Official summer

It’s still a week until the calendar calls for the summer solstice, the official beginning of summer, but I’m calling it today. Why? Because it’s the first day I put my flip flops on to step out in the backyard. I will keep these by the patio sliding glass door until October or November when the days will again get chilly.

This morning I stepped out the patio door into this:

It’s officially summer at our house.

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Perfect weather

Sunday is perfection–weather wise. Wish we could have 80 degree afternoons, with a delightful breeze, every summer afternoon. But it is wishful thinking.

For this afternoon, though, I will enjoy the backyard.

What is domestic violence?

Does your partner:

Insult, demean or embarrass you with put-downs?

Control what you do, who you talk to or where you go?

Look at you or act in ways that scare you?

Push you, slap you, choke you or hit you?

Stop you from seeing your friends or family members?

Control the money in the relationship? Take your money or Social Security check, make you ask for money or refuse to give you money?

Make all of the decisions without your input or consideration of your needs?

Tell you that you’re a bad parent or threaten to take away your children?

Prevent you from working or attending school?

Act like the abuse is no big deal, deny the abuse or tell you it’s your own fault?

Destroy your property or threaten to kill your pets?

Intimidate you with guns, knives or other weapons?

Attempt to force you to drop criminal charges?

Threaten to commit suicide, or threaten to kill you?

If you answered “yes” to even one of these questions, you may be in an unhealthy or abusive relationship.

Source: The National Domestic Violence Hotline

Where to call

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233

A perfect spring afternoon

This is where Calico Cat and I are hanging out this afternoon. I pruned, raked, and swept as well as washed the cat beds, but now I’m done (or more like, done in), so we are just hanging out, enjoying the garden bench and all of the sounds and smells of a warm afternoon.

The next door neighbor is mowing her lawn. The dogs on the other side are running around, wrestling with each other. The chickens behind us squawk and cluck. The air is heavily scented with blossoms of all sorts.

I would say this is an absolutely perfect afternoon. Wish I could bottle it.

Out with the old, in with the new

The old washer and dryer were hauled away:

And the replacement GE appliances took their place:

The washer came with an insert to use when moving the machine so as to stabilize the agitator. Terry informed me of where he stored said insert. I laughed and wondered if we would remember its purpose by the time we got around to moving out or if our survivors who would empty the house would wonder what its purpose had been.

Yoga ball update

I did buy the yoga ball and I use it here at my computer desk. I roll around some and do some balancing. It seems to be working fine. My grandchildren saw a photo of it and want to come play with it.

Words for today

are

• persistence
• risk-taking
• resilience

Don’t just sit and let things happen to you.

• Learn
• Be curious
• Have an active, growing brain

all of your life. Learning is not just for school children.