Early to rise

4:05 p.m. Today's project was to take a sheet of Target bridal registry slips to the local UPS store. I'd downloaded them for our printer at home to include in Heidi's wedding invitations. They came out a little pale, so I was hoping the store's color copier would produce a brighter result.

So far, this errand has not been accomplished. I left the house before noon with the sheet of slips and headed to the Canyon Crest Towne Centre. First, however, I needed to do my exercise, then take my blood pressure at the Rite-Aid there. While walking, I decided to go to State Senator Bill Emmerson's office where my daughter works and ask for some constituent service. The staff ladies were eating lunch, so I briefly asked for their help in finding Alzheimer's caregiver support groups in Riverside. Otherwise, I'm headed to Canyon Lake, a 30-minute drive south on the 215 freeway, to join an established group recommended to me by long-time friend Barbara next Monday. I think my issue is a good use of taxpayer dollars, considering the prevalence of this disease and the toll it takes on families.

I continued my walk, combining stair-climbing to the 2nd stories of sparsely occupied office buildings and walking around on the sidewalk, until time to take my blood pressure at the drugstore as the doctor has ordered. My first reading, while slightly out of breath, was 135/70, not that great. So I slowly strolled the aisle, putting milk in my cart. I took a seat, "cuffed" myself once again, and was happy to see a reading of 129/62! Thank you, Lord!

Having checked my credit union balance as I left the store, I realized that a deposit was due to be made! Off I drove, deposited $40 cash Mary Kay earnings, and then realized I needed to get back to Steve. When I got home, I found him and the dogs out, so I drove down our street to pick them up and bring them back after clearing out the back of the Jeep. When I found them, poor Steve was shivering, because the pallid sun had gone behind the clouds since they'd left, and he didn't have a jacket on. In a scene of pure commotion, we got Bailey and Jada loaded up in a few seconds. Funny how big those girls look in a small enclosed space! (They are pictured above with Steve and my older grandson at Jackson Lake in Wyoming, looking pretty small in that majestic setting).

Our afternoon went smoothly enough, and before I knew it, my daughter was already home from school. It may be time to re-evaluate the time I get up in the mornings lately. If I get up at 7 when Steve puts out the dogs, it seems to go well and all my tasks get accomplished. But when I laze about until 8 o'clock, I find myself quite scattered, even though I spend the same amount of time in devotions and Bible study to get off on the right foot. I can't help but chuckle at Proverbs 26:14 (NIV):

As a door turns on its hinges,

So a sluggard turns on his bed.

That's been me the last two days, and I must mend my ways! Perhaps I should start by foregoing my favorite show, "Doc'" an old program on the Gospel Music Channel that I watch late in the evening while Steve gets settled into bed with his C-pap machine. I tivo all of the shows, and I love the prayers, Bible quotes and Christian values exemplified by the show's characters. But I need my sleep more!! Looks like we'll have to get an earlier start at night.

I will pray with the Psalmist, Chapter 90:12:

Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.