The Roller Coaster Has a Light at the End

Well... it's been a minute.

Ever since my last "shit hit the fan" update, life has basically felt like one of those ridiculous roller coasters with the straight-up climbs followed immediately by the "well, guess I'll die" drops. Lots of ups. Lots of downs. Very little in-between.

The good news? I think I can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Now, admittedly, it feels like a really long tunnel. But maybe that's just my perception. I also routinely put leftovers into bowls that are either way too big or comically too small, so clearly my ability to judge size and distance isn't exactly trustworthy. Isn't there something on car mirrors that says objects are closer than they appear? Maybe that's what I'm hoping this tunnel is doing.

Life has been throwing curveballs at me personally, but it's also been keeping my parents plenty busy too.

My mom is scheduled for hernia surgery next Wednesday, and after that the doctors are looking at getting her heart valve surgery scheduled. That's the simplified version anyway—one of her valves isn't behaving itself. Last I heard it might be happening in Wichita, but at one point Kansas City was being discussed too, so we'll see where everything lands.

On a much angrier note... my parents had a litter of kittens out there, and a loose dog attacked them. Six kittens were killed. I don't have anything particularly wise or eloquent to say about that. It just sucks, and I'm still incredibly angry about it.

Yesterday, though? Yesterday gave me exactly what my soul has been begging for.

Clouds. Cooler temperatures. A tiny little taste of autumn.

It immediately made me start daydreaming about camping with Travis. Fall camping. Winter camping. Give me a crackling fire, chilly air, a warm drink, and a blanket, and I am a happy little forest goblin.

Unfortunately, our camping trips usually happen around our wedding anniversary... and for whatever reason, that time of year has developed a really unfortunate habit of bringing health emergencies, sick pets, or some other family crisis that forces us to cancel or cut the trip short.

So this year I'm putting all of my hope into the universe.

Please... let us have this one.

I'd really like one peaceful camping trip.

As for today, it's been wonderfully ordinary, and honestly, I needed that. I took a nice shower, I'm working on D&D stuff, I'm sipping a homemade lavender latte, and Travis is off writing with Bucho. When he gets home around noon, we're refreshing my purple hair because the gray has started making itself known again.

I definitely don't feel old enough for gray hair.

Apparently my body disagrees.

I've also been pretty MIA on social media lately, so I figured I'd pop in here and say hello.

Things are still a little chaotic.

But for the first time in a while...

...I genuinely think I'm heading toward the light at the end of the tunnel.