My parents and Aunt Sue came out from CA in late June for two weeks. At the same time, my sister Gina came out to visit her daughter Megan, who lives in Billings, and who had just had her third baby. (who is darling, btw...all Meg's children are.)
Had an absolutely wonderful visit with all. Lots of pics taken, check out my fb page for those. Cried terribly when they drove off, missed them much. We're planning/hoping to out to CA in December to visit, so I solace myself with that.
The health problems were the normal sort. Had a really bad heart scare in the beginning of July, and has taken a while to get back to semi-normal from that. It's just learning to live with life as it now is and not push it.
As for the depression, I had that when I found out with Charles' job we have to be in ND for some months, now it looks like even over the winter. But...in this economy, you go where the job is, right? And ND has a thriving job market and great pay...sooo...here we are, a couple miles south of the Canadian border, right in the middle of the top of the state. Lots of prairie. Looks a lot like the central valley of California, but bigger and cleaner and a lot less people. Oh, and wetlands EVERYWHERE. In it's own way, it is beautiful, vastly so. I just miss Montana...but for the time being am reconciled at being in exile in ND, *laughing*. There are far worse things, I admit.
So it's Labor Day weekend...not much planned. I was sick this week, a bug, so taking it easy and not overdoing it. We went for a long drive yesterday, then into town (Minot) and went book browsing and picked up five or six. Stopped by the store, got ribs for tonight and munchy finger foods for tomorrow. Charles is enjoying the three days off, he needs the rest. He enjoyed seeing my parents too, it is a comfort and joy to me how close they've become. It makes it so nice for me.
Mom and Dad are pretty good. Mom is losing her eyesight, dry macular degeneration...it will take years hopefully, and I pray that the docs and whatnot may come up for treatments before then for her. She's such a reader and so independent. Since this is a genetic thing, she's shared with me (and my sisters) about some things we can do to help slow it down if we get it, or hopefully prevent us from getting it. So now I almost religiously wear sunglasses outside, eat lots of bright veggies and fruits daily, and upped my fish/shellfish intake to at least two dinners a week, gotta get those Omega 3 fatty acids! Luckily, both Charles and I like fish and shellfish, but even if I didn't, I'd learn to deal with them, reading and cooking are so important to me, and I'd be flummoxed and disheartened not to be able to do them. Dad's doctor appointments have gone pretty well lately, and I am so thankful for that. They're both active in church and family stuff, and Mom also does volunteer work, which I think is great.
I've been thinking if we're going to be here for a bit, I need to stop insulating myself so much and get a little more social. So we're going to take Chipper (our corgi) and Sequoia to the local retirement homes to do visitations, and we're trying out the local church more and more, maybe start going to Bible study.
Other than that, life is pretty good. Not real exciting, but I can't do real exciting, lol...so this works out. I enjoy looking out the windows and seeing deer, or wild turkeys (and the other night saw my first live wild skunk...soooo cute!) and birds are so thick here! All kinds. They (the news) says bird watching is one of ND's main tourism draws, and I can believe it.
Well...gotta go mess with those ribs. Take care all!
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