The State of Things...

Some of you may have noticed that I haven't been on top of things lately - my posts are rather sporadic and even keeping up with blog reading has been a challenge.  I've been feeling a bit guilty and decided that, instead of stressing out and trying (unsuccessfully) to keep up, I'll give myself an emotional break and fill everyone in.  I'll still be blogging, I'll still be reading & commenting, but the sporadic nature of both will likely continue for the rest of the season.  And this is why.

When my dad passed away just over a year ago, I contemplated not posting about it.  My blog - and my garden - are my happy place.  Even when things go wrong - pests (dang rabbits!), diseases and the unpredictability of Mother Nature - these types of "problems" are minor in the grand scheme of things.  And there is always something to be thankful for in the garden, something that makes me smile and forget, at least for a short time, the trials that life throws our way.

So when my mother-in-law became ill in January and then passed away a few weeks later, I decided not to post about it.  I wanted to keep the sadness out of the blog, especially since it was so soon after my own dad's passing which had a significant affect on both my life and the blog last year.

The passing of a parent takes a toll on the whole family - not only with regards to the passing itself, but also when it comes to helping the surviving spouse adjust to life after the fact.  This was especially difficult with my father-in-law since he was afflicted with advanced Parkinson's.

We knew the adjustment would not be easy, but it ended up being much more tragic than anyone anticipated.  None of us were aware of how far the Parkinson's had progressed until my mother-in-law, who had been the primary caregiver, was no longer around.  It was heartbreaking.  And then the final blow - my father-in-law suffered an episode which lead to brain damage.  He survived for a few weeks, but then peacefully passed away with both his children by his side.  Two parents, two funerals.  Both a total shock and all within a 4 month period. It's been an emotionally grueling time.

The funeral was the weekend before we went to Vancouver.  The main reason behind this trip was to attend a wedding and, quite frankly, had it not been for the fact that we were 4 of only 5 people representing the grooms side of the family, we would have cancelled it.  The trip, however, did end up doing us good - it was a respite from the heaviness of the events back home.  A time to set aside thoughts of what was lost and enjoy what we still had.

So this has been the state of things over the past few months.  I'm still managing to get out into the garden but the heat is making gardening more of a pain than a joy this year.  Or perhaps it's not just the heat, but my overall emotional state.  Sometimes it's hard to tell.  Unlike when my dad passed away, I've decided not to take a specific break from blogging.  For the rest of the season, however, I'll likely not be as active in the blogosphere as I normally am.

I wanted to end this post on a more positive note so let me tell you what we did the day after we returned from Vancouver.  We decided to add to our family:

This is Blossom - a now 3 month old kitty from the Humane Society.
Everyone assumes I named her, but that was her name when we got her.  I say it's fate 💗

We've been meaning to get a pet for a while, after a self-imposed hiatus once the kids were born, and the timing just seemed right.  Blossom is the most adorable, purry bundle of fur ever.  In an otherwise overcast year, she has brought a much needed ray of sunshine into our home.