Monday, March 27, 2023

My Friend, Here's to the Closing and To The New

 A new week yet a closing week. This morning I am thrilled that the rain, if any, passed through in the middle of the night. The sun is shinning and robins are scattered across the front yard, gathering up worms for the meals for today. In a bit the other birds that hang around will get the taste of a new blend of seeds that we haven't used before. Oh happy day for the birds. The Feral Fam is happy for a full breakfast and are content in the backyard before moving up to the edge of the gravel road. Over the weekend we were able to complete a few projects and contemplate the timing of our next projects before the temps are way too warm. The main project involves painting, so cool of the morning and evenings sound about right. We attempt our projects now at a slower speed than we previously tackled them. Lot more rest breaks. 

After the rain ended on Saturday morning we headed toward TN, not so much with a goal in mind or a purpose but more so to enjoy the scenery and check on the progress of the mountains greening up. The splashes of purple, red and white blooms of the trees encountered along the way, well just icing on the cake. We stopped at a grocery store on our way home and had the most delightful surprise, a manager's special on tulips. We thought the tray of tulips held 12 ready to bloom plants but in fact much to our wonder as we began planting them we found that there were 24 or more plants. We had picked up two trays, so 48 tulips to plant in and around the others we have planted in previous seasons. No guessing what or where, we could fill in and know. That sounds like a Bible verse, Fill in and Know...

The closing week is a friend's last week of working full time in the business world of marketing and communications. On Friday afternoon, she will have officially retired. Though, she will probably do some contract work for other companies because she is that good. With the news of retirement, several have contacted her about that very subject. We have talked and texted especially since she is on the clock to see what the Lord has planned after corporate America. Never heard that phrase much in Houston, but it is used here a lot.  For sure travel will be on the list as well as reading and resting. Many times I am mesmerized with the concept of predictable verses consistency. We all carry those traits but consistent is on the higher end of the scale with my friend. She is consistent. I don't think she has ever taught a bad Sunday School lesson, she makes the points and lands the plane.  Creative, mindful, studious, quick to laugh, prayerful, passionate about the things of God, a good and caring friend, and in the words of Toddlers and Tiaras, she is the total package when it comes to II Peter 1:1-4. You can bet the farm that on predictability, with her, there well be a process...she'll choose Molina's for the pickled veggies they serve, Lupe's for beef fajitas, and Fu's Garden for orange chicken. No wonder we get along so well, those would be my choices too. Her influence is a major reason that we moved here as she introduced me to some of the most wonderful sights in these mountains. Our adventures at the Biltmore over the years holds a lot of funny stories as well as meeting the nicest valet parker, who she simply named Scrumptious. Yes, a very fitting name for that young man. Our Inn on the Biltmore stays, gave us the way to express our feelings toward camping, "my idea of roughing it is a slow bellboy." Sitting on the Veranda for a late lunch simply delightful in the simplicity of the menu. Split a salad, split truffle fries, and split a pizza. I think on our first road trip when Roy had deadlines and projects and he could not go on our planned trip to visit my brother and family, Dena filled in on the road trip to Nashville and we added Asheville just for fun. While stopping to gas up the car and for snacks, we happened upon a bathroom...quite memorable in Corinth Mississippi.  Since most of these are one seaters, we went separately to the facilities. Once we were back on the road having gone several miles, Dena said are you going to say anything about that bathroom? The one seater was actually a two seater but no metal stalls around either toilet. Cracked us up!  Whether we stayed at the Inn or at Grove Park on trips even down to Hampton Inn in Alexandria, LA, there are just too many stories and memories to tell, yep after staying in Five Star Hotels to the lowly hotels of Mississippi and Louisiana, we agreed with Paul;

4:11  Not that I am implying that I was in any personal want, for I have learned how to be content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am. (even Mississippi) Monarch translation

Here's to new adventures post career and I am hoping to be a part of a few of those adventures. 


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