Adjustments

"How can you come to know yourself? Never by thinking, always by doing. Try to do your duty, and you'll know right away what you amount to."  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

So here I am searching Goethe for some inspiration.  I have been alone in the house, with the two dogs (one of whom has been ill and has been in need of nurturing and nursing) and the lone cat for a whole week now!

Regena left for Scotland and has been touring with her sister. She leaves such an empty spot when she goes.  Regena is so full of life and so much fun to be around that when she is gone for an extended period of time, I really notice her absence.

It takes a period of adjustment to be alone again.  I have been busy trying to make my flower garden look like the one in the picture above.  Right now it looks like a few lone flowers and a lot of dirt, but hopefully it will get there.  I have some seeds that are definitely sprouting.  The vegetable garden is taking off and I am so happy to see the plants growing.

Steve and I went to the movies, I did some grilling and we spent a lovely morning in the park, sharing breakfast with his church friends.  So I have not been totally alone, and I am filling in some time at the gym and reading.

So, do I know myself?  Well I certainly try to always do my duty,  so I can say, yes, I know me fairly well. I know that I don't like to be alone all the time,  I like to be with the people I love. I do like some alone time, I like the way the garden looks, even though it is a lot of work and I love my dogs,  even when they are old and need extra care.  It is so nice to se Mickey bouncing around again and the ear infections healing.

Just as I make the adjustment for being alone, Regena and Janet will be home! I am looking forward to June 3.

Longing for Ireland

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree, 

And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made; 

Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey bee, 

And live alone in the bee-loud glade. 

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow, 

Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings; 

There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow, 

And evening full of the linnet's wings. 

I will arise and go now, for always night and day 

I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore; 

While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements gray, 

I hear it in the deep heart's core.

—The Lake Isle of Innisfree, by William Butler Yeats

Oh how I long to visit Ireland.  A friend recently asked me if Innisfree was a real place in Ireland.  I found this delightful poem and a couple of images.  Now I guess I need to watch The Quiet Man, which is on my top 20 list of favorite films.

Take me out to the ballgame

...Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks....

Oh the call of the ball park!  I have yet to visit the new stadium in St. Louis.

I really hope to get to a game this year.  Right now my team is at the top of the standings.

When I was a young girl I went to Busch stadium with my dad and mom.  Baseball was so much fun then.  It was a real treat to see Bob Gibson pitch a no hitter. In 1982 when the Cards won the World Series we drank champaign and sang Celebrate !   

 In 2006 I was in Scotland  getting ready to head back to the states, when I turned on the telly to get the news and  got to see my team win the world series! 

For tonight I will head over and see the U of I baseball team beat Ohio State. It should be a good night to eat hot dogs and cheer on my team.