When It Rains, It Pours . . .

In the midst of all of our PRAISES for Gloria's recovery from a near-fatal bout with meningitis, we continue to side-step stress-producing events. Take Gary's back, for example -- thrown out in an attempt to reposition his mom in the hospital bed. The "pull" incubated into REAL PAIN after driving several hours to return home. He arrived in pain and has remained thus.

OR how about the onslaught of acorns shooting down from the heavy-laden oaks blanketing our property? Day and night we hear the crashing, bashing, smashing of the assailing fruits. It is a bit unnerving, and has completely stopped all en pleine air dining. My choice of a metal table for the deck seemed like the perfect solution to wintry weather, BUT the metallic echoes make me shudder every time a new projectile hits (and they usually arrive in clusters). Right now I feel like we live in Sarajevo as the bullet-like objects fly freely and often. Hard hats may become a necessity.

A nice stroll in the gardens (with hard hat fashionably perched) would be so soothing, except . . . Did I mention the turkey buzzards congregating in one of the several dead trees on the periphery of our property? Yeah 40-50 new dudes showed up quite unexpectedly yesterday. Did I mention the STENCH?!?!?!?!? Or the attack upon my cat, Mr. Bingley? Yep, fully alive and bristling from head to tail, that kitty had to be rescued from a log near the pond by Elizabeth, the Brave who clapped and shouted and dashed her way to the battlefield and back to scoop up the targeted tiger-striped kitty -- growling buzzards circled overhead, swooping and grumbling all the while. So much for buzzards only eating the newly-dead . . .

CREEPY!!

I have a call into a tree-removal service, the cats remain secured in the garage (yeah, that's gonna be fun today), music lessons crowd the daily schedule, and I slept very little due to a moaning husband who decided to use the sleeping hours to practice getting up and down out of bed, along with walking around the bed ("Whoa! Was that an earthquake I just felt? Ummmm, never mind, ZZZZzzzzzz . . . ), and finally making therapeutic trips up and down the stairs. To say I lack sleep . . . , to say I crave refreshment . . . , to say I should zip my lip and go brew some lavender-laced tea WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT! I'm grumpy, overloaded, and decidedly unlovely today.

Let me slip away on the wings of more prayer from my dear, dear bloggy friends and I will surely return in an improved state.

As for updates regarding Gloria . . . I've little to report other than that she is mending and eagerly awaiting her release from ICU to a regular floor unit. From there, we must wait on God's timing and the doctor's approval before she can return home. Gary's back injury prevents further trips to the Bay Area to assist right now, and so we must rely on family reports and pray from afar.

Thank you all SO MUCH for the encouragement and prayers and thoughts. Even in my grumpy state I am grateful to God and you all for the touches. I will be responding to all emails and comments and such as time permits. It will be a welcome relief to come visiting with all of you. So much has happened, I know. One dear friend gave birth to a precious baby boy, another bought a house, and on and on the list goes. Life in all its facets enchants me . . . now if I can just find the right mind-set to dance in the buzzard stench, I will have a much better day.

HAPPY MONDAY!