An odd week, really, and I'm glad to see Friday at last. A week of some changes around the homestead - the new landscaping is in, all squeaky clean, neat and fresh, these hopeful little trees and shrubs settling into their new home. If they're anything like their predecessors, they'll be there for a long, long time. This house seems to retain life for a long while, doesn't it? My in-laws built it back in 1952, Jim has spent his whole, entire life here, and I've now lived here longer than I've ever lived anywhere else. I have some photographs (do any of you remember those square black and white snapshots with the scalloped edges, circa 1950?) of the original shrubbery, looking just as tiny and vulnerable as these new plantings do today. I wonder - who will be here 50 years from now to see how they turn out?
Another big change in the neighborhood - the dirt road my mom's house faces is being paved at last! Finally, after 35 years of mud and dust and rutted snow - a nice, smooth blacktop surface. Her road is part of the last section of a major paving project in the township that will end with all unpaved surfaces being paved. This is such a welcome improvement that for once, I won't begrudge paying my tax bill in September (well, maybe just a little.)
I've been watching a lot of television this week. In addition to Dan In Real Life, I also watched How To Make An American Quilt (don't know how I missed this one, but it's a keeper!) and The Nanny Diaries (very poignant and sweet). Both were adaptations from novels I had read, and both were very well done, I might venture to say I enjoyed them more than their respective books.
Also happening this week was a visit to a new doctor, prompted by menopausal "issues." I was very impressed with her approach and her manner. She was warm, intelligent, non-alarmist, yet responsive to my concerns. She treated me with dignity and took time to explain and listen. The office staff was equally helpful and professional. They arranged for additional tests quickly, and the doctor contacted me personally to go over all the results. All in all, it restored a bit of my somewhat tarnished faith in the medical profession.
End result - there's no need for immediate concern, although we're keeping a watchful eye on the situation. I feel much better.
Then, earlier tonight, our church newsletter arrived with the news that our beloved pastor has announced his retirement. It won't be until October of 2009, but the long process of goodbye has begun. He has been with our congregation for 20 years, and literally brought the church back from the brink of ruin and built a thriving congregation. Not only will he be missed, but it will be so very hard to replace him. It's a bit scary, because the wrong minister can absolutely devastate a church in very short time - I've seen it happen, and it's not a pretty picture.
So, a rather disparate set of circumstance in my domestic life this week. You all know I like to tie things together into some neat and tidy little revelation, but I'm not seeing any connections here. I guess you'll have to be content with a simple summary of my life in general for the third week in July 2008.
How about you? What's been happening in your life this week?