Happy Spring

Here is a piece from The Daily Om, which is a wonderful little website that sends an inspirational/thoughtful message to my inbox each day. This article is about the renewal and resilience that Spring calls forth for us.

Happy Spring - as we look forward to warmth, to gardening, to being outdoors - to new growth and directions - I wish you tulips and daffodils and peace.

Rumor

.....has it that spring is lurking out there just beyond my eyesight. My spirit is ready. Even though snow is still on the ground and you need a coat most days - as you can see, the amazing living things under the soil are beginning to stir.

This morning I got up and looked out and saw froggy sticking his nose above the snow. I am so excited to begin gardening - Yesterday, my neighbor and garden buddy V said, "Suzann, go buy a bouquet of tulips." I know, I know, this is Minnesota - we still have a wait ahead of us. But oh, you can virtually smell the garden season approaching and the robins are back!!!!

Renewal and rebirth. The wheel turns.

Here is the latest redecorating project

What a difference paint and a few new accessories make in a room. Color sets the tone and transforms the space.

It was time for this transformation. I still need new art and perhaps a small shelf on the opposite wall, which you cannot see. In any case, life moves on and I am moving with it.

Spring Cleaning and Fresh Air

Ahhhhhhhh - the past two days have been in the 50's and sunny. The snow is melting at a rapid rate and the very air carries the scent of the spring, which is on its way.

I spent this weekend cleaning and finishing the organizing I started over the holidays. I also got out and walked, shoveled the snow that was collapsing the hedges off the back deck and just generally did home chores. Nice way to spend the weekend.

I just finished redecorating the upstairs bathroom. Tom and I had redone that bath about 5 years ago - it was a bright, sunny yellow - called "Spiced Butternut Squash" with the new white cabinets and brushed nickel fixtures, it was quite striking.

Now the walls are a restful shade called, Portico - it is kind of mushroom colored - khaki without the green - my accent colors are deep chocolate brown, warm tan, and purple. All the accessories are dark chocolate brown, lots of baskets, dark hammered metal, dark wood - it reminds me of a spa. The shower curtain is fabric and is a large patchwork of faux snakeskin in all shades of brown/gold/tan.

I took pictures tonight but have not downloaded from the camera. I'll post pictures this week. Hope everyone had a fabulous weekend. Those of us in the northland are getting ready to end our winter hibernation and get out and about again. More to come.....

It was lunch

Today, during a business lunch I ran into old friends of ours. Martin, Betsy and Mary worked with Tom for many years. I had not seen them since Tom's wake. It was wonderful to catch up. I went back twice to sit with them for a few minutes - a connecton to memories of times with them, a connection to Tom.

Tonight - I miss my guy. I just miss him.

More Pictures from Winter

What an amazing 24 hours - in the previous post you can see basically the same scene about 8 hours apart - the snow in my backyard is ginormous - for those of you who visit here, you know what those backyard scenes look like sans snow, the only word is WOW!

It is fun to be inside and "snowed in" - ah winter. More to come.............

19 inches of snow --

More Snow

The next storm has started in earnest. I have no idea how much St. Paul will get but the weather folks are saying 10 to 12 inches by tomorrow noon and it supposedly will continue to snow until Friday night. The rumors are rampant - tonight I heard someone say that we could get 16 inches by Friday night, depending where you live in the Twin Cities. We'll see.

Pictures to follow.

Snow

After seemingly endless winters with little snow - we finally got dumped on and there is more on the way.

It was fun to be around this weekend, to walk in the beautiful winter. It was extremly windy during the early parts of the storm. Sunday, we awoke to calm and somewhere around 29 degrees. Just perfect for shoveling, walking, and playing in the snow. That is exactly what my sister friend and neighbor V and I did - that is V shoveling in our front yard.

New Blogger - HMMMMMMMMM

I have been blessed never to have had a ton of spam comments on my blog and therefore, have never had to put security measures in place for those who visit.

Since I migrated to new blogger I have had spam comments on a daily basis - they are all in old posts - just makes me sick! I am going to give it one more week before I put the password dealy-bobber on - but oh it is frustrating.

Being a MAC-aholic, I am not used to spam - GRRRRRRRRR.

New Blogger It Is

OK, OK, OK - I have done everything in my power to resist the adoption of the new blogger and be forced to create a google account but *sigh* tonight when I signed in, it wouldn't let me go any further without migrating to new blogger - so here I am out of "beta" and into new blogger. Oh well. I will explore tomorrow and see what new whiz-bang things are included - if any.

For tonight, it is late and time for bed. Tomorrow, J and I are facilitating a day-long leadership retreat for a client - it will be fun. Happy Friday - it is almost the weekend.

Thirty Months

Tonight. Thirty months since your spirit took flight. My heart yearns for you. Forever, will you be alive in my memory. Driving and crying in the car tonight - so long since that has occurred. Just missing our missing life. Forging a new life - but never will I be the same - forever transformed. I love you.

Spring in the Napa Valley & Caregiving in Person

It has been raining every day since my arrival - yesterday I walked for a couple of hours and enjoyed the smells and sights of the emerging springtime. You can see the mustard is beginning to bloom - the beautiful garden belongs to the venerable French Laundry, Thomas Keller's acclaimed restaurant in Yountville. The produce from these gardens is served in the restaurant.

My mom's medical tests came back negative for cancer and tumors - hooray. Now to discover why her body is not making red blood cells - she had an iron IV infusion on Wednesday and the doc ordered another blood test to check her body's ability to assimilate iron.

The tough part is now, "she is all well." The level of denial is astounding. I am using patience and love - however, it really is difficult at times.

An old friend of the family, who is my age, is arriving today from the City, she will be with us for the weekend. J and I are going to try and begin some conversations with mom about a move to have more supports in her daily life. J is like another daughter to my mom and I am grateful that she is coming.

Wish us luck.

Caregiving from a Distance

I am departing for the wine country on Tuesday to spend a week with my mother. Her health is continuing to decline and just recently has taken a dramatic downturn. She has been in the hospital with swollen feet, which turned out to be heart failure. When she was admitted to the ER, her red blood count was 4.8 - normally it should be 12-16. It took 4 units of blood to normalize her red count.

She is home now - a friend from San Francisco happened to be visiting when all this took place and stayed with her for a week after she came home. I stayed here in Minnesota as I knew there was more to come. The low blood count is from intestinal bleeding - she is having a colonoscopy on Thursday - I will there to help her prepare for the procedure and be with her for a few days after.

This whole incident has seemed to take a lot out of her and all of a sudden, she sounds elderly - it is very sobering. My mom has always been so active, so young at heart, and so stubborn. She seems to be heading for less independence.

This is part of life - I am glad to be going home for this next week. I will have web access, as I use the neighbor's wireless connection, I can access it from mom's kitchen. We have no idea what is ahead - but isn't that just life. Live in the moment, it's the only one you have for sure.

Amarylis #3

Here is the Amarylis in full bloom - so beautiful. Fun to share it with everyone.