My dance card has been full these past weeks. Same ol’ same ol’, though: work, home, housework, laundry, cooking and all the things to do with family - husband, mom, kids, dogs (dog hair!!!), & cat and now, a new “guest”, a mouse in the kitchen - trying to find balance. I’ve been watching over my mom very carefully since she returned, determined to not let the events in South Africa send her into a downward spiral. The need to be ever vigilant has lightened up a little, and my mom is doing well.

More folks were let go at work, one of whom I’ve mentioned many times in my blog, a “frenemy”. I’ve worked with him for 10 years or more, he’s one of the most intelligent people I’ve ever met, but was also, occasionally arrogant and sexist - you know the drill. He drove me mad sometimes and I’ve already said I’ll miss him terribly. His last day was Tuesday. There were other losses too, I know, I know, you must be sick of reading about it! My old friend and my sister. Could this be a catharsis? Can I even spell that word? I have mixed feelings on the whole matter of losing these people in my life. On one hand, yes, sad. On another, light.

Somehow this catharsis or lightness, or whatever you would call it, has caused me to reevaluate (again) my life. I’ve decided I like it here where I am right now. I’ve taken on quite a few projects at home and at work. Caroline, Roseanne and I walked in that Susan G. Komen race last Sunday. Fun, but hot. I was pooped at the end of the day. It was wonderful having Carolina Mooney Juney home for the week-end. We spent some good time together. I had the girls baking with me on Saturday - old fashioned Dutch rusks. Kind of like the Italian biscotti, but (isn’t this typical) bigger and heavier. We did two double batches (each batch took 9 cups of flour and 1 lb of butter, plus buttermilk and cream) so that Caroline would have a lot to take home. Jessica is installed in cosmetology school. She seems to be enjoying it (we hope and pray). It is her birthday on Monday, and we have plans to spend the day together tomorrow, shopping for her presents, going out to lunch and maybe having a mani-pedi together. We plan to go up to a local outlet mall just over the border in New York.

On Sunday I am planning to go to church, I sloughed off most of the summer, although I did buy myself a Bible, and I am planning to read it. It is a good translation, I believe. I won’t go into what I think makes a good translation, I’m so tired right now! But suffice it to say, I am pleased with my purchase. The stack of books next to my bed has become a dangerously high tower. What’s a girl to do? But back to church…I will try to be more regular. I do not do this out of a sense of guilt. I do it becuase it is the right thing for me. Just showing up and listening to the message helps me to obtain that elusive balance and perspective in my own life, plus, hopefully, I am leaving with something to offer other people in terms of kindness and freindship.

The other projects are: fixing up the broken things in our home, such as our dining chairs. My mom bought the dining suite for me in ’94, second hand, but a very good name (Henredon) and the chairs need re caning and re upholstering. I’ve found someone who can do it, therein lies a story for another time….it’s going to be expensive. Expensive enought that the possibility of just buying new chairs seems to be another option. But I remember that my mom was so excited when she found it, and she bought it out of such love, I couldn’t replace those chairs for all the tea in China. Anyway, this person has agreed to let me do one chair at a time, I’ll pay cash. I don’t care if it takes me six months. First, though I had to order the  upholstery all in one go. I’m paying for it a little bit every two weeks. I have to go over the wood on the chairs with some wood soap and lemon oil before I start dropping them off. Don’t trust the re-upholsterer to clean the wood nicely before he fixes the cushions back in place. Hmph.

I want to sort through all my table cloths, I now have about three or four good vintage ones, (picked a new one up the other day - Irish linen - at an estate sale I just happened to be passing - $8!) and make sure they’re clean and pressed and packed away nicely. Then I want to do my (sad) linen cupboard.

I want to go out to Lancaster county at some point - maybe next spring - and buy three hand crafted chests (kysts?) for the girls, and I’m going to fill them with beautiful things for when they start their own homes. I’ll pass on the vintage table cloths and I’ve collected some Carol Boyes stainless steel utensils (she’s an artist from SA, mainly designs home textiles, works in 18/8 stainless steel and pewter and maybe also silver). I have gazillions of expensive pots. Whoever likes to cook the most can have my two prized Le Creuset (6 qt oval and 2 1/2 qt round). The AMC Classic pots can be divided among them. I’ll see.

Had all my bits and pieces of broken jewellery repaired. I don’t have much, none of it that high quality, but all meaningful to me. Sold the extra gold - unmatched earrings and broken chains etc. which paid for the repairs.

Lastly, I’ve joined a knitting group. We start on October 14th, we’ll all be doing a similar sweater.

Well, not quite lastly.

I’m still looking for a writing class. The person I thought I found as a teacher has not responded to my queries, and I’m afraid it is a dead end.

Oh, and I’m exercising more. I’m either walking or working out at lunch time most days. We move offices in a few weeks, and the new facility has a real gym. You have to pay - if they let me pay monthly, I think I can swing it. They even have classes. I want to lose 18 more lbs by Christmas.