August 1st, as many of you know, is not a great day for me. It's the day my father passed, back in 1995. Hard to believe it's been twenty-seven years since that happened.
August is not a great *month* for me. On the 2nd, in 1979, my little sister, Heather, died when her heart, with it's unclosed prenatal holes and faulty valve, stopped beating shortly after release from a ten-day stay at Children's Hospital in London. I think it was relatively early in the month that my Nana Boose died in 1988 - complications from dementia and physical issues from a fall. On the 29th, in 1992, Papa Boose died - he'd been diagnosed with leukemia, but he was getting tired, missed my Nana terribly, and his heart just stopped. And, of course, on the 29th last year, my mother died - pancreatic cancer, on top of some other issues she'd been dealing with for a while. July may be my vacation month, but August is when Kathy wants to bubble-wrap me and gets paranoid about every little hiccup I may have, health-wise, because it seems to be the month in which Booses die!
But I've hit August 1st this year probably the most relaxed I've been in some time. I had a great month - ten days away camping, seven days in Collingwood, some things done around the house, and more things over the next while. I've done some meditating on life, some praying, a bit of recreational reading, selecting some devotional reading as well, and really working on my Program (the Nar Anon one). I'm working very hard on evaluating what I can change in any given situation - if I *can* change something, what, and how much; and if I *can't* change anything, then roll with it and see what comes next! This has been *VERY* helpful, and moreso all the time!
Not to say that August isn't going to be busy, especially as we get towards the end. As I see it, the 2oth to the end of the month goes a little nuts - the 20th has not one but two memorial services (Kathy's great-uncle Bill and my Uncle Ian), 300km apart; the 26th has a barbecue at Knox for a car show in the Downtown, the 27th has *another* memorial service, and the 28th has both church services *and* a supper at Evangel Hall (downtown TO) that evening! The 29th, the anniversary of Mom's death, will possibly include a trip to see Sir Goobs in his current residence as a guest of the Queen (which, all things considered, is going well for him, as well as "well" can be!).
Have a great August, folks - it's going to burn past before you know it!