Bethel Beach

Ooopsie.  The water seems to be draining out of the right-hand corner thanks to that slanted horizon.

These were taken several months weeks ago before my parents started encountering some pretty major health problems.

Again here, we're listing to the right a little.

I've all but missed the summer and have spent the past six weeks traveling from home to work to hospitals and now rehabilitation facilities to visit my father.  As of this moment, and entirely due to Middle Sister's diligence with the doctors and nurses, my father is holding his own.  But he's not home yet.

That's my main goal for him.  To come home.

Because life just can't seem to ever calm down, I've had a health scare of my own that is still unresolved.  For now, I'm just grateful my father is showing some signs of improvement, my mother is doing OK, and I have some breaks from work coming up which are long, long overdue.  The driving and the hectic season at work plus all the worries about my family have pretty much worn me down.

I look forward to the time when I can return to jogging, blogging and taking pictures of the serenity that surrounds me when I'm home.

Happy last week of August.

Three Things

Callis Wharf

If it's Thursday, and it appears to be, it's time to share three things--hence the clever name Three Thing Thursday, which is where I share three random thoughts and hopefully you do too.

I'll go first, because that's just how it works. Or rather, that's how it has worked in the past, not that we can't change things and have you all go first.

Let's just begin.  Please.

1.  Yesterday Daughter, her friend Olivia and I, as part of our quest to forget that Son is gone for the week, traveled 81 miles to Doswell, Virginia, to Kings Dominion, an amusement park.  I first went to this park back in the 1970s when it was called Lion Country Safari.  Back then there was one tiny wooden roller coaster and the rest was a safari-like drive that led you past elephants, lions and zebras who were either sleeping or so depressed and unimpressed with their environment they just couldn't move.  Although the safari is no more, I'll have you know that tiny wooden roller coaster is still there, and we rode it yesterday.  We also rode the Rebel Yell, also there since the '70s.  While I gladly observed from the comfort of my park bench, Daughter and Olivia rode all of the high-thrill rides, including something called the Volcano, which looks like a death trap that propels you straight to hell utter and complete torture. I dragged them on things like the tiny wooden roller coaster and the Rebel Yell.  Speaking of yelling, my throat is still raw from all the screaming.  Olivia begged dared me not to scream on the tiny roller coaster--particularly since that tiny roller coaster is intended for tiny people, also known as small children.  Nope.  Couldn't help myself.  Screamed and laughed the whole way.

1 b.  The last time we were at Kings Dominion was last summer right before Son had his major surgery.  Although yesterday was intended to help us forget that Son is away this week, everything reminded me of him and those days leading up to the surgery.  I'm so grateful all of that is behind us now. Also, I miss him.  The quest didn't work.  Regardless, Daughter, Olivia and I did manage to have a good time.

2.  Tuesday evening I had a long overdue dinner with one of my first blog friends, Angie. After two hours of conversation that only skimmed the surface of catching up, we talked about dinner at my house in the fall, which is the soonest either one of us is free.  That got me thinking about extending the invitation to other blog friends.  After a preliminary poll about interest and availability, it looks like I'll be throwing a party here late September, a sort of reunion of some of the wonderful friends I've made from this blog. Details are sketchy at the moment, but I'm excited to have something to look forward to. Plus it forces me to clean my house, something I loathe, but which is necessary at least once a year. If you're reading and want to attend, let me know, the invitation is open to everyone.

3.  After the half marathon I ran in April, I decided to give myself some time off from running to recuperate.  Well, here it is July and I'm still recuperating giving myself time off. If I don't sign up for another race, there will be no motivation, no reason to run. If anyone has any recommendations for a good half marathon for the fall, no matter where it's located (preferably continental United States), let me know.  Otherwise I will probably sign up to do the Outer Banks one again in November.

I could keep going and write up to 23 things today, but this is too much as it is more than enough.

Now it's your turn to share three things.  Or three and a half things. Or one and three quarters. Whatever you want, whatever is on your mind.