"This" being the amount of time that has passed since my last entry.  Can I blame Facebook?  I will.  It's my only excuse.  An easy way to communicate the events of the day in ten words or less.  That and an extreme lack of inspiration to write anything that's so amazing you just have to read it. 

So.........since then I've been blessed with an additional grandchild.....a darling girl with charming brown eyes (see my last post).  DD#1 and her husband and two children have moved nearer.  In the very city we live in!  And we had a wonderful Christmas celebration, followed by visits from various relatives and friends that made use of our "guest facilities", otherwise known as baby sister's room. 

I am also currently suffering from an extreme lack of motivation and/or energy due to the shocking amount of Christmas goodies I've been consuming, which wreaks havoc on my blood sugar, no doubt.  Don't worry......the goodies will soon be gone and I can go back to eating carrot sticks and apple slices for snacks.  Ha!

In reflecting on the efforts I've observed of people who have recently moved, I am seeing the need to simplify the contents of our house.  Not that we plan on moving from our home.  Ever.  I guess I'm thinking of the future, and not wanting to burden our children with a house full of stuff when the time comes.  So we'll see what kind of progress I make in that area.  Of course today I added to our stuff by buying an absolutely adorable dark brown leather club chair for our bedroom.  But that corner was begging for just such a chair.  So there it is.  And I got 10% off besides.  Which totally justifies the purchase, right?  Right?  Hello? 

God is good.....all the time. 

So here I am.  Still alive.  Kicking.  Or something.  Trying to remove myself from a Facebook-induced writer's slump.  Not that I'm such a great writer or anything.  Anyone who writes this choppily probably shouldn't be calling herself a writer.  Or a grammar nazi. 

Anyways, I was inspired to post because of (get this) dog poop.    Left by the ditch in front of our house by some (it is assumed) slob who can't pick up after their own pooch (is that a mean thing to say?).  Thankfully, neither Auggie or I stepped in it, but as we were continuing on our "morning constitutional", I reflected on the necessity of training our children to be good neighbors.  This is best done by example, in my humble opinion (did that sound prideful?).  Somehow, somewhere along the line, apparently my mom showed/taught me to be a good neighbor.  I pick up after our dog (actually, there is a city ordinance requiring that, thank you very much!), I return grocery carts to their rightful places, I put clothes back on the rack in the store if I knock them off and I refold any item of clothing that I may be examining while shopping.  That's not an exhaustive list, but I think you know what I mean.  And, amazingly, my DDs all do the same.  I suppose it could be boiled down to a "leaving the world a better place than when you found it" sort of mentality.  But I prefer to think of it as simply following the Biblical principle of putting others before yourself, the way our Lord did for His people.  God is good......all the time.       

Hmmmm.  I think I need to redefine what normal is around here.  It may take me awhile.   Yesterday and today were designated "Wash and Sort the Tablecloths Days".  All thirty of them.  I am now a self-proclaimed expert at folding 70-inch round tablecloths.  It ain't easy.    Yesterday, I also made a round trip of about 80 miles, returning rental plates, water pitchers, a cake stand, and tons of serving dishes to their corresponding origins. 
Of course, in between the laundry loads and errand-running, activities of daily living pull at my attention.  Occupational therapists refer to them as ADL's.  I refer to them as the blessedness of routine.    If I didn't, they would just annoy me.  Instead, I remind myself of a series of talks I heard several years ago, describing the "routineness" of God's created order.  The sun rises, the sun sets.  The seasons come and go.  Flowers bloom and die.  On and on it goes.  The blessedness of routine.
God is good..........all the time.  

A news flash!!!!!!!!  DD#1, who is expecting her second child in January, had an ultrasound on Wednesday that showed a baby sister for the cutest grandson ever.     
It's interesting that the cutest grandson ever has been saying that the baby is a girl all along. 

I don't believe global warming is anywhere near a fact.  Except maybe in Oregon.    Supposedly on Friday, it is supposed to be 100 degrees.  *sigh*  So I guess we can call it "Oregon warming"? 
DD#2 and 3 had a fun time at the rodeo.  Someone even got carried out of the arena on a stretcher, sporting a neck brace.    It reminded me of people who go to car races just so they can see if anyone crashes.  I suppose that makes it more interesting.   
Tonight is a bridal shower for DD#2.  More presents to stack in our family room.  Too much fun!