Ruthless

Ruthless. 

That's not an oft-used word, eh? 

To be without ruth? 

Wha? 

Haha. 

ANY wayzzzz

I'm grateful for:

• Summer evenings beside a body of water. Kits Beach. Cultus Lake. By myself or with a friend.
•  Music. Songs. Singers. Instrumentalists. Currently listening to: I Speak Jesus. And Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls
• Smooth rocks. They're easy to paint. PLUS they feel so good in your hand. 
• Friends who like to put dots on smooth rocks. Or friends who don't mind hanging out while I do the dotting.
• Dotting tools. Especially THESE. 
• Air conditioners.
• Neighbours.
• People who live Every Single Day of their lives. So inspiring, yes?
• Weekly supper with my mom.
• Couples who still believe in love. And get married.
• Artists. Current fav is: Wendy Brightbill Someday I'll own on of her originals. Maybe. 
• Answered prayers, even if they make you cry. 
• Good preachers; just listened to Northview's online sermon while catching up on some work.
• The Bible. God loves us. He tells us over and over in his love letter to us. Have you read it? 
• Sandy beaches. 
• Folding lawnchairs and backpacks filled with snacks. And frosty cold bottles of water. 
• Good books. Currently reading Cutting for Stone again. SO good. I might do a re-read of Louise Penny books before the next one comes out this fall. 
• Blue hydrangeas

• Green grass
• Postage stamps. Loving the new sunflower ones.
• Pedicures that include foot massages and bright pink toe nails.
• Late night conversations with my boy. 
• Egg salad sandwiches on fresh soft white bread with avocado
• Spontaneous gatherings with old friends
• Movie nights.
• French Onion Soup; two bowls
• Water systems that work.
• Plumbers who know how to fix burst pipes.
• Clicky keyboards
• Large monitors
• Emotions. All of them. Especially contentment. But also sadness, I guess. 
• Fleetwood Mac songs, especially The Chain
• My team at work. Seriously The Best People.
• Pink rubber flip flops.
• My book club.
• My book club at the lake.
• Men who are enthusiastically kind about taking green furniture to the dump. (Looking at John and Zac; so ruthlessly grateful for your help.)

• Days and days of sunshine (My weather app is just so much fun to look at this month.)
• Dyson fans. 
• Stories of random acts of generosity. People really are good. 
• Cut offs. I bought a pair in June and have worn them everyday (well, almost every day) since. I never thought I'd wear shorts again (after that ugly milestone birthday) but here I am, exposing my thighs like I'm a 16 year old. 
• Friendly strangers.

Last weekend I was minding my own business, sitting in the lake, reading my book, when three women approached the shore, talking amongst themselves. When I looked up, one of them said, "Don't worry. We aren't planning on sitting here, interrupting you. We're heading out for a swim." They removed their brightly coloured bathing suit cover-ups and gingerly stepped over the rocks. They observed how sharp the rocks were; their old feet were not happy. Then one gal looked at me and asked what I was reading. Proud that I wasn't reading something fluffy, I held it up so she could see the front cover. 

"OH! I love that book! One of my favorites. You'll love it."

I replied, "It's one of my favorites too. I ready it ten years ago, so this is a re-read. I've forgotten most of it, so it feels new to me. One of the few benefits of growing old."

They went off chatting and swimming and I resumed reading. 

But the image of those three friends stuck with me for the next hour as I waited for them to return. Those gals must've been in their 60's. Maybe one of them a bit older than that? They way they confidently strutted up to the lake, took off their outer layer and with bodies that were lovely but not 20, they waded into the lake with joy in their voices, left an impact on me. 

When they returned, after FOREVER, we talked again, briefly, about books and book clubs. I asked if I could take a picture of them, to capture a bit of The Happy they had about them. 

We exchanged email addresses; I sent them the 1/2 dozen photos I took, they're going to send me book recommendations. 

There are memes about three older women going swimming (can't find one now, of course), being comfortable in their skin. These three are REAL LIFE examples of that. And it was inspiring. 

• So grateful for Zac. He's spending his weekend taking down the tree-fort my dad built twenty years ago. BC Parks just saw it, and duct-taped a BY ORDER OF PARK OFFICE notice to the decaying structure, advising us we were required to remove it immediately. 

• Thankful for mammograms.
• and all the hidden things that can be seen from blood tests
• Thankful for dentists who convince their patients that smiles are important. 
• Thankful for this cloudy Sunday afternoon.

Thanks for stopping by.

Moisturize your forehead, rehydrate hourly and feel your boobs. 

joxo