Strawberry Fields.....forever?

The Easter weekend was way too short. The boy's and my short trip to Alabama was wonderful. The strawberry fields are producing, the green of the countryside is intensified against the foreground of intricate still-bare pecan trees that have not yet leafed. Thousands of azaleas are blooming in dazzling color, and the weather is "perfect."

The strawberry fields we have watched and eaten from the past 20 years reflect life's cycles have shrunk in acreage to a bare minimum planting. Instead of overflowing boxes for sale, each small basket is full of sweet large berries, but in less amounts though no less delicious in their freshly picked glory. Things change. The hurricane changed things forever here - many things will never be the same.

I had a good visit with my oldest daughter and my older grandson. My poor granddaughter was in bed in pain. I put my cool hands against her throbbing head and prayed for her. If only love could make people well! Today, I will make phone calls to help "M" find a surgeon for a second opinion. Her chest wall is pressing upon her lungs and heart. A major surgery has been recommended. She has already been through so much with the other surgery.

Today's fasting from negative thoughts: Get rid of "Grasshopper Thinking." This is the mentality that tells us we are tiny and ineffectual grasshoppers in the face of big problems. Another surgery with a long recovery time is a big problem for her to face. And, really, when those you love suffer, the pain is in you as well - I would gladly have the surgery for her if I could. We all have to put on our armour so we can surround her with strength and faith and courage and love. We have a higher resource upon which to draw all we need.

I wish now for the agreement and power that a couple can have when they stand together. I wish for strength for the kids and grandkids that could be a rock for them if it weren't for selfish ego. Reality does not present that option, so I reach for my God's hand and wait eagerly for that yoke that will take some of the care off my shoulders.

The rest of the weekend went too fast. "J" had to work 17 hours from Saturday to Sunday in a long stretch, so she arrived at Easter services in her hospital clothes looking dazed and bedraggled. We then went home so she could clean up for lunch at the Olive Garden and a Dr. Seuss movie. Out of the four of us "who" went, two napped through the movie. We still haven't dyed eggs. Maybe tomorrow. The boy and "J" woke up with very sore throats this morning. I had planned to take the boy to the beach for a buffet, but we had a good time and Olive Garden is always high on his list!

I had dropped a pretty good bunch of pounds yesterday, but today, probably because of salty soup, salad, and a piece of key lime pie, (why did I do that), I am back up. However, if the pattern follows, it will fall back off within a day or two and I will be very close to the next ten pounds. I pulled out my clothes to find something to wear to church and they all looked like gunny sacks - very baggy - which was good - but bad, in that I had some decent looking clothes that I can no longer wear without looking pretty silly. No sense getting more clothes than the bare minimum if I have more pounds to go, and I do. I found one black lightweight suit I could wear - and, for Easter, I looked rather goth against others in their bright spring clothing. I'm still waiting for that sewing machine - I think I can alter a few things....

Have had two and one half nearly pain free days with my back which I needed, because I was feeling sick all over from the pain. Yay!

I'm going to go now and try to get a couple of miles in on the elliptical, take a shower, and get myself presentable for the day before lining up early dinner for the boy so he can eat before baseball practice.

Time flies!