Every now and again something jolts me back to reality, today it was the post on Facebook by Steve Mallory announcing that our friend Denny (Dennis Jeffries) had died. Denny and I talked frequently during my years when he was a chat host on Survivor Chat and I was chat host for Caregiver Chat. He was also my friend on Facebook. Like so many of my friends on Facebook and Strokenet we never got to meet in person but nonetheless we were friends. In this modern age this will be so for many of our friendships.  My  heartfelt condolences to his beloved wife Peg and their extended family and all those who knew him and valued his friendship.

As I minister to the older church members in my own church and others in the organisations I belong to I am probably over familiar with death but never inured to it.  I know each death robs us of a piece of our history and breaks down some of the bonds between us and others. All we can do is to remember those friends who have passed,  remembering why we liked them, what we shared with them,  remembering all that was good about that particular person and the ways in which the friendship enriched both our lives. We also need to remember those they left behind.

I have just had my daughter and her family here for the weekend. Not her husband as he had injured  his back trying to start a stubborn water pump so he stayed home for some bed rest. It was only a day's notice so it was unexpected but turned out to be a really fun time. My grandson  Chris starts University this year so is a grown  man now, his sister Naomi is 14  so quite a young lady so it was funny to see them playing with the toys Alice aged six had got out to play with. The Nintendo Wii got a bit of a workout and more so on the second night when Pamela and the three Adelaide cousins joined us. I guess that is when I realise my house is small when  five teens and near teens are fighting to see who will be the challengers in the new Wii games.

I do so enjoy having my grand children here, every  time I see them I can see the changes in them. With Trevor and Alice's visit the first two weeks in January and then all the others last weekend I have been so blessed with the amount of time I have been able to spend with them. The Adelaide kids are going home in a week's time to start back at school, they are  all doing well according to their abilities. I love them all and want the best to happen to them but have no illusions about them. Like Ray and I they will have their own struggle with life.  They know Granma prays for them, but only two fully understand what that means. 

Summer has been very humid so it is out shopping etc in the morning and home in the afternoons. I have to keep hydrated and remember to take some time with the affected leg elevated. I have just lined up all the appointments and tests for the second week in February prior to seeing the melanoma specialist, with more tests before I see  the neurosurgeon in March. I figure this is all for my good, remembering especially that this is prolonging my life so I can look forward  to seeing my grandchildren grow up. I have felt the negative effects of wearing the body stocking toes to waist  bevause of the humid weather but try to remember that too is to ensure I live as full  a life as is possible.

On the whole life is good and I have many blessings to count. I have a roof over my head, food on the table and many good people behind me challenging and supporting me. At my age I know that as long as we have love in our lives we are truly blessed.