Blessed Procrastination

There is a blessed chinook going on outside today. Blessed because it means a relief from the abnormally cold temperatures of late and the partial melting of the two+ feet of snow we've received since the 28th of October. I haven't been out of the yard since last Friday. Winter driving is not my best suit and when you live in the middle of nowhere driving is mandatory if you want to see another human being. Icy roads and a sudden snowfall kept me home last weekend instead of going to my Lay Formation course. It's getting pretty bad when a person feels snow(house)bound and winter hasn't even officially begun!

I am procrastinating along with the best of them today. Tomorrow I am headed to a women's retreat where I am one of a dozen speakers. I enjoy the speaking part of it as much as the writing and preparing ahead of time. I've accepted both are gifts God has given me and am thrilled to share them with others. It will be a weekend of little sleep, lots of laughter, a good cry or two, plus great food. I will be totally spoonless before it is over but will be rejuventated in my spirit. The thought of daily Mass and access to a chapel around the clock (with the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament) both lift my spirits. I have quite a long list of things that need to get accomplished before I head out the door tomorrow. Nothing like leaving it to the last minute to get my butt in gear.

Mentally I am feeling like something has lifted. I don't have any more energy or ambition to do a blessed thing but at least I am not feeling like there is a black cloud hovering over me on top of it. I'm no longer resisting the pull into my prayer room and I can go and sit there in solitude and feel some peace.

This morning while waiting for the computer to wake up I looked outside to see a herd of elk grazing not much more than a stone's throw from the deck. The dogs must be used to them already because they didn't bark up a storm at their presence. Maybe before winter is over I will be able to get a photo of them to share with you. How to do that without spooking them all away will be the challenge.

Yesterday morning I took a picture of the sunrise from inside the house. I do love the expanse of sky just outside my window, don't you?