You Gotta Pay Attention

While I'm thinking about it, let me please say that I cannot comment on Wordpress blogs because of a long series of unfortunate events and I should be able to figure it out but I can't and I've tried, I swear. I've tried and tried and TRIED!
So if you are on my blog roll and yet I never comment on your blog and you're on wordpress, that is why. Forgive me. I love you. Probably.

Anyway, I'm home alone for the first time in forever and ever or at least this year, haha! as Hank has gone home and Mr. Moon is out with Jason watching football. Jason and Lily had us over for black-eyed peas and greens which Lily cooked and which were every bit as delicious as anything I could make and steak and shrimp (!!!) which Jason grilled and which were perfect.

I brought a loaf of sourdough. It didn't feel like I actually contributed much and I didn't but I will say that it was freaking delicious bread, made entirely with white bread flour and not one trace of dark-grained goodness or flax seed or any of that mess which I usually try to incorporate into my bread and it was fluffy. FLUFFY I tell you.

Speaking of fluffy. The sky on our way over to Lily and Jason's was about the most dramatic and beautiful thing I'd ever seen in my life. I tried to take a picture of it while I was stopped at a light. With my phone. You know. But here it is. Or here they are. I took two pictures.

Yes, they are quite similar but honestly- the sky deserved as many pictures as I could snap of it while stopped so briefly at that light.

Owen told us at the supper table this tonight: "Thank you for joining us."
Really?
Yes. He did.
And then he said, "This is the best birthday party EVER!" and it was a pretty fine party and I'm sure it is someone's birthday. And THEN he pretended to be a puppy and got on the floor and licked my foot under the table and Lily said, "Owen! Stop licking your grandmother!" and that's life.

I swear to god, I can't believe it's 2013. That just seems ridiculous. But it is and I am actually alone and the dogs are happily busy with some pork bones that Lily sent over for them and it's very quiet in Lloyd except for the occasional boom of some distant fireworks (I guess) and I'm going to bed soon. Tomorrow is a "normal" day whatever that means and I need to get those bags to the trash which are trashing up my yard and take my walk and then I'll go to town and babysit my boys for a few hours and take some library books back and I've got the new calendar up and Hank seems better and I have clean sheets tonight. I crumbled the last of the Christmas cookies up for the chickens today. Okay, that's a lie. There are still a few of the chocolate/mint ones left. And the best cookies of the season which I personally tried which are some delicious shortbread cookies that May made but I think there are only two of those left. Nothing good lasts forever, neither a sky full of beauty nor shortbread cookies nor  joy nor even life. This is the truth of the matter. Hank and I were sitting on the back porch today and the air was moist and warm and the light was shining and lighting up the few remaining red leaves on the Bradford pears and there were birds chattering away in a tree in the side yard and for a few seconds it was as good a moment as I've ever had in my life, sitting there and feeling it all and seeing it all and hearing it all with my son whom I love so much and the tears came to my eyes and I said something like, "For someone who has suffered from depression and despair as much as I have in my life, I certainly have had and have recognized the truly beautiful moments and have been grateful for them."
Something like that.

And it's true.

Thanks for joining us. I'll try not to lick your feet.

Love...Ms. Moon