Happy Monday!

Somehow Mondays don't have the negative connotation they suffered when I had to set an alarm clock on Sunday night to start another work week on Monday morning. Mondays are great! The most stressful thing about a Monday these days is remembering that it IS indeed Monday and the garbage can needs to be at the end of the driveway for Tuesday morning's pickup. When you're retired, every day is the "weekend." There's something wonderful to be said for that, you'll have to agree. Retirement doesn't pay all that well (sometimes I miss the paychecks), but is well worth any belt-tightening sacrifice in that regard! Thank you, God - we are so bountifully blessed!

Nothing exciting today. The weather was beautiful - sunny with a few clouds, and warmish, but not hot. Did a little laundry (washed several blankets we brought back from the beach house) and did some grocery shopping this morning - more good bargains! We usually have lunch at Taco Bell when we go grocery shopping, but today we just came home, put away our treasures, and made bologna sandwiches. Actually, Hubby had bologna. I had peanut butter with my own homemade bread-and-butter pickles - great combination! Don't knock it if you haven't tried it. Also, this afternoon I made a batch of my mom's "multi-bean" salad (she uses 5 different beans; I use 3) - it sounded good. The problem is, it immediately smells wonderful, but you can't eat it right away. It has to marinate for 48 hours and be stirred every now and then during the "marination" period. I'll probably sneak and eat some tomorrow before it's officially done marinating. Shhhhh!

My daughter (the one getting a divorce) called me during her lunch hour. She is again newly frustrated with her soon-to-be "Ex." He loves to stir things up in the family by sending an inflammatory email filled with untruths (mostly about her) to everyone. It is so hard for her to keep from responding to him with an equally acrid message, but today she resisted the temptation. That's progress! It never accomplishes anything anyway, but I understand her frustration.

I tried to call my daughter-in-law this afternoon, but there was no answer. She promised me she would be here by noon LAST Monday to start work on cleaning out their mobile home (which is pretty much trashed and full of their furniture, clothes - which are literally strewn everywhere, and garbage). She is precious and I love her so very dearly, but, let me just say, housekeeping is not among her strengths! Even though I'm just a so-so housekeeper, I've tried to be the "Titus 2" older wiser(?) woman and help her learn better housekeeping habits and some little tricks to stay more organized, but had zero success. She desperately wants to do it right, but it just doesn't happen for her - she grew up with absolutely NO role model (and my Mom is Mrs. Clean - I know she wonders where she failed with me). This poor girl's druggie prostitute mom gave her a marijuana joint for her 13th birthday, for pity sake! She never had a chance. She tells me all the time that I'm the only real "Mom" she's ever had. Poor baby! I miss her - we're accustomed to gabbing together every day. Not any more.

I went for my mammogram last Thursday. Today I received a letter letting me know that everything was normal - good news! You just never know. I've learned that it CAN happen to me. Praise God, he is in charge. That's freedom in Jesus - he calls the shots, so I won't have to. (Doncha just LOVE Jer. 29:11).

Well, I guess I'll head out to the back porch fridge to give the bean salad a final stir for today and head to bed to watch a little TV.

MY TEXT FOR TODAY:
Col. 3:1-4 (Living Bible) "Since you became alive again, so to speak, when Christ arose from the dead, now set your sights on the rich treasures and joys of heaven where he sits beside God in the place of honor and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts; don't spend your time worrying about things down here. You should have as little desire for this world as a dead person does. Your real life is in heaven with Christ and God. And when Christ who is our real life comes back again, you will shine with him and share in all his glories."

Till next time...

XOXO