It's been a long time, two months, since I have blogged. My world turned upside down about that time, and although I know there are far, far worse things going on in the world than what I am dealing with, nevertheless the challenges I face are my own, the disappointment and heartache that which I have to live with every day. With that I have had to focus as much of my energy as I possibly can on my new job and career, and it has left little time for much else - to say I've been exhausted, both mentally as well as physically, an enormous understatement.

So I decided taking time off for a weekend up north last week was exactly what I needed as I continue to try to clear my head and heart and deal with keeping this old battery charged. My boss gave me keys to his cottage for a few days when I'd asked for a friday off, and I delightedly accepted his generous offer (well, to interject, he thought they were keys to the place, but we had to actually break in!). It was the last amazing weekend of the season, the weather in the 80's for the whole of it, so wonderfully warm we actually swam in Lake Michigan - in October (absolutely unheard of in the nearly 50 years I have been alive, anyway). We had a very few sprinkles of rain, not enough to keep us inside, and this picture I took as we walked down the beach saturday afternoon. That moment served to remind me that even when life seems to be darkest, with hope and faith, it can, and will, get better.

I am not going to let him defeat me, not again.