UP-DATE

All has been well here for the most part..... The weather has limited our choices of "what's up for today?"

We mow grass when it's not raining...... (we just left the pontoons on all summer) ; o) Tom talks about how next year he's not mowing all that grass..... He says that every year and than expands the yard. I do see a decline in his lawn care this year though..... and for the past month he's been saying "this should be the last time we have to mow it this year." : )

The loggers are done and gone.... I think Tom misses "running down to see what the loggers are doing."

The bear hunters are baiting but I don't see any interest in them so far. He's usually out snooping around to see who all is baiting and hunting and where. Though it is wet in the woods and travel is limited and the bugs are nasty......

The girls (dogs) are our sunshine on cloudy days..... Rain or shine, they throw a fit everyday to go swimming. Emily is the best swimmer out of the three. Tom calls her "Otter" ..... They are always tearing around and have a way of lifting your spirits and make you laugh even when you don't feel like it.

We haven't seen ANY deer around for a few weeks... There are so few around this year. Last winter was really hard on them and we have a large number of timber wolves we share these woods with, so they chase them out from time to time.

BUT last night I looked out and down the drive came two deer. A nice buck and a large doe. Tom and I were a singing and a dancing. They are so much apart of our daily life that when they aren't around for a day or two you get this empty, sad feeling inside. : ( It's hard enough adjusting to having a few come in verses a herd of 10 or more.

Tom's mood has still been more mellow than otherwise...... He does have days when he is trying to do something and his brain just won't work.... The frustration usually comes out in anger and the more I try to help the more confused he gets and the more angry he gets. So me and the girls try to become "invisible" those days...

Tom's aware of his decline... but on good days he has a tendency to mess with me. He is aware of all I do when he is having a bad day to make it easier for him.... I just agree with everything he says.. It doesn't matter if red is black and white is yellow that particular day.... or who really put the potato chip bowl in the fridge... I could have done it?  I don't feel a need to be right.

So on a good day he'll tell me something really off the wall he is going to do... I'm thinking "OH BOY!" but I say calmly with a reassuring smile on my face..."okay"
Than he'll laugh and say just kidding.... I say "you just think it's funny how I always agree with you no matter what.... He's says yes...but seriously, he says how I handle him on bad days and my reactions keep him from completely loosing it. It also makes him want to try to get a grip... Just not always possible.... BUT I do see his efforts which reassures me that he realizes that WE are in this TOGETHER.

As we look around us and see others struggle with their own issues in their lives, we bow our heads and thank the Lord for all we have. Our struggles are small to some and just different to others...... We are "BLESSED"