When the Weather Breaks (and So Have I, a Few Times)
The heat finally broke this week.
Not gone for good, I know, but subdued—tamed just enough to open the windows and let the stale, humid air drift out. The attic fan is whirring along, pulling it through the house like a tired old vacuum that still gets the job done, even if it could use a good cleaning.
Am I cleaning it today?
Absolutely not.
But it’s on the list. And oh, do I have a list.
The cooler weather brought a breeze, a breath of relief… and also the kind of bone-deep ache that only comes when you’ve lived a little hard. I’ve broken an ankle, shattered an elbow (three times, thank you very much), had both knees swapped out, and a hip replaced like a worn-out part in an old machine.
So yes, I’m a bit of a wreck on days like this.
But I still lace up the garden shoes and head out.
Zucchini Watch: Day Who-Knows-What
I’m keeping a close eye on the zucchini. We’ve got another one coming. And if you’ve grown zucchini, you know they’re sneaky little things.
They hide.
You check in the morning—nothing.
Check again in the evening—suddenly there’s a 14-inch mutant that could double as a canoe.
But I still eat them when they’re huge.
I scoop out the seeds, toss those to the chickens (they’re not picky), then stuff the rest with cheese or grind it into bread. Waste not, want not. Always the rule.
Counters, Floors, Flip Flops, and Dollar Tree Diplomacy
The day goes on.
Counters to clean. Floors to wash.
We’re off to the library again for another kids’ art project—this one for their mom’s birthday.
Yesterday we made a stop at Dollar Tree.
I told the grandkids they could each pick two things for their mom and one thing for themselves. Simple. Clear. Fair.
Thirty minutes later, they’re still deciding.
And then my granddaughter hands me a pair of flip flops.
I asked, “Is that what you’re picking for yourself?”
She looked up at me with those big, serious eyes and said,
“No, that’s what you’re getting me today.”
So yes. Both kids got flip flops.
Because sometimes you just say yes.
Because sometimes a $1.25 pair of rubber sandals makes a little girl feel like a queen.
Lists and Little Victories
The windows are open. The house smells like fresh air and dusty wood.
And the list grows:
- Prep and prime where we had the stairs redone
- Pull the vinyl-cracked cabinet door, paint it, replace the hinge
- Grout the backsplash
- Find the grout (somewhere in this house, I know I have it)
- Deadhead the flowers
- Cut back the sad, sagging daffodil stalks
- Keep reclaiming the herb bed with mulch and patience
- Make space for blueberry bushes next spring
There’s always something. Always.
But I don’t mind.
I like being busy.
I like seeing progress, even if it comes one dusty cabinet door at a time.
There’s a comfort in motion.
In checking things off the list.
In knowing that even with a few replacement parts and a limp on rainy days—I’m still here. Still tending. Still moving forward.
If you’re out there feeling worn down or achy today, take heart:
You don’t have to do everything at once.
Just open the windows.
Check the zucchini.
And maybe buy someone flip flops just because they asked.
