I love this photo of us circa 1980. That is Matilda, out 53 Chevy Panel truck we had for years. I was 26 or so and Butch 32 ish. Hard to believe we were ever this young!

Church adventures

We go to Jubilee! in Asheville. It's a community of faith as diverse as the congregation. Today the sermon was on faith. The readings from the bible evoked Job and Moses. I was distracted when Howard read from the Tao, but that reading dealt with faith as well. I've been dealing with my mortality as I approach the year 60 mark with questionable health. Raising our granddaughter brings that into focus. Should I simply have faith that what will be will be or shall I put this issue in the hand of the Divine One I believe in and let them worry about the problem. I question that. A lot. I worry about my bipolar daughter a lot too. Will she ever have an income to sustain her, especially when I'm gone? Will she ever connect with her daughter who ardors her or should we make arrangements with someone else to take her when we die? No income, no way to support this child. Will she be stable enough to parent? I worry. These questions have been floating in my head and I worry.

This is where faith comes in.  Yesterday at the going away party for a dear friend, a friend in common announced that she is bi-polar. I've known this young lady for many years and never knew. She's smart. She manages her meds and has made it through college on to grad school. This gave me faith that everything really can work out. I remember acknowledging it as it occurred.

Then today, Majo, one of the beloved poets in the community, stood up and talked about being bipolar. He talked about planning a move to Mexico. Right to the point to moving, he planned and schemed. He said goodbye to dear friends and our spiritual leader. Then he realized he couldn't leave. He's in a depressive cycle today. The plan was during an manic cycle. I'm sure from his words, he feel failure that he allowed himself to be pulled into this plan for a new life in Mexico. He's crashed and is sad. His plan didn't work. But maybe, just maybe  the God's plan worked. Maybe Majo had to go through this process to be able to tell us what it's like to be an adult Bi-polar so those of us who cope with children with this disorder could see hope. He didn't crash in Mexico. He crashed here at home where his friends and support are. He made the decision to stay - a good decision, a safe decision. I worry my daughter won't make safe decisions. Majo showed us it's possible. He showed us faith. Faith that sharing hold true  messages. Faith that crazy brain disorders doesn't mean failure. Mojo made good decisions and makes good poetry  and is successful. He gave me and example of how through faith that everything really can work out. He had no idea he was speaking to me.  A message came through. So Majo, in the down times come examples to others, poetry to describe, uplift and instill faith for those of us who love you anonymously . Faith. Faith that there is a rhyme and reason. Faith that if we hold still, listen and have faith, it will work out. Thank you Majo for reminding me of faith. You were a big part of that message for me today.

Lunch! the first day of summer

Butch and I took a grown up day of antique stores and lunch. Rarely do we eat out at a place we would NEVER return to but yesterday that happened. There is a Mexican place over on Haywood across from the old Rush gym I would strongly recommend that you avoid. I like spinach a lot so I ordered the vegetarian plate consisting of spinach and cheese burrito and a mushroom quesadilla. Hello cans…. Canned spinach and canned mushrooms in a cheese bath! The cheese was good and I have no doubt that the same dish made with fresh ingredients would be wonderful. I ate it. I also ate the chips and salsa which consisted of strewed tomatoes pureed with a bit of cilantro. No flavor. NONE! The good news is I can eat bad food as easily as good so I wasted the calories on this bad food. Butch’s chili reneno consisted of a strip of pepper ½ by 2” covered by soggy masa and piles of cheese. The cheese was good. The enchilada was beef is all you could say for it. So if you find yourself at the beginning of Haywood, heading into the west Asheville area, avoid the Mexican place across from the old Rush Gym. Save the calories for some good food elsewhere!

Joys of renting out our house.

Well lost the renters again... sigh. The house was left clean but smoke smelly. Jamie helped a lot. She got the tractor out and mowed the front and back yards. She's going to weed eat she says. Boy we need a renter or buyer! Love the nwew roof!

July 24 2009

This was a weekend filled with music! Friday night (July 24) we traveled from Asheville (our home)to Big Ivy Community Center to hear a line up of old time and bluegrass bands from the region. This outing was totally free except for gas. We sat under the trees watching the sun set on the mountains, eating our picnic sandwiches and listening to the music. Serenity got a bit bored so we played on the playground (and listened to the music)Then we sampled some home made berry cobbler sold at the concession stand for fifty cents. Ok so we spent a dollar. We met a couple who live in apartment owned by one of my favorite authors - Joan Medlicott. Her ladies of Covington series of books are set in the area. We shared our fun with about 30 other people brave enough to leave the beaten path to enjoy the local color. So take time to drive on out to the Big Ivy Community Center on the 4th Friday of the month and enjoy the show. It's worth the drive.http://www.barnardsville.com/ Music dates and directions can be found here. Coming up is the 1st annual bluegrass festival Saturday Aug 29, 2009. We'll be there, will you?