VISITORS

My eldest grandchild, Miss Guinness, is here visiting for a couple of weeks, whilst her parents gallivant around Italy and Sudan. Then, shortly after she arrived, these two showed up.

Sister Kathy (aka Gus) And Her Hubby Bud

They didn't know it, but they arrived just in time for son-in-law Nate's birthday, and since Kathy's birthday is later this month, we made it a double celebration at The Leaning Pear...

which was followed by the official Birthday Nap back at the house.

It just isn't a celebration without one.

A while back Lex gave us a refrigerator magnet with their little family's portrait on it. Unfortunately, our refrigerator door is not magnetic, and the only spot I could find for it was on our dishwasher. Turns out that was the absolutely perfect spot for it. Calvin spends most of his time running circles around our house now, and the only thing that makes him pause every time he passes it is this magnet, which he likes to talk to.

Brother-in-law Bud had to leave first thing Monday morning, as he has become a bit of a bridge fanatic since his retirement, and there were classes to take and games to be played! The big surprise, however, was that sister Kathy had decided to stay all week, and isn't flying home until Saturday. First time I've had any one-on-one time with one of my siblings since...well...I can't even remember!

Visiting Model Homes at Kissing Tree in San Marcos

Lunch at Black's Barbecue in San Marcos

Lexi's Daily Workout

Which is why you haven't heard much from me this week. We're just way too busy having fun!

THE TIME IS NOW

Memories are funny things. Although I can tell you exactly what I was wearing on my first football game/dancing date with my hubby (two different tunic top/bell bottom outfits I had made myself - lavender cotton knit for the game, slinky sparkly dark purple for dancing) , and what music he played the first time I went to his place for a study date (Jethro Tull's Aqualung), my brain doesn't work nearly so well when it comes to remembering where I need to be and when on a daily basis. It never has. Which is why, as soon as I started having babysitting jobs, homework assignments and dates to keep track of, I started keeping an agenda or datebook. And, once Hubby and I got really serious about each other, and it looked like I might be marrying him and going off to live in Southeast Asia, I started hanging on to most of them.

They came in pretty handy when I created my Miss Becky Goes Abroad blog as a place to record the stories of all our overseas adventures. And, of course, I often refer to my current one when writing these posts for my Seasonality blog.

Lately, however, they've been weighing on my mind. Every time I opened my cedar chest at the foot of my bed, and had to dig my way through the ever increasing mass of them to find what I needed, they seemed to feel more and more like a burden, less and less like a treasure. Was it really fair for me to leave these for my kids to deal with, along with all the other crap we've accumulated over the years?

Yesterday the kids were here visiting and Alexis, who is growing more and more interested in small house design, asked if we still had our house plans. Yes we do, but where? In the cedar chest, of course, beneath all of those agendas! So, I dug them all out and piled them in the chair in order to reach the plans. Then, something very strange happened. When I started to put them all back, a very strong voice inside of me yelled "NO! Don't do it! The time is now. Just. Let. Go."

And, instead of feeling distressed, as I always thought I would, I'm feeling a huge sense of relief.

Now, if only I knew the best way to dispose of them! Reckon I can put them in my mixed use recycling bin?