Cheer Up, Buttercup!

 Last night when I had served the fellas their supper and was bringing my own bowl of chicken and dumplings in, this is what I found. Jack was obviously thinking he had a place at the table. He really does, though, as he always lays between me and Mr. Moon while we eat, hoping that a miracle will occur and we will offer him some tasty tidbits. 
He is ever optimistic, that one. 

Owen and Mr. Moon both proclaimed the chicken and dumplings the best ever and they were good. The dumplings were very nice and fluffy and I even had to make two batches- one with self-rising flour and buttermilk, and the second with self-rising flour, milk, and plain yogurt because I'd used up all the buttermilk. I know that I can add vinegar or lemon juice to make a fake buttermilk but the yogurt worked beautifully. 

Gosh but we had a good time with our boy. He's just the sweetest. He wanted to go to bed early because that 5:00 a.m. wake-up call was going to come fast so he took his shower and got in the guest bed, fondly known as the most comfortable bed in the world. 
And it is true. 

Mr. Moon's alarm woke up me up this morning but I just rolled over and went back to sleep while the guys got up, put on their camo, loaded up their stuff, and headed out to the ponds. I got up late for me and I'm blaming it on Maurice who actually came and snuggled up to me after Glen left, and Lord knows I don't ever want to give that cat reason to become upset with me so I just stayed right there in bed having crazy dreams until I finally realized that unless I intended to sleep all day, I'd better get up. Maurice did give me one of her yowls of bitchiness but I was spry enough to get away from her before she could get her weapons out. 
I found a pot of hot coffee, just made, and two sweet notes from my boys when I got to the kitchen. Glen always makes the coffee the night before and when he goes hunting in the early morning, he sets it for when he's going to get up and then he pours that into a thermos flask and makes me a separate pot, set to brew later. 
Now that is love. 
The guys had a great time. Glen sent me a video of an eagle, soaring over the water, looking for fish or a duck. And Owen told me that he'd loved it, especially the eagle and watching the dogs work with the hunters to retrieve their ducks. It's a whole world and I know that nothing could make Glen happier than to share it with his boy. It would not be my choice of something to share with a grandchild, of course, but it is my husband's and I am happy for him to have these opportunities. He is proud of the way Owen conducts himself on hunts and fishing trips, too. And they get to go to breakfast afterwards and eat like Real Men. 

When they got back, Owen walked with me down to the post office and I was really surprised to see all the cars at the farmer's market organized by the My Gypsy Soul Boutique lady. Good for her! We didn't buy anything but it looked like other people were. I wanted to go to the PO because I'd gotten notification that a puzzle I'd ordered from eBay had been delivered and it had been. 

Now this one really is going to take me a year to do but I am excited to start it. 

And then Owen had to get to work. He took a shower and put on his Publix clothes. 

His grandfather is about six feet, eight inches tall. I love seeing them together. 

I drove him to work and then did a little shopping. When it came time to check out, I got in the line that Owen was bagging for. I took this picture when he wasn't looking, bagging up the groceries of the lady in front of me.  

I was so proud. I tried not to embarrass him and did not even kiss him when I left. It was hard. 

I've been a little low today, again completely unmotivated to do anything. I made myself get out and do some garden weeding but that and some laundry is about all I've managed to do. I really have no excuse. It's been a perfect day, weather-wise, and there have been so many birds at the feeder, chirping and chipping and even lining up in the camellia bushes to wait their turn to fly in and take their share. We've had so many cardinals this year. Their brilliant scarlet feathers, black faces, and yellow beaks are such a contrast to the mockingbirds' and wrens' dull grays and whites. And then of course the red-headed woodpeckers and blue jays and gold finches bring more colors to the feeder, to my life. I absolutely do observe the birds and listen to their songs and love the fact that I share my tiny part of the world with them. 
I have so very, very much that I am grateful for. And yet, as I have confessed before, sometimes these things, these riches, only serve to make me feel guiltier because how can I have all of this and still so often find myself sad? 

It's okay. I'm okay. 

And this made me giggle today. 

I love "Pickles." I've read that the artist bases a lot of his strips on his parents-in-law. I think. I could be wrong. It could be his own parents. But whatever, he is paying attention and he gets it so right so often. 

And for my (by now) quite familiar "one more thing"- here's another picture I took at the Trident restaurant yesterday which I find to be richly ironic. This is how one wall above the wainscoting in the ladies' room is decorated. 

For those of you who do not know- those are oyster shells. There was not one oyster on the menu that I saw. Sadly, they have cut off oyster harvesting entirely from the Apalachicola bay due to over-harvesting and water issues concerning the Apalachicola River which has been devastating to the local economy so it's not completely unreasonable that they don't serve those sweet, salty bivalves which have been gathered since before white people ever showed up in that part of the world. Other local restaurants are substituting oysters shipped in from places like Cedar Key, Florida, and Texas. And in fact, we stopped at a seafood retail place on our way home and Mr. Moon bought some in the shell and had them shucked and I am going to make him an oyster stew which he loves. 

I hate to think that the day will come when we've fucked up the precious waters of our planet so badly that oysters will be known only for their shells' ability to adorn a black wall in a restroom in a seafood restaurant. 

I am so ashamed at what we are leaving our grandchildren. They deserve so much better. 

Love...Ms. Moon