Keeping busy ...

I've been trying to keep myself occupied. Nothing is the same now.  It's difficult to adjust to life without my best friend. One of my church friends said to me yesterday, 'Judy, I hate to tell you but it won't get much better.'  She's been a widow for about 15 years. Not too comforting but I think she was trying to snap me back to reality. I really looked at myself in the mirror today and I even look like a widow!  I guess what I'm trying to do is discover what the meaning of my life is now. It seems to have no purpose. Oh, I do some of the things I used to enjoy -- hobbies and such, taking care of my few potted plants on the patio, keeping the 'house' looking neat and tidy.  But I have no one here to tell me how good something looks or tastes, or how good a job I did on something I made, or how much they appreciate whatever it is that I've done. It all seems so meaningless. Consequently, I find that I'm doing less of the things that I used to enjoy.  All I can say that sounds positive is that I have always enjoyed being by myself, so there is that. I'm plugging along, trying to discover what it is that God wants me to do with the last years of my life. I'll let you know if I discover it ...

I continue to decorate the condo so that it feels like home. Found this real calf-hide rug for the little office. It feels so neat on my bare feet; I love to walk on it! I do go barefoot indoors year round, always have. Now, I still want to get some advise on how to efficiently arrange my work (guest) room. Something just doesn't feel right in there.

A few weeks ago my sister and I went antiquing in Decatur. We saw this mirror and both of us fell in love with the idea! It came off of an old dresser. Every time I see a dresser now with its mirror intact I'll think of how it would look repurposed like this. A shelf has been added to the top. So clever!

Met my friend Debbie in Hagerstown last week. It was a great day! We always just talk, talk, talk! In addition to enjoying fried chicken (and chicken livers for me) at Willie & Reds, we visited a couple shops on the main street. (We never got around to Abbotts Candies ... good thing for me. I LOVE their caramels and I'd probably loose a crown if I ate one.)  I took the three photos below at The Shoppes on Main. The fellow working there was so super nice. I ended up buying a decorative plate with three angels on it. It's sort of unusual; [note to self: I'll have to take a photo of it and put on here next time] ... Anyway, his shop was just chock full of wonderful, needful things! Just my type of store with a mix of antiques, unique home decor items, and lots of silk flowers! He also had lots of fountains! We spent a lot of time in there!!!

Love what he did with this old fodder cutting table...

He was putting out autumn decor while we were there.

Love those cubbies in the corner; trying to think of how/where I could use it. It was very reasonable priced! And I think it would go in the back of my car if I laid the back seats down ...

Well, that's about all from me for now. I miss seeing my old friends from Greene County! I'm enjoying the group I meet with every Wednesday, and the gals I exercise with on Monday and Thursday, but it's just not the same. I haven't found that one or two kindred spirits here. And it just may never happen here. I probably won't be lucky enough to find friends and church family like I had there. I was blessed!

God is good!  I wonder sometimes why he has been so good to me! Have a good Labor Day weekend!