From the time I left work last night up until an hour ago, we have had thunderstorms rolling through at different intervals. It has been quiet rolling thunder to a few crackers that woke me out of a sound sleep at 3am and again at 6am. I enjoy listening to thunder and sometimes watching lighting. I’m not fond of lighting so close all the hair on your arms and the back of your neck stand up but something farther in the distance. It has not really gotten warm enough for the storms to become severe or become tornados. It was an interesting drive to my pet sitting jobs last night and this morning as a good bit of rain fell. Not all roads drain very well here so standing water can be a problem as well as the creeks and tidal river coming over their banks at high tide. I really wanted to travel back roads today to my jobs and was thankful the water on the rivers and creeks, though high never came on the roads.

I have been busy caring for cats this week as well as a few dogs. The top two pictures I took while out on some of the walks with dogs. I love iris flowers. All the different colors and the way they bloom draws me in. One of the pet sitting jobs left me a wonderful arrangement of lilies to take home with me. My apartment smelled heavenly with them there.

Last night work was intense with customers upset about mother’s day parcels arriving and coworkers who had let the stress eat away at them as they progressed through the day. I was using my best middle child diplomatic skills, calmed everyone down and backed the most upset away from defcon one. Two things that have helped me deal with stress is to take on each issue one at a time even if they are happening all at once. Being able to give someone my undivided attention allows me to see the issue from their side, not take the yelling or hostility personally and to develop a hopefully workable solution. The second thing is remembering the Buddhist teaching of mindfulness. Once I am finished with the issue I try to move on and be present in my life and what is happening now. Not rehashing everything. Recently on a tv show, which one I can’t remember, the person being interviewed said humans are the only mammals that punish themselves more than once for a mistake. No other living creature in the mammalian kingdom does that. That hit me and sunk right into my soul. It also freed up some of the old hurts I had been hanging on to. Most importantly it freed up a piece of me to draw again, read with great delight and participate in life to the fullest.

The both picture is of a sunset last week. It is a portion of the trees I photographed most of the winter only now they have leaves. It was a lovely walk down to the water, no snakes, no mosquitos yet and no humidity.

I hope you enjoy your weekend and embrace whatever goodness comes your way.