Where Has May Gone?

I had no idea how long it had been since my last post of May 4 until I opened my blog today. It's not that there isn't anything to write about, it's just that I found out that even in May you can experience the devastating effects of cabin fever on the psyche. Since I wasn't able to do the things I really wanted to do, I couldn't find the motivation to do even the things I could do. The recent devastation caused by tornadoes around the Midwest was a come to Jesus wake up call to me. I became ashamed of the moaning I have done about a few missed outdoor activities when we have been so fortunately spared the tragedy that so many have had to endure.

We have actually had a few very nice week-ends in spite of the crummy weekday weather.

I had one of the greatest Mother's days in a very long time. I found myself surrounded by children and grandchildren for the week-end. The Green Bay Chilsons were all in attendance. We had a nice bike ride stopping off at a park on Saturday and ate our way through Chicago food which started with Papa's Pizza, continued through Portillo's Italian beef and finished off with a Mrs. Fields birthday cookie in honor of Elise's upcoming third birthday.

Lindsay joined us for most of the day. We were able to get over to her new house and took a break there to have a little fun with the Kentucky Derby. We all drew horses to bet on and contributed a dollar to the pool which was seeded with a little extra cash by our local bookie, grandpa. Ella was the big winner in the pool. She won first and second place for $15. I hope she spent it well.

Sunday they all accompanied me to church, and we played a little baseball, built a fire in the bong, and grilled brats before they headed for home. That's about as close to perfection as a Mother's Day can get.

A few days later I received a package in the mail from the Atlanta Chilsons of 6 pints of ice cream. How great is that? Who would believe you could send ice cream in the mail?  I just finished the last drop this week.

Of course, the Minnesota Chilsons were all acounted for with greetings of love and phone conversation.

The next week found us out with the Fox Valley Winnies on a camping week-end in Shipshewana, Indiana. We took this opportunity to visit nearby Elkhart and Don's mothers's cousins. We spent a delightful afternoon listening to stories from long long ago and following up on some of his geneology pursuits. It is so interesting to receive historical information from those who have lived it. Present also was a cousin of his own generation whom we haven't seen in 40 years and yet is somehow felt like the years have never passed. 

Mary Jean lives in a lovely home on the St. Joe river where she introduced us to the family of swans who have taken up residency on the nearby shore.

Well guess what. A few days home again and we headed up to Green Bay where we had a couple of days alone with the kids while their parents enjoyed some much needed alone time for R & R.


Well, here we are home again for a couple of weeks. The rain is coming in again, but it looks like I might finally be able to get a golf game in tomorrow before it comes back again on Thursday. O well, at least the lawns are a beautiful shade of green and all the vegetation looks greater than ever. I might even be able to get some flowers planted between storms this week. And I'll add a prayer of thanksgiving with each plant I pot that our home and family are intact and healthy.

Rain Rain Go Away

What a beautiful day today is. The sun is shining, God's in His Heaven and all is right with the world. I thought I was more than a bit crazy venturing out onto the golf course at 7:30 this morning wearing 4 layers of clothing and winter gloves. The temperature was somewhere around 37. But you know enough just has to be enough. Last week I actually found myself angry at the weather. Me. The one who always mocks my husband for his obsession with knowing what the forecast is and keeping up with the constant changes. My attitude is pretty much wait and see what comes and don't worry about it until it gets here. There is nothing you can do about it anyway. You see, one thing about living around Chicago all your life is that you never really know what the weather is going to be until it gets here, and once it does, it is not likely to maintain the status quo.

But really, three full weeks of rain and cold in April leaking into May with narey a break? Come on  who can blame me for being angry?

Well as I always say "what a blessing to have friends". The day I became so angry, I called a friend I hadn't spent much time with lately and made a lunch date. Even running into the restaurant in the pouring rain lost its power to detract from good company and good conversation. I only wish I had made the effort sooner to reach out and touch someone instead of waiting for the clouds to clear. For a day, anyway, I was able to clear my own clouds away.

By the time we finished the second hole, the sun came out, the gloves came off, and the outermost layer of clothing  was shed. I am so glad that I was not deterrred by the early morning gloom because now I feel like I could lick anything that comes my way.