Dear Reader:

Almost daily now new terms, words,  slang expressions, and acronyms are appearing in the news, magazines, talk shows and newspapers…in connection with living along side a pandemic, Covid19, and political turmoil… the latter actually wearing everyone down faster than the virus.

The term in the title visual today…caught my attention….JOMO...Joy of Missing Out...Feeling content with staying in and disconnecting as a form of self-care. Actually I have been able to find a sense of contentment being at home more and acclimating to new ways of obtaining staples like groceries and gasoline.

My garden sanctuary has certainly helped in this transition tremendously….still at certain points along the last six month traverse…there are times when I just need feeling connected with family and close friends again.

We then all have to make personal decisions about choices, needs, and wants. I figured out pretty quickly…that my family is my lifeblood and I can’t go too long without a family “transfusion.”

I find myself talking it all out with God…praying about it…but then once I make a decision to join in a family gathering (with everyone being as careful as humanly possible) I don’t look back. I just enjoy every minute being with the people whose love bolsters my health and strength more than any of the numerous medications I am on.

Perhaps it is because I was born under the sign of the scales…Libra…that I must have balance in my life. I have always intuitively known when my life is off-kilter and always managed to get back on the right path again….living through Covid is no different.

Friday night was so much fun….spending it with my adult children and their spouses…my extra two daughters and son. I just love laughing with them again….it does a body good!

A big sigh of contentment….a cream brulee dessert! Life is good with a full tummy!

Saturday was just as crazy as we anticipated…with just as much fun.

Mandy came up with the one minute fun games that the children had to perform within a minute’s time and whoever accomplished it won that particular round.

I will have to say the most popular was the oreo cookie contest…trying to get the cookie from one’s forehead to the mouth before the time ran out…even Mandy had to join in this one….Rutledge was our winner in this contest.

*Actually instant winner…he got the cookie! 🙂

Eloise just calmly ate her cookie and watched the others play…smart girl!

The hardest one was stacking pennies using only one hand! Eva Cate took the prize home here. Everyone else just had a plate of scattered pennies….it “ain’t” easy stacking all 25 pennies with just one hand. Try it some time! 🙂

Lachlan arrived just in time to get his turn at a whack of the basketball pinata  for the party’s candy and treats’ give-aways!

And now ….the fun part…the loot!

Actually Kaitlyn created a lot of fun for the Dingle boys (Rutledge and Lachlan) ….making them all kinds of fun do’s…hair-do’s that is.

Before the party…there was even some sweet time between Eva Cate and Jake…it gets rarer these days as the siblings get older…but it is still nostalgic to witness when it happens… And between little girls and their aunts.

With my new family blood “transfusion” I am ready to take on the world…strengthened by family and love.

So until tomorrow… My new t-shirt from Mandy and John….and what a lovable “crew” I have. 🙂

Tommy brought Atticus and Pip over for the party…both dogs decided it was too loud for them so they just slept on the sofa like nothing was going on. Smart dogs.

Then Atticus decided he was going to go home with Boo Boo…I would have felt more complimented if I were not holding the rest of my delicious blackened chicken dinner from Friday night! 🙂

Thank you family for such a special weekend, meal together, and all your creative gifts- I am one lucky mother and grandmother…just being together makes all the difference in the world during these perplexing times.

Marcia Temple, Mollie’s Mom, has the most gorgeous maple tree in her yard…a show-stopper that makes even their mail carrier pause and stare at this beautiful example of God’s handiwork at its best. Check it out! Love it and so envious of that maple…double wow! 🙂