HAPPY 61st TO ME !!!!!

Whoa !!! What a crazy day. The day before  we leave for vacation always is a bit crazy but maybe today was the worst . Seeming to drive that home was when I walked in the kitchen the next morning and saw the back door standing wide open !!  Glad no one came through looking for unlocked doors last night.
Hubbie took today off to help make things easier and it is a good thing he did with all we had to do today.
First on the list was a trip to Tractor Supply to get animal feed stocked up for the farm sitter. Then I wanted to get a new laptop as my old one is really aggravating me and hubbie wants it to surf around on. So after a look at Sam's Club while hubbie picked up a few supplies I decided to check out the sale Staples was having. Got a good deal and then headed to Dunham's sporting goods for a pair of deck shoes for hubbie for our beach trip.
Whew finally home at 11:00 and ready to begin baking , or so I thought !!  As I gathered supplies I discovered that I had forgotten to pick up any butter. Aldi is usually where I get this and they were out so I forgot to get it at Walmart.  I hurriedly made a trip to Ingles while hubbie started yardwork.
Only a 30 minute delay before my baking duties began. I baked 12 caramel, 7 chocolate, 5 pound and 2 blackberry wine cakes.
After a quick late lunch I started packing. Along with hubbie we got everything packed and sitting either inside the basement door or just inside the living room door.
Then we headed outside to get all the animal waterers and feeders filled.
Aa and Re came by to wish me a happy birthday .  I haven't had any time today to even think about turning a year older, but maybe that is a good thing !!!
Daughter came by a bit later and brought me a nice gift. This antique bird house and a gift card from my favorite place to eat, Cracker Barrel. Thanks kids!!! I love both my gifts.

She dropped Tipper her dog off as she has an overnight lock in with her volleyball team tonight and wants to get straight home and to bed in the morning so she can get some sleep before her and #2 son head to the beach.
When she left and all the regular chores were done I carried water to all my potted plants and flowers. The forecast is for 0 %  chance of rain for most of this coming week.
Back inside I started icing cakes and getting things ready for market tomorrow. I have a good friend that I hire to work my market booth for me on the first Saturday of vacation so that I won't miss but 2 market days. I used to go to market myself on this day and then hubbie and I would  leave after market to drive to the beach. We always arrived after dark and we are not good at driving after dark anymore especially in strange places.  This works out much better for us and Georgia Rhodes doesn't mind working the booth.
Hubbie helped any way he could to make things move faster but it was still 1am when we got into bed. I was very tired !!
I have a funny feeling about going on vacation this year. I am sure I need the time off but can't put my finger on exactly what is causing this apprehensive feeling. It is probably because this is the first time we have ever left the 4-legged kids at home. But since they have such health problems we just  didn't think they could make the long trip this year.
I'm sure I will enjoy my down time after I get there and things get settled here at home with Heather.
As this month of July comes to an end this has been one of the more exciting news filled months that we have had in a long time.
Beginning with the news that our entire farm is in the "study area" for the new mega power lines Duke Energy is going to build made us start thinking that it may not be in God's will for us to remain here for the rest of our lives. That news also put a hold on several projects we were getting ready to do around the house and farm.
We had a Fourth of July cookout here with Josh's family and then on their family beach trip he proposed to daughter making her a very happy lady and all of us very thankful that she waited for what seems to be her perfect husband. His family is excited also as they really love daughter.
In a usual July I would have been in the kitchen canning on many days this month but because of the recent drought we are in I have only canned green beans and made Dilly beans so far. All the other vegetables seem to be just sitting around waiting for some rain so they can ripen up.
The heat this month has been oppresive at times , so much so that at the end of several busy days I have found myself in tears I was so tired and wiped out from fighting the heat and a busy schedule.
G-son found a new friend as we made a couple trips with him to Carl Sandburg's goat farm where he fell in love with one of the young goats named Cinnamon.
D-in-love has had to only work Mondays and Tuesdays this month so g-son has only been here those two days each week.
Curb Market has been busy for me as the camps are in full swing around the area and they all buy cakes from me as well as all the summer residence that buy my cakes.
Unlike most months this month has seemed to drag by. I know I can't complain about time slowing a bit for me at this point in my life and I'm not complaining I'm just saying !!  Maybe it was the heat, maybe the busy time of year, maybe it is the not knowing where the power line will go, or maybe it is just a time in my life that things stop spinning for a little while which I am very grateful for. I rest in the knowledge that God knows what is best for me and as we end this month in the wee hours of the night feverishly getting ready for our yearly beach trip I pray that each decision that is made in the coming months will reflect the love light that God shines down on us each day.
God will take care of His creatures and all will be as He wills.  Thanking God for this blessed day.
Good Night and God Bless.