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I spent the day with my lovely uncle and aunt from Iowa. We had chocolate something or other about six times, which is just to say that we indulged in the opportunity to have joy and share the goodness of each other’s company.
It is almost ten PM and they’re still talking. Too cute. They’re like little college kids in a late night chum session. I’ve never heard so many analogies to different foods. Turnips, tomatoes, corn, heifers, steers, cows, bulls – I did not know that there were this many types of cows…. We’ve talked of many tear-jerking stories and things that don’t die when we do.
Today in clinic, my kids stayed home from school to spend the day with them and fitted puzzles, read stories, petted dogs ‘n such. I felt rich. This kind of wealth of heart around can’t be banked other than that of self-care.
Goodnight friends. My uncle’s still talking ‘n I have to catch this story about my dad when he was milking cows and playing pranks. Thanks for sharing this with me tonight. Keep on!
Since insomnia has reared its ugly head once again, I’ll take the time to tell you a “farm tale” of my own that you can read when you awake. This (true) story comes from my Hubs’ side of the family.
When my Mother-in-love’s oldest sister (Aunt Thelma) was dating the gentleman who would later become her husband (this was sometime in the early 1920’s), she was entertaining him in the family parlor. She was playing the piano for him, and they were having a lovely time. The family kept a few cows for their milk and milk products, and Mom C’s and Aunt Thelma’s brother, Marion, was in charge of caring for the cows. He had, as brothers will sometimes do, teasingly named one of the cows after his sister Thelma. Until the day he died, he swore that he did not do this on purpose, but while Aunt Thelma was playing the piano, Uncle Marion walked into the house and shouted out to anyone who would listen, “Has anybody milked Thelma?” Aunt Thelma was mortified, and started playing the piano as loudly as she could, and just hoped that her boyfriend had not heard. . .he had. He had a very hard time suppressing his laughter.
Hope you slept well! BTW, where do you live? For some reason or other I have the impression you live in England, but I don’t really know. How many children do you have, and what are their ages? You sound like a wonderful and wise Mom, who will let the kids stay home and enjoy special moments with family. Those are times that will not come again, and it is so important to give your children the opportunity to engage with their relatives – and those times are equally rich in learning as school could ever be.
Have a great day! I wish you enough. . .
thank you Paula for this story! what a sweetie u r. I live in Southern California with my 3 children, 7y/o and under, and hubs. thk u very much for your support and warmth. it hits me.
As long as it doesn’t hit you over the head or below the belt, i guess that’s OK! 😀
silly lady. tee hee!
Lovely, Doc, I am happy for you 🙂
wink
In my opinion chocolate and good company are right at the top of good self care!
no matter how i try to convince myself otherwise!… smile
Thanks for taking the time away from your family to check in with us. In doing tha,t but not spending the time figuring out what to say and what questions to ask us for the day, you have again taught us how to take care of ourselves. Hope you continued to have a great evening! God bless.
somehow u r seeing this in my posts and i’m really grateful! thx nancy!
Sounds like a perfect day, eats, stories, and just renewing yourself through family!
Chris
i luv that “eats” word. thx chris for resonating w me.
Blessings to you in your enjoyment of self-care with family and friends. Reminiscing is a pleasant journey into the past that lets us relive the momentous and heartwarming events we shared.
thank u carol. feeling u!
Sometimes our greatest blessing is recognizing the blessing…like family and chocolate…together, even better.
“Sometimes our greatest blessing is recognizing the blessing” – awesome. that doesn’t always happen w/o conscious effort. luv it. thank u.
I had similar experiences during family reunions. The aunts and uncles always remembered one of us getting in trouble… “you remember when David was trying to milk the cow and it wasn’t happy with how he was doing it….” you get the idea. I have an enormous amount of cousins, and they have the memory of a 100 elephant and no one got away with anything… but family reunions are the best, any way they come. Hugs. LS.
i hear the in-betweens. i have a g.f. like that who remembers everything about me …that is horrible! and i wish she’d forget! but somehow i still luv her and visa vie. thx l.s. u r the bomb! 😉
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I like your way of describing things.
“about six times… we indulged in the opportunity to have joy and share the goodness of each other’s company.”
That’ll be my euphemism of choice the next time I’m feeling a bit full after having a bit much.
Wonder if it works for time spent in the pub too? Should do really.
u can use my euphemism any time!