A Sad Week

Very little positive has happened this week.  My happiness over how the house was coming together has been overshadowed by sadness.

Last Sunday evening, my sister-in-law was rushed to the emergency room.  She was diagnosed with three tumors on her brain and was immediately sent to UNC Hospital.  After seeming to overcome cancer in another location last year, this news is not good. This news took the wind right out of my sails.    I spent yesterday with her at the hospital as she is scheduled for some surgery tomorrow that will hopefully help improve her quality of life for the remaining time.   I try to remain hopeful.

On Tuesday evening, I received a call from my best birding friend's wife.  My friend whom I tried to meet at least on a weekly basis for birding passed away suddenly on Monday.  Our sharing of photos of what we were seeing in nature will be missed deeply.  We were looking forward to the winter season with high expectations of a good waterfowl season.  Through our mutual love of nature and birding, I quickly became friends with both he and his wife.  I will miss our discussions on birding and his friendship. Tomorrow I will attend his Celebration of Life memorial.

Next week one of my other friends and I are going to take a day trip to Lake Mattamuskeet.  Hopefully this will help pull my out of my current funk.  Right now I feel as worn out as the dried lifeless leaves that are covering my driveway.