plagues and better

it has been an interesting late summer, leading to this autumn...i truly wondered what was going on in the world, as my home, usually very comfy and a haven of refuge and safety, began to be a source of concern and unhappiness.

i began to experience what felt like a plague...well, first one followed by another followed by another followed by another followed by another....what was going on?

it all began with my grass dying...well, turning brown, at least. not enough water? no, it was an infestation!

no sooner than i thought i had that pestilence cleared up, i came home to discover mice; yuck. i could probably stand them in the garage, although i would not be happy, but in the house? NEVER! either they had to move, or i did...and i have a mortgage to pay...it wasn't going to be me!

no sooner than i thought i had that pestilence cleared up, i came home t0 discover ants. uninvited; not part of my family tree. first one or two and then everywhere i went. i thought about putting little signs out that said please go to my yard, but, alas, i needed to be tough!

no sooner than i thought i had that pestilence taken care of, i came home to discover flies! i seriously thought about not coming home! fliesas big as my thumb! and they were tough! what was happening to my happy home?

no sooner than i thought i had that pestilence taken care of, the wind came up friday night in waves (fortunately, no water to go along with that), and i had one of my pieces of artwork blow off the wall! goodness gracious, what was my world turning into?

as i left early saturday for an out-of-town meeting, under a gloomy sky, this is what i saw:

after all those plagues, something better. for those of you in town, this was taken just beyond the railroad tracks on franklin, after turning left off of santa fe. awesome, no?

i didn't have as many plagues as pharaoh, and i didn't have to cross over the red-reed sea; only a railroad crossing -- and for that, i didn't even have to stop for a train! how unusual is that?!

so a group of us, seven as a matter of fact, leave today for leawood, ks to attend a leadership institute put on by the united methodist church of the resurrection -- they use to meet in a mortuary, hence the name! we'll be back in time to celebrate communion and worship with our congregation on sunday. very exciting.

hum...rainbow...kanasas....i'm hoping the rainbow is the sign that dorothy has truly discovered that 'there's no place like home'. honestly, i'm not prepared to face the pestilence of a wicked witch!