Happy birthday to me!

“Happy birthday! How does it feel to be 62?” As I mentioned earlier this week, my mama has dementia. She called me yesterday morning to wish me happy birthday and just as I was ready to get excited that she remembered my birthday, she asked the above question. I replied, “Well, thank you, but are you 95?” Where does time go? A question I ask myself often, but a birthday seems to conjure up many more questions. How can I be this old? Am I living my best life? Have I achieved the things I wanted at this point? This year, I asked myself all of the above, but I also pondered if I am being appreciative of the little things. As I’ve mentioned before, I am always in search of the silver lining. The joy in little things and trying my best to handle situations and life by keeping it simple. I had a great day yesterday celebrating my birthday. Of course, I spent it here at The Ridge. Spent a little more time outside, watched some Netflix, enjoyed some home cooking and most of all, I spent time with my core circle…my family…the four of us! Amidst our current situation globally, I am sure everyone is looking at things a little differently. We have all been forced to pivot from our normal schedule and daily lives. Long term schedules and goals seem uncertain. It’s “the now” that has taken center stage. If you are a believer like me, you are holding onto hope and trying to stifle the worry. But I am human, so I do worry. I worry about my business making payroll and paying the bills when my machines aren’t running. I worry about having enough supplies to limit trips to town. (Can I just mention, this whole scenario is what Duane has waited for since Y2K!) I worry about the elderly and immune compromised when folks aren’t taking this pandemic seriously. None of us know what the future holds or have a crystal ball, and guess what? It’s all going to be ok. We’ve made it this far by showing up daily and doing our best. Although our world has been turned upside down, we still have the ability to control how we react. Our hopes and dreams aren’t cancelled. We have just been given an opportunity to reevaluate what’s a priority.

Crazy Chicken Lady

Five years ago, my family gave me chickens for my birthday. That’s right…chickens. I purchased them on Craigslist and had the coop delivered from Amazon. I don’t think any of us realized at the time how much joy they would bring. It wasn’t long before they became more than just egg producers, they also became pets. Our favorite was Henrietta, an Ameraucana that laid green eggs. It’s very relaxing to watch them wander around the yard. I have always been a country gal. Aside from a short stent when Duane and I married we lived in town but always knew we wanted to raise our family in the country. When our kids were toddlers, we began searching for our little slice of heaven on earth that we fondly refer to as “The Ridge”. A name derived from the community our property is located. Over the years we have had our own menagerie of animals, but I think chickens were the favorite for all of us. Country life isn’t always rainbows and unicorns. I awoke one morning to find my chicken tractor was a splintered, obliterated mess. Henrietta was missing, along with the other girls. No trace of them. We believe a bobcat dined on our pets. And I have not been able to bring myself to get more because I am not sure I can keep them safe from predators. When the news began reporting of this virus and word spread that grocery shelves were bare, I considered getting more to provide a daily supply of eggs. Not to mention, a friend has been posting photos and videos daily of her new chicks. But Ayrton heard a bobcat a couple nights ago and Duane saw one on our property last weekend. So, I will take it as a sign I am not to have chickens. At least for now. I look forward to the day when life returns to normal and hope I can ditch this itch for buying more girls. Until then, I will continue to shelter in place and enjoy each day at “The Ridge.” "I began raising chickens primarily for their eggs, but over the years, I've also grown fond of caring for them and learning about their many different breeds and varieties." ~Martha Stewart

Shelter in Place

Shelter in place…our county has now joined several others in Texas as we stand together to slow the spread of Covid-19. Although our lives have shifted from our normal, some things are still a constant. For those that don’t know, my mom moved into a skilled nursing facility that specializes in dementia last fall. She has adjusted well…honestly, we have all adjusted well in making one of the toughest decisions ever…placing your parent in a nursing facility. I’ll save that conversation for another post. A couple weeks ago, all nursing homes closed their doors to outside visitors to protect the residents. I get it, I understand and appreciate isolating our most vulnerable during this global pandemic. Mama has her flip phone and has stayed in daily contact with family and friends since she moved in. Always one to stay on top of local news, it seemed to take a while before mama mentioned the “germ” going around. That’s what she has been calling it most often. Early on, she referred to it as “the weather” and lately it’s been a virus. She’s most worried about me traveling to Austin, so that tells me she is tuned in to the Austin television station. She switched from watching the Temple/Waco broadcast years ago when my kiddos moved to attend @theuniversityoftexas . Not being able to see her is hard, but at least we have a way to stay in touch. Yesterday, was a hard day…for both of us. Sometimes the confusion she is experiencing makes it hard to communicate. Often, the nurses call and ask me to “talk her down” from a situation. It’s easy for me. After all she raised me and we have our own way of communicating. Alesi and Ayrton spent enough time around her that she’s had a huge impact on who they are today and they get our “lingo” as well. Scary..isn’t it? She still makes me laugh at some of her comments. She still makes me cringe at some of her comments. And she is still the most positive, upbeat person I’ve ever known. I hold onto those positive vibes she emits and the many lessons she has taught me. I hope to be half as sassy as she is when I’m 85! 😉💕

Our Edward

To bring a smile to your face this Monday. Let me introduce you to Edward, our youngest Australian Shepherd who “flew in” to live with us in Texas exactly two years ago this month. Our son Ayrton wanted an Aussie with blue eyes. I’m not sure how y’all do things in your world, but in mine I am always looking for “signs” in my daily life for answers from the man upstairs. I opened my Facebook page one Saturday morning in March 2018, and there he was on my friend Alan’s page. I showed Ayrton the last photo in this thread and we began the process of getting Ed to Texas. Let me mention, Alan lives in Iowa! No worries, Alan has shipped pups before and after all, he was my high school valedictorian and is a doctor with a degree from Harvard. Truth is, I was still worried because I had never bought a plane ticket for a dog and didn’t understand all the logistics of shipping an animal...but luckily Alan did. Within a few days, Edward was on a plane from Iowa, with a short stop in Minnesota before landing in Austin. Our kiddos have named a pet or two after movies and Ed gets his from the @lionking hyena. The name fits him perfectly and he’s such a sweet dog. And as you see, he keeps us smiling and laughing at times with his personality and demeanor. As promised, I plan to keep sharing stories from my photo library. I hope for a brief moment, it helps bring a smile or makes one forget about the current state of our lives. “When the world around me is in chaos and I’m searching for the silver lining. Edward puts a smile on my face and brings joy to our life.” ~ Lisa Gerthe

Puzzle Pieces

“We are all beautiful and magical puzzles made up of so many tiny pieces and parts. Without just one of them, something would be missing and we would not be whole. It is all of our parts that make us who we are and make life what it is. Each piece is special and beautiful and necessary. Even those we do not yet understand or that bring up challenges for us and in our life. Every single piece fits perfectly.”~Camille Lucy Here’s hoping your day was relaxing. We tried to pivot from our usual and began working on a puzzle of Yosemite. I haven’t experienced its splendor in person...yet. @alesi12 sent me the attached photo last year when she visited Yosemite in the spring. What a difference a year can make. How did you spend your day?

This morning, I asked Duane if the things happening in our world is just a dream and are we in an episode of “The Twilight Zone”? In true D fashion, he used a few expletives as he replied, “no, it’s real”! Duane has been my rock for well over three decades. Through thick and thin, good and bad, he’s always promised to be honest and real with me about everything. And above all has always provided and protected me and our children with all his being and as Christ as the head of our home and family. We’ve always operated and tackled situations as a team and this current situation is no different, with Duane gathering us together at “The Ridge” to devise a plan so he can do what he does best...maintain and fix things to the best of his ability. I tend to approach things with a lighter hearted spirit to break up the seriousness of a situation. So, I am going to start sharing random photos from my travels. A peek into past experiences and a look forward to making more memories when we come out the other side of this pandemic. This monster has now arrived in our own backyard with one case in our county. “Sometimes there is nothing you can do but let it rain and wait for the sunshine.” And if we are lucky, maybe a rainbow will appear. Look for the joy, stay home if you can and know we are all in this together.

One week can bring change.

One week. One week can bring so many changes. Although I love to travel, I am always glad to be safe inside the gates of “The Ridge”. We were away for 11 days. In ways it flew by and in some ways it felt like forever to get back home. Seeing the Grand Canyon has been on my “bucket list” for some time. And taking the train was the cherry on top. While there, I sat on the rock wall and used the time to reflect on the beauty of Gods creation and life in general. Little did I know this week would bring many other thoughts across my mind as we deal with a world that is changing before our eyes. This past week we have slowed down a bit, enjoyed time with family, cooked at home more, and I have talked to friends instead of texting. Today, my “silver lining” is treasuring “the climb” and being grateful for another beautiful day at “The Ridge”.

How are you navigating Covid-19?

As I sit here, isolating myself as much as possible to not “share” anything with the elderly or immune compromised, I wonder...why is this happening NOW in our world? I am trying to stay positive and look for the “silver lining”. I am also aware that in times of chaos, you learn a lot about people. You see their true colors. The self centered, the compassionate, the givers and takers. In times of uncertainty and fear, I choose faith and hope. Faith we will all stand together and hope we’ll emerge stronger than before. How are you navigating these waters?

"It's just a minor setback!"

Each day we have a choice to have a positive attitude and make the most of each opportunity presented to us. Today, my husband called a man he’s known since his childhood to check on him and to give an update on what we have going on. His friend let him know he had suffered a stroke recently that has left him with some “balance” issues and the doctors said he will not be the same. Instead of being negative about the situation, this was his response...”it’s just a minor setback”!

“If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then you are an excellent leader.” ~ Dolly Parton