreamer", are based on true events.
I recommend all of them!

Why are I drawn to horse stories?
Maybe because I grew up with a red mule?
Maybe because I love animals?
"Red" worked around our farm, and I think I figured mules/horses are a lot like large dogs (I love dogs, and cats and birds). As I grew older it broke my heart when my daddy sold Red. (Money must have gotten tight) And to make matters worse, Red ran away from his new owner, a neighbor, and found his way back home, just for my daddy to turn around and send him right back:( Whoa:(
That took me a while to get over--or, maybe....I'm not over it?

I've never yearned for the responsibility of owning/caring for a horse, but love riding when I get a chance (which isn't often), enjoy watching horses romping and grazing in a pasture. I think they're elegant, graceful, majestic animals, with beautiful liquid eyes that melt my heart:)

Who knows, maybe my love affair began with Roy's Trigger?
Not sure, but....
Happy Trails!

Sunday ponderings

Well, googa mooga!
I am tickled to say this morning was blessedly cool!
So far September is a huge improvement over that miserable August!

Visited my mama this sunny Sunday afternoon, with Keith along. Had a sweet time with her. She was in a good mood & laughed often. She told Keith I was her cousin:) That's bittersweet, but with dementia you take what is good as a gift and go with it. She will turn 86 Friday.

Keith & I spent last week in Pa. visiting his parents. Wish we lived closer to them. I really enjoy their company. Keith's dad will celebrate his 87th birthday Sept. 13th and his mom will turn 85 in November.
A sad, sad note: we are convinced Dad is in the early of Alzheimer's:( Keith's sister & her husband are trying hard to help them. They have generously offered to build on an addition to their home nearby. The problem? Dad refuses, clueless as to what the future holds for him & how hard things are for Mom. (Mom suffers with arthritis and her mobility is quite limited)
Growing old is difficult enough for parents, but for children who desire the best for them, it's extremely stressful when sound reasoning is not involved:(

My mini R&R is coming to a screeching halt tomorrow morning at 9am:( I enjoy my job, but often wonder if I want to continue working 3 to 4 days a week for the next few years.

We have 3 wedding invitations for September! Whoa! And a 60th birthday cook-out & a 50th birthday square dance! And my dear friend Lorraine & I begin a 4 week Pastels class Sept. 12th:)
Fun, fun, fun:)

September

Ah! September has arrived:)! Whew! I thought it'd never get here!!

I am weary to the bone of August 2007. I say good riddance to it's relentless heat and merciless dry weather that has drained us of strength and energy:( It has worn me out!
We have had no relief from our drought here. Dying trees continue to shed their leaves as they bend toward the ground, wilting in surrender.
I LOVE rain, as you may know, and I feel about as deprived as the foliage:( I am wilting inside, 'tolerating' each day's weather offering, while praying for God's mercy.

Surely September ushers in hope that cool air will arrive eventually and rainy days along with it?

August 2007

Parched
dry
leaves falling from droopy, thirsty trees
rock hard ground
dead grass
little mowing
hot
very hot, like an oven
sweaty
dry creek beds
breezes scarce
conserving electricity
walking/running before 7am
hot
hiding indoors beside air vents
eating ice cream, often:)
no energy
wearing lightweight clothes
parking the car as close to a tree as possible
escaping to the mountains
escaping to the beach
escaping!
covering the car's windshield with a sun shield
evening's warm as toast
oppressive summer
swimming
flip-flops
sandals
dry
hot
dogs panting
thunderstorms that pass around us
hoping for a tropical storm to brush by!
Hoping....

A learning experience!

This past week I haven't written a thing here, hardly answered emails, and basically have been treading water!

I've been "pretending" to be manager at "The Card Store":) Our real manager is on a well deserved vacation in the mts. of Wy., hiking and camping with her son & his wife, and her dear hubby:) It's far, far away from our sultry, parched, August summer here in Apex, and far, far removed from any responsibilities of her Store here in Apex:)

After walking in her shoes for a week, or at least trying, I've learned more than I ever thought I could learn:)) I've asked 100's of questions and everyone has been helpful & understanding, especially the girls I work with day in and day out:) Bless their hearts!

I have 3 & 1/2 days left to organize the paperwork/computer spread sheets/balance the deposits, 3 & 1/2 days to help The Store run smoothly and encourage my fellow workers, 3 & 1/2 days to help customers with special needs.

I can't appreciate my dear manager more! She's has a calling and does it seemingly without effort and with charm and grace. What a blessing she is to so many:) Thank you, Yvonne:) Here's hoping you are refreshed, renewed, and recharged when you return!

A trip of remembrance

This morning I stood in a sandy graveyard covered with spotty patches of grass, and the normal N.C. pine trees in the distance, seeing few familiar faces and wondering if I made the right decision to travel 2 hours away on my day off. My brother had met me at the Bojangles in Lillington at 9am and he brought the directions to the country cemetery outside of Bladenboro.

Our cousin Graham died Sunday of a heart attack. He was 56 years old. Mark and I have probably seen him less than ten times in his adult life, so our memories of him go back to our childhood. He was the youngest of four sons born to our daddy's youngest brother J.E. Uncle J.E. and Aunt Nona and the boys lived with our granddaddy in a big, unpainted, rambling house surrounded by moss-covered trees, a magical place to us.

Graham was a special kid. I'm not sure we children ever heard the words mentally handicapped, but he fell into that category. His brothers and mama watched over him, protected him (Uncle J.E. worked in construction and was away from home often), and we never thought of Graham as being different. He certainly didn't believe he was:)

Today we heard how, as an adult, Graham ministered to so many people. Graham loved everyone:) He was loved in return. He worked with a group in Elizabethtown comprised of special people and they came to honor their friend whom they loved. He was loved by his church family. He loved God. He rang the church bell every Sunday morning. He was an usher. He loved his church family and was concerned for every person.

He loved Power Rangers and Transformers as well:) And I believe Graham was a super hero to his mama, his brothers, and all those who cared for him.

I came away knowing it was worth hearing how well Graham lived; encouraging, comforting words, powerful words.

Loving others, loving God, and being loved, are the highest tributes to be said about a person's life, aren't they?