Gifts

 As we get closer to closing on the house, the stress level rises just a bit. This morning, I am realizing just how much stress Roy has saved me from in the past few weeks. It feels so much longer than that, but it is really just at three weeks. Looks like the estate sale is going well and Peggy said there was a good turnout yesterday. With the forecast of rain today and tomorrow, who knows what it will look like.

The dreaded vet appointment for Buddy was this morning for her steroid shot and for a mani/pedi. Her last few visits have been tame, well tame to Buddy standards. She yowled the whole trip there so the hope was it would wear her out. They were able to get the shot into her and all nails were trimmed. She behaved well enough for a quick stop at the gas station and we returned home. For me it was a quick stop just to pick up power of attorney papers that Roy had sent me. Getting that notarized was the last thing on my list of to dos today. I went to the bank and the notary was tied up with a client until 4:00. They told me the UPS store had one, so across the street I went. Got that thing notarized, signed and ready to roll. A fun encounter came about because of the tshirt I have on today. It is a drawing of an old general store from the Pensacola area of the mountains near Burnsville. The young man helping me asked if I lived in that area cause his family has been there for generations. No, bought it at Christi's Crafts...she happens to be his cousin. I have to tell you I was not happy that I had to go over to the UPS store but it worked out because it saved me a stop at the Post Office....well, I did stop at the Post Office to pick up mail. You have to love this, our Post Office is closed 11:30-1:30 for lunch. But I am getting ahead in the story. Sometimes when I am feeling a little stressed, whether real or imagined, something cool, something fruity seems to be a thing to assuaged that irritable rustle inside of me. Since Publix is right there close by UPS and because they have their cut up watermelon on sale, it seemed to be the thing to do. Also got some of their pinwheel sandwiches that I have just discovered. Oh, and carbonated cranberry juice. It was busy, but just not Insta Cart busy, just people getting ready for the weekend. I was on my way to the express lane, ten items or less, and a woman, with a full cart maneuvers her way in front of me and for a little second, I was not happy...just another thing to a morning that has been emotionally stressful with Buddy and with the whole notary thing. There was that part of me that wanted to be such a jerk and count out loud every time she put something on the conveyer belt but, thank the Lord, He got my attention and I didn't act out on feeling. Again, this is such trivial stuff but irritation seemed be just below the surface on the stuff that had to be done. On the way home I stopped in at the Post Office. It had been a while since I had picked up mail. A tower of mail almost touching the top of the box welcomed me. I got it all out and onto the table to sort through it and get it into a manageable mess. In all the advertisements and offers a blue envelope caught my eye...could it be personal mail or just another ad trying to get attention. No! Oh Happy Day! It was personal mail from my friend Betty R. A thick blue envelope. Usually, I wait to get home to open up a letter but the joy couldn't wait. What a treasure Betty is and what a treasure she sent, beautiful post cards of art that her friend from east TN had painted. Marion Cook. Old barns and houses from the Goodlettsville TN area. They are beautiful! A letter from a friend and post cards! What a gift, yes from Betty, but from the Lord. On the day I needed to be reminded that the small irritations of life should not cloud my vision, the timing was perfect for this encouragement. The tone was set for the rest of the day, thankfully. When I was talking with Roy last night and telling him this story, he said, I must be a bad husband because I didn't sense you were upset or mad. Well, I wasn't mad but maybe whiny and immature and thank you Roy for overlooking that. 

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I am realizing that a year of pandemic social distancing and just doing the necessary cleaning around the house, dust builds up where you least expect it or forgot about expecting it. Today I will dust all around the door frames, If anyone collects dust I have a goodly amount to donate to you, for free. I have never been a neat-nic nor a perfectionist. My thoughts have leaned toward having fun and let the housework be danged. I know a lot of people who have spotless homes and that is fabulous. Maybe they have help, both hired and family, who knows? But I know when a book gets my attention, I'd rather be reading than waxing the floors. Why have botanical prints when one can grow things like that in dust....okay I kid, that has never happened but it makes me laugh. When the weather is beautiful and it is a delight to be outside, well, that's where I'd rather be than cleaning out crumbs from under the toaster. 

Roy heard from Bill and the sale went well, with just a few things left that nobody wants, well except for maybe me at one time. Happy trip to Goodwill!  Also, all the clothes that are too big for Roy will find a home at Goodwill or Katy Christian Ministries. I don't think this is attributed to godly wisdom but more so just getting old. The amount of stuff one acquires in life is ridiculous. 

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The update this morning is, Buddy. I don't know if she is succumbing to old age or if she has had an adverse reaction to her steroid shot. She was lethargic and listless all day. Toward evening she chose odd places to sit and rest. I was on the phone with Roy and looked over at her, and her positioning made her to appear lifeless. Whew, she hadn't passed on. She didn't hang around me like usual last night but did come in and do a check in from time to time. When I went to bed, I put her in it and she crawled next to me, nestling in on my right arm as per usual. I could feel the soft purring and the small twitches as her muscles relaxed. Then I felt it, a complete release of her body. I jumped, yes really, jumped out of bed, put on my glasses and turned on the light. She was there all curled up with glazed over eyes. It didn't look as if she was breathing. I put my hand on her side, with thoughts racing through my mind of what to do next. I had Googled symptoms and the things to do. I figured to call the emergency vet clinic that I took Strawyer to, so they would cremate her. Buddy stirred, she came out of her stupor...so thus began the night watch with Buddy. We went downstairs and back upstairs and finally settled in the bonus room. I watched her breath. I began writing about Buddy and the gift she has been. About 3:30 am she got off the comfy blanket and headed downstairs. I had already shut the doors to two bedrooms because if she went in them to pass away alone, I would have a difficult time getting her out from under the beds. Of course I had been praying for her and when she went downstairs I decided to return to bed and leave it all in God's hands. Buddy clearly doesn't like to be stalked. About twenty minutes later, this weak meow came from the hall. She entered and sat by the bed and I put her in it and we slept till around 5:00 am. She left around 6:00 am to go to her favorite chair downstairs. That is where I found her, waiting on me, not so much for treats like always but for our morning ritual of me drinking coffee and Buddy in my lap. Right now she is in the upstairs front room with the huge window, sleeping in her bed that is right there by the window and all the sunshine pouring in. In the past few years Buddy has had several bouts of near death, but this one was the closest ever. If cats truly have nine lives, she is down to her last one or two. 

It was a later time than usual to feed the Feral Fam and while Buddy slept, I quietly went about the business of getting them fed and ready for the day. Saw something rather cute this morning when I looked out the bonus room window. The planter chairs that they love have been moved to a shady spot in the yard. Boodos and Junioretta were sitting there, taking in the cool of the day. HP wasn't around for breakfast but she was looking through the fence when I came back into the house. So, quietly I opened the back porch door and let her in for morning treats. Then quietly let her back out as not to arouse Buddy and her dislike of the Feral Fam. 

A little rustling and Buddy is in the hall. We shall see where she goes next. I did open up the bedroom that has her favorite perch on the bed, of course looking out the window. It's like a friend said, it is cat TV.

The gifts I have received in the past few days, in the ordinary and the difficult are duly noted by this sometimes irritated, hopefully won't act out on thoughts with the desire that the thoughts of counting or saying something stupid at the bank won't even come into my head. Guess I need to Romans 12:1-2 it more.