Keep on keeping on

 Keep on keeping on because you must

Do it today and somehow tomorrow 

Do it because you should- your time isn’t up- your name wasn’t called 

Keep on keeping on just do it -as it’s said- it will likely become habit

Do it when you’re too tired to care- when you’re convinced it all doesn’t matter 

Do it when those voices stop calling you to do it- hold on to that one thing that keeps you going 

Keep on going because you just don’t know when you’ll not be here to do it—you can do it- I believe in you- you know you feel  that gentle push 

Keep on keeping on- and smile while you do

Jumping stick

 I’m not an athletic person- excelling only at tennis and volleyball- oh and square dancing!!

Actually I hated participating in most sports and most surely despised gym class!!

So it’s kinda amazing how good I was at the jumping stick- better known as the pogo stick! I used jumping stick - so I could manipulate it into today’s J letter

We just sold my childhood home- I shared with you how my father passed away a little over a year now 

As I made numerous trips to the empty house to go through years of stuff and memories- I couldn’t help but remember my jumping on that pogo stick with reckless abandon 

On my many trips to my childhood home since my daddy died- I would enter through the front door - going down the long narrow sidewalk- cracked now and moss stained 

How many times I had bobbed along the cemented walkway- balancing perfectly-only stopping if I was tired- never falling off

I recall daydreaming and letting my mind race with plans for the next day or a great new idea that would come to me as I intensely jumped for the pure joy of it

I hope the new occupants have a young girl or boy- and I hope they try and repair the old walkway- so they too can jump along it or perhaps just sit on it and dream 

Interests

 Lately I’ve had more time to think of things to fill the time

I’ve found a renewed interest in many things that have held different levels of interest to me

I’ve found a new love for cooking and at my son and his wife (my daughter) idea- I’ve started doing cooking videos on Facebook— I’ve been pleasantly surprised at all the encouragement and support I’ve been receiving from friends and family— And I have to tell you- so far I’m really enjoying it!

My blogger life honestly has not been on the top of my life interest list- but I’m determined to plug along this az challenge!

I’m generally interested in art- decorating- especially my mantle!!

I love tv- see you too can admit it!!!

I also love the idea of planting a garden or at least watching shows about it!

I’m toying with the idea of singing and writing music again- a few months ago I even recorded myself singing some old songs I had written and shared them with some of my granddaughters that are into music a lot!

They said they liked them- and I’m running with that

I continue my love of old houses and architecture — something Frank and I loved together 

I’ve always been into bird watching and I have bought a birdhouse 

Hmmm I’m trying to think if there are any more interesting interests 

Oh- the piano- not much progress there but every once and a while I sit down and embarrass myself- this is sad to say but I think I would play more if my dining room table wasn’t so close to the piano- that’s what I tell myself anyway 

My interest in my family and friends and their lives is deeper now- 

Oh and the ancestry stuff— I’m super intrigued by that kinda stuff

I’m just happy to feel like being interested in anything these days

Handle on things

 Yes I’m coping better each day it seems 

I have the dreaded DMV appointment behind me 

I have my plumbing super issue taken care of- thanks to the awesome generosity of two sweet families I know!

There have been many kindnesses- too many to count- yes I have definitely been blessed with support and care

I knew Frank did a lot but I never quite realized just how much- the depth that I depended on him- and yes there are things I would suggest to others to be sure and do differently but mostly I don’t regret how much I relied on Frank 

He was my best friend- we both were never happier or  more content than when we had time together- honestly we were rarely social with others- mainly because our alone time was scarce 

I’ve adjusted to spending my mornings without him and me having a cup of coffee together- praying together and watching some of the days news-I even miss Frank speaking loudly back at the tv about the absurdities he disagreed with!

I’m handling new things and feelings every day- some in stride- most in kinda a terror—but with God I’m doing it

My kids are a great encouragement of course- and I really want to be there for them also 

So all in all I’m thankful and maybe on a good day- hopeful 

I’m even getting a handle on the toilet handle- just how to jiggle it to make it stop running- but occasionally I have to admit to having to take the back off the tank and handle it that way— still progress 

Gardens

Funny how one idea or picture can inspire one to duplicate or stimulate your creative side

Such was the case of the Easter/bunny garden my sister made- I kept thinking of it and how it made me feel 

It was a tiered tray- each level filled with old and newer springy delights and creatures - taking you back to childhood but with a grownup touch and whimsical essence

So I hurried to Target and scooped  up some inexpensive Easter items- eager to get home and assemble 2 Easter gardens of my own- adding some older relics too

After I posted my creations to Facebook- my cousin texted me with her darling Easter garden!

What a fun succession of  shared interest- one of those unexpected bonding moments - sister to sister to cousin and perhaps others were making their own interpretation of the Easter menagerie 

My sister’s 

Mine

My cousin’s

My Easter trees

My other bunny garden

Futile

Sorta a continued thought from E day post—— Futile gets a bad rap

It can’t help that somethings are just impossible and better moved on from- yes I’m aware I just ended in a preposition 

Futility is hard work- it’s what you get when you try too hard or what you feel like when you don’t 

Why is it we only use it when we are trying to tell ourselves that things can’t work- that the universe would supremely be against it 

If futility was as exhausting as it sounds- why do we keep doing things that bring us back to this outrageously maddening word

Enough

 Enough is enough and too much stinks! Did everyone’s mother say that or was it just mine?

Enough is a very relative word

Condescending yet satisfying 

Controlling but desperate 

Enough is obviously subjective and elusive 

Tragic and ultimately mind numbing 

Enough is never- you fill in the blank

I’ve had enough of this futile word