The Weekend

Here's our tree :)Every year that we've been together (well, except for the first - we'd only been dating two months), Adam and I have bought a bulb for our tree and written the date in permanent marker. Every year we go to the same place, a gift store within walking distance to our Gemmel house and still close to us now. For the last couple of bulbs, we've spent time looking and tried to see if we both like the same one; both times, we have! The black one below is this year's, our fifth.

On Saturday I got to see April. April graduated from high school a year ahead of me; I've known her for a long time. In college we lived in the same townhomes, too (she was a few doors down) -- I'm always so glad when I get a visit with her. She is one of the kindest, most honest and open people I know.

Saturday night, for something different, Adam and I bought a deck of cards. We never play cards! Anyway, that night we certainly did. We finally ended at Game 28, I think, of Speed. It was a tie! However, it took me quite awhile to get the hang of the game again, so...here is a shot of Adam after one of his many early victories...

Tonight, on our way home from work, we got a flat tire. It was kind of upsetting, actually, and I was cursing myself because for months I've been talking about going out to change a tire, getting some practice... . Also, I've been meaning to make a winter supply kit with flashlights, a blanket, hats and gloves, etc...and I hadn't yet. It was getting dark and we were in Red Lake (luckily, we were still in the town), and there was a scary moment when I didn't know what we were going to do. We didn't have the right tools, neither of us is great with cars, and we don't really know anyone who lives in Red Lake -- not well enough to call them up, anyway... . We slowly drove back to the grocery store, and let me just say...I am overwhelmed with the help we got from that point on. A woman working at the store ran to get a guy she knew who called a guy HE knew...Then, he changed the tire for us. THEN, Tires Plus didn't charge us anything (well, because the tire is irreparable), and then our neighbor (I'd called his son for the Tires Plus phone number...) had ready for us a plate with some fish and cupcakes. To top it off, a very kind phone guy helped Adam get the Internet up again, and my co-worker is giving us a ride tomorrow.

I am just so grateful for the kindnesses shown us today.

Although I am ending my day feeling happy, I'm also feeling anxious. I think I'm going to take a bath to calm myself down a little, and then hopefully some peaceful sleep will follow. Here's wishing all of you a peaceful sleep, too!