Land of the Giants

 Land of the Giants

If you follow my blog, you know my mother came to Florida a few weeks ago and started looking for a place of her own. She found a condo that fits her perfectly. Mike and I thought she might stay with us.

Her independence is important to her. I get it. 

The second oldest grand flew down with her. If you missed that post, you can check it out HERE. We enjoyed Spencer’s visit. Spencer is a great twenty-year-old man. 

He is a man who is “present” when he is with you. Not on his phone. Not distracted. Never does he indicate he’d rather be somewhere else.

This past week the oldest grand drove down for a visit. 

Joshua is one of the “good guys,” too. He is a caring and tender “old soul” in his mid-twenties.

 Joshua and Mike are both “car guys,” so a trip to Streetside Classics north of Tampa was on the docket. When they left the venue, Mike climbed in the passenger side of our Corvette and turned the driving over to Joshua. Mike is a natural at being a grandfather. Joshua beamed as he told me about his experience.

I don't exactly "fit in" with the "Giants."
That's okay...the youngest is still shorter than me!

And now? This week, daughter Danielle and her family flew down for a few days. Danielle is a wife to Tim and a mother of four. They live in Wisconsin…and yes, the day they left there was snow on the ground. 

Mike refers to Wisconsin as “the land of the giants.” Rightly so. The only one in the Morrow family shorter than me is the youngest boy, Nathaniel. That will likely change before the next school season starts. 

We’ve enjoyed their visit. The weather has been perfect. Perfect for riding in the boat. Perfect for playing outside. 

But mostly, it is perfect to breathe deep, sit on the back porch and talk…or read… or watch the sunset…especially with giants. 

Under Attack

 Under Attack

It was late. Time for my shower. I went into the bathroom, leaned into the shower stall and turned on the water so it would be nice and hot when I was ready. 

Thunk! A slab of wood from atop the shower door came down on my head as I reached for the faucet. The wood was about eighteen inches long. The end was as big around as a Denny’s pancake. I was shocked and let out a little yelp as the wood clattered to the floor. 

Thank you FreePik for the image.

Haltingly, I made my way to the doorway leading to the living room to report my injury to Mike. I’m not sure he heard me. The television was on. However, he could see the distress on my face. 

“What is it?” he asked as he came to meet me.

“I’m alright,” I assured him. “Didn’t you hear the clatter?”

“No.”

I told him what happened and you’re not going to believe this, but the man laughed. I’m serious. He laughed. 

Still in shock, I followed him back to the couch. I was hoping for a little TLC. A little babying. But no. Even as I related the entire incident to him, he laughed. Out loud. To my face. 

Fortunately, my injury was something I could overcome. At least the physical one. The emotional toll was huge. 

I returned to the scene of the incident. I picked up the wooden thing from the shower floor to show Mike. It wasn’t all that heavy. Wood flying at you doesn’t have to be heavy to hurt. 

“This is what thunked me in the head,” I told Mike.

Did I get sympathy? No. In fact, when I returned with the projectile, Mike laughed harder.

I ask you, is this the way to treat the woman you love?

Well, the truth is, by this time I was laughing, too.

I’m planning a little “addition” to the shower. A hook should work. In the meantime…don’t they make a lightweight, plastic back brush?

Brush or Weapon?
You decide.

Dirt, Water, and Sunshine

 

Dirt, Water, and Sunshine

Last week I wrote “I’m walking on sunshine.” I am. It is wonderful to have my mama staying with us. If you missed that post, you can check it out HERE.

I love Florida sunshine. And I love the weather this time of year... though it isn’t all sunshine. 

No matter what the weather, our cat, Tiki, loves to sit on our enclosed back porch. Mike often lets her out in the morning. She sleeps on the chaise or sits in front of the windows watching squirrels and birds in the backyard.

Early this morning, a plunking sound woke me. Mike was already in his office and Tiki was outside. She was at the window looking into our breakfast nook. She tapped at the window again asking to come in. 

Tiki: Weather Watcher

That’s unusual. She likes to stay out as long as we let her.

I opened the door and she scooted inside. The cat was barely in the house when a heavy rainstorm appeared from nowhere and moved across the lake toward our house. The rain pounded the yard and deck. The fierce wind threatened to blow the Spanish moss from the trees.

Somehow the cat knew the storm was on its way. We both watched it move toward us. 

It was dark and intense, but it was also strangely beautiful. 

Our house has a metal roof. Tiki curled up on the couch and I  headed back to bed, quickly lulled into a deep sleep by the sound of the storm on the roof. By the time Mike woke me up, the storm had ended, the sun was shining, and the grass was green. Rainstorms in Florida are often sudden and intense, but over quickly.

I grew up in Florida. I know it can actually rain in the back yard and be sunny in the front.

Yes. At the same time. 

But isn’t that kind of like life? We focus one direction and see clouds. Darkness. Rain. For some, that is discouraging. Yet if we look at our lives through a different window…or lens, we see sunshine.

My paternal grandmother once told me when I was bummed on a rainy day, “Remember, Becky, every living thing needs  a little dirt, water, and sunshine to grow.” 

She was right. I only came to fully understand the “dirt” part when I became a mom. 

Tiki came in to check out the blog.
She's great at proofreading, but never says anything about it.

Walking on Sunshine

 I’m Walking on Sunshine

When I was a teen, there was a popular song by Katrina and the Waves called “Walking on Sunshine.” It is a song of pure joy and anticipation of a bright future. 

Walking on sunshine is all that and more for me. 

Sun Through the Trees &
The Azaleas are Blooming!

My mom is in Florida. She is living with us for the moment. Mike and I bought this house with her in mind, but she wants a place of her own. I get it. Like me, Mom is fiercely independent. Actually… maybe a bit more fierce, truth be told.

Mom and I met with a wonderful realtor. We described what we wanted. Vicki showed us several options in the area. 

The condo Mom is looking at is perfect for her and not too far from us. The negotiations are in the works. But until she moves, Mike and I are enjoying having her stay with us.

 I’m walking on sunshine. And in sunshine.

Mom and I have enjoyed walking in our neighborhood, chatting with neighbors, sitting by the lake, and mostly, admiring all God has created. 

Each walk is a blessing. A time to talk. A time to enjoy nature’s beauty. I revel in this sweet time with my mama. 

As I type this, we are sitting on the back porch. The weather is perfect. 

Mom is talking with her oldest great grandson. Mike is down by the lake with his nephew checking a boat motor. I can hear their voices as well as the motor of another boater out on the lake. The sun is pouring through the window and I can hear the rustling of leaves as a gentle breeze blows from the south. The Spanish moss sways gracefully from the oak trees in our backyard. 

As the song goes… “I’m Walking on Sunshine…Whoa-oh,…and Don’t it Feel Good?”

Where do you find your sunshine? 

Our Bird "Neighbors"
Loving the Sunshine!