It's Almost September...

The seasons ahead. This is my focus, as we enter into the birthday-anniversary-extra-church-services month that ushers us into the autumn. It could bring rain, or snow, or windy days. In actuality, it could bring all three in the same day. I have already been canning and hope to do a bunch more when we get some raspberries in a couple weeks and also some peaches sometime soon. When apples are in abundance, I plan to make some apple butter and sauce.

With heating costs always on the rise, it is good to know that we are a family who drinks some hot infusions and enjoys some homemade soup. We are also going to experiment with keeping the thermostat even lower than usual. Since our condo is situated on the bottom level, we retain heat rather well, but we are also on the north side of the building, so our daily sunlight is limited. I will be making Katherine a sweater vest that she can wear over the top of her shirts, for all-purpose use, whether indoor, or out. I am hoping to complete my vest soon, too. Jay has a vest, and the sweater I made him last year, which he loves! It appears we are set, for now, so long as I can keep on top of my projects. It can be rough trying to keep up with knitting during the heat of summer, but I have been working on it.

We are hoping to visit my grandma for Thanksgiving, providing we can afford the trip. If we can't go then, we will try for January/February again, I suppose. The beach calls to my family like nothing else! We have plenty of people to see out there, as well, so it is always nice to make the trip and have our once-a-year catch up. Families like Nicole and Jake Howard, Uncle and Aunt Cousins Tom and LeeAndra, the West Family and, if we are fortunate enough to have it work out, my Goddaughter and her family in AZ.

Jay has recently put in to the VA for compensation for his ptsd, among other things. They readily admit that he has ptsd, even so far as to possibly blame his insomnia and headaches on it, but his disability doesn't include anything for it. Funny how that works, but we will see how this turns out. My concern is that, since he already receive some disability benefit, he will get shoved to the bottom of the pile and it will take even loooooonger than usual. You know the military, hurry up and wait! Only time will tell.

This year marks our 9th wedding anniversary, but I am thinking about our 10 year coming up soon, since it seems so close, I can taste it! I am dreaming of going to a bed and breakfast for a couple of days when the 10 years approaches. I really liked the Bybee House out in Jacksonville, near my parents. Aside from being so capable of catering to our food needs, it is set in a small town, on a piece of beautiful land and lovely hosts. I had thought about going to the one where we spent our wedding night, but I have no other attachment besides it being the place we stayed the night we were married. It would be pretty, to be sure, but now that our lives are so delicately revolving around food, it is nice to have found a place that offers so much for those of us who have specific needs, but it isn't a bother, or out of the ordinary.

Well, this little girl got up super early, so we need to be getting her off to bed. I will write more later! Glory to God for all things!