Slight Detour: Reflections of Life's Good Stuff

I asked Bill last night if it had really been only two days since we brought Bridie home.

I knew the answer but still could not believe that the little pup has made such an incredible adjustment and has found her way deep into our hearts SO quickly.

Seems like she's been here forever, adding more simple joy to the lifestyle we are so fortunate to experience.

A relatively short list of "to do's" allowed me to spend most of yesterday day loving the dogs and loving where life has taken us during these past several months.

With pork ribs simmering in the slow cooker, a batch of homemade rolls and some homegrown potatoes for baking, dinner was all set so I had time in the afternoon to sit back and reflect while dogs snoozed in various corners of the house.

There's a lot that makes me really mad in the world most often with the common denominator of how people treat each other at high levels and in everyday circumstances.

With the sheer magnitude of ugliness we hear and read about, it would be easy to dwell on this stuff 24-7.

Indeed, I give it my fair share but have noticed lately getting into discussions with friends about all the awfulness and then catching myself sometimes mid-sentence with the all too familiar feeling of getting worked up.

"Let's get on another topic," I'll say abruptly, either thinking or saying "Life's too short."

For me personally, there's a happy and simple side of life, much of it due to my relatively shielded surroundings here in the country and my daily routine of doing farm chores, interacting with happy and fun animals and visiting with friends or family.

I am thankful for the above, just as I am thankful for all the good people whom I meet in my wanderings both at home and abroad.

I'm thankful for the good and charitable and caring things that still happen in my community every day, thanks to dedicated, caring people AND in spite of its growth and the infusion of negative elements that have come along with the growth.

This year I have found myself very thankful for something I hate and fear: three shots in the arm.

Those shots protected me from the ravages of a continuing Pandemic to which there appears to be no clear end-game, especially here in North Idaho where selfish and self-defined "freedom" ignores common sense, responsibility, caring about others or any desire to help restore a safe public environment for all of us to interact.

Yeah, there's definitely irritation and frustration mixed in with that last statement, but there's so much gladness too.

I'm so glad to have listened to and respected general guidelines for avoiding Covid over the past 20-plus months. And, I'll continue to do so.

Doing so allowed some much-cherished freedoms that seemed so elusive a year ago: the freedom to travel and enjoy every minute of our trip to Ireland.

I am very thankful for the positive and responsible leadership, science and selfless contributions of medical personnel that made that opportunity possible.

I'm also very thankful that our immediate family members and most of the extended family has avoided Covid. No guarantees in the future, but so far so good.

I'm also thankful for my family, friends and my beloveds. Each, in their own way, contributes to my personal world in meaningful and impressive ways.

Every single day I appreciate where I live, thanks to its natural and ever-changing beauty.

My immediate surroundings also offer comfort and a calming isolation from the general mean-spiritedness, insensitivity and incomprehensible insane behavior of those who should know better

And, so, it's a good life for which I'm grateful, especially this morning being mom to a winning high school basketball coach, a new puppy mom and, of course, a ZAGS fan.

What a game!

Happy Wednesday.