Mostly pictures...

YaY! Guess what??? My sister and her wife are coming to visit.  She has been wonderful, talking to me every day since Tim died.  People wonder what in the world we can talk about every night.  Uhhh, we're sisters, and that just about says it all. We could talk about the same thing over and over again, but if it's what we want to talk about, who cares?  Anyway, they are driving in next month and we are going to do a little vacation, going up (and down) the east coast.  The plans are just in the beginning stages, but the things that we have planned to visit will be fun.  There will be nuns and dogs and artists and abbeys, but not necessarily in that order. 

I have been buying new traveling clothes and some jewelry and shoes and all things that "vacation" gives me an excuse to buy.  I have been trying to eat a bit lighter and keep the weight off that I've lost this year.

One of my favorite quick lunches is grilled chicken strips and salad.  Brew up a quick batch of green sweet tea and you're good to go.

I'm trying to stay positive with all the snow that we have had this winter and spring, so it is with a snarky little laugh that I show you my only outdoor spring flowers...

I'm still babying and nurturing my house plants and they seem to be responding.  I had one that suffered badly from my blundering re-potting, so I got yet another pot and am trying it again...

I added a pink polka dot plant to take up some of the room for the portions that didn't survive, but I'm optimistic, and have high hopes.

Speaking of house plants, I have several violets that I have been doting on and I wanted to move them into my kitchen window sill.  I had them on a wicker table close to the window, but it just didn't seem right.  I was dreading getting out the saw and trying to find a board and cut it to the proper size.  This is  something that Tim would have done immediately for me, no questions ask.  I even went on line and looked for a pre-made shelf and just couldn't find what I wanted.  So with an elaborate sigh, I got out the tape measure and measured the window and suddenly realized that if I found just a regular board, it would sit nicely under the curved thingy on the window and all I had to do was cut it to 34 inches.

I knew that Tim had some extra lumber under the deck, as I had straightened it up one day, long ago (last week), when we had a ray of sunshine.  I went down to get the board and remembered (yay) to take the yardstick with me.  I want to say that I was surprised that the plank waiting for me was the exact length needed, but in a way I wasn't surprised at all. 

Last April when I went to meet my sister and ride the train back, Tim stayed home, I left him little love notes everywhere on index cards.  This plank, cut to the exact size to fit the kitchen window reminds me of those cards that he kept finding.  Those colorful index cards that said I Love You in lots of different ways. This little plank, already cut to the perfect size, feels like a love note from heaven.  I feel like he is watching me and finding little ways to help me do the things that he always did for me.

Remember to say safe and creative and know that God is there for you.  God's ways aren't always mysterious, as some say, but He is there. Try to keep your eyes open to this, so you can see the ways that He is helping you. 

Thanks again for all your prayers and support.

Happy Easter.