4th of July Weekend

We were at my daughter's house for the family birthday party and heard our first cicada for the summer. Oh, my goodness, where does the time go? Someone said, "Life is like a roll of toilet paper --- the closer you get to the end --- the faster it goes"! How true! I always heard that the first cicada of summer means only six weeks till the first frost. Does that mean we will have frost in late August? Oh, well, everything else is inside out and backwards --- why not the seasons? I have loved being in Ohio and watching everything turn green and the flowers come up and bloom, but the allergies are in full bloom, also. There is so much to accomplish in this life and the tendency is to put off until next year whatever is not convenient at the moment. Somehow, things have always gotten done, but usually at the last minute with a great hustle and bustle. But, the hustle has slowed down and the bustle is about busted. It is becoming harder and harder to do the last minute rush and get everything done. Soon, I will be unable to do all the things that were once a snap. I know this because my brother and his wife had their 50th wedding anniversary over the weekend and they looked terribly vulnerable. I would be extremely surprised if they make it to 51 years. He is five years older than I and I can see myself in his shoes in a few years, except that I will be celebrating fifty-seven years of wedlock when I am seventy-four. Nobody ever understands why old people walk so slowly and with such apparent effort --- well, guess what? That is all we are capable of doing and it is a huge effort. Each day brings changes and it is harder each day to pretend that you are really only thirty-five or even fifty-five. The missionary home at church needed to be packed up and stored again last week. I worked with one of the pastor's wives for eleven hours and then drove home feeling like I might just die any minute. Sort of doubt that I'll ever want to do that bit again -- four times are enough to quench the spirit and Lord knows --- the flesh is weak! Since I had been the one to purchase all the furniture and furnishings for the missionary home and had stored it once before, I am the logical one to sort things out when another missionary comes to occupy our home. Here's hoping that someone is ready to have the torch passed. I wonder what will happen to the Steinway Grand residing in my front bedroom if the missionary has not found a new home for it by the time I cash in my chips. For sure, I can't take that with me! My adoreable husband bought a half a horse to keep himself interested in life and then found out that he could rejoin the country club and use up his stock in the club as dues. That should give him about two years of golf with only driving range, putting green, locker room, caddy shack and dining fees to pay. Oh, no! There goes the budget again! :-)