Sometimes you just need to stick your leg out the window and drive.

 





















A few weekends ago, Spencer and I drove to the north-east corner of Roswell to visit Bitter Lake National Wild Life Refuge. We drove the loop and got out to walk around and take pictures. There were a few short trails available to hike, but it was already late when we arrived.

Insects dominate this wet, marshy area. Caterpillars were abundant, and could be seen dotting every plant. The refuge is known for an abundance of dragonflies (over 80 species), so I made sure to bring my camera to capture some macro shots. Along with insects, we saw bobcat tracks and cranes lounging in the water. Who knew this area full of greenery and water was hiding in Roswell. Everyone knows, though, that there is no shortage of bugs.

Occasionally, I will find a dead cockroach in our house. Even though they spray every month, one of those devilish creatures still manages to find a way inside every once in a while. I freak out, unable to hardly look at it. My job consists of texting Spencer, feeling sympathized with (because he is that understanding), and waiting until he gets home to rid it from our house. Thank heavens for my hero! This picture sums up the way I take charge of a bug situation, until Spencer returns to rescue me.


Spencer is such a hard-working man. Every day, no matter how long of a day he had at work, he comes home with a smile, kisses me, and acts with such forbearing grace. His example has been an inspiration to me.


Marriage is harder, but better than I conjectured. Being married has brought more happiness and fulfillment than I could have imagined. There are difficult times, too, though; such as fully opening one's heart to their spouse, when they feel wronged. Growing up, we adapt to guard our hearts from a selfish world, so it takes a significant amount of retraining to learn to let one's spouse in. I am grateful I have such a forgiving partner whom to grow with.



As always, Spencer has been putting in plentiful hours for ARC. They are lucky to have such a dependable employee. He wakes up at 4:30AM every morning and leaves at 5, to get to work early. The time is coming where he will need to start bringing more layers with him to keep warm.

The roads out in the oil fields are all dirt and flood easily. With all the rain we have been getting, the trucks they drive easily get stuck. Another truck will pull in front in attempt to help them out, but will end up stuck them self. There often ends up being trains of trucks cemented in the mud.

The other day, he sent me a video of him riding in the bucket of a truck, while they were off-roading. That evening, looking at me with bright eyes, he compared it to a roller coaster. I enjoy hearing him being able to have fun at work, but felt reassured after he agreed it wasn't safe and that he would find fun in other ways.


I started working at a different salon last month. They close at an earlier hour, so I am able to spend more time with Spencer, and cook dinner most nights. The pay is commission instead of hourly, which is nice if one is busy and works hard, because one has the ability to earn more. I prefer commission, because when one does more cuts than others, one has something to show for it. In other words: one gets what they earn.




A couple Saturdays ago, while I was working, Spencer went yard sailing. He found me a box of yarn, a giant tripod, Christmas lights and decorations. His thoughtfulness touches me. I have since used most of the yarn and picked up my old hobby of crocheting. YouTube is my best friend and refreshed my memory of the stitching. I have made scarves, neck warmers, ear warmers, and one legging (I ran out of yarn). My next project will be trying a beanie.




We lost power for a couple hours the other week, due to a storm. We had finished dinner and were prepping for an evening run. I looked out the window and saw a dark cloud moving in quickly, and decided to wait five more minutes, just in case. Sure enough, it was a torrential downpour and quickly got dark. We (I) had the bright idea to go to Hobby Lobby instead, since we could not run. That was mistake #1. Figuring it would be a quick trip, I slipped on my flip flops. Mistake #2. Turning on the radio, every station played flood and tornado warnings, predicting golf-ball sized hail in some areas. We kept driving. Mistake #3.

We drove about halfway there, before deciding we had best turn around. We were barely avoiding hydro-planing; it had flooded that fast. The rain was so thick, I do not know how Spencer was able to see through it, as the only glances I got were during the flashes of lightning.

We pulled up to our apartment and heard the hail start. Perfect timing. Scared to open our doors, we looked at each other in amazement. We strategized a plan we thought would be most efficient. His side of the car was facing the road, which was flooded, so he would have to climb over to the passenger side so he would be able to step on to the sidewalk. I asked if I should leave the door open for him, but he said that it would let in too much water. And it did.

As soon as I opened the door, water seeped in. It seemed as though it was flooded all the way up to the door's opening. I stepped out, and my flip-flopped feet found themselves up to their ankles in water. The wind was blowing so hard, I quickly gave up on trying to close the door and bolted to our apartment, hoping Spencer would make it alright.

We got SOAKED. Running from the street to our door had completely drenched our clothing. Our power was out, so we lit candles and cuddled, laughing in awe. Storms come out of nowhere here. It was a fun evening, as we both love the occasional no-power, candlelight only, nostalgic moments.

A beautiful fall bouquet of flowers from my sweet husband.

Healthy Cauliflower Fettuccine Alfredo

For those of you who don't know...Drizzle was my pet cockatiel, who had feathers on top of her head that looked like this.

Slowly starting to decorate. Got new sheets and pillows.  Needing frames for above the bed.