Catching up with the blog

Hello, my readers.

Life is bobbing along, occasionally being pulled under by the big fish, yet always resurfacing for gulps of good air!

Over Memorial Day weekend, we had a small gathering of family and good friends. My good friend Sue, made a delicious Peach Melba Cake and brought just the right number of candles for all to sing well wishes my way for my half century milestone birthday.


Doesn't it look scrumptious? It was!!! :)

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I've fallen into the FarmTown rabbit hole on Facebook -- building a farm, harvesting crops, spending TOOOO much time there! When I am inundated with thoughts, tasks, driving here and there, worrying about my mom and my boys, it is a lovely escape! For when I am in that place, concentrating on knitting or thinking of things to write or responding to posts or blogging or even, sometimes, reading blogs, is just too much. But click clicking clicking of fake veggies and fake plowing and fully fruited fake trees is an unthinking task. You should try it sometime!

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My older son had a milestone birthday this year too. On June 1, 2009, my first born turned 21!! How can that be???!! It was just a little while ago that he was eagerly heading off to his first day in First Grade!!!

He spent a few days in Ocean City with his good friend, collecting all kinds of firsts for his 21st. He went to the MVA to get the legal age oriented driver's license. Under 21 in Maryland, you have a perpendicular license, with a big red box around your picture - indicating you cannot buy alcohol. So that he could buy alcohol, he got that done first!

He had his first legal shot of Wild Turkey at the Purple Moose Saloon, pictures to prove it were shown to me. He bought a "Kiss me, It's my birthday shirt," and had people sign the back. He saved the coaster from his first drink. He bought a shot glass that says, "I am 21 now I can legally do everything I've been doing since I was 12."

He seems to have had a good time. If lack of money is anything to show for it, he had a GREAT! time!

Hope it is all out of his system now.

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I have knitting to show - when I take pictures. I have flowers to show - when I take pictures. I have a deck top garden that is growing great! the sun refuses to shine long enough to give me good light for good pictures.

So, I bid you adieu - until next time!

Wednesday - What can I say?

Apparently, subscribers only stick around when you take the time to actually write something for them to read! :) I had 18, now I have 8. Ah, well, dems da breaks!

Life has been rather full and hectic here and my adventures have been mostly non-bloggable because they involve other people. And, really, I'm not going to exploit the exploits of others.

My role is caretaker. My mom is going through some rough times and I am called upon to care for her. No blog fodder there... at least not so far.

I do have some rants to share. Would you like to hear?

Wheelchair accessibility - sucks. I think many of us are unaware of how inaccessible many places are and how inhospitable the average person can be to a person in a wheelchair. With a non-weight bearing restriction on her right leg, Mom is wheelchair bound. Due to many other things, she doesn't venture out much, but does go out for doctor appointments.

I think I am more relaxed and non-ranty about the accessibility struggles at the store. Most parking lots have quite a number of handicap spaces that allow for wheelchair-bound persons to get into and out of cars with ease. The stores are a bit difficult to maneuver, but not impossible. The law is on the side of the wheelchair for the most part.

However, there are two doctor's offices that we visit that you would think, given their specialties, would be more wheelchair accessible.

One: The Orthopedist - no automatic door opener; door opens out; narrow hallways and a waiting room full of chairs (the only wheelchair ready area is the kid's toy area and if mom is there, the kids can't get to the toys!) It is so difficult to maneuver Mom into and out of this office and this is the office that deals with bones and ligaments and orthopedic surgeries and people who may be temporarily wheelchair bound.

Two: The Physical Therapist... I can't even begin to describe the issues of a wheelchair in this space... oh my. It was so cluttered, so full of furniture and file cabinets and boxes and - oh my. I can't go on.

It amazes me - that these two places, where it you are more likely to find someone on crutches or canes or in wheelchairs -- are so archiac in their design and/or cluttered beyond the ability of even an able-bodied person to walk without having to dodge some obstacle.

End of the rant. Nothing I can do but try to make the best of it as I move Mom through these visits.

I have been knitting... and crocheting... and cooking... but I have not been taking pictures.

Hopefully, I will do that tomorrow! I finished two hats for Mom and am about 1/3 the way through a fast moving dk weight shawl... and I finished Mom's shawl except for the blocking.

Until next time.

Hooked on Snapfish

Shelley is Hooked on Snapfish and you can be too. There is a $50 Snapfish gift certificate on the link.

All you have to do is:

1. Click into the link
2. Read her review
3. Leave a comment

... before June 13, 2009.

Great picture gift opportunities abound! Think about the Dads and Grads and the special folks in your life and go forth and picture gift them!