The Facts of Life...Backyard Version

Monday morning.  I'm on my second cup of coffee, I slept much later than I had planned, and I have to go out and pick up the mess that the raccoon made last night in the backyard.  Roy has an employee that doesn't like nature, in fact she always responds to his stories of NC with,"ugh, nature!  I don't like nature."  I like nature, the birds, butterflies and flowers but a raccoon and a snake this past week is almost making me say, ugh...nature.  Funny, this song from 1980's TV keeps going through my head,      
                             You take the good, you take the bad, 

you take them both and there you have 

The facts of life, the facts of life. 

I think while I am in a little bit of a cranky mood that I need to get out of today...but I think I will add to my list to be cranky about; bad traffic.  Really, it doesn't have to be dealt with like in Houston because just about everything I need is close by but when I have to go south of Asheville on I 26, that can put me in a cranky mood post haste or if someone I know is stuck in it...ur.....   Houston friends, it is like being on 290 with construction, but only two lanes...that never move....and when you finally get through it all, there weren't any wrecks or a "nothing to see here" type rubbernecking situation. Just lots of traffic with a steep grade.  Maybe it is more like I 10 and the Campbell curve before all the improvements on that freeway.

So here in the valley on a hill, I'm cranky this morning.  But with the bad of raccoons and a snake sighting, there is a lot of good to go with the "bad."  I had a wonderful but too short of visit with John and Paige Bolin and children.  They got stuck in the I 26 traffic but the good from that was Moose Cafe lunch.  Their visit brought such joy and the weekend weather was perfect for getting out and about.  I am so thankful they added a night to their conference to come here.  It was so exciting to hear about all that is going on with the Choir and Orchestra at Houston's First.  Sadly, they had to leave early Sunday morning for their flight but they left in 57 degree weather and Smoky Mountain Roasted Coffee in to go cups and apple cider donuts from Barber Orchards.

Choir practice was fun last night and we are singing On the Banks of the Promise Land on Sunday morning.  It's a little bit of a different arrangement only in the choir sings the verses.  Such fun!  We had a full choir yesterday morning, so vacations are wrapping up and everyone is getting back into school mode.  I think schools begin August 16th here.

Since my Black Rat Snake sighting one evening this past week, I have not seen it or any others.  Before I saw that snake, I had been standing about six inches from it.  You know I had to Google NC Black Snake and get the facts.  One article repeated this phrase, if you are fortunate enough to see a black rat snake...  What????  Anyway, yesterday I told my SS class my praise was, I didn't call our realtor and have a For Sale sign put in front of the house.  That's my usual reaction to my no action when I don't like something about our home or surrounding areas.  We did put our Katy home on the market Friday.  Roy is frustrated because he has to leave the house spotless every morning and he has to make the bed.  We are just testing the waters to see if there is any interest.

As I wrap up this post, I am watching the little finches and the butterflies.  There is a bright red cardinal in the dogwood tree.  There is a cute little chipmunk on the deck, but I am not too happy about that but...join in with me in singing...No... sing with me,

You take the good, you take the bad, 
you take them both and there you have 
The facts of life, the facts of life.