Reflections

 Sitting here this morning thinking about the few days with Beth, here in the mountains. Well, the mountains where we live. She lives off the Puget Sound in the mountains around Tacoma and Seattle. When she is not living in her mountains, she is on her sailboat traveling the country and some of the world by sailboat. I love her adventuresome spirit. As I told her, I live vicariously through her traveling but I am more than happy to remain here, where I have found my joy. Friday, our late afternoon plans were adjusted by the weather. We were going to go to Blue Rooster for a late lunch and then go to the Blue Ridge Parkway for early evening pictures of the mountains as the sun set. We had eased into the day to get rested up. Instead we went to TJs and got some strawberries, peaches and tomatoes as well as two butterfly bushes. Then over to Ingles to pick up some supper. We went to Marshall and I am still contemplating another rocking chair.  An easy laid back day of talking and laughing. Saturday, the weather didn't quite cooperate either. Our plans were to go to Burnsville and Christy's Crafts, and take the winding mountain road through Bakersville up to Roan Mountain where the rhododendrons are in full bloom. But the rain...and fog. We did go to Vintage Lamp Post in Burnsville. Then headed over to Christy's out in the country of Pensacola. We found some very cute things. As we decided to head over to Johnson City, we got behind a truck with two lambs and a dog in the trailer. 

Beth took pictures for me. We browsed Barnes and Noble, ate lunch at Carrabbas, stopped at Academy but everyone in the tri city area must have gotten the notice to meet at Academy, so we left and went to Troyer's in Limestone. We had a scenic drive home. The fog and clouds rested on the tops of mountains. The green hue in the trees seemed especially brilliant yesterday. We went to church Sunday morning, stopped by Fresh Market and had an easy afternoon before going to a reception/choir practice with our new music director. We had to leave a little early for the airport and we were on our way. 

It is always fun and meaningful to spend time with Beth. Our lives have gone in different directions than what we might have imagined since those silly and fun days in high school. But, I think we are both in the happiest and most contented times of our lives right now. We sat around on the back porch telling our new stories and analyzing our old stories. 

Buddy is giving me the roller coaster ride. One morning she is fine, has energy and other mornings she has thrown up and she barely seems to move. Yesterday, when we returned home I didn't know if she would be dead or alive, but Buddy was sitting on the stairs when we arrived home. She slept with me most of the night but I think it was due to the fact we are experiencing cooler than normal temps. Buddy is next to me and looks to be deciding where her next nap will take place. 

I think my neighbor might have caught one of the Feral Fam kittens. Her daughter has a friend who is looking for a kitten and Beth saw them walking with carriers yesterday. I have seen three of the four this morning. Running and playing up among the rocks. All the rest of the fam seem to be doing well. Radley came around on Friday I believe, but he hasn't been back. HP and all the kiddos are hanging out in the garage or off on an adventure. They seem more drawn over toward the land across the way and not so much the gravel road behind me. 

Last night we met our new choir director and her name escapes me right now. She is truly a choir person. Memories flooded over me because the piece we worked on last night was the Crescendo music of When I Survey the Wonderous Cross, typed by Peggy Bain assisting Trev Ray. I think Gerald owned Crescendo music back in the day. Most in our choir had never sang the arrangement. In my minds eye I could see Gerald directing us with the building sound as we proclaimed the glory and goodness of God in the fourth verse. The director seems to tend toward using an orchestra type setting in the service which for me, has been most churches I've attended in a fair amount of my adult life. So, we begin again, always with hope, certainly with joy and seeing God's work using His church. 

June 13th, we will be returning to our regular Sunday School classes. I think all the ladies are looking forward to returning to their respective classes after enjoying our modified Sunday School for the past several months. 

As the need for weeding and pruning is calling me out to the yard, I will conclude this post reflecting on this. Yesterday, Newfound honored the graduates from high school. Each one gave a brief thought on what they might do or where they will be going to college. It was kind of sentimental sitting there with Beth. We were both 17 when we graduated from high school. Went to different colleges and took out for our futures almost fifty years ago. During her visit, we remembered our friends and the things we all did together. We talked about so much and it was just a reminder to me we can have lifelong friends even when we haven't experienced a lot of life together.