Weekend adventures...

 Sister Deb came for the weekend, which is always a treat. She decided that we should do something a little different and signed us up for a glass mosaic class. Rachel joined us, and it was so nice to learn a new skill. The instructor showed us how to use some simple tools, and in no time we were scoring and cutting glass. I found it fascinating that I could cut shapes and make the fragile stuff do my bidding.  I only gained a few tiny scrapes for my efforts. The instructor was gifted and kind, the other class members pleasant and interesting. Some of the attendees arrived with designs they wanted to create. One woman made an intricate sugar skull; one made a sensational lobster. In my typical fashion, I just jumped in and made stuff up as I went along. 

My finished product, which I titled "Broken Heart," is now reflecting light through my kitchen window, a happy memory of creative time spent with two of my favorite people. 

We had hot fudge sundaes for lunch. No regrets! 

My friend Susan took my puppy for the day so I could be gone for an extended period without worry, and Fae had a terrific time, arriving home exhausted and well-entertained. 

When we got home, I got a message from another friend: "Want some apples?" Of course I did! He arrived moments later in his beautiful vintage Mustang and handed me a huge sack of fresh-picked autumn goodness. What a treat! 

On Sunday, we worked together to further reclaim Chris's office and turn it into a homeschool space for the Owlet and Cygnet. Deb brought some more curriculum and organized it beautifully on a bookcase we emptied out. The Owlet was very enthusiastic about our efforts. 

I don't have any photos to illustrate this next bit, so please try to use your imagination. I had a busy day off planned. I was to meet a lovely friend for coffee in Camden, then get my hair trimmed, go to the bank, and to the grocery store. Since I was going out in public, I made a little extra effort with my outfit, hair, and makeup, exercised the puppy, and got her settled in with a long-lasting chew stick, then went out to get in my truck. 

In the back of my truck was a very large dog kennel. The plastic kind, big enough to fit the tallest Great Dane. I got it for free years ago and have used it to transport goats. I rarely use it anymore, and I offered it to my friend Cheryl, who borrows it from time to time to move her goats from point A to point B. I planned to take it to her, but I didn't want to deliver it if she didn't want it. I also didn't want to be driving around with it in my truck, so I decided to leave it in the driveway for the day. 

There I stood, ready to go be social, and I grabbed the crate and pulled it towards me. Remember the Ice Bucket Challenge they did a few years ago to raise money for awareness of Lou Gehrig's disease? Well, I hadn't signed up for the challenge, but suddenly a couple of gallons of very cold rainwater rolled off the top of that crate and dumped on top of my head, drenching me. If someone had managed to get the scene on video, I can guarantee it would have gone viral. 

After a hurried wardrobe change (I was soaked to the skin), I tried to patch up my hair and makeup, then got back on my way. 

I was on my road, about twenty feet from taking a left onto a major street, when I depressed my clutch to downshift. When I did, the clutch pedal went straight to the floorboards and stayed there. Suddenly and unexpectedly, I lost control of my transmission. I managed to let the truck roll a little out of the way and onto the shoulder. I quickly called the friend I was supposed to meet, hoping to catch her before she got too far from home. Then I called my mechanic and my daughter. My sweet daughter came to get me. A passing neighbor stopped to see if we needed help and pointed out that my transmission fluid was leaking all over the road. 

The friend I was supposed to have coffee with pulled up with to-go cups of coffee and hot breakfast biscuits and kept us company while we waited for the tow truck. Despite the broken car and scrambled plans, we had a jolly visit! 

Then my daughter let me use her car, and I was able to run most of my errands, have my hair trimmed, and get groceries laid in for the week. 

It was an eventful several days, all told. Visits, new skills, ice cream, gasp-worthy water episodes, automotive strandings, and nice people. In the end, it's the people who are most memorable. 

A first...

 When you lose a spouse, you know that the "firsts" are going to be tough. The first wedding anniversary without them. The first Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. I hadn't thought about the first time I got sick and was alone. 

I'm pretty healthy, but I do succumb to the occasional virus. Late last week I got hit with the flu. It came on fast, starting with just a little cough, but quickly progressing to full-blown misery. I knew exactly what Chris would have done. He'd have gone to the store and come back with two boxes of Puff's Plus tissues with lotion. One for upstairs, one for downstairs. He would also have procured a bottle of NyQuil (original flavor, not that gross cherry stuff) and DayQuil. There would be a few cans of Campbell's Tomato Soup and a bag of Fritos, because that is comfort food for me, and a pint or two of Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey ice cream. He might even have added a glossy magazine for me to enjoy while I was under the weather. And he'd wait on me, bringing me ice water, heating up soup and garnishing it with Fritos, and he'd take care of all the animals so I could just rest. Most of all, he'd care. "You should take a nap," he'd grin. "I'll come with you and be a calming influence." The man loved a nap, even if it meant I'd be breathing germs on him. He didn't like it when I was sick and had an overly optimistic view of my recovery. No matter how awful I looked and felt he'd quip, "You look MUCH better! You will be good as new tomorrow." 

Poor Fae has been bored out of her skull for the past few days. I've provided extra chewy treats to entertain her and tried to get her outside often, but it has not been enough stimulation for an active puppy. She's been very good (though she did destroy one stuffed toy), but she has clearly thought our existence was much too dull. 

 I felt a little better this afternoon, so I took a shower, put on some real clothes and boots, and took her out in the pasture. It seemed like an awful lot of exertion to me to take this simple stroll, but her joy made it worthwhile. The goats joined us, and she ran gleeful circles around them, moving so fast she wiped out more than once while cutting close corners. 

We are back on the comfy sofa, and she looks more content than she has in a while. As for me, I've filled my own water and will heat up my own soup. I've survived another first. 

Changes...

 It is technically summer, of course, but the season has begun to change. A few trees are showing early flashesk of autumn foliage, mostly because the drought has stressed them, but more trees will follow soon. Mornings and evenings are cool; many of the summer birds have migrated to warmer climes, crickets are singing their end-of-summer songs, and goldenrod is rioting along the roadsides. 

We have had a little welcome rain; one spectacular drencher blew in yesterday during a picnic lunch I attended. Dark clouds came suddenly, trees danced and swayed, and then the skies opened up. Oddly, it was delightful. The picnic moved inside, and we dined with dogs rollicking on the floor and conversation flowing. 

Something about this time of year makes me want to bring out the brass and copper. It is always tarnished and dull from being stored, but a bit of buffing with Brasso brings it back to life. 

The scent of the metal polish transports me back in time to my mother's kitchen. I can see her, in a woolen skirt and pumps, an apron around her waist. My grandmother would be there, too. It was an autumn ritual, fall cleaning and polishing to welcome in the new season. When they were done, the house would smell of beeswax and metal polish, and every room would seem to glow with the lamps reflecting off all the freshly shined furniture and decorations. I loved the way the house felt, and especially how happy my mother was as she surveyed all they had accomplished. 

I did a little fall sprucing today. Polished a copper lamp and some candlesticks, bought a few pumpkins, gourds, and chrysanthemums, and felt a little of that long-ago satisfaction seep in. 

 

A couple of years back, we took the coffee and snack bar in the grooming studio down to make room for the kids' play area. We missed it, so we set it back up this weekend. I baked some brownies to put out for our customers. I'm happy to have it back. I'll be interested to see how our guests respond to its return. 

A neighbor stopped by unexpectedly today and brought me a huge bag full of ripe peaches. It's an embarrassment of riches. 

Another area of richness is my front flowerbed. I didn't have the energy to garden this spring, but thankfully last year's Cosmos helped me out and filled most of the bed with 5-foot-tall plants covered in shades of pink blossoms. A sweet customer brought me a flat of seedlings in May, and I did manage to get them planted. Marigolds and zinnias, all blooming riotously just now. I filled up a little vase with blossoms today, and they delight me. 

I've had some complaints about my lack of posts lately. It's not that I have nothing to write about; it's that there are so many big things I just can't find the words for. Here is an example. My sweet friend came to visit from out of state. She did the kindest thing... cleaned Chris's office for me, dealing with things I didn't want to face and didn't know what to do with. She spent days of her vacation solving huge, emotional problems for me. Then she enlisted her husband and tackled our messy garage. How can I find words to express what this sort of kindness means? How it improved my life. It's an impossible task. 

There are so many big changes in my life right now. I find focusing on small things helps prevent me from feeling overwhelmed. Shiny candlesticks, riotous flowers, juicy peaches, and surprise downpours.