What's New?

I know it's Monday and you're all just dying for me to do another Reasons To Love Monday post but I'm just not loving Monday enough for that today. I hope you'll excuse me just this once. I have really struggled this weekend with not feeling well... not sleeping well, the kind of headache that just won't go away, no appetite for anything specific but starving... then nothing sits well on my stomach. It's just a bad case of blahs and when I'm feeling blah I have to do something different to snap myself out of the rut. So instead of loving Monday we're going to talk about what's new in my life.
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1. I'm living upstairs now and not in the Whine Cellar. It's complicated. There's always been a water issue down there, a battle that my mom and I fought together for years. And Austin. Austin too. I'd yell up the stairs that there was water again and she'd come down and tell me not to move the furniture by myself and then she would move it by herself (or with Austin). She'd get the carpet cleaner and suck up the water. She'd run the dehumidifier and be constantly up and down the stairs bringing dry towels and carrying up the wet towels. She'd empty that heavy dehumidifier over and over again and fuss at me if I did any of it myself. We've done several things to try to stop the leak but we're on the side of a hill and it just... keeps happening. It happened again in February and I realized I just couldn't fight that fight without my mom. So I moved up to the guest room and Austin's been fighting the water in the basement all by himself since then. I feel guilty leaving that to him but he's stronger. Every water leak would guarantee me a week or two of back pain and who knows what it's done to my already screwed up auto-immune system. So I gradually created a new nest in the guest room and realized it was a good change for me. It's quieter. I have my own bathroom. Sharing space with my grown son was frustrating a lot of the time for me. I woke up a lot when he would go in and out to smoke at night. The New Nest is better for me for a lot of reasons. But now we don't have a guest room. Well... we have a bed in the office but, you know. Not a dedicated guest room.

2. The Guest Room/New Nest Room is lovely for a lot of reasons but it's the top floor of the house and it gets warm up here. The a/c unit is on the bottom floor and it just isn't strong enough to keep the top floor cool enough, especially for someone who is temperature sensitive like myself. Being warm doesn't just equal uncomfortable for me... it means migraines and... yeah. So Pop bought me a really cool (see what I did there?) new window unit... that's not really a window unit - it's one of those stand up kinds that just has a vent to the outside - and it was delivered on Thursday. Austin carried that heavy thing up the stairs and my sweet fella installed it for me (even though it was hotter than the face of the sun up there while he was trying to do it and I felt so bad for making him work so hard on his day off). And now the Guest Room is really cool. Cool enough that even with the a/c unit set on 74 degrees, I have to stay covered with a blanket but honestly, that's what I really want out of life... to be in a space cool enough to need a blankie. Last week I talked about there being three men in my life who look out for me: my dad, my son and my sweetie. This was a perfect example of how they all sort of play a part in keeping me comfortable and although it's kind of funny that it takes three guys to do the job that my mom used to do, I'm so grateful for all three of them and I don't tell them that nearly enough.

3. Cosy has become such a little couch potato/screen addict. I noticed it first last week when Marvin and I took her out for lunch. She got a hold of my phone and started watching videos on YouTube and I could NOT get my phone back from her. Three years old, wandering through a restaurant bumping into people and almost walking out with the wrong family because she was staring at her (my) phone! So yesterday I had Austin pick her up after he got off of work and I just let her sit in my lap for the longest time watching videos on my phone. I know it's probably an unhealthy habit but she sat perfectly still and quiet which was what I needed because I felt crappy... and she was so into what she was doing that she didn't even notice I was braiding her hair. I love braiding her hair and she will never sit still long enough and if I do manage to get braids in her hair she immediately rips them out so this was a real treat for me.

4. Cosy also got a kitten this week - which she has been wanting for over a year now. And she has loved that poor little thing... I was going to say she has loved it to death but that would be an exaggeration. She has loved it so much that it has scratched her to bits. While she was cuddled in my lap yesterday I grabbed the neosporin on my nightstand and put it on her little scratches. My mom once had cat scratch fever so you can never be too careful. The cat's name is Whiskers and Cosy loves her so much that she couldn't wait to get back home to play with her yesterday. Bless her. Bless them. Both. Hopefully they'll grow to be the best of friends and not be each other's demise.

5. This part is not new but it's what's happening now so I guess that's new. It's the time of year when my mom got sick last year and never got better. I've been dreading reliving it all... getting on the Memory-Go-Round as I like to call it. Last year we were too busy living it to really absorb all the feelings at the time and now that I have an abundance of time I feel it all like it's happening all over again. Except she's not here. Right after Memorial Day I got a stomach bug and when I started getting better my mom started getting sick. She thought she had the stomach bug but it turned out to be kidney stones so she had a stent put in. And then she turned really yellow. And then we found out her liver was sick. And then she stopped knowing who she was or where she was or what was happening and we tried so many different things and kept taking her back to the hospital and finally they said they couldn't fix it and so we went home on palliative care and that was that. Only that process took a little over two months and it was the most horrible, living nightmare I've ever experienced. This time two years ago was when Austin and Tasha broke up and Cosy went away and we had to fight like hell for two months to get to see her again. Summers have really sucked for the past two years and I'm really hoping this one is not like that. I can't imagine anything worse than losing my granddaughter (for awhile) and losing my mom forever but I hate to tempt fate by saying I can't imagine. Now I'm all tearful and snotty and my fella is going to call on the way to work and wonder what the heck is wrong with me. He has his own stuff to remember from last year since his little boy died two days before my mom and I try to remember that he is also going through. He's a heck of a lot stronger than me but you know, Father's Day is coming up and I just want to make it good for him. I wish I had the money to whisk him away somewhere fabulous and make it a great day and not a painful one. But he will go to work that day because that's what he does and he will walk through it all bravely and maybe get a little quiet and a little emotional and grieve privately, because that's what works for him. And I will feel totally inept but I will just keep talking to him because that's what works for us and that's why we are together now because I just kept answering the phone when he called back in those really sad days. Together the sad days weren't so sad.

6. Yesterday I thought it would be good for me to get out of the house for a little while so I suggested that we take Cosy to Baskin Robbins for ice cream. Austin and his girlfriend Jessie (something else that's new!) came with. I tried to let Cosy sample flavors to see what she wanted but she decided she just wanted a cup of ice... so that's what I got her. Then I wanted to run to Walmart to pick up something to eat because I have literally been living on yogurt, adult lunchables, fruit smoothies and powerade for the past ... month?... and I got there and nothing appealed to me so I bought yogurt, adult lunchables, fruit smoothies and powerade. And I bought Cosy a cupcake. Then Cosy saw her mom and freaked the f*** out because she wanted to stay with her mommy so I had to drag her away... that's always fun... but then Cosy remembered she wanted to go home and play with Whiskers so that's what we did. And then I went home and didn't feel the slightest bit better for having left the house. But I did FaceTime with Oliver and he made me laugh because he is such a funny kid!

7. Today I'm not leaving the house unless it burns down around me. I'm still really exhausted and behind on sleep. Marvin works a long day on Monday so I will probably nap. Maybe, if I can get to sleep. I should also do laundry. I should also work on the embroidery piece I started working on for him before Christmas but I think I'm too sleepy to do it properly at the moment.

8. Tomorrow I'm getting Cosy in the morning.  I'll get a shower and fix my hair and makeup and take her home and then go have date night and the change of scenery will do me a lot of good. And I'll probably eat something besides yogurt and lunchables. Marvin and I had a lot of fun adventures last week while we were together so I think maybe this week we will be very chill and do a lot of resting together which I also enjoy.

I guess that's about all the new things I can think of at the moment. What's new in your life? Please leave me lots of comments so I can enjoy them! Love and hugs!

Sarah Jane Bullock Baldwin Ward - Geneaology

Since I started the last post with my mom's paternal grandmother, I thought I would do this post on my dad's maternal grandmother. In this case, I did know this ancestor as she lived until I was 7. Although I was young when she passed away, I do remember her lovely home at 1001 Oakdale Road in Atlanta, because it was my first home. I have heard many stories from my dad and grandmother about the lady we called, "Grandma Ward". I even have a folder on my Facebook account where I have scanned in the love letters between her and my great-grandfather. I have the album set to private where only family members can read it (but if you are interested, I can add you).

Sarah Jane Bullock

1884–1975

BIRTH 18 MAY 1884 • Marion, Georgia, USA

DEATH 14 DECEMBER 1975 • Atlanta, Georgia

 Grandma Ward was born on May 18, 1884, to George Washington Bullock and Estell Maddux Bullock in Buena Vista, Georgia -a small town near Columbus, Georgia. Her parents were older - mid-thirties - when she was born. This seems perfectly normal today but I imagine it was less so back then.

The 1910 Census shows her and Mr. Robert Baldwin as newlyweds, living at 540 Front St, Columbus, Georgia. I know from my grandmother that Mr. Baldwin died of Bright's Disease (a type of kidney ailment) not long after their marriage and Grandma Ward was left a young widow. I have tried to locate Mr. Baldwin's death certificate but so far haven't had any luck. The 1914 Columbus City Directory lists her as a widow.

Lola Honiker "the Matchmaker" and my
lovely great-grandmother, Sarah Ward.

Her friend, Lola Honiker introduced her to Dr. Charles "Pelham" Ward, an Atlanta Physician. Dr. Ward had lost his wife in childbirth and had two young children, Cynthia and Charles. I never knew Charles but Aunt Cynthia - "Sis" as she was referred to by my grandmother - was a colorful part of my childhood. Sarah and Dr. Ward were married on November 6, 1917.

Sarah and Pelham Ward had three girls together - Jane, Leta and Bette. My grandma is the middle girl. In 1924 they moved into a home at 1001 Oakdale Rd, Atlanta, Georgia and that is where both Sarah and Pelham lived until their deaths. He died at 69 in 1939. She lived until the age of 91.

Most of my memories of Great-Grandma Ward are probably more anecdotal than actual memories. I've been told that she filled the house with lots of stray relatives. The 1940 Census shows her living with her step-daughter and three daughters, her sister Eva Mae Posey, a niece from one side of the family, a nephew from the other side of the family and Dr. Ward's first wife's mother. As I mentioned, her house was my first home... it was also my father's. He and his cousin Leslie were born the same week and they both lived there with their young families. As a small child I remember her renting space to Mormon missionaries. I remember meals in the breakfast nook and her rule about not "sipping before the blessing"... you couldn't take a sip of whatever you were drinking until after blessing had been said. I remember the screened porch on the side of her house. There was a lovely old sewing machine out there. When I was older I purchased my own antique sewing machine - the only antique I've ever owned - because it reminded me of her.

 I think this picture would have been taken on Grandma Ward's 90th birthday. I am the little girl seated in the front of the picture. My parents are third and fourth from the left on the back row. My Grandma Leta is the fifth from the left.

I don't have a date for this picture but I think it was taken in the early 70's.

1001 Oakdale Rd. This cuts off one side of the house but shows the lovely screened porch where we played as children.

I'm so proud of the legacy this lovely lady left. I'm happy that she is one of the ancestors I actually got to know and I'm happy to get to share her life with you in this small way.

Food Friday - Louisiana Bistreaux

As you may know... or may not know since I wasn't blogging at the time... my sweetheart and I took a trip to New Orleans to welcome in the New Year this year. My friend, Purple Michael (long time blog readers will remember him) now lives there and had extended an invitation for me to visit. Marvin happens to LOVE New Orleans and it had been such a crappy year for the two of us that we really wanted to start the New Year together, doing what we enjoy. So Marvin took a few days off work and we spent a few glorious days soaking up the fabulousness that is New Orleans.

That trip to New Orleans was nothing short of magical for me. I honestly thought that I would never see Michael again. It's so hard for me to travel... I would never attempt to do it by myself. Michael has family in the Atlanta area so he comes back often but not as far north as I live and his family is so large that he really doesn't have time to take the two hour detour to see me. I was so thrilled just to see him ... anything and everything else that happened in New Orleans was just powdered sugar on the beignets.

It was the longest amount of time Marvin and I had ever been together and I'm such an introvert. I worried that I would get grumpy because of pain. I worried that I would drive him crazy on the drive because of my need to pee every hour on the hour. I worried that I would smother him. I mean... it's one thing to have a lady alienating your space two or three days a week but we were going to share a full size bed (instead of his king size) for five days. Despite my concerns that Marvin and I would come back absolutely sick of each other, it was the opposite. We were still singing together at the top of our lungs as we came dragging back into town in the bitter cold... and I was developing a bitter cold of my own.

When I remember that trip, I think of New Orleans as the place where some of the best things in my life collided. My best friend and my boyfriend in the same room... and then you add in the unique flavors of New Orleans. Not just the food... but the music, the spirit, the attitude of the city... history, culture, sights and sounds and smells and... well, the food! The food was incredible! One thing I truly love about Marvin is that HE KNOWS good food! Sorry for all the exclamation points but truly! Man can eat! And he makes sure that I eat. He appreciates my curves so I don't worry about judgement when I reach for that second piece of bread or another bag of pralines. I can be myself. I can eat as much as my belly can handle and we created some really awesome food memories.

ALL OF THAT... to say that our lunch date on Wednesday was a little sprinkle of that New Orleans magic right here in Atlanta (minus Purple Michael). Marvin decided we would take a little road trip to a restaurant called Louisiana Bistreaux. He had been to the location near the Atlanta Airport - about an hour away- but fortunately one had opened up a little more than half an hour away in Decatur so it was really just a little short jaunt. I snapped a few photos of our food so I'll post them here. Here's a link to the restaurant if you'd like to check out the menu... that's one of my favorite things to do - read menus.

 

We started with warm sourdough bread. Bread is so basic but I'm an addict and this bread was really yummy. Then we had fried crawfish tails... perfectly seasoned and just delicious. We split an entree because it was huge... even between the two of us we just managed half of it. We had Crawtator Grouper -  described on the menu as "Grouper crusted with Zapp's crawtator chips in a cajun crawfish cream sauce, served with sautéed spinach and our jalapeno gouda grits." Honestly... I cannot think of a better dish I've ever had. There were so many layers of flavor and just the right amount of spice. I'm a wimp when it comes to heat and I managed just fine. We finished up with bourbon bread pudding which was... incredible! If you're in the Atlanta area, you really owe it to yourself to visit Louisiana Bistreaux. It was not a cheap meal, even with us sharing the appetizer, entree and dessert. Definitely a splurge for us but cheaper than a flight to New Orleans! It would be a fun place to celebrate an event.  Beyond that... the staff were wonderful. Friendly, knowledgeable, efficient... we got there at noon so we beat the lunch rush (I'm guessing, it wasn't very crowded) and our food came out really quickly. Let me know if you check them out... I'd love to hear what your experience was like.

Question and answer time - have you been to New Orleans? We are hoping to go back for Mardi Gras next year. What are your favorite places to eat, see and visit there? I'll try to put together more on our visit, especially about the places we ate in case you'd like to try them. Thanks for reading! Love and hugs, y'all!

Throwback Thursday - June 7 - what's changed over the years?

Time once again to look back on this day in Blog History... which also, as it turns out, is a flash back in Presidential history. The post I wrote on this day in 2016 expressed my concerns about the possibility of a Clinton vs. Trump election and how I felt about each candidate. I wish we could go back to the innocence of that Summer, especially of that time. There's so much division in our country now and it breaks my heart. Speaking of being divided, this post was written about a week and a half before Cosy was taken out of our life for two months... I was recovering from my hysterectomy... I compared the difference between Oliver and Cosy's approach to playing with dolls. There was such a bad storm brewing and I had no idea at that moment. It's important to embrace today because you don't ever know what lies ahead, do you?

I'm cheating by one day on my post from 2014 because I didn't post on this day that year and the post from June 8 is a question and answer post that was fun for me to look back on... I hope it will be for you. One question that I'll go ahead and include here for you to answer: what is on your Summer Reading List? I don't read enough. Partly because of migraines and partly because I'm a couch potato. What SHOULD I be reading? Tips? Suggestions?

In 2013, I was adjusting to being at home full time. On this particular day I was dealing with quite a bit of pain and I came to an epiphany about how being a chronic pain patient was going to change my life. At this point I was already two years into this rocky road and was STILL trying to figure it all out. Now, seven years in, I feel like an expert because I've gone through so much trial and error. I also realize that it's ok to ask for help, it's ok to do what you need to do to feel comfortable - it's not selfish, what's selfish is putting yourself in a situation where you're no good at all to anyone, yet it's also ok to take risks and stretch your boundaries at times. I've been to two concerts in the past six months WITH A WALKER! The key is to build a support network of people you can trust to help you navigate the difficult parts. The bulk of my support comes from three guys who are not by nature cuddly/maternal/emotional people but they all three love me enough to help me get through life. I'm talking about my youngest son, my dad and my sweetheart. They know how to help me because I TELL them what I need, I verbalize my concerns and I trust them to do what I need them to do.

This day in 2012, I found myself feeling particularly grateful for my internet support system... the people who read my blog every day whether they be "real life" friends or people I only know through the internet. I've been blogging off and on since 2004. I've been active on the internet since 1996. The people I've met online, even the ones I've never met in real life, have been constant and consistent and as real to me as the people who live right down the street from me. There's a group of ladies that I refer to as my Blogger Babes and Mother Hens who I know without a doubt are there for me when times get tough. You proved that to me again last Summer during my mom's illness. You sent me flower and texts and cards and messages and truly, just really sustained me during that time. Internet dating may have been a huge mistake for me but internet friendships are the staff of life for me.

Life was particularly difficult in 2011 because I was still trying to work full-time despite the pain that was literally ruling my life. I was trying to get Austin through high school. I was trying to keep the bills paid and the lights on and food in the refrigerator and it was hard. Somehow though, every day brought a real sense of purpose and little moments of joy. My life is so different now. I come in contact with only a fraction of the people I came in contact with at work. My opportunities to make a difference are fewer but now I have time to take with people. I can go at a slower pace. I can have a more deliberate impact. To everything there is a season. This season of life for me is about quality, not quantity.

For some bizarre reason this post from 2010 went relatively viral (for me). It got 840 views which... at that time I got about 60 views per blog entry. Now it's about double that. These numbers don't matter a HUGE amount but I wouldn't mind growing my readership enough to make a little pocket money every month. Social Security doesn't go far, trust me. It's a basically unremarkable blog post so I have NO idea why it got so many views but... maybe posting the link will bring me a few new readers. If you know someone who might enjoy my style of blogging and the topics that I cover (toddlers, living with chronic pain, dating at 50, etc), please share my link! I don't expect to get rich but doubling my readership would at least pay my pharmacy co-pay every month.

Life comes full circle for us. I was reminded of this while reading my blog post from 2009. I talk about a lady who was feeling a lot of bitterness toward her ex-husband. In one of the newer blog posts on this day in history, about two years afterwards, I think, I talked about her son and how he was such a big part of Austin's life. You just never know how the seeds you plant today might bloom in the future. You never know what bridge you might have to cross again.

That's it. I hope you enjoyed this look back with me. I'll have a Food Friday post tomorrow (hopefully) about a really awesome restaurant that Marvin and I visited on Wednesday. Love and hugs, y'all!

Wedding Wednesday

Today is my brother Bryan and sister-in-law Helen's third wedding anniversary! Since it's Wednesday and I have a busy day planned with my sweetie, I thought I'd give you a look back at their fabulous wedding in Connecticut in 2015. This was a precious time for our family and I have to admit it's a bit bittersweet seeing the pictures of my mom. We never would have dreamed that she would leave us two very short years later. Anyways... I'm linking the blogs below. They're fun to read, I think. It truly was an amazing wedding, definitely the loveliest I've ever attended. I'll be back to my regular programming tomorrow. Hope you enjoy! Happy Anniversary to Bryan and Helen!

Going to the Chapel Part One (although it really wasn't part one of the series) takes us through the ceremony

Going to the Chapel Part Two (although that isn't how it was originally numbered) takes us through the reception.

And here is a little aftermath if  you want to see just a little bit more of that fabulous reception tent. Happiest of happy times for our family.

Small update on Bryan and Helen... they have a perfectly adorable little 2 year old son who lives the best life you could possibly imagine. I get daily photos of him out and about in New York City and I seriously would love to do NYC HIS way! He will soon become a big brother and I am soooo excited to become an aunt again to another precious little  Gant Girl. She is already treasured and loved!

Hope you have a Wonderful Wednesday! Love and hugs!

Let's Talk About Makeup! ELF Cosmetics makeup collection

I seriously love ELF Cosmetics! In my opinion they are the most affordable makeup on the market. I have found them at Walmart, the Dollar Tree (an actual "everything's a dollar" store) and they often have 50% off sales on their website. It's quality makeup at a really low price, which means I can buy more makeup without feeling guilty. They're also cruelty free and vegan, if that sort of thing matters to you. I have become a bit of a makeup hoarder and everything I've bought lately is from ELF. (Disclaimer: this is not an ad and I have no affiliation with them. They do offer bonus "beauty squad points" if you order from their website using my link below.)

Click here to save $5 off your first order from ELF.

Let me know if you have any problems with the discount... I'm a newbie at this.

Here are some of the products I have bought from them recently...

My inventory includes (starting with the bottom left and working clockwise) current online price is listed...
pop of glitter gel (use as eyeshadow, lip gloss, highlighter or anywhere you want a little shimmer) in gilded bronze $4.00
lip laquer in bold pink $2.00
instant lift brow pencil in taupe $2.00
intense ink eyeliner in blackest black $4.00
waterproof eyeliner pen in coffee $2.00
expert liquid liner in coffee $2.00










undereye concealer and highlighter $2.00
shadow lock eyelid primer in sheer $2.00
molten liquid eyeshadow in brushed copper $4.00
velvet touch eyeshadow in island breeze $12.00 (this stuff is so richly pigmented! mine is a mess because it's Cosy's favorite eyeshadow too! I got it at half price so I don't mind her playing with it)



natural lash three pack of eyelashes (not sure of price, not currently on website)
waterproof lengthening and volumizing mascara $3.00
mascara in jet black (in the white tube) bought at Dollar Tree for $1.00 - this stuff is amazing for a dollar!

no budge shadow stick in rose gold $4.00
no budge shadow stick in bronze metal $4.00

this stuff really stays in place!
















eyeliner and shadow stick in basic/brown $3.00
eyeliner and shadow stick in smoke/black $3.00
eye makeup remover balm $4.00
lip laquer in tea rose $2.00

eyeshadow palette in rose gold $10.00
this one is also beautifully pigmented but between the two, I prefer the velvet touch eyeshadow


the eyeshadow palettes come with a mirror!

flawless finish foundation in light ivory $6.00

the coverage in this foundation is as good / better than Estee Lauder double wear foundation which is about seven times the price!









Let's talk about makeup! What are your favorite makeup brands? If you sell makeup (Avon, Lipsense, etc) feel free to leave your contact information in the comments below or in the link on my Facebook page) How often do you wear makeup? If I'm not leaving the house, I don't bother. If I'm just making a quick run into town I might not bother. I'm less likely to wear makeup in the summer but I almost always at least moisturize with a moisturizer that includes sunscreen. I may not always do a proper cleanse but I at least use a makeup remover wipe and wipe off my makeup before I go to sleep. I can't STAND to sleep with makeup on. I do enjoy wearing makeup, trying new colors and styles... I feel more confident when my makup is done. Lately I've been trying to master false eyelashes and so far... it's a complete fail. I don't really mess much with blush / contour / highlighter but I do like that look. Does your partner prefer you with or without makeup? Honestly, mine says that we women should get together and ban it so that we don't have to bother but I really like feeling made up.

In other news... Vacation Bible School continues tonight. My niece Sarabeth posted this picture last night on her Instagram and I asked for permission to share it with y'all because she looks so adorable and I know you are not going to believe how grown up she is now! When I started blogging she was only two years old so you guys have literally watched her grow up!

Hope you're having a great Tuesday! Love and hugs, y'all!

Reasons To Love Monday

Happy Monday, friends! I'm really dragging today. It's mid-afternoon and I'm just now starting to try to find reasons to love this day. I tweaked my back last week carrying Cosy (which I should never do) and aggravated it again on Saturday. I'm just uncomfortable and that saps my creativity. The muscle relaxers I take are really strong, typically for people with muscular dystrophy and serious muscle cramping issues. They work well but make me really groggy and give me blurred vision which makes it hard to focus on anything. But it's Monday and I'm determined to give this week a fighting chance so here are my reasons to love it:

1. It's not raining. We've had so much rain recently. There's been terrible flooding around here. It's so damp that when the sun comes out it's like a tropical jungle from all the humidity. But today... it's not raining so... thumbs up for that!

2. I'm resting. My back hurts. I had a migraine yesterday and there's another one trying to sneak up on me today. My blood pressure is still high, no matter what I do but at least I don't have to do a darn thing except breathe. I love that now that Austin is driving I don't start Monday having to cart him around... nope, I can just chill. So chill I will.

3. Those muscle relaxers I talked about earlier? They're freaking magic. My back was cramping so badly two hours ago that I could not straighten up. So, yes I'm drowsy and that will stick with me until I finally go to sleep (probably not until tonight) but the pain is better. Sub-reason-to-love-category, being able to afford the meds I need, being able to afford to see the doctors that prescribe them, I'll never take that for granted. Life could be so much tougher than it is.

4. I started my morning with a call from my sweetie. He's not a morning person but he makes an effort to say good morning to me every day with either a call or a text and I appreciate the effort. Just knowing that he's thinking about me in the midst of all the other things he has to think about... it's quite nice.

5. Austin is picking up cat food for me on his way home from work. How much do I love not having to drag my aching body out into the hot, steamy June weather for little things like cat food? SOOOOO much!

6. Vacation Bible School starts at our church tonight. Angie leads the music and Pop is working and I, well, I have nothing at all to do with it but I love Vacation Bible School and I get excited for all the kids who will enjoy it this week. They do it up so big and fancy now! Our church serves dinner beforehand and it's just a real big deal and I'm happy that's happening in my community.

7. Tomorrow is date night! Last week I went down later in the week and it threw me completely off course but this week we're back on track. We even have plans to include Cosy in our Thursday activities. Two of my favorite people on the planet in the same place... it's just awesome!

8. Obviously, I can't do any blog post without talking about what I'm watching on tv. I should rebrand my blog to be something about being a couch potato or tv critic. It's just part and parcel of needing lots of rest... I watch a lot of tv. This weekend I watched an Amazon Prime Original Series - Red Oaks - and I loved, loved, loved it! It's directed by the same lady who did Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Clueless and National Lampoon things and... just tons of great stuff that I've enjoyed over the years. It's about a Country Club in New Jersey in the mid-eighties, sort of a coming of age show. Kind of Dirty Dancing... showing how the staff and the members of the club interact (and Jennifer Gray is the mother of the main character, how fun is that?) and also a bit Flamingo Kid, if you remember that movie. It's just great fun. I watched all three seasons this weekend. I'm also watching this British reality show called Nothing To Declare. It's about Customs Agents in Britain and how they catch people doing crazy stuff like entering the country with drugs and random stuff that they're not supposed to. I found it on YouTube where people have uploaded episodes. Anyways... these two shows have been great entertainment for me this weekend and started off this week better than it would otherwise have been.

Eight Reasons To Love Monday is pretty good, right? I've got another migraine coming on so it's going to have to do. I'd love to hear what your Reasons To Love this Monday are... you can leave them in the comments below or under the link on my Facebook page. Thanks for stopping by! Hope you have a great Monday and a great week! Love and hugs!

BONUS REASON! I was proof-reading this blog when Austin came in from work. He picked up some powerade for me because ... migraines, etc and he showed me something he added to my keychain. He found my mom's Crossing Guard whistle in the car and hooked it on to my key chain. We're in the time of year where she started getting really sick last year and there are lots of not great memories that I'm dealing with. This is a whole blog post in itself but there's quite a bit of PTSD for me in the things we went through last Summer. I'm grateful that I was in the place and space to be here for my mom. I'm honored that I was able to be right beside her when she took her last breath but there were two months of really hard stuff that we all went through and it's all still heavy on my mind. When the good memories come back, things like her whistle, I'm grateful. So... yay for Happy Monday memories!