The last lazy days of Summer

I am milking this time of year for all it's worth! The summer has been one of the prettiest on record, and the fall is promising to be spectacular, as well.

It was my mother's favorite time of year, but she also dreaded seeing it come. It was during this "autumn-into-winter" season that she lost her father and two of her brothers - all within three years. She, herself, succumbed during this time of year. It will be 25 years ago tomorrow.
Mom - don't let her beauty fool you. When I was naughty, one look at me with those eyes made me wither and melt.
Her father, Corb
Her brother, Watt, who looks a lot like Betty's son, PT.
Betty's son, PT. There are times the resemblance is uncanny.
Brother Thearl and Mom

This is also the time of year we have fond remembrances of Kerry's sister, Gay. She died 11 Sep 2001 of Lou Gherig's disease (ALS). She was one of the most talented people I have ever known. The world lost a great artist when she passed on...
Isn't she beautiful? Because of her beautiful name, Kerry will never refer to those that live a homosexual lifestyle by that name, in honor of her...

This is also the time of year when Kerry and I experienced one of our worst nightmares. It was 12 years ago this week that Peter was involved in a head-on collision and nearly lost his life. I look back on that time and remember how if felt like we were living in a dream world. This is what happens to other people - not us. We were told on two different occasions that he would not live.

But, he did. He still had a purpose on this earth. We all do, until we are called home.

I hope I never have to have an experience like that again. The thought of burying one of my children just turns me inside out.

But, I will never forget the family and friends who were there to hold Kerry and I up. Kindnesses were done for us on every turn. There are some deeds that were done for us that leaves me wondering to this day who did them. There were hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of prayers offered up in his behalf - and ours.

There were those that helped with Harmony, Jordan and Erik - driving them to and from practices and piano lessons and church activities - trying to keep some sort of normalcy in their lives while Kerry and I were at the hospital round the clock.

Oh, my. I get a lump in my throat just thinking about that time in my life - in our lives.
Peter - about a year before his accident.

I sure received a lot of comments after my post last week. I'm glad you all like my pictures. I've become quite the photographer, for it helps us to see and become involved in what's happening. A couple of you asked what the gas prices were in Canada. Remember - they use the metric system. It ran an average of $1.05/litre - or close to $4 per gallon. Did we need a passport? We already had ours, but friends of our obtained a passport card this past summer on a trip to Niagara Falls and it cost them $25.

I had another return appointment with my doctor this week. The MRI shows a disc bulging forward and a disc bulging backward - both being filled with arthritis and clamping the spinal cord. He gave me a shot of cortisone, which nearly sent me into orbit. After some rubbery legs and knots in my calves and thighs, I do feel a bit better.

Now it's time to nestle down and listen to the katydids, the tree frogs, the coyotes that howl, and my stomach rumbling. I shouldn't be hungry, but I am...

Love to y'all..

MIss P