Change of seasons and life, too!

This is the swing Bob made for me earlier this year. It is similar to one his grandmother had on the farm in Kentucky many many years ago. He had great memories from when he was a kid and would visit his grandparents on their farm and sit in the swing which was out under a huge oak tree. The house was off the main road quite aways so it was so peaceful and private. I've always wanted a swing like that and when he surprise me with his idea of building one, I was elated. It is a getaway place to think and relax.

I had the opportunity to sit out there this morning and was thinking about stuff - now isn't that original! This is the place I like to sit in the early morning before the sun comes up and evening after the sun goes down behind the trees. On the one side is the swimming pool and on the other side is the view of the hummingbird feeder and the bird feeder. We are fortunate to have hummers that stay around all year. They are fun and relaxing to watch and sometime buzz so close when we are sitting in the swing, I think they are going to stop and perch on the swing.

It was so peaceful out this morning, the only disturbance was the sound of the birds singing and the hummers chattering and singing to each other. I love to look up to the heavens and see through the leaves and whatever is in the way and imagine just how far up the sky goes as I swing back and forth. I remembered how much I loved to swing when I was a kid. The swings back then were made out of very strong material and were cemented into the ground and there were at least 10 swings in a row at the park. There was no safety material under our feet just the earth. It was a glorious sensation to lean back and let the wind take over the movement of the swing and feel the breeze in my hair and on my face - it was an endless sensation.

Reality has a strange way of shocking one back to the events of the moment - good or bad because those days of freedom of the breeze is gone at least for a while. Our responsibilities come in all sorts of sizes and shapes and sounds whether its a granddaughter needing breakfast, a husband inquiring about a time schedule or a son requesting an immediate answer, we are summoned out of our dream state back into the requirements of wife, mother and grandmother that I have assumed willingly although sometimes faltering, responding quietly inwardly and non-verbally reluctantly not wanting to leave my dream world.

The fall that I endured last weeks still impales me morning and night. I know the older I get the more difficult it will be to recover instantly. I was a strong woman and recovered quickly from any situation that dared to stop me from performing any task. It has been difficult to accept but nonetheless that doesn't matter, fight it all I want, it is the way it is. My husband has been a workaholic all his life but not now and it can be very devastating for him. When he becomes the least ill mannered and depressed I know he yearns to work physically doing anything. I am fortunate that he is like this for he is eager to take on any and all jobs willingly. It has been a struggle for both of us to face this fact of old age. But, we have each other, and we laugh a lot about the changes in both our bodies from youthful muscles and tight skin to wrinkly wiggly hanging forearms to other things that we know and you don't want to hear about but we do laugh at what we've become and reminisce of what we were. A sense of humor and a lot of love goes a long way to keep a marriage solid. One of Bobs most favorite things in life are baby chicks. And, I love kittens. We hope someday before all is said and done we can live where we both can have some of the things we once had.

I hope your day has gone well and if you are struggling with the stock market and these ugly price declines, I can only suggest you do as they all are stressing and that is to hold tight. I don't know a thing about the stocks, its something we have never gotten in to, but I hope for your sake, it works out better than you are thinking it will. Have faith.