I need to tell you before beginning, Judith asked at the beginning of the Summer if we could spend the night on the deck one night.
I'll be honest. I thought my "camping out" days were in the past, but sometime between now and September 21, the two of us are going to blow up the air mattress and "sleep" in the backyard.
Full disclosure...
I'm kinda looking forward to a camp-out with a big screen TV and a big ol' ceiling fan blowing down on me.
And having MY bathroom only 22 steps from where I am sleeping.
With NO spiders in the shower.
And a cooler of ice packs on the floor next to my pillow.
Yeah.
A cooler of ice packs!
This might turn out pretty well.
Quotable Quotes - "Life is like a camera. You focus on what's important. Capture the good times. Develop from the negative. And if things don't work out, take another shot." Anonymous
RANDOMNESS #1 - Used Parts - I am dangerously close to turning 58, and for the most part, I am okay with the number.
However, as I begin my yearly how-am-I-doing-in-the-parts-department review, on the outside I have a little less to work with this upcoming year.
For example, on close inspection of the facial area, I am happy to report my eyebrows are still "pretty good" according to the fashion industry's definition. They aren't "bold," but I do have the tools to make them appear "bold" on a day-to-day basis.
I am not as happy to report, I apparently do not possess the specific skills necessary to make them EQUALLY bold.
One is always lighter, so by the time I darken the light one, the previously dark one is off by a shade or two.
The end result is not just scary...
It is terrifying.
Also, I think it makes people spend WAY too much time staring at my facial area trying to figure out what exactly is wrong.
Moving on, I don't have 20 year-old hands, but I thought they were fairly acceptable. Over the past 12 months, I've noticed more and more how unphotogenic they appear in pics...
And so I must assume that is how they appear in real life, too.
They look, dare I say, gnarly...
And not "gnarly" in a good way.
To remedy this, I will soon be "bringing gloves back."
Since we're in the vicinity, the gloves will cover the elbow because that part started not being very attractive in my 30s.
There are some other problem areas, too, but excuse me if I just skip ahead to my main point.
The fact that I even spent a millisecond worrying about bold eyebrows this past year is very telling, I think.
If at the ripe old age of "almost 58" I am still so concerned about outward beauty rather than inner beauty, I may not be maturing as well as I should.
Eyebrows and earlobes and elbows are not going to hold up as the years march along...
And just that sentence alone makes me realize how silly and shallow and unimportant those parts are in life.
"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight." 1 Peter 3:3-4
I think in my 58th year of life, I'm going to try much harder to work on my inner self...
The part of me that doesn't have to be plucked or tucked or hidden.
The part of me that actually has a chance to obtain unfading beauty.
The part of me that would actually be so happy to be known for having a gentle and quiet spirit.
Anyway, that's the plan.
So if you see me around and my eyebrows aren't looking quite as bold as they should, or my hands aren't as smooth as they once were or my elbows aren't...
Well, we won't even go there.
Just keep in mind, I'm working on a part that's much more important and much more beautiful than any of the other parts I've been so concerned with over the past 50+ years.
And it's about time.
RANDOMNESS #2 - Cullman Wellness & Aquatic Center... One More Time - We met Josh, Courtney, Judith, Eden and Sara Grace for one final twilight swim at Cullman Wellness before it closed the outside pool area for the Summer.
We swam outside for a total of 34 minutes before a big thunderstorm rolled in, and then we ran inside for the duration of our stay.
The inside is nice, but it isn't a water park. The kids, however, were perfectly happy with the big pool, the whirlpool and the shallow part of the pool. The adults liked the large, rectangular hot tub. And the food was exactly the same with a nice little eating area.
All in all, a nice evening.
"What do you mean I have to sit out with Pop and Nana? Put my bikini on NOW!"
Courtney and Sara Grace.
See?
Inside or outside...
Still a big smile.
This little whirlpool area is a lot of fun. It is very fast and the kids go around and around and around in a large circle beside a wall. It takes an adult to pull them out of the fast current into the regular pool, but eventually they all end up back in the whirlpool.
I love this place. We will frequent it much more often next Summer, I am sure.
RANDOMNESS #3 - I Went A-Shootin' - We had a Cousin Night last week, and spent a little time at Sheepdog Firearms in Trussville. My cousins, sister and niece were all pretty proficient at shooting pistols, but Roxie and I were not.
Hopefully, with a little more practice, we can catch up with our kinfolk!
Best hair while wearing noise protector ear muffs. (I don't know the correct term. Can you tell?)
Roxie.
Most definitely Roxie.
Roxie, Abbie, Monica, Amy, Katie, me and Bev.
Very worst shot?
Me.
Most definitely ME.
RANDOMNESS #4 - A Little Eden - This little one is four months old now. She giggles, smiles, wants to sit up ALL the time and eats and burps like a champ.
I love that she is our granddaughter.
RANDOMNESS #5 - A Little RT - And I love that this guy is our grandson!
I hope you and yours have had a good week. I'll be back soon with more pre-Fall stuff.
I cannot even make myself type the word "Summer" one more time. It's just too, too hard...
And hot!
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
From now on, I am going to call this little section "Things That Make The Enchanting Belinda Smile."
Or maybe TTMTEBS would be better.
I'm going to have to think on it!
"I am not an early bird or a night owl. I am some form of permanently exhausted pigeon."
"You know who doesn't care about personal space? Kids! Kids don't care about personal space. They would crawl right inside your eyeball if they could."
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