Encounters

 The fog is slowly burning off, the kiddos are fed, Buddy has been treated and now napping, and I have my coffee and easing into the morning. I think there was a full house for breakfast including Radley. His presence keeps King Herod at bay, so that cat is certainly appreciated. His months long absence gives me hope for HP but my mind tells me differently.  A couple of days ago, I pretty much thought Junioretta's kittens might not have made it. No little meowing sounds and she seemed a little more footloose and fancy free of her motherly duties. I encountered the truth of, very much alive and the two look so cute. I was able to get a quick glance, while Junioretta was being footloose. 

In the late afternoon I made a TJ Market trip for some peaches. They had apples as apple season is nearly upon us. Apple or apple cider donuts season...it's all good. I encountered Wolf River apples, a variety I've never heard of, so a couple of those were purchased. Just Googled It Up and it is an old time apple variety, mostly used for cooking but these two small apples purchased probably won't be made into anything other than a snack. 

Roy has had some interesting encounters with some of the older ladies at his condos recently. He calls them the hot smoking women because they are outside smoking in the hot temps of Houston. They are keeping him informed on things he needs to purchase to make life easier. They suggested to him last week after watching him make three trips from his car to his condo that he needed to get a cart to cut down on the wear and tear of multiple trips. We had one of those carts long ago when we lived at Post Oak Lane but it had long been sold in a garage sale. They are a little more costly than back in the day. The hot smoking women gave him this tip, get something with a more solid platform than just wire on the bottom. His cart from Amazon came yesterday and he needs to assemble it. Another tidbit of advice they have shared is about the grills one can use. Don't follow the instructions because they are wrong. They told him what kind of lighter to buy and how to use the grill. He has been making chicken and beef kabobs on Saturdays on the grill. Their expert instruction has taken a lot of wasted time out of the process. This is opposite of his encounters with some of the women at Post Oak Lane Condominiums. Our dog Tiff kept most of them at a distance but there was a lady on our floor who seemed to be making plans of removing me and replacing my presence with hers. After my encounter with the virus that attacked my heart and being on the road to recovery, the lady approached me as I sat by the pool relaxing one hot fall day. She asked if it was true, that I had nearly died and that the prognosis at that time wasn't too good for making it. Yes, I confirmed it was true, it was a near death experience but I believed I would live beyond the expectations of a life span given to me. She said, well in case it doesn't turn out that way for you, could you put in a good word with Roy about me before you die? Oh yes, that will be high on the list of last instructions. Gee whiz! When our home sold in May, Roy began looking for a condo and considered Post Oak Lane again. Ironically, that woman's condo was on the market but we weren't looking to buy. So either she found someone or she passed away or could have just moved. Guess I can take that off my list of things to do, ha!

Yesterday, I had two encounters of the Baylor kind because of wearing a Baylor tshirt. At Barnes and Noble I heard someone say, sic em bears! An employee followed Baylor basketball throughout March Madness and then as champions. A little later at the grocery store while entering to get a basket a gentleman said, I love Baylor University! He began telling me what a good education one could get there and how beautiful the campus is. Then at the end of his story he sheepishly said, well, I guess you know that already. Wow, that makes four encounters over the six years but two in one day...wow! 

Roy and I are looking into buying a new dishwasher. Ours still works but you can feel that it is making that final turn to its last days. We are both researching what we need and what will work. I am looking for shorter cycles. The one we have now is the longest running dishwasher that I can ever remember. Also looking for the quiet cycles as well. Of course I need to go measure the thing and that is what Roy would have done first. 

It feels like since the beginning days of discussing, then deciding to sell our Katy home to this week I have just had a feeling of being overwhelmed, overwrought and overthinking. Emotionally everything has felt topsey turvey. Not sad about selling the house or thinking that the last time I was there in 2019 was, the last time to be there. There is a happiness that is the result of selling the house, that frees Roy up in so many ways. I think selling the house is more of a marker to define these feelings. Partly, maybe, it is being able to come out of the restrictions of the pandemic only to think we might be heading that way again. Each spring and summer I look forward to the book recommendations for released or yet to be released novels. There hasn't been one list that I have purchased a book via the recommendation. It has been a sad experience. Unlike any summer book reading list ever. Has that stopped me from buying other books? No. Then this morning, while studying for our lesson next week, I read this...He restores my soul, from Psalm 23. Gave me a bit of an emotional adjustment...it does more than that because it is the Word of God, that doesn't return void, but calm overtook the overwhelmed, overwrought and overthinking this afternoon. Encountered the Good Shepherd, He restores my soul, I know His voice.