Grump be gone...

I have few real talents, but one thing I tend to be very, VERY good at is sleeping. I sleep well, and happily and wake up in a good mood almost every day.  It's a gift.  Last night I had a horrible nights sleep, with dreadful nightmares and hours spent twisting uncomfortably.  I finally fell into a deep sleep around 5 AM and then woke, late, at 6:30 and in a dreadful mood.  Even milking the goats didn't cheer me up.  I was doing chores and thinking to myself, "I have got to get a grip on my mood or it is going to be a very long day!"  Just then my phone twitched.  There was a message from my friend Brenda, "Would today be a good day to come help you in your yard?"  My bad mood vanished in a blink.

Last year, after I dislocated my shoulder, I couldn't keep up with yard work and things got to looking rather shabby.  I thought of Brenda, an amazing gardener, and asked her if she could help me out.  She is about my age, but has a thousand times more energy than I do, and skill and know-how when it comes to working with plants. In mere hours she accomplished more than I could have in a long weekend, even with two working shoulders.  And not only did she do the things I asked, she had this odd intuition and fixed things that were bother me but which I never mentioned.  It was like she was in my brain.  She zips from task to task, looking quite happy and leaving beauty and order in her wake. And as if all this were not enough, she is just so much FUN to be around. It's a treat to have her here. I have asked her back several times since. and my yard has never looked nicer.

A few weeks ago I asked if she could come help get ready for the wedding.  And this was why she messaged me this morning.  She pulled up at 9:00 on the dot, all perky and vibrating with energy.
First she trimmed some branches on the trees where the wedding ceremony will take place.  Then she cut down all the tired hosta plants from around the apple tree. She carried them in huge armfuls and tossed them over the fence where the goats had a party gobbling them down.  That task done she moved on to the pumpkin patch.  The leaves and vines were wilted from two good frosts, and she pulled them all up and hauled them off.  Leaving the fruit glowing on the ground.

25 or so pumpkins were harvested and displayed along the deck rail.

Next she turned her attention to the little "dog house" roof that is over our main entrance.  The underside of it was grimy and housed spider webs and small, abandoned wasp nests.  She climbed up on a ladder and scrubbed the painted wood until it shone.  I never imagined that spot could look so nice.

Meanwhile, a few weeks back I was showing a customer/friend some things in my house I was working on. She noticed and commented on two antique alabaster lamps I had recently bought.  "I have a little one like these, want it?"  she asked.  I really, really, did.  She brought it yesterday, and today I placed it in it's new home.  A dear little antique pine chest that was my mothers and my grandmothers before that.  I could not love this little lamp more than I do. It has a pretty shade and a wonderful little finial, too. I am so lucky.

Not a reason in the world to be grumpy when I am surrounded by all the wonderful people in my life. And tonight I will sleep sweetly and wake happy.  And tomorrow will be a terrific day.