Friday night grateful moment

his has been a good week. Such a nice balance of work and play, and today a birthday (husband) to boot. Wish every week could be like this one... but then maybe it would be less special? Yeah, I'm sure that's the answer I'm supposed to give. Hmm...

I'm grateful for husband's birthday, not the least because he took the day off and we got to spend it all together. I'm grateful for the day he was born and all the years between then and now that have contributed to him being the wonderful husband and amazing step-dad that he is.

This week Seth helped me in the yard a lot. We did early morning shifts and late evening shifts and he would bring cool wet rags to me--I was amazed how those helped cool me down! I know that much of his motivation was to just be away from the shoveling and dirt clod breaking-down (the getting-rags-wet part), but there was also a very sweet side to what he did for me. And, it was lovely to have the company outside, too. I'll take him over audiobooks, any day of the week. I am so grateful to have such a son.

I'm grateful for the great variety of fruits and vegetables still available... and growing. This week I had my first major snack while standing in the tomato patch, just me and the cherry tomatoes... chomp chomp chomp.

I'm grateful that the dogs are all OK. This week was a big vet week around here. Jack had a tooth cleaning that required anesthesia, always a risk with an older dog (he came through just fine). Darby had her annual physical and I noticed on the way in to the vet a big old lump on her belly... sure enough she has a mammary tumor that needs to be removed. The vet seemed pretty unfazed by it--it's not malignant or metastasized that he could tell, just needs to come out. And Ruby, sweet Ruby, had a foxtail in her ear over last weekend that we couldn't get out, so of course in she went for that, and then she started limping like a crazy dog last night so back in again she went this morning, where she proceeded to REFUSE. TO. LIMP. Oh my. I can't wait to get the vet bill, we've been running a tab all week and I can just feel Seth's going to community college! Between the vet bills and the irrigation bills...

Oh, and Chief? Chief's fine... (that we know of!) He doesn't go in for his check-up for another week or two... Funny enough, he's the one dog who loves to hop in the car and take a trip. I had to actually stop him from coming along to every vet visit this week. Makes me laugh every time. Hefting the others up into the car, pulling on leashes, tug tug... but not with Chief; he's bounding up and into the car, looking for adventure.

So grateful for friendship in all its many forms. Lunches and coffees and painting projects and watching kids frolic in the pool... all good (but not at the same time!). I am so appreciative for all the ladies in my life.

Grateful for the hours of the day that are cooler. I am LOVING the evening hours between 7 and 9 p.m.... just beautiful, and warm (but not HOT), bunnies in the yard... perfect hammock weather, but mostly I've been using it for yard work... Once my current project is done, then I'll take a little hammock break.

Seth has been obsessed with a book husband got for him earlier this summer, The Elements Book. It was one of those "well, maybe he'll like it, maybe he won't," kind of buys, and boy has it been a hit! It goes everywhere with Seth, and there's talk (dreaming) of starting an element collection (I'm especially thrilled with the idea of plutonium in the house!). Anyway, check out the video below--a little intro/promo for the book, followed by "The Elements" song, which was conceived by a math lecturer at Harvard, Tom Leher, in 1959. It has been STUCK in my head all day--you'll recognize the tune if you don't already know of this song. (Not that I have it memorized yet, exactly, just the tune running round and round in my head. Oy.) Gotta say though, if you have a kid who's into science at all, get this book. And who knows, it might just be the spark that gets your kid into science.

What am I thankful for here? Actually it's the obsession. I enjoy that aspect of Seth; it is so familiar to me... getting REALLY into something for awhile. Sometimes these obsessions last for a long time (Line Rider, So You Think You Can Dance [though that one has ended]), sometimes not so much (all manner of little games and toys that have drifted through over the years). And I also like to see him enjoying something while he's learning. I know, such a mom thing to say.



Grateful for the rest I can already feel coming on, that will carry on tomorrow and through the weekend... No specific plans until Sunday noon-ish... just time with the men, maybe some of that deferred hammock time, some contemplative/reflective time, some reading, some cooking and eating (of course!) and some thankfulness and praise for our blessings (church time, possibly?). All good.

Hope your weekend is ALL GOOD too!