Rest, Relax, Reconnect, Restore!

Good morning from Sun Lakes, Arizona!

Every year I look forward to visiting my dad before Thanksgiving and it has become a moment of resting up for the holiday season ahead.

Thanksgiving is just a couple of weeks away, with Christmas just a month beyond that and of course our Quiltville Winter Mystery will be kicking off with Part One going live just a few days after I return home.

I'll be home on the 18th.  We go live on the 21st!

I've been gone from home since November 2nd - and the pull to get back to my own spaces and places is strong - yet I am so happy to soak up every minute I have with my dad and extended family here.

Time is fleeting and passes so quickly!

One of the things I love about the 55+ community my dad lives in is the green space around some little lakes (hense the name Sun Lakes) and the ducks and other birds that call this place home.

I love waking up to happy birds chirping where they've mostly gone quiet at home.

See the ducks swimming peacefully in the photo above?

Dad is doing great at 85 ad we took a lovely walk around the lakes, spotting this egret.

Wait!  Where are you going?

Evidently he had enough of my creeping closer upon him to get the best photo shot - I thought it was cool that this photo also caught his reflection in the water below.

Speaking of reflections - one of my favorite things with water photography - there wasn't any breeze disrupting the surface of the water at this point of our walk, and I loved how the tree was perfectly mirrored in the still water.

A difference in pine trees.

This trip has been amazing from the rainforest of the pacific northwest where pines grow sturdy and string in Vancouver, Washington - 

To another species of pine also growing here in Arizona.  So different from each other, and all so beautiful.

What these photos can't provide is the fragrance of freshly mown lawn in the green spaces.  I inhaled huge lungsful trying to commit it to memory as we go into our own winter months ahead at home.

Yesterday also brought the gift of meeting up with my sweet sister-in-law Sharolyn. If you've been reading me for long you'll remember that Sharolyn is the wife of my brother Mark who passed from glioblastoma in 2018.

She picked me up at dad's yesterday afternoon and we enjoyed long conversation over lunch out, and then headed over to Chandler where she needed to do some searching at Sheels.

What? you've never heard of Scheels?

Think of it like the Dicks Sporting Goods version of Bass Pro Shop.  There is even a Ferris wheel inside!

And there might not be enough taxidermy - I'm okay with that - because there is this fascinating aquarium as you walk in remind me to:

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming!

And yes, even though we'd already had lunch - we walked through the mall to the other end and found ourselves enjoying cheesecake out on the patio at the Cheesecake Factory because - how often do we get time to do this anyway?

Let's just say that I opted for a simple salad for dinner because I was too full from all of this indulging!

There has been plenty of TV watching time with dad. Up on deck?  Matlock season 2.  Love Kathy Bates and this series has so many twists and turns.

I began with this motif after finishing the last motif started while with Jason on the flight to Phoenix.

I finished blue/yellow/purple one last night giving me 2 of the 5 I need for the next diagonal row complete -

Number 3 of this row is underway.

With a convalescing son and an elderly father, I'm so glad I brought so much handwork with me.

Today our out and about activities will likely include going to Home Depot for a replacement fluorescent bulb for his kitchen, a grocery store for some sundries.

Perhaps another lovely walk around the green area and the lakes -

And in between it all, more sitting and stitching and making progress.

I'm on the downhill slide of this 2 weeks away and so glad I was able to take this detour to spend time with my dad and family before heading home to holiday chaos.

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Just keep petting the fabric, and all will be okay!

Have a terrific Thursday, everyone -