Old age ain't no place for sissies. ~Bette Davis

Last week we spent the day at my mother in law's house. We helped her celebrate her 92th birthday.

This is a woman of fortitude and will power.

Her name is Violetta, or Vi. I have known her for fifty one years.
These are the two people who take care of her.

This is Vi's daughter and her granddaughter. They make it possible for Vi to stay in her home now that she is in her 90's and I think they deserve a special cake too... but we only got a birthday cake for the birthday girl.

At 90 Vi took a nasty fall and broke quite a few bones, but she recovered.
At 91, a few months ago, she fell again trying to straighten some curtains. She left her walker in the hall way and strolled over to the window in her bedroom, to straightened the drapes. When she backed up she trip on a suitcase that was being prepared for a Mothers day trip to Reno. She is still recovering from that fall and has a leg gash that is not healing.
Her life has become a controlled dance of limited behavior.
Has it been 12 years since she was dancing at my son's wedding? She was always ready for parties and
get-togethers with friends and family. She loved to get all dolled up and go on "dates" with her husband, who is gone now. She loved him so.
Now life is quiet and as she puts it, " A bit boring." But, she is an example of strength and "Don't show them that you're cryin'." She practices what she preaches. She has always told me that there is no way but through something and no use in fussing about things that you have no control over.
So, she is growing old gracefully... and rather quietly... with family to take care of her.

We went to her favorite Mexican restaurant for lunch. She ordering a burrito, eating less than half and taking the rest home... but she still ate some cake and ice cream.
Happy Birthday, Grandma. You are an example to us all.

Storm's a comin', so I'm baking cookies

It rained , off and on, all night. Nothing ominous or foreboding , just a reminder that the seasons change and life keeps going forward. I woke up a couple of times listening to the soft, wonderful sound of the dry earth passionately embracing and accepting the life-giving moisture. There are few sounds so wonderful as rain here in the foothills. Summer is finally over...
In the morning I took the dogs out for their first run of the day. They love to go outside early in the morning and make the rounds of the front yard, smelling everything and leaving their own liquid scent everywhere.
The rain magnifies all the aromas of 3 Dog Farm. It's a combination of trees, bushes, someones wood fire, and the leaves that cover the walkway. It's the familiar and welcome breath of Autumn.
After breakfast I baked Snickerdoodles...

I love to bake these sugary, cinnamony cookies on a cold day. It fills the house with a wonderful aroma and the Prospector loves them. He will say..." Are these for us?" and I will say "Yes, just for us." and there will be , smiles all around and a few of them missing from the plate.
The prospector had been down at his Mother's for a couple of days. It was my turn to hold down the "fort". He came home a few hours ago. His Mom is doing much better. She is getting lots of therapy and hopefully, this will all work toward getting her back home soon. A broken hip at 89 years of age is tough. We are hoping for the best recovery. It will be a hard one, but this is a tough woman and if anyone can recover from this, she can. I have to admire this generation that is slowly leaving us. They make no excuses, they do what they have to do and when life gets difficult they persevere. It's a lesson I pay attention to.
Violetta ( that's my mother-in laws lovely name.)  told me something once.  I was pregnant with my first child and getting close to the delivery. I was not ready to have this baby and I was scared. I said something about my fear to Vi and she said...." You don't have a choice my dear. You just have to get through it. It will be OK. You have your Mom and you have me. We will be there to help you.  The baby will come and there is no other choice."  I think we say there are no other "options." now.  I still did a fair amount of whining about all of this, but I did a lot of growing up that year. I was much better prepared five years later.
Now I have two wonderful sons that rarely complain about anything. When they did, as children, and Grandma Vi was around she would give them the "look" and say... " to the moon". They knew what she meant. They had an understanding with her. There was no other "option" but to behave. Maybe we all learned something from her.
Vi was tough and with some things she was right. Sometimes you just have to put one foot in front of the other and move ahead. Sometimes you have to bite the bullet and there are no "options". If there are other choices then take one, but don't whine about it. Just do it.
I love this woman for this lesson in life and the kindness she has always showed me. Between my wonderful, loving and giving mother and my practical, no-nonsense mother in law... I was covered. I guess you could say I was blessed.
It's like knitting or following a recipe. If you want good results you have to read the directions, follow all the steps to the end and pay attention.
Enough ... There is a storm moving in. Tomorrow will be a wet day. I need to think about dinner and finish the washcloth I'm knitting.... but first I think I'll go have a cookie....