Scary

Pat took a picture of a huge spider web in her yard. I had a similar web, maybe not quite as elaborate. I think my spider was a bit lazy. The web was almost the same size but it did not have all of the fancy webbing that Pat's spider produced. I got out my camera to take a picture of the spider web attached to the big hedge and one of my rhododendron bushes and hoped the huge spider would stay posed for me. Somehow I touched the plant boughs and the web detached bouncing the spider off its throne as the wind and rain set the remainder of the web swinging free. I liked Pat's web better anyway, you have to admit it really is an awesome sight. The spider makes it look easy but it is a lot of hard work and I have to admit I admire the spider for its ingenuity and the beautiful finished product. Pat tells me they are pumpkin spiders and come out this time every year.

The caption on the e-mail with the pictures of the polar bear said something about daring to open it if you could stand being scared and seeing a polar bear attacking a human as it was very gory. I was uncertain as to whether or not I wanted to look at anything gory but curiosity got the best of me and I opened the e-mail to find that polar bear in full attack. Isn't it something? Really cute and gave me a laugh for the day.

It is already the last days of October. It seems I write those words a lot . . . 'the last of' and another month has gone by. It doesn't seem like it should be holiday time again. I am bitter sweet about holidays. I really do love them and all they stand for, but I also am wishy-washy about all of the excitement and work they bring about, to say nothing of the expense. It is all in the mind . . . I'll be okay once I get the hang of it. I want it to be like it 'used' to be and it never can be as my world has changed as well as all within my little realm.

Change is necessary for growth, so I'm told, but I'm not sure I want everything to change. I kind of like some things just as they are. I don't think we think about change until a time comes along and we find a loved one can't make it 'home' because of a long distance away, bad weather, or our grown up children are starting traditions in a home of their own. Sometimes it is an empty chair that will never be filled again and our heart hurts, but we reluctantly accept the changes and we find, although things are different, it is like a quote I read yesterday . . . "Life is not the way it is supposed to be. It is the way it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the difference."

So accept the changes in your life. Take a look at something scary over Halloween. Bring a gift to a hostess, eat hardy, sip gently. Make today a good one . . . cope!