The Bitter and the Sweet

We had an incredibly good and  satisfying weekend. I had this post all ready to go with pictures of the sweetness that composed our days. 

Then the bitter stopped by.

My first inclination was to scrap what I already had written here. But then I remembered that life is nothing more than a mix of delicious, horrible, charming, frightful, bitter, sweet and astounding moments. 

Then I also remembered that the unpleasant and frightening moments in our lives don't get the last word. 

So here's where we are – I found out this morning that my dad has cancer. And a brain tumor. 

We haven't spoken in years. My head and heart are spinning. Yet the essence of who I am continues celebrate the life and love that I have.

That human beings are capable of experiencing both joy and fear simultaneously is nothing short of a miracle to me.

The sweetness that sustains me:

:: We had sleep over for B. on Saturday night. He brought his metal detector and he and Ali tore up the backyard looking for "treasures." 

Here is their "treasure" pile!

:: We got awesome haircuts, right in our very own kitchen. It felt like the best kind of family.

:: I baked Banana Cake and Peanut Bread. Then we simmered Bolognese Sauce all day on the stove and ate it over fettucini noodles until we were stuffed!

:: We joked with the next door neighbor about his landscaping projects. When he put this ugly mushroom sculpture on the curb with a FREE sign on it, we liberated it - just to make him laugh. What do you think? Maybe with a new paint job??

:: A complete stranger gave us this old stump after I mentioned that I wanted one for my garden. It's going to get planted with moss roses. I love it when people you don't know show unexpected kindness.

So here it is. The bitter and the sweet. It's where I am this Monday morning. And where we are most of the time if only we are paying attention.