Things

I woke up this morning to thunder and lightning the likes of which are rare in our little patch of South Texas.  Our dry ground got much-needed rain and the light show at five in the morning was impressive.  

This is one of the busiest Fiesta weekends, but if this storm holds out, parties, parades, and concerts will be canceled. Next Saturday is the Pooch Parade in our neighborhood, the only Fiesta event I'll be doing.  

Yesterday was sunny.  Thanks to some great suggestions from Janet--my decorating muse--I spent the day organizing the casita and giving away and selling a few things.  The casita is now transformed,  more spacious.   It's good to have a second pair of eyes in editing a space, and Janet's eyes are spot-on. 

Things.  Some we love and won't part with.  But in a house the size of mine, it is fun to lighten up, let things we're done loving go their own way. 

Carlene and I spent the first hour today talking.  Her sister Dot, six years younger, has decided to move into a senior living facility.  "She's gotten rid of EVERY thing," Carlene said, "Even her car."  Dot finds it liberating to lighten all the way.  She's in great health, like her sister, but she's tired of taking care of a large house. (Her husband of twenty years, not in good health, is moving into assisted living.)  To each her own, we agreed, though it's a little hard to imagine Dot without the backdrop of all the things she's made and collected.  

Selling rugs and lamps on Facebook last night, I ran into former high school classmates. I was shocked to read their sentiments.

For example: 

After all the horrific shootings, one former classmate defended the NRA and guns, putting the blame on the fact that we no longer have "prayer in schools."  She wrote about the aftermath of the Uvalde shootings, portraying the victims as "favorites" of God, happily entering the Kingdom of Heaven. 

It's hard to find a place to put this in the house of my mind.