ask and you shall receive

it's raining!   it came back  thank God   of course it arrived after i sweated out a hike this afternoon   still didn't make it there this morn   but i did fine this time in the heat   so i should have had the previous entry's photo here  that's how much rain we've gotten in the last hour   let's hope it stays cooled off...i wonder if George got Marsha's gate done  he was on the home stretch of a fence & gate projected to keep Lil Miss Madison off the stairs   as i was leaving i saw the black clouds headed our way   anyways, i asked him again about his financial aid   he thinks he'll actually get it in september   which is good   but i decided that it is NOT AN OPTION for me to even think about NOT going to the Grand Canyon    i re-budgeted and took out the trip to the bridge and i can make it on my own there if need be   this is something i've been wanting for a very long time regardless of my 50th   I'M GOING TO THE GRAND CANYON NO MATTER WHAT!!!   it's decided   i'm even ready to skip going to school this fall if it'll help my budget to get there..but won't really need to do that   anyways, i'll start buying my purchases for the trip this month after all   ready for those new hiking boots   i keep getting blisters with these military desert boots i'm wearing   but they have the weight i need on my feet, so i'll wear them just a few more weeks.....in the meantime i stopped by Marsha's to use her scale to weigh the pack i'm carrying right now for my conditioning   it's about 25#   i like that   a good weight to start with and it'll prepare me for Madison when i take her again   the downside, i weighed myself without the pack   according to her scales i've gained 6lbs   i don't need to gain any more weight!!!   i've been feeling like i've lost some   maybe her scales aren't working properly   probably that extra weight is water weight    i had a big brunch today, plus a quart of water on the hike, plus some gatorade   gotta lose it   back to the cranberry juice   i can lose 5lbs quickly   i'll drink it daily until i get to the G.C.   see if i can lose more weight that way    i'm over weight as it is due to my meds   just don't need any additional.....

now on the road....my mother has been on the road since saturday driving from Kentucky to Oregon (Portland area)   my brother lives out there and he asked her to come assist him   she's driving all alone but i'm keeping tabs on her morning, noon & night   she should arrive at my brothers this evening   she's about 2hrs away at the moment   don't know how she's doing it  12hr days of driving   too much for me, but she says she's fine   i'll feel better when she calls tonite    ....anyways, that's the latest...i just need to keep thinking positively that all will work out   i know it always does, but sometimes i have my moments of anxiety and worry....