Fresh Air, Fresh Hair

 At last the ever present smoke has gone. We finally got some rain and many of the smaller fires are out or at least tamped down. After several dry months the first rain was an actual record breaking day long dump. No moderation here.  Last night we had our first freeze. We can see the foothills of the Blue Mountains from here and they are quite white down past the tree line. Feels like it happened fast. Making up for lost time maybe. 

Started cooking soups and muffins again. I opened my last freezer bag of local blueberries and this was on top. Must be some kind of record. I plunked it on top of my oatmeal ala the cherry on top. Then I made blueberry muffins.

Life is semi-ordinary for now. I am glad to accept that.  My Great-grandson will be one year old this Sunday. That went fast. He is walking now but if he's in a hurry he's down on all fours breaking land speed records. Did I say he is very cute. Again.

I finally got a haircut, the first in two years. I feel like a new person which in my opinion is what a haircut is supposed to do. It was shoulder length but it's not as thick as it used to be and has taken on the texture of dandelion fluff. I like the color, its a natural streaky gray, white and silver, used to be a streaky mixed blond. But the best thing is the woman who does it all. The senior center here, after a long covid hiatus, has reopened the salon. Affordable haircuts, pedicures, manicures etc. from the very personable woman, Teresa, who was there before. Lovely, someone to cut my toenails when my back refuses to cooperate. And I really like her.

My sisters are faring "ok" with mixed results. The second one with advanced dementia still has days when she sounds ok, but then there are those phone conversations with the stories repeated three times. But at least I can talk to her. My third sister is highly offended and angry with her diagnosis and cancelled all her appointments with the geriatrician. I can understand;  the appointment was made without notifying her and they sent a note to her telling her to bring her "guardian" in with her. Um, she is not under guardianship. I think if it were me I would not have gone either. Most telling, her husband thinks they mishandled it and he used to be a manager at that hospital. Sister four, my youngest sister by 20 years is teaching her last year as a fourth grade teacher and caring for her husband when needed. He is receiving chemo for stage four metastic cancer. He is still working between chemo sessions and she has a very supportive team at her school so she is able to take time off to accompany him to his appointments and stay home with him when things get rough. Any prayers you can offer would be welcome.

I am currenting reading my pile of Anne Lamott books. She has a lot to say about accepting and moving through the life that we've been given. Not preachy, just an example of accepting of our own whiney shortcomings and moving through it. This week I am working on seeing myself as loving and kind. Also I am working on forgiving other people. I'm pretty good but I still have a "list." I have a ways to go there.  I'm 80 and I don't want to carry that load of s--t through what is left of my time here.  

Love and Hugs everyone.