Currently...

The Weather continues to be warm (low 80's) and HUMID. While not uncomfortably hot as so much of the country is, it has been so muggy just walking outside makes a person drip sweat. Yuk. I just looked it up and right now, at 9:30 in the evening, the humidity is 87%! Of course, all that humidity has meant thunderstorms. We've been having multiple storms per day for a few days now and the pattern is predicted to continue through Thursday, the last I saw. The storms have brought very heavy rains and flash flooding in many areas. We have been okay here on the hill, but many folks have had to leave their homes, some by boat. The customers in one local grocery store had to be rescued by boat! Our daughter reported flooding at the nursing home, too. Water came into the lobby and front offices, but not into the residents' rooms, thank goodness! We are very grateful to be high and dry (though tired of rain) here. 

** On a side note, I read this evening that the "Farmer's Almanac" released its winter prediction. They say it's going to be a bitterly cold one for a lot of the country, particularly in December and January. Will it mean a white Christmas?

I'm feeling pretty good except for the cough. I can't seem to shake the cough. I have an inhaler for when my chest feels tight, but...that doesn't happen very often. Mostly, it's just a bit of a tickle in my throat and the cough is a response. 

I'm watching M*A*S*H at the moment. Tim turned it on then went to bed. I had intended to change it, but got sucked into it. It's been ages since I've watched an episode. It is one show that sure carries over, though a lot of what was cutting edge social commentary then is sure not aligned with today's political correctness. I'm not offended, but I'm surprised no one has complained and had it banned. Oh, and I discovered Auction Kings today and spent the afternoon watching it. I love shows like that.

I'm happy we finally got to celebrate Leah's birthday with a little bit of a party. Nothing fancy this year, just family, pizza and cupcakes. Mom and Dad did decorate the house with Frozen streamers and such. She is three. It was enough and she was happy. We got her a big girl bike, Frozen themed, of course. Our son-in-law's parents didn't stay long (they never do), but they did socialize a bit, which is more than they usually do.

I'm celebrating that I finally got to go to church today! I have barely been there this summer. I went the first 2 Sundays in June then missed Father's Day because we had something going on. That week the text messages started to roll in reporting more and more cases of Covid among church members. I stayed home the following two Sundays to make sure it had cleared out. I went back the next week and right after that is when I started at the nursing home and missed a Sunday and then I got Covid. It was good to be back, though I will miss next Sunday again because...next Monday is mine and Mom's birthday. I am turning 58 and she will be 78. Tim and I will probably do something on Sunday, possibly drive to the Shakerwoods Festival in Ohio just like we did last year.

I'm reading...nothing at the moment. I stayed up late last night to finish a book. I need to pick a new one tomorrow. I made up my mind that I was going to get back to reading more this year. I set my goal on Goodreads fairly low (30), but I'm doing great. I'm three books ahead of schedule! I've been reading a lot of cozy mysteries so I'm thinking I might need to choose something a little meatier this time.

I'm thinking about my mom and stepdad getting older, him in particular. He came to Leah's party and he just seems so frail and getting more so each time I see him. Mom told our daughter that when they went into her basement yesterday to check if the new waterproofing held up through the big storm on Friday, he wanted to know where his room was. I guess he seemed confused and said "it's not here anymore." I don't think the last two years of covid isolation have been good for him. Since he has heart problems he is one who has chosen to remain almost totally isolated except for seeing us. He doesn't go anywhere but to his doctor appointments. He doesn't do much of anything at all. I think he's depressed. He has expressed how much he hates getting old and feeling useless. I'm worried he might not be around a lot longer and then I worry how Mom will handle it. Not that worry changes anything. I know God's got it all under control.

Leaving you with this thought...