Looking Forward and Looking Back

One of my favorite parts of summer is blueberries- usually.

 Auntie G-Lou loved them so, but picking them was bittersweet.  Usually I eat them by the handfuls, but this year, the taste seems off to me. They taste like sadness and tears.
Funny, when you pick, you take a look at the bush and it looks like you've picked it well, but then you go past the bush and look back and see what you've missed.  I keep looking back over the last year, wondering where we went wrong, what we missed with Glenda. How did things get so bad? I know it doesn't do a bit of good, but I simply can't keep from looking back.
We siblings and my mom are pretty well spent.


Ahhh, okay before I'm a sobby mess, let's look back at something else.

This morning at 6:30, as I prepared for the day, I wondered, "What makes Playdate what it is?"

Is it Gramerly's tea, that began as Bean only, but now has many followers?

Is it running out to pick the spearmint to offer a cold drink they all love, since it is hotter than blue blazes and Aunt SuZQ isn't coming?

  Is it a new clearance craft book and the supplies to use it?

 Ahhh, perhaps the beloved snack basket, that goes hand in hand with the equally beloved story hour?

 Or all the hands who pitch in like Gardner E. who lovingly provided seedlings for planting in the deep dark woods?  And sweet girls like our Jenna and Sidley who so sweetly help our wee ones with big projects.

 Or Ms. Glitzy who trails the group and snaps piks while I play the  part of the village botanist, geologist,  and animal tracker.

 Perhaps it is just chillaxing in our state of the art swim facility?

 Major splashing to cool off?

 Playing with our babies?

 Enjoying the creek from the youngest to the oldest Playdater?

 Rae and Ol' Mother Hubbard helping to keep everyone slathered in bug stuff and keeping them fed?

Uncle Jimi training them on tool use?

Ceece loving up those wee ones and making us laugh.

For Michael, who takes off work, when Rae Rae is sick, so the boys don't have to miss.

Pappy who keeps us and all the pools, hammocks, batteries, etc.  in working order?

For all this and every precious one I've been allowed to love, I am grateful.