Time for Blueberries

July 2nd - Friday Warmer and beautiful blue skies with low humidity

Here came July and with it came blueberries that are ready to be picked, Lou and I spent the last two mornings picking berries, sorting them and today froze some of them. So far we have picked about 10 quarts and they are turning very quickly. They are about two weeks earlier this year than last year.

Now to back up and catch up on our week since Wednesday. Square dancing went really well. I danced with some very seasoned dancers and they were very good at pushing me or pulling me in the direction we were to go. Yes, I did remember how to "load the boat" and we also learned a new call and it is "relay the ducie", that took some working for all of the new members, but think I can master that better than the last call. Barbara and Joe along with Spike and Kay are really good to help me along and I so appreciate their help with no scolding. The couples that come here each Friday evening are very special to me as they give of their time each week to spur me along. Lou was already very close to these folks and they have been so very accepting of me and we are really having a lot of fun together.

Thursday, we spent most of the day and afternoon with the blueberries, which took us by surprise, but we are off to a good start.

Lou's sister had an accident with her car, so she is without a car, so Lou and I have loaned her our Buick to drive until she can work out something until she can either get a new car or have hers repaired. Thankfully, God was watching for her and she does not have any serious injuries. This is the second incident with car accidents in our family this week. Steve also had an accident with the company truck and thank God his injuries were not serious at this point and he has been cleared to go back to work.

Today, we did laundry and hung all of the bedding on the line and set out for Lou's house to pick more berries. We got home about 2:00, had a quick lunch and we tackled our yard work. Lou used the riding mower and I used the push mower and did the weed eating. Just as I was about finished, I hit a rock and it got lodged between the blade and the mower and I used a rock to try and dislodge it and was successful in my task, but managed to smash both of my thumbs, one popped open and isn't nearly as painful as the thumb that just turned black under the nail. Lou thought he could poke a hole in the nail to let the pressure off, but I was a little antsy with him burning the hole in the nail, so hopefully, tomorrow it will be all better. As far as DH is concerned, that thumb will be perfectly healed!!!

Lou had to order new tires for his push mower, and they arrived today so his goal for the morning tomorrow is to get them installed, and I want to get my house cleaned up in the morning and then we are off to The Bark Peelers' Convention for the afternoon and then tomorrow night we will take Estee and go to the fireworks in Mansfield. Sound silly to take the dog, not in the least, she has watched the fireworks from the time she was a puppy. The Fourth of July was one of our favorite holidays, as Krista and Steve always had a lovely display of fireworks and my late husband loved to watch them and looked forward to seeing them in his own back yard every year, and of course, where ever Al went, as did Estee. She would sit on his lap and watch every explosion and get excited watching them. Never a bark, just nodding her head in the direction of the pretty light.

Along came Lou and Estee found a new best friend. My dad once told me to look for a man that loved animals and was good to his parents and one other thing, that none of us can remember. The first time Estee met Lou, she did not even bark at him. He sat down on the sofa and she was in his lap and to this day, when he sits down, Estee is right there. We all joke about Al spoiling Estee, but he didn't hold a candle to the way Lou treats her now. How could I have been so lucky to find another man that Estee and I could love. God is good.

Happy Fourth of July to all.