What's Happenin'

It's fall. The leaves are changing along with the temperatures and the world is dressed in red and orange. We've yet to find enough leaves in the front yard to rake into piles, but that will come with time. For now I am enjoying the sassafras leaves that blanket the ground out by the barn behind the house. They come in a variety of shapes; left and right-handed mittens, mittens with two thumbs, and mittens with no thumbs at all.

Mom has been sleeping much more the past couple weeks. She stays in bed until about noon, throwing off her meal schedule, and then naps intermittently throughout the afternoon, sometimes even into the evening. I wish I could say her nosebleeds have stopped entirely, but I came home from the farm markets the other day to find several blood soaked tissues in the bathroom trash can. *sigh* In another few weeks she will return to to lab for another check of her iron levels. I've heard nothing from either doctor on her geriatric evaluation, only what I was told the day of the appointment, that they expect mini strokes.

I find my patience level  alarmingly low and am grateful for long weekends which include no children aside from those getting on the bus in the morning. I turned down a reference for a new babysitting job yesterday. I am also seriously considering a computer sabbatical... If I suddenly disappear, don't worry. (I'll return eventually.) And if you should be concerned, we still have a land line which can be accessed by the local white pages If you know my name and the town where I live, you ought to be able to find me by phone.

As much as I want to hang onto fall, winter and cold weather will bring an ability to stay home without that panicky feeling that I should be out enjoying the weather. I'm not wishing cold and snow on anyone, just looking forward to a fire in the wood stove and no pressure to head outside even though there will be times when I'll want to. I haven't been to Ladies' Prayer and Bible Study n weeks. (Maybe that's my problem...)

The photos were taken outside this morning when I headed to the bus stop with my friend Emma. What a beautiful morning! Hannah is home again and they say some colder weather will arrive in time for the weekend. Good thing we have a nice pile of firewood on the back porch!