Middle Of The Night

Apparently, when I can't sleep, the internet takes hold and I end up buying art.

Sleep deprivation = significant purchases.

A lesson learned. Wait till daylight hours before hitting the submit button.

Ying/Yang

With death comes life.

I have a new nephew: Zachary Maddox. Born @ 1:05am.

Welcome to the world, little one.

And congratulations to the rest of the family: Howie, Anna & Madeleine.

Dear Cooper,

I still have your puppy picture in a frame. This small ball of fur that barely took up a couch cushion. 8 years later. You quickly graduated to two full cushions and never hesitated to "make yourself comfortable" despite the occasional person that got in your way. You were our lap dog, all 90 pounds of you.

I wish I could have gotten to say goodbye to you. To say I love you one more time before you had to leave. You were, after all, the one who taught me to love as fully as I have. Although you were by all means the family dog, I somehow claimed you as my own. I spent the an entire summer attempting to potty train you. Recruited friends to stay with you when you were a wee one and scared to be alone. I brushed you. Feed You. Let you sneak into my bed late in the night.

You were the first dog to teach me real, unfettered emotion. The time you accidently locked yourself in the bathroom, I remember being frantic. Every time you would somehow escape the fenced in backyard I remember being short of breath. Afraid I would never see that sweet, sweet face ever again. That someone else would claim you as their own. Or worse yet, I would have to whisper my goodbyes amongst asphalt and tire tracks. I was genuinely afraid I would loose you. I had never had that fear before. I finally cared more for something else than for myself. I never felt that before you.

8 years later. There are still marks in the staircase from when you chewed it. The metal cage still resides in the basement, untouched by you. You were never one to put up with being caged. I quietly wonder where the time went. And have to remind myself that time flies when you love something as surely as I loved you.

Thank you for 8 years. Thank you for a lifetime of love & memories, my little friend.

Rest in peace.

Granholm, FEMA Officials To Meet On Disaster Aid

- From Woodtv.com -
July 16, 2008 05:44 AM EDT
LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Governor Granholm says she'll meet today with federal officials to plan for disaster aid President Bush has approved to aid recovery from June storms.

She and Federal Emergency Management Agency officials will coordinate aid for Allegan, Barry, Eaton, Ingham, Lake, Manistee, Mason, Missaukee, Osceola, Ottawa and Wexford counties.
The Lower Peninsula counties were hit by severe weather that killed at least eight people and blacked out more than 730,000 homes and businesses June 6th to 13th.

Granholm's office says aid can cover "repair, restoration, reconstruction, or replacement" of public facilities damaged or destroyed in the storms.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved

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One of our friends from Florida is working on this disaster. N was asked if he wanted to go as well. He declined. Life comes full circle sometimes.

August 28 - September 4

I'll be back to GR (I feel strange calling it home now) on August 28 for one short week.

Friends to catch up with. A new nephew to meet. Relatives to see.

It's gonna be great.

Life Is Good

A long weekend before me stretching out from sunny day to sunny day.

Life is good.

Here's a reminder.

Till Next Time

The in-laws have left and the house is eerily quiet. While I vacuum floors that have accumulated a weeks worth of dog hair, food and filth, I wonder if they were ever here at all. There visit seems oddly surreal. Too long and too short at the same time.

Last night I laid in bed and thought that the next time I would see family would be in December. We've been here for a little over 4 months. It will be another 5 months until we see them again. Too long. Too many miles between us. Part of me wished I could have climbed into the back of their car and escaped back into my old life. But as I hugged them goodbye and waved them off my feet remained planted on the pavers in the driveway under the hot sun surrounded by the dampness of Florida humidity.

This is home now, I remind myself.

We spent a week together. Drove to Tampa. Visited Kennedy Space Center. Read in the evenings. Crosswords at the table. I sewed a pillow under the direction of my more than patient mother-in-law. We ate out. Shopped. Nate and I bought a couch.

It was nice. Just being together. Enjoying each others company. Not rushing from this place to that place. From this theme park to the one over here. We grilled and sat in lawn chairs outside while sipping lemonade.

We all move forward now. Back to our lives. Ours here. They go back to Michigan where they will be busy with a new grandchild and gardening and enjoying the richness of summer.

And till next time, i'll continue to wonder if this really happened. And hang a picture on my wall to assure me that it did. And N and I will go back to our lives. Quiet but very happy lives right here in Florida.