One Part Inspiration...

This is a week which I have anticipated for 9 months.  [No I am not pregnant.]  This little (now taller-than-all-of-us) guy is crossing the stage and graduating from high school.  I have seen my son approach this passage of time and there has been such a mixture of memories flooding in. Baby memories -   *How content he was - if he was crying, it meant something needed immediate attention.  *The hospital crib trying to catch his breath when he had RSV. *Watching his older brother and sister from his car seat. *Being content in his high chair with having a  pickle to suck on  while his mother raced around trying to make supper.  *How he conquered the milestones without the fanfare - like the day I noticed he was rolling over on his own in the middle of a crazy busy day.  *Crawling into bed with us poor, tired, just-can't move-to -take -him-to-his-own-bed-parents, every night until well after he was four because we had such a 'lovely bed'. ...

Lately, I have been involved in a few projects, which have given me as much pleasure in creating, as in sending them to the intended recipients. One was a birthday package to my sister.  I don't know when I decided that since she was turning a big number, she needed a big present, but I had so much fun getting the present together, it didn't matter.  It took several weeks to amass a whole lot of little bits of 'nothings' to add to the gift.  I numbered each one, and put a little clue for her to guess what the package held. Then I put them in big box and put instructions on the inside of this card, making sure that she would see it first.  I had made arrangements for me and a few other family members to watch her open the presents via video-conference.  It was almost as good as being there -  A virtual birthday party.  I had a pile of fun watching her open the presents, and trying to remember what I had wrapped.  The last one was the real rea...

It's been seven years since I have seen this boat in person, and yet in my dreams, I often hop in take myself across the lake, to enjoy a virtual trip to the Island.  It is the stuff that dreams are made of.   I love the tranquility.  I love the pace.  You can spend a whole day, mucking about doing various projects - most of them non-essential - such as puzzles and word searches or games.    There are books which visitors have left behind for the next party to read. In between there is kindling to collect and the occasional window-washing venture. There are many trips to the fridge to see if  any munchies have appeared since your last visit. Much of the day is spent walking back and forth to change. Jammies to bathing suits; bathing suits to clothes; clothes to bathing suits; bathing suits to sweats; sweats to bathing suits; bathing suits back to jammies. Days are spent in and out of the water, at the table, and meal preparation or clean-up in...

I have been looking forward to the first of May for several weeks now.  There's something cheery about being able to say it is May 1st.  Not only that it was sunny today and nice enough to head outdoors after work to throw a few plants in the ground, which had been passed onto me by a dear friend.  I got thinking while I was out there of all the changes that have happened here at The Pokeaway in the last year.  A year ago, we had no radiators, no flooring, and no sink except for the laundry sink.  I had no bathtub, and no cute little dishwasher to put my every day dishes in as soon as supper is finished.  The garden was started but not as established.  We had a line of blacberries at the end of our property, where now is just an un-obstructed view of our neighbour's field.  We had no patio, and our BBQ had called it quits. What a difference a year has made.  I am blessed.