Springtime in Memphis

This time of year in Memphis is absolutely gorgeous. As I type this, I can see out my back window to blooming wisteria draped over our fence from the neighbor's back yard. It's the best of both worlds - we get to enjoy it, but don't have to fight its invasiveness (is that a word?). 

All along our street, and throughout the whole city, there are beautiful pink and white dogwoods in bloom.  Our rose bushes on either end of the house have started putting out blooms -- one red and one a pinky coral shade. Our azaleas (along with everyone else's) are in full bloom and beautiful to behold.  My irises, which are planted all along the front beds next to the sidewalk, are tall and green with big fat bulbs just waiting to pop out their colorful flowers.  

Every year about this time I find myself making a conscious effort to slow down and really feel the cool mornings and really see the beautiful flowers everywhere.  April and October are my two favorite months and I know, all too soon, summer will be here. It will be oppressively, smotheringly hot and I'll alternate between being so hot I can't breathe to freezing to death inside an ultra airconditioned office. I know I'll find myself lusting after a home somewhere else...anywhere else that is cool with breathable air. 

But for now ... today ... I feel the warm sunshine and hear the birds singing and see the glorious flowers of all kinds ... and I find that I don't want to be anywhere else. And that's a beautiful thing.

Chance

It has been a rainy week ... very rainy. Here in Memphis we have gotten over a foot of rain, with more expected today. I had the lucky pleasure of being off work this past Thursday and Friday, and I can't even express the pure indulgence of lying in bed and listening to it rain and knowing, oh - I don't have to get up and go to work in this!  

We have been plugging along around here. We got the sad news a while back that our sweet boy, Chance, has cancer. Then, last week, we found out he also has Cushing's Disease. So, we have started on medicine for Cushing's and are keeping a very close eye on him, to monitor his activity and to make sure he is not in any pain or discomfort. At age 14, Chance is still pretty perky, but with heart issues as well, some days are better than others. While we know the time will almost certainly come when we will need to help him ease from this life, we are trying to keep him as healthy and happy for as long as possible.

This was Chance after being groomed last week.

Sunday afternoon

Not much happening in our little corner of the world today. It's a relaxing, gear-up-for-Monday sort of day around here. My plans extend no further than doing my nails and figuring out what to fix for dinner later (steak, baked potato, and sauteed cabbage).

It's been downright chilly around here, at least to my Southern blood. We had snow the other day and, while pretty, I was ready to see it melt away...which it did the next day when the sun came out.

My buddy, Hobbes, sticks close to me. When he can't get in my lap due to my computer being in the way, he patiently sits by and waits for me to move it. Well...okay, maybe not always "patiently."

My other buddy, Chance, prefers to hang out with Dad. He doesn't sit in my lap often, but when he wants to, I'll invite him to jump up and join me. I think he is more comfortable on the couch.

So that's us and our lazy weekend. Hope you, wherever you may be, are enjoying your weekend as well.

More later --

Powerball ... and dreaming

So, the Powerball jackpot now stands at $1.4 Billion. That is some crazy stuff right there. We went in together at my office and bought some tickets before the last drawing but, of course, there was no winner. I think we will do the same for this one and, if not, I'll definitely pick up a few. 

Like everyone else in the country, I have let my mind go there. What would I (we) do with a huge payout.......?  Steve and I talked about it tonight. My suggestion was to buy a house in the English countryside and a house in Fiji, and spend half the year at each one. This sounds like a perfectly reasonable plan, doesn't it?  My Dearest's dreams were more along the lines of a 120-inch TV and a room/house to go with it.  He's such a guy.

But, when you come right down to it...that kind of money can be quite a burden. A curse, some people call it. I personally believe that with great wealth comes great responsibility to do some good in the world. I have a whole list of charitable causes I would give to (some that we already support in a small way), but it's mind boggling to imagine that you could give a monetary gift that would change someone's life in a drastic and lasting way.

Realistically, we know with this lottery, the odds are definitely NOT in our favor. But it's still fun to dream...