Sky Watching

I find cloudscapes beautiful and fascinating.

I am not a great photographer and I don't have any super equipment, but now and then I grab my camera and try to capture cloud or weather photos. Of course, the photos rarely live up to the reality, but I like these that I took the last week of July.



July 27, 2016--the big thunderheads moving in

No more blue sky.

Uh oh--that summer scourge, hail.

At least the hail was only pea-size.

Hail over, it went back to a lovely rain, which shows up as streaks in the photo.

July 29, 2016

Celebrating Grace's Birthday

My sister Grace's birthday fell on a weekday (July 14). On the weekend--the 16th--her daughter Sue, granddaughter Maria, and two great-granddaughters, Cordelia and Elise, came from out-of-town to visit and celebrate her birthday. Joining this group were her daughter Tina, grandson Steven, my granddaughter Megan, and I.

Tina and her son Steven (who is soon to be a Marine)



Sue

Elise seems to be telling Grandma Sue something very important.

After visiting at Grace's apartment, we lunched at Ruby Tuesdays. It was my first time at this restaurant. In fact, I did not even realize that it existed in our town! It is fairly new, but still. . . .Anyway, the lunch was very good and really enjoyed, although the noise in the restaurant was quite intense.



Tina, Sue, Elise, Cordelia, Maria, Grace, and Charlie Dog

It is always a treat to spend time with extended family!

Seventy-Five

When I was a child, I thought anyone over 60 was really ancient.

And 75? Couldn't even imagine that number as ever applying to myself. It was too incredibly distant in the future.

When I grew a little older, my perspective did change a bit. My grandmother was a lively and active person well into her eighties. My mother and aunts in their 50s and 60s were quite young in looks and actions.

And the years just kept adding on. Turning 60 was a bit of a shock to my system, but it seemed I barely blinked and I'd crossed over into yet another decade.

And now I am 75, holding a gift decoration to be added to my deck.

On July 4, 2016, I hit the three-quarters of a century mark. I really am an old lady. Can't deny it. But it is not quite the way I thought it would be when I was young. Yes, my body lets me know I am not young. But my brain just feels like Me. On the outside, age is part of my identity. On the inside, I am just myself. Life changes. Circumstances change. Time rolls on.

Seventy-Five

When I was a child, I thought anyone over 60 was really ancient.

And 75? Couldn't even imagine that number as ever applying to myself. It was too incredibly distant in the future.

When I grew a little older, my perspective did change a bit. My grandmother was a lively and active person well into her eighties. My mother and aunts in their 50s and 60s were quite young in looks and actions.

And the years just kept adding on. Turning 60 was a bit of a shock to my system, but it seemed I barely blinked and I'd crossed over into yet another decade.

And now I am 75, holding a gift decoration to be added to my deck.

On July 4, 2016, I hit the three-quarters of a century mark. I really am an old lady. Can't deny it. But it is not quite the way I thought it would be when I was young. Yes, my body lets me know I am not young. But my brain just feels like Me. On the outside, age is part of my identity. On the inside, I am just myself. Life changes. Circumstances change. Time rolls on.

An Adventure We Could Have Done Without

I had an appointment in Rapid City with my glaucoma doctor last Wednesday. This usually means a 300-mile roundtrip for 15 minutes with the doctor, lunch, and maybe a little shopping. It is usually just my daughter and I, but this time my granddaughter was with us.

The report was fine from the doctor--just keep doing what I am doing.

Lunch was good.

None of us felt like shopping, so we just started the westward trip home.

A few miles west of Spearfish, it happened.

The Interstate is undergoing a lot of upkeep, and we were in a 45-mile-per-hour cone zone. The right lane of the westbound side was blocked off, leaving only one traffic lane. Slightly ahead of us was a cone-marked entry ramp for side-road traffic to merge onto the Interstate.

A red car was approaching through the merge lane. Since there was only one lane available, westbound traffic could not pull into another lane to admit incoming cars. This car slowed down and appeared to come almost to a stop. Suddenly, just as we were nearly at the merge spot, the car sped up again. We could not possibly stop in time. Anne Marie stomped on the gas, leaned on the horn, and tried to get away, but we were in the only open lane and there was no place else to go.

The red car drove right into us. There was a loud crash and a big jolt as our car was shoved to the left. Anne Marie kept a tight hold on the steering wheel and managed to get control on the side of the road. The impact point was the passenger side rear door. It all happened faster than the time it takes to tell.

We were shaken but uninjured.

When we got out of the car, we saw that the other driver was an elderly woman. While Anne Marie called Chad and Megan called 911, I went over to see if she was all right. She struggled out of her car and it became evident that she was suffering from physical difficulties. She had spinal problems that kept her bent over; she needed two poles to help her stand and walk (rather in the manner of ski poles); she had glasses, and seemed to be a little hard of hearing. She told me she had "paused" but didn't see anything coming before she pulled onto the highway.

I looked at her car to see what damage it had sustained. The driver's side parking light was completely gone--and she told me that it was not the result of this crash. It had happened another time.

We all felt terrible for this driver. She is 82 years old and lives alone on a ranch. She said something about going for groceries. We are still concerned about her.

BUT SHE SHOULD NOT BE DRIVING!

She could have killed us and herself. Thank goodness the traffic was slowed through that section. Actually, we did thank God sincerely that only the "skin" of the car was hurt. We were okay, she was okay, the car still worked and we could continue on our way home after the South Dakota Highway Patrol officers finished their investigation. (I learned that the Highway Patrol does not use the term "accident." It is "crash.")

And that, folks, is why I gave up driving when I developed eyesight and other health problems. Yes, it was very difficult to lose that independence. But I would rather accept some dependence than kill someone. I am blessed with a daughter who takes me where I need to go, and I know that not everyone has that. But, whatever it takes to accommodate your new lifestyle need, Please Stop Driving When It Becomes Apparent You Are Not Up To It.

Face the facts.

Stop.

An Adventure We Could Have Done Without

I had an appointment in Rapid City with my glaucoma doctor last Wednesday. This usually means a 300-mile roundtrip for 15 minutes with the doctor, lunch, and maybe a little shopping. It is usually just my daughter and I, but this time my granddaughter was with us.

The report was fine from the doctor--just keep doing what I am doing.

Lunch was good.

None of us felt like shopping, so we just started the westward trip home.

A few miles west of Spearfish, it happened.

The Interstate is undergoing a lot of upkeep, and we were in a 45-mile-per-hour cone zone. The right lane of the westbound side was blocked off, leaving only one traffic lane. Slightly ahead of us was a cone-marked entry ramp for side-road traffic to merge onto the Interstate.

A red car was approaching through the merge lane. Since there was only one lane available, westbound traffic could not pull into another lane to admit incoming cars. This car slowed down and appeared to come almost to a stop. Suddenly, just as we were nearly at the merge spot, the car sped up again. We could not possibly stop in time. Anne Marie stomped on the gas, leaned on the horn, and tried to get away, but we were in the only open lane and there was no place else to go.

The red car drove right into us. There was a loud crash and a big jolt as our car was shoved to the left. Anne Marie kept a tight hold on the steering wheel and managed to get control on the side of the road. The impact point was the passenger side rear door. I all happened faster than the time it takes to tell.

We were shaken but uninjured.

When we got out of the car, we saw that the other driver was an elderly woman. While Anne Marie called Chad and Megan called 911, I went over to see if she was all right. She struggled out of her car and it became evident that she was suffering from physical difficulties. She had spinal problems that kept her bent over; she needed two poles to help her stand and walk (rather in the manner of ski poles); she had glasses, and seemed to be a little hard of hearing. She told me she had "paused" but didn't see anything coming before she pulled onto the highway.

I looked at her car to see what damage it had sustained. The driver's side parking light was completely gone--and she told me that it was not the result of this crash. It had happened another time.

We all felt terrible for this driver. She is 82 years old and lives alone on a ranch. She said something about going for groceries. We are still concerned about her.

BUT SHE SHOULD NOT BE DRIVING!

She could have killed us and herself. Thank goodness the traffic was slowed through that section. Actually, we did thank God sincerely that only the "skin" of the car was hurt. We were okay, she was okay, the car still worked and we could continue on our way home after the South Dakota Highway Patrol officers finished their investigation. (I learned that the Highway Patrol does not use the term "accident." It is "crash.")

And that, folks, is why I gave up driving when I developed eyesight and other health problems. Yes, it was very difficult to lose that independence. But I would rather accept some dependence than kill someone. I am blessed with a daughter who takes me where I need to go, and I know that not everyone has that. But, whatever it takes to accommodate your new lifestyle need, Please Stop Driving When It Becomes Apparent You Are Not Up To It.

Face the facts.

Stop.

Two Visits

This week I very much enjoyed a visit at my sister Grace's home, with her visiting son Mike, his wife Pat, and Grace's daughter Tina. Mike and Pat live in Florida and it had been two years since I had seen them. Tina lives in the same apartment complex that Grace moved into recently, which is great for them both.

Grace has downsized a lot in order to move from her house with the lovely big yard she created to a 600 sq. foot apartment. She does have a ground-floor unit with a small patio. Her unit is located at the end of the section of patio units and has a lovely private courtyard with lawn feel to it. I am so glad she has some outdoor space. She is surrounding her patio with planters and soon will have her own flower garden. Wherever she lives, Grace has the talent to make it her own distinctive place.


Grace, Mike, and Tina. I took a photo of Mike and Pat sitting on the sofa, but it did not turn out very well. I can't see the results on my camera screen very well--I thought I had  good one, but I'm pretty sure they would not thank me if I posted it!



The second visit was our annual visit to the cemetery to decorate family graves for Memorial Day. We have been doing this for many years. Some years there has been quite a large family group that gathered for this. Little kids have grown up, my mother and my husband are now among those whose graves we put flowers on, and no out of town family were here to join us this year. So my daughter Anne Marie, dear son-in-law Chad, my sister Grace, and I did the honors. Our cemetery is well kept and lovely, The sun was shining. It was a time, not of sorrow, but of memory.



Grace, at our parents' grave.

I am standing by Jerry's grave.

Anne Marie fussed at me about taking her picture. So, though she is a lovely woman, I'm not including the photo I snapped from a distance of her and Chad. (I don't promise to keep leaving you out though, Anne Marie!)

Later in the day we had a lovely rain. Wyoming always needs water to give us a green spring!