Friday, August 31, 2012

Day 548

Because of my husband's love of barns, every time I sit on my couch I appreciate what I have. If he didn't like me snapping pictures of barns I wouldn't have this sitting over my couch:
This poster-sized picture was taken by me while we were driving in upstate New York. Every time I look at it I know how lucky we are. We have done so many things and seen so many spectacular sights all over this country. Not everyone can say they've seen all fifty states, or even traveled to Canada. This barn picture is always a great reminder of our blessed life.

But hubby has been complaining about the barn picture. It has been on the wall a few years now and he's been asking for a new one. Only when I was putting together the photo book of the Alaska trip did I get motivated to get a new one ordered. My plan was to use a glacier picture but hubby opted for one taken earlier this year in Sisters, Oregon on Day 410.
Even though I didn't get to choose the picture, it too will be a reminder of our wonderful lives. I am so lucky, thankful, and appreciative of the opportunities we've been given.

Who gets to take a cruise ship through a glacial field to see glaciers up close, stand in the middle of a suspension bridge, hand deliver quilts to Alaska, and have gorgeous roses in their garden? And if that wasn't enough, I stumbled across another picture to have enlarged that I took on our trip a few years back to Lake Louise, Canada. How many people get to stay at Chateau Lake Louise and experience a view like the one on the bottom left?

I have a great life.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Day 547

I never got into big purses. I figure if I have a big purse I'll wind up sticking all kinds of stuff in there, so instead I'm a small purse gal. I like it neat and tidy.

With all expenses covered on the cruise ship there was no need to use my purse. But when I went into town (buying that quilt fabric) I took it along. And there is where the problem started. I began shoving the receipts into my purse. Then on our way home from the cruise hubby gave me his wallet to hold on to. (He was having enough difficulty with himself that a wallet was the last thing he wanted.) Me holding that wallet came in handy when I had provide his ID and insurance information when he wound up in the hospital before we even made it to the house.

Then came the going back and forth to the hospital and the eating out once a day. Again, more receipts went into the purse. Ever so often stopping at the grocery store after a long day at the hospital produced even more receipts and coupons that printed out at the register.

Even after finally getting him settled in at home the shoving stuff in the purse didn't stop. Physical therapy appointment cards, doctor lab orders, and a whole bunch of crap has made my purse impossible.

So today I sat down and dumped it out. Here, for all the world to see, is the mess these last two months of my life has created. And it was all crammed into my small purse.
Most of it went in the trash and now I feel better.