Thunder Showers

This past week has been quiet but busy. I've been trying to sort through some of the stuff Mom has stored in her garage and out buildings. Wow, it is renewed in my mind what a burden most stuff is. Mom has saved just about every scrap of paper her hands ever touched. They sit stored in boxes in every structure on this ranch. There is plenty of other kinds of stuff as well. I am thinking that sorting through some of it while Mom is here is a good idea as there are little treasures hidden in the massive amounts of useless stuff that only she can explain. Seeing all of this makes me want to dejunk my own stuff right now.

I've indulged myself a little. I actually had a professional cut my hair. If you know me, you know that this is a rare thing indeed. I usually cut my own hair, with mixed results I admit. But mostly it seems to work OK. But a girl reaches a breaking point every once in awhile. I simply had to let someone who knows what he's doing to do the job. So I went to a well-recommended hair guy on Main street here. As he was beginning to do my hair all the power went off and it didn't come back! So I got a cut and shampoo but no style. Still, the cut is good. I'm amazed what a good cut does for my efforts at styling hair. As it turned out the power was off for quite awhile, all over town and beyond. So, this coming week I'm returning to my hair guy for a styling with every faith that the power will hold. I'm excited and anxious to see how it turns out.

In California there is no summer rain. Our hills and landscapes are "golden" (in other words, dead) as a result. So it is magical to me to experience rain and warm at the same time. This week has been filled with thunder storms. Mom and I have sat on her deck several evenings, watching the storm clouds move in. Lightening flashes in the hills beyond, followed by thunder. We can see the rain in the distance. Then it slowly comes to us, bringing all the excitement with it. Inside we go as the rain begins. Lightening lights up the sky and thunder rattles through the house and booms in our ears as the storm breaks right over us. Pouring rain follows, drenching everything outside. How magnificent! Here is a picture of my mom's driveway and garage in the middle of the downpour. I imagine how beautiful our little spot would be with this kind of summer. I love it here and I would love it there.

Five weeks in Colorado seems like such a long time. But our turn here will be over in just a couple of days. Home we will head for the month of August, then back here again. I have come to love being here. I can lose my sense of home happenings so easily as I involve myself in life here. Caring for Mom feels light and mostly very pleasant. Layne is a good companion and assistant. I almost feel like we are one with those folk who travel between two homes, to follow the seasons. The impact of the events of life depend so very much upon personal interpretation. I'm working on interpreting this time in my life in the best way I can.