April Coming to a Close

Wow.  It's the end of April!  I am still at my daughter's home helping out.  Life has been busy.  I really needed to focus today on what I am thankful for.  I so appreciate Susanne leading us to remember what happened during the week that we see as a blessing.  Here is the Friday Fave Fives link.

1.  After the weekend, my daughter began to experience more exhaustion than should be normal and started having a rash.  We were able to get her in to see her surgeon on Thursday morning--the diagnosis is that she has an allergy to surgical glue!  With proper medication for the allergic reaction, removal of the glue, and more sleep, she is finally returning to normal surgical recovery.  I'm thankful for good health care.

2.  My other (older) daughter, who is The New Boy's mom and lives nearby, has been a great help, too.  I'm thankful for sister love.

3.  I was thinking today that I haven't been posting much lately and I haven't even had my camera out ONCE during this trip.  But some people still stop by my blog and read and comment.  I'm thankful for every one who does.  And if you are reading this, you are one of them.

4.  Last year, I met a woman who lives in this area, used to lived in Southern California, attends my daughter's church and her husband works with my daughter.  We connected and enjoy each other's company when I am here.  This week, I had lunch with her and I'm thankful for a friend I've made far from my home.

5.  As I noted above, I haven't taken any pictures.  But I accidentally photographed the edge of my purse with my cell phone.  It made for an interesting 'abstract photo'.  At least it made me laugh.

As we close down April, why don't you think back and choose the best thing that happened to you this month?  Share it with someone - you can share it in comments here, too - and maybe it will encourage someone else.

Greetings From Another Place

Hi!   I've been silent all week from my computer, using only my phone for communication. There are several reasons for that, all of which lead me to being so very thankful.  Here is Willow's Week in Friday Fave Fives.

1.  I took a plane trip.  Two, in fact.  They were supposed to be on the same day and connected by only an hour's wait in a transitional airport.  But.  Yeah.  A maintenance problem with the second airplane grounded me in North Carolina, three thousand miles from home and several hundred miles from my destination.  No, that wasn't the fave.  The fave was that I was given a hotel voucher and two meal vouchers because the issue was maintenance and not weather related.  And that's one reason why I was not in constant communication much on Monday and Tuesday.

2.  I was proud of myself for being brave and leaving the airport and over-nighting by myself in the hotel.  It really really helped that two other travelers banded together with me to make sure we got the correct shuttle and were back at the airport the next morning in time to check in.  The fave?  That there were nice, kind, pleasant people traveling with me.

3.  This was so sweet, but also it made me a little sad.  When my grandsons heard that my plane was delayed 13 hours, they cried.  They had planned to meet me at the gate with SIGNS they had written to greet me.  With my delayed flight, they had to miss picking me up at the airport.  Sad? Yes. But sweet?  Oh so sweet.

4.  Both of my daughters drove to the airport to pick me up--both of them taking a couple of hours off work to meet me.  Mama was feelin' the love.

5.  Lastly, I had a bit of a disaster with my laptop computer.  For the second time on this fairly new computer, the keyboard quit working.  Last time, The Professor was able to do a really weird fix on it that he read online and it actually worked.  But this time, he couldn't find that information to relay to me, so I was without a computer until this morning when I visited a big box electronic store and bought a wireless keyboard.  And now I can type, and that means I can type in a password to get internet access.

BONUS:  And the main reason I made this cross country trip.  My younger daughter had surgery on Wednesday.  I drove her to the hospital for the procedure, waited for news, drove her home.  I having been helping with the kids and caring for her.  All is well.  She is recovering.  I'm so thankful!

Extreme Week

Have you ever experienced a fifty degree change in temperature in one day?  That's what happened to us this week!  Willow's Adventures in Southern California include some other ups and downs.  But let's focus on the ups, the Friday Fave Fives right now.

1.  The Professor and I decided to join my brother and sister-in-law for a few days in Death Valley National Park.  Now I know you all realize that Death Valley means hot and dry.  And yes, it is. And it's often extremely windy.  But it is also beautiful!  If you like the American Southwest, you will love the magnificent expansive views and breathtaking colors of Death Valley.

2.  With my brother as guide since he has visited there numerous times, we drove to  Devil's Golf Course, Badwater Basin, and Artist's Palette.

282 feet below sea level.  Lowest point in North America.

Oh, the vivid colors at Artist's Palette!  The photo doesn't do it justice.

3.  Sitting around in the morning by the pool and jumping in to cool off--so refreshing!

My view from under the palo verde tree.

4.  Laughing and chatting with my brother and sister-in-law--the best part.

5.  This may seem a bit like not-a-fave, but really it is a fave.  The wind was SO STRONG that it blew over our tent.  Of the six stakes we had in the ground, only one was not dislodged.  Fortunately, that one stake held the entire tent.  We didn't have to go chasing after our tent and sleeping bags and duffel bags.  (We did lose our footprint cloth but found it later four campsites away.)

In the end, we decided to cut our trip short and drive home late at night.  Again, we are thankful for a safe drive home in gusting gales of wind along magnificent canyons and valleys.

From 105F to 55F, from 4956 feet above sea level at Towne Pass to 282 feet below sea level, it was a trip of extremes.

April is Here Already?

You know those weeks when all of a sudden it's the end of the week and you think, "Where did the week go?"  That was Willow's Week.   I didn't even take a single photo.  But here is what I did do and how I focused my attention.  And this doesn't even include Good Friday and Easter services at church!  Sharing my Friday Fave Fives:

1.  We drove across the north end of Los Angeles for a loonngg way to visit an old friend.  He is in the area for some medical stuff and we wanted to see him.  This man helped save my life and my (unborn) son's life when we lived in Indonesia.  He answered our request of air transport when I developed malaria and flew a single engine plane across the province AND THEN a helicopter into our village to evacuate us.  So, yeah, we'll drive across LA to see him.  It was a great time of reminiscing.

2.  Every day I've been out in the garden, babying my snap peas, lettuce and basil plants.

3.  A friend recommended a book to me. I found it at the library.  I've already finished it.  The Chosen by Chaim Potok.

4.  I belong to a Prayer Shawl group.  Although we meet only once a month, I greatly enjoy the fellowship and the purposeful activity of this group of people.  And (no photo proof) I started a poncho design based on dimensions which a friend shared with me to create an easy to wear poncho for people having chemo who need to be warm but also have their arms unwrapped. (photos later when I actually have enough to show).

5.  My last remaining uncle has been in the hospital.  That is certainly NOT the fave.  But the fave is that his children are keeping in good contact with us cousins to give us daily updates.  I am thankful for the long time connections with my cousins and also for easy communication via cell phone texts.

Bonus:  Easter dinner with my friend Ranch Lady at their ranch with lots of other people.

The ranch used to grow blueberries; now it's strawberries.

What has resonated with you and for what do you give thanks this week?