I'm treading softly with myself this week.  I'm listening to my body & my spirit and treating both with extra self-care.  Feeling a bit blue & overwhelmed with even the simplest of tasks has me running for my easy chair, with a book in hand.  The dishes & laundry are getting done very slowly and I'm steering clear of any online news whatsoever.  The earth will continue to rotate whether I know what's happening anywhere other than my little corner of it.

It's stiflingly hot outside with a predicted high of 93*F today.  I can still hear my Mom say, on Labor Days past, "My goodness, it certainly was a hot summer this year!"  I just got back inside from feeding & watering my wildlife.  I have four water containers out there, from biggest (an old lasagna pan) to smallest (an old one pint plastic thingy), that were all empty when I went out this morning.  But they're all filled to their brims now, with fresh cold water, and will be busy all day long.  I'll top them off before settling down for the night.

My precious little 12 year old kitty, Goldie, headed for mid-Michigan yesterday, to spend some time at a cat clinic we love (all women employees, only cats as patients), in order to have her teeth cleaned and any necessary teeth removed.  The doctor saw five teeth she thought might need to come out but will know more once the x-ray is done before the procedure.  It was scheduled to start at 9am est so it's my guesstimate that the procedure is finished by now or just about.  I have a candle lit and have been praying.  My cell phone is with me wherever in the house I go, which is totally NOT me....but it is now and will be until Goldie gets home on Monday.

Today is my son's birthday....Austin is 38 years old now.  His gifts are purchased and groceries will be picked up later on this morning, in preparation for his gathering with us tomorrow evening.  I asked if he wanted to come today, on his actual birthday, but he said he'd rather come tomorrow as he & his wife won't have work the next day.  I understand completely.  I'm going to make seafood alfredo for him (his favorite) but also a batch of chicken alfredo too, as his wife can't eat seafood.  We'll have banana creme pie in place of a birthday cake, as that's his favorite also.

I have black-out curtains on all my windows, both houses, except just a few, and they're only cracked open a little bit to let a sliver of light in and to keep the heat out.  I feel like I'm in a cocoon which is perfectly what I need this week.  Enveloped in a quiet, darkened, cool atmosphere.  

I'm so glad we decided to get a new a/c unit, even though the former one was just old but not broken, when we needed to get a new furnace last fall.  You know when it would've gone out, don't you?!  Yep!

Much love to all, Andrea xoxo