Sometimes I think I would like a small hideout.....just for me.....like this....



My eldest son is an excellent carpenter, and third son is taking an interest in it.....I would think between the two of them that they'd be able to handle this....don't ya think?

It would be a little hideout.....where no one could find me.....a sanctuary ...hmmmmm....

At Home

Yesterday, I was at home......by myself.

Now, to some this may be something that occurs in their life all the time...in mine, not so much...a matter of fact ...next to never.

You see, when you have three developmentally delayed young adults in your home....somebody is always there.

Ben has a small part time job, so is gone a few hours of a few days in the week.

Maya, doesn't have a job right now, so unless she goes for a walk or very short bike ride...she is always at home.

Megan is still in school....she leaves the house at 7:15 and returns at 2:30....and believe me, once you hit noon hour, 2:30 seems to race to the finish line quite quickly.

So, yesterday....yesterday I took Maya to meet up with another person to travels to a city up north for the weekend...we had to meet at 9:15....Megan had already left for school and Ben left at the same time we did to go to work...

A long day stretched before me......it was a cloudy day, with rain on and off....I did a few errands and by 11:30am...was home.

The house was soooooooooo quiet....even the dogs thought it was weird and kept looking at the door...waiting for someone, anyone to walk in the door....but it remained closed.

I was glad that the weather wasn't very good...for my purposes it was perfect! If it had been sunny and warm I would have felt the need to take full advantage of it and go outside, anywhere....we've had so few really nice weather days....

....but it rained, it cleared, it clouded over, it became dull and dreary, it rained again....so I stayed in......

There were so many things I could have done, so much cleaning that could have been tackled....but I didn't ....

I could have read a book...I have a couple of stacks that need to be read, but I had just finished a rather large novel the night before and wanted to savour it for a few days.....

So, I sat...and quilted....this quilt top I'm working on has appliqué on it...now appliqué isn't something that I am fond of....Carol at quilting discovered , when we learned how to do it a few years ago , that she loves it and most of her work now is appliqués ...but me, not so much...but I knew it would give this quilt the added zing it needed ....so, I needed to get it done before I could actually 'sandwich' and start the actual quilting ....so, I sat....put some lovely William Joseph music on and I appliqued.....while I did that I thought and prayed once again , and many times over, for Maya...off on her big trip....only the second time since her last illness in February and the first was a disaster....

Thought and prayed about one daughter who I haven't really seen or talked to in ages...paused to text her and chat about possibly getting together for lunch....


Thought and prayed about another daughter who is homeless and pregnant....prayed for her safety and that of our unborn grandchild...

Thought about my hubby.....gave him a call to see how he was doing....just because....

Thought and prayed about one son , training with the army out west, whose CO was killed this week in a training accident......wondered how he was doing

Thought and called one daughter about Sunday dinner...it's her turn to cook..tried to nail down the menu so I knew what to buy at grocery shopping...spoke to sweet but feisty Verity about her birthday doll she received that week.....

...continued to put tiny red stitches into the appliqué......

Thought and prayed for another son...the most wayward ...the one who shows up sporadically....usually drunk....usually without knowing why he's here....

Thought about another son and his family making the trip down to our area so him and his wife could have some couple time while they leave the kids with another daughter....

.....the appliqué continued.....

Thought and prayed for people I knew who are struggling with illness, who are grieving..

Did I get it done...no,....still far to go....teeny, tiny stitches take forever....but in the quietness of my home, I was able to enjoy some special time...it all ended way to soon as Megan came through the door but it was a lovely afternoon...full of thought and prayer and promise....

I have no idea when I'll ever get such a time again....I can't even remember the last time it was so long ago....but, this time, this time will last for awhile....

It was a good time.


~ Marie

Respite.......

After knowing him for almost forty-four years and married for almost forty-one....my hubby never fails to still surprise me......

Long before I found out he was taking me to Bermuda for a few days, and long before I knew about getting the best rest ever in Florida......I had received an email from Travelzoo about a hotel deal down in our favourite place Niagara on the Lake....on a whim I sent the email to hubby....this looks like a real great deal! , I said.....he agreed, and he purchased said deal.....

It has been a particularly difficult time in the family for the past year so hubby decided that this would be the ticket! Now, before you get the wrong impression....no, we didn't win the lottery...you have to play the lottery to win it...and we don't play...oh, except for granddaughters fundraiser at her gym club...but I don't think that counts cause after all, it's the grand daughter....anyways, I digress.....hubby looks for the deals...he's an accountant don't ya know.....

We did have a lovely time in Bermuda....another deal with a seat sale, I found out later....and Florida was a working trip for him...complete relaxation for me...but the company paid for most of it...except for my expenses ...which weren't much... You know, you really can exist on the free hotel breakfast throughout the day....:-)

I didn't even have a burning desire to buy anything...well, except for a book....just released and much cheaper in the states.

So, hubby realized that the coupon for Niagara on the Lake had to be used before the middle of May, so last week it was the perfect time....you had to take advantage on the off days...Monday-Thursday and last Friday was his day off....so...last Thursday night it was! Daughter Lauren agreed to come and sleep at our house to be the adult presence for the night,...and off we went.

We'd never been to this particular hotel before, called the Harbour House...not one of the big chains, small and quaint...decorated in the nautical theme...our room had a view of the Niagara River....
And when we walked in, the staff person took us to our room and gave us the room tour....a lovely room it was....and when he left hubby drew my attention to the flowers on the desk....they're yours he says, I ordered them just for you....ahhhhhh....

Aren't they beautiful? Ya, he still surprises me...he's a keeper for sure....The Lord did well when he chose him for me....not just because of the flowers , but because he loves me, he treats me well, he's my helpmate.....what more could I want.....