This month is the twelve year anniversary of moving into this house, the longest I've ever, ever lived anywhere in my entire life, by five years! This month is also the two year anniversary of this little blog. Amazingly, this month is also the four year anniversary of my brother's death, which I vowed back then to mark by celebrating life in many forms.

I repainted the frame of the only momento I have from him - a beautiful close-up photograph of a purple iris. The frame had been painted lilac to match, and I finally, this year, repainted it cream. It doesn't match a single thing in my house, but it hangs in my entry every April for the entire month, as a reminder to me that he did see beauty in this life. I need that reminder of his life when that date rolls around every year. His life was not all sadness.

To celebrate the two year anniversary of my little blog, I'm surprising me with a brand new template, Susie at BlueBird Blogs is busy working away on it - and it's going to be something really special. I'll explain at the unveiling early next week. I also cleaned off my bookshelves and have a dozen books and a few CD's to give away, starting sometime next week before we head to Mexico for some time in the sun.

To celebrate being in this grand old house twelve years, I'm busy painting and rearranging furniture, adding little touches here and there, and tomorrow I'll sweep off the front porch slab, wash down the benches and rockers out there, and the two big planters should sport yellow and blue and purple pansies by day's end. Then we'll light the grill, throw on a couple of steaks, pour a couple of glasses of wine, sit on the deck and soak in that feeling of just how good life is, day in and day out. Happy Weekend everyone!

Labels: Busy Buzz