Beautiful Joyous Birthday Girl!!!

It's all true.

Grandchildren really are the coolest.

My own daughters are still and always will be the greatest possible humans.

But this generation they have begun are remarkable.

Happy First Birthday, Ellie!

Happiness Beyond Compare

And last night I realized that they also make me strong.

I am overwhelmed by these individuals.

Gotta get Zootie here at the same time.

Thank you all!

I know how lucky I am to spend time with you.

Call me Grinny Grinnerson.

So Very Nifty

Would've been really excellent.

But I'd have been guilty due to the cross country postal fee.

Thoughtful and kind in and of itself.

Quirky to be sure.

Cactus will take up space in the dark bowl.

The guitar shaped measures will be chomped on by Miss Ellie Bananas.

Use for the other items will be found.

Swanky, sparkly yarns.

Traditional tomato pin cushion (my first EVER).

Glittery rick rack, pastel figured ribbon and molded paper flowers.

Any one item would have been special and put to very good use.

All of them together, and a phone call, truly nifty galore!

The Day Silas Was Born

                                Astronomy Picture of the Day, NASA

Plant A Let Ohs

Many moons ago I was a client at a weight lost clinic.  I went once a week, submitted to humiliation scale torture, listened to mind numbingly obvious lectures, and purchased incredibly expensive (which Mommy Dearest generously paged for), microscopic portion frozen foods. 

Yes, it worked like a charm.  I shed a punch of poundage which nobody noticed and which came back with all their extra buddies when I stopped attending the program

The skinny "counselors" encouraged me to reward myself whenever I met a goal.  Since the only reward I had ever given myself was food and I never had two dimes to spend on myself, I was a failure at treating myself.  Now, years later I discovered a present for me, me, me!

Houseplants!  Fairly inexpensive.  Big variety.  Rarely die.  No calories.  Yippee!

My oldest mother in law tongue.  Only one to survive the days at Angry Sisters house.  I don't think she killed the others on purpose, but I really miss the monstera.

Two newest.  Pink arrow and eponymous (I think).  I love the sketchy leaves.  The pots are actually dark, dark black.

Ellie Bananas tried ripping this to shreds with her chubby little hands.  Luckily she ate nothing and the plants have already recovered.

Hoya doing well despite by it's growing slowly.  I think it should have three or four more branches by now.

Christmas cactus I've had the best with so fair.  I have killed two before.  I think the trick is to ignore it most of the time.

Standard green arrow plant, pilfered from my school, and held alive by the pony.

Two tiny philodendron snatched from the Elder House lobby and (my personal favorite) jade plant.  This is another I want to touch all the time, but it also seems to thrive on neglect.  It does grow quickly enough for me.

These are my garden.  My oxygen factories.  My long delayed collection of rewards.

6:26 PM

Two perfect days here in the Midwest.

Both days had glorious special breezes (required for swell weather).  Leaf breezes.  Grass breezes.  Sifting evergreen into the windows breezes.  Even the ridiculous squirrels were stopping and popping on the sidewalk breezes.

The sky on both days were worth writing home about.  But, less admit it, sky blue in and of itself isn't something special.  There are a jillions blue shades that I prefer.  Cobalt.  Turquoise.  Cerulean.  Beany Malone bed room walls.  My grandchildren's eyes.
But when the sky has the cloudy condiments in the usual blue it is damn well acceptable.

Yesterday was a sweet shopping day.  Found each item:  wooden clothes pins, the blue toilet tank bowl freshener, hot Oke Doke cheese popcorn, votive candles, key lime yoghurt, and the giant coral cactus I've been scouting for two months.  Such a happy girl.

AND... I got to drive myself home in my precious Ancient Vehicle with two new tires!

Today I replanted plants.  Met the PT chap.  Spoke to five (FIVE!) of my favorite peoples.  Watched the Children Parade which I've missed this summer.  Made an almost perfect tuna sandwich.  Realized how lucky I am to have the daughters, friends and grandchildren that I have.  Especially today I am grateful

Oh, it got dark at 6:26 pm.  If it stayed a bit lighter a bit longer....oh, yeah... I'm focusing on gratitude.