time for a kooky tale......

rain has come so it feels like the world is crying with me.  nice to not have to cry alone. 

praying for you, for your needs, thanking God for your kindness........for Stella, for so many things.  gratitude time.

random thing, the other day when stella dropped by i walked out onto the porch with her, i didn't realize she wasn't alone....her brother now visiting from Columbia was in my front yard photographing my home, my garden.....for some reason he reminded me of my own big brother John.......not sure why, just something......

and her delightful Mom was in the back seat waiting on everyone.....oh my, made it doubly sweet, her taking the time......and her family extending me patience while Stella came to check on me.  that visit gave me hope.......that people are still out there walking on two feet, that there is life beyond these bedroom walls.

please pray for Rio, he is not himself.....and he's all but lost his voice.  reached out for mobile vet care on Saturday to no avail.  hope to get Rio treated on Monday.  he is breathing ok, he's not eating much at all.  tried to get him to take in some hairball medicine.....wish you could have seen the look when he discovered that medicine mixed in his food bowl.  the product says it tastes like salmon, apparently not........as in not even close.  grateful to see him nibble some out of Mia's bowl.....had to 86 Rio's food cause I don't think Mia is old enough for that hairball stuff.  Rio only has the tiniest of squeaks......something is blocking him somewhere, somehow.  he's extra quiet in demeanor as well as the not talking, please pray for Rio........for tomorrow to find a mobile vet who will come.  i left messages for two who came highly recommended.

now it's time for a kind of kooky tale. 

armed with my grocery list and a sort of grim determination i headed to ingles (yesterday), they are the closest store.......under five minutes.  they always have an electric cart available which makes them very desirable on the tough days.  i got the things i needed and headed for home.....grateful that the bag boy offered to help me out. 

on the drive home i spy a yard sale sign.......i drive on, then think.....go ahead, turn around, stop at the yard sale, you need some human interaction kiddo.  i head down wynfield street........never see any signs of a yard sale. so i turn around again and head back down wynfield street.  the street is narrower than usual and a lot of folks park on the side of the road.....it's plenty of room for one car, but not quite enough room for two. 

here comes a big ol white pick 'em up truck......at first he stops to allow me to come through, but midway along he changes his mind......what is he doing???? there's not enough room......oh my.  so i navigate over a little more to the left so i won't get hit by his big truck and HEAR THE SUDDEN THWACCCCKKKKK....not good. 

never good......   (why did he suddenly think there was room enough for a big truck and a big ol geezermobile?)  seriously, why didn't he just let me pass by those parked cars first???? four in a row......i was midway past them when he headed into the fray.......

i saw the break lights of the pick up truck light up.......he knew something was wrong......he sat there for a few minutes than drove on .......couldn't be bothered i guess.  didn't want to get involved. 

i got out.......sorry if i am super confusing explaining, the truck didn't hit me........i killed a mail box, post and all.  oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.  a dad type of guy was mowing his lawn (not his mailbox), when he circled back around cutting the grass i gestured to him for help.  he responded......i told him i had very limited energy, that i needed help to tell the homeowner what had happened so i could provide financial help to replace it. 

i told him i've had others hit my mailbox and not be accountable and i don't want to be that kind of person.  from where i stood leaning on my cane in the hot sun to the homeowner's hilly driveway to the stairs leading up to their home looked like a very insurmountable obstacle for me.  i prayed and swayed a bit.......he agreed to help.

he too had been the victim before of a broken mailbox where no one stepped up. poor all of us who've been there......

no one comes to the door despite two cars in the driveway, but he says hang on they might be across the street. they usually are......so he trots across the street to see.  meanwhile a tiny little blonde girl of maybe 4 comes out to find her daddy......she sees the empty riding lawnmower, looks all around and bursts into an almighty wail......i call out to her, your daddy will be right back but she has a very loud wail and she is running back home to find momma. 

the dad comes back and says the wife of the homeowner was there, she called her husband and he will come out to talk to me in a minute.  so i continue to stand in the hot sun and pray for a quick solution........why did i drive down this street?  i knew i was feeling too wonky.......and thoughout i was thinking my broadway show marquee would read IDIOT IDIOT IDIOT in giant flashing green lights! 

the mirror on the passenger side was bent in, but not broken......i put it back in place and saw streaks of white paint on it.  the homeowner came out, by now i had found a pad of paper and was writing my contact information on it....i was prepared to either write him an initial check and then settle it (with the difference) if it should cost more via receipts......that seemed fair enough to me anyway.  not that i would know off the top of my head what it would cost......but i think it would be well under $100.  would it be half that?  no clue......

but now this very tall man is standing next to me, i had to hit the mailbox of a giant.....he could squash me like a bug, but i stand there being all old lady brave.  ......i apologise, i offer him my contact information and he refuses to take it.  he says no, no, don't worry about it. 

i offer again, i say you may change your mind and i am responsible, please allow me to help get it fixed.  he insists he doesn't need any money to fix it, he says he can easily take care of it.   that he appreciates my letting him know, he says that i am not to worry about it .........i must look like absolute crap for him to do this.  pale with flushed cheeks, not quiet steady.  he walks me to my car door.....i offer him my hand to shake and he shakes it, i offer again and try to get him to take my contact info at least.....he again insists he won't change his mind.  tells me it's ok......i wonder if i remind him of his mother .......i meet nice people all the time but this is incredibly nice.  i don't quite understand.........i talk to God about it all the way home......the rain is a comfort today.

i cut two chicken breasts into six big pieces, covered them with mushroom soup and tin foil.........it's almost lunchtime and i've only been up long enough for a shower, to put chicken in the oven and to write this journal. i need to eat but i'm not hungry.....

i have this To Do List that seems ridiculous waiting here on the kitchen table......stuff like go upstairs and change the air filter.......now if i can just find my wings i can do that!  hang in there........let us always encourage each other through thick and think ok?  pinky swear we will.......good, done and done.  love you......