Things, they are a changin' . . .

Well.  Life has a way at throwing surprises at you, doesn't it?  Mine surely has. It's such a Merry-Go-Round!  Maybe a Tilt-a-Whirl.

I've practically abandoned my blog.  Not because I want to, but there are no more hours in the day than there were before . . . and mine are ever so much more full!

My husband retired.  Gasp!  He's way too young for that nonsense  :) . . .   but you know how the economy has been . . .  and there was a kind of golden parachute . . . jump now.  You know?  So he did . . .  by doing so, helped to save the jobs of younger men.  We hope.  Suddenly {6 weeks notice}, I went from living virtually alone to suddenly having a full time husband.  I teasingly refer to time, as "before" and "after" "he moved in".  Twenty-eight days later, our daughter's marriage ended.  She has a toddler and one who was just about to enter Kindergarten.  She had been a stay-home Mommy.  So that's that.  While our daughter adjusts to the challenges of becoming a working, single Mommy . . . Papa and I are learning to be nearly full time Grandparents.

This kind of adjustment can take some time and effort . . . but the children . . . the sweet little things!  So . . . we're busy learning how to entertain little ones, and figure out what those cantankerous little appetites will eat.  I think we're getting better at it.  We're doing training wheels and training pants . . . I know I'm much better at cooking now that I have a two year old standing beside me on a chair to show me the ropes.  It's true!  She told me so!   I have re-learned; the unbelievably musical sound of children's giggling glee because I made pancakes!   . . . the indescribable  beauty of a multi-colored chalk covered driveway . . . that my oven can still bake cookies . . . {not that it should} . . .  I know who Chloe, and Peppa, Angelina and Poppy Cat are.  I have vases full of the shortest stemmed flowers!  {And very few blooming in the yard.}  :)  I know where to find Goldfish crackers and Fruit Roll-ups at the grocery store again.  I have a secret stash of M&Ms, for melt-down emergencies.  I'm not half bad at slicing apples, and cheese, and serving up a delightful array of tempting, healthy snack trays . . .  Creative Sandwich Cutting is becoming my favored creative art form . . . my Pinterest has fun and educational Children's activity boards . . .

Yep . . . this is where I am. . . not so much of my typical blog fodder, I suppose . . .  Of course, there are still the Silversmithing Classes {which I take}, and the Soldering Classes {that I teach} . . . but a typical day isn't nearly as involved in my once customary pursuits . . . and I am so much richer and more blessed for it . . .

I will stop by now and again to check on all of you and your wonderful pursuits . . . but as for me . . . well, things have certainly changed around here!