UrsaMajor - you know, I think a Crazy straw would work for wine or certain cocktails. I am not sure I could get myself to use it with say a glass of Grand Marnier. That just seems wrong. LOL
Yesterday had been one of those days where I just could not find the right rhythm. I had stayed up later than I planned the night before and it would have been okay, had I not been startled by a loud clap of thunder in the middle of the night. It was not a frightening storm, but simply that the initial boom of thunder woke me. The storm itself was not interesting enough to make me want to go to the library and watch the lightening or even to listen to the sound of the rain, which was inconsistent. It was not a soothing shower. Just sporadic thunder, lightening and a bit of rain. I found myself not listening to the rain hitting the roof, which often relaxes me, but instead being jarred. Strangely, the storm, it too seemed out of rhythm. Maybe it is what set the tone for that morning.
I walked around most of the day feeling as if I was walking in this field covered in a thick fog. I was functional, not quite zombie-like, but I couldn't see what was right in front of me half of the time. I decided after about an hour or so of attempting to do some more complex things around the house, to accept it was just one of those days. I wasn't tired and feared going back to bed or napping would throw my whole schedule off anyways and then find myself up all night again. If it were just me, I could adjust to being a night owl, but I know that is not possible and knew that most people operate on a more normal schedule and would assume I would be doing the same.
I opted to work on doing some demolition work that was not heavy duty but necessary to make progress. The bathroom was stripped bare from the disaster, but there were still some straggling pieces of lumber that remained, as the redesign hadn't been decided at the time of the tear-out and these sections are not structural, yet were in the way now of my new plans.
Midday, my M called. She had called the night before having been concerned about a notice on her computer. I knew better than to put it off any longer. Neither were difficult tasks, but time consuming. My M and F are both very good with the computer and I marvel at how well they navigate it all, considering my F refused to even touch a computer or cell phone until he was in his 70s. My M, she figured out how to send texts in invisible ink, which really confused the heck out of me one day. My M, she likes the tech challenge. But, there are some things, my sister and I have told them not to mess with, because the one thing they are not always up on are all the scams and phishing attempts.
I spent about an hour and a half updating all of the software on different devices, along with some other tech issue and then tackled some medical forms. We needed to reset the login information for my M and it would mean waiting for the practice to send out an updated activation code through the mail, as they do not email those things for security reasons. I am not convinced that is the best approach, but it is their normal way to function. However, I have friends - LOL. I rarely ask for favors, but I called this friend who works in that office. She said the letter would be going out, but she could read it off to me with my M's permission. Then I set up my F's activated my F's account and had a good laugh at some of the questions - standard questions that I joked I could really mess with if I wanted to. My M giggled saying I certainly wield a lot of power, knowing full well, that in fact, I was being very thorough and making sure every bit of information regarding family health history and the like were accurate.
D had driven up and offered to drive me home, but I said I was going to walk out to my F's studio and then take a slow walk home. It was far too nice out not to enjoy the weather.
My F, normally has music playing and the doors are often closed to the studio in the summer with the air conditioner going if it is hot out, but yesterday was that perfect time of year where there is a warmth in the air, low humidity and fall is trying to push in. There was a slight breeze and as I approached the studio, I could hear that instead of his regular music, my F was whistling away. I turned the corner to see the doors wide open on both ends of the building and my F was sitting there, working on his project as the breeze passed through the studio. The lighting - the sun streaming through the windows - some of them stained glass panels and landing on my F and the piece he was so focused on. It made me smile, as I never have gotten tired of seeing him work away and how he just knows how to take a piece of straight metal rod and bend it in the right manner to create something magical. I know in reality it is because of years of practice, but he makes it seem to incredibly easy, but I know even now he has challenges. Some new, due to his body not always behaving the way it once did. Age and wear and tear will do that. But, he has adjusted somehow and may grumble but it doesn't stop him.
I was at the end of the driveway, ready to begin my walk home, when my sister called me. She was just leaving work and just wanted to check in with me. I said I had addressed all of the tech concerns for our parents and then I told her her portion of the tech support bill. It took her a second to realize I was joking. She asked if I wanted to walk this week and how about she buys coffee in exchange for all of my hard work. I laughed and told her I was a push over and it just had better be good coffee.
We are walking on Friday and changing it up this time. We have missed our walks and since she has an appointment in the afternoon in the same city where the gallery is, we decided to walk around the lake. As it turns out, it is also where the best coffee in that city is.
When I finished my conversation with my sister, I began my walk home. I turned off the ringer on my phone and decided to just allow myself to enjoy the moment. The farmers had been harvesting the corn at the opposite end of the road. As I approached my property, I was nearing the orchard. I could hear the truck with the harvested corn coming over the hill and smiled. I love this time of year. I don't get tired of the sounds, sights and smells of when fall is upon us. I could smell the fallen apples in the orchard. The warm air made it smell like baked apples. As the truck drove by, the air carried the smell of the field corn. The corn in the warm sunshine had a distinct kettle corn like smell to it. I thought if I closed my it would be easy to believe I had stumbled into some carnival.
I know that today, those same apples will have a more boozy smell after today's rain. Yesterday though, the orchard was magical in the dappled sunlight. The little circle of mushrooms that springs up from time to time was visible. The lady who owned the house before us told me those circles of mushrooms were fairy rings. My kids loved thinking the fairies danced in the orchard when no one was looking.
D used to run through the orchard in a pink gown that I bought one year after Easter on clearance. It was too big for D when I first bought it, but I knew she would love it. She wore that darn dress everywhere and I let her play in it. I remember my MIL saying I should make D save it for best, but I didn't care if became tattered and torn. It was never meant for special occasions. She would twirl around for hours. To this day, she remembers that particular dress.
S, made a track around the orchard with ramps and jumps. It was where he later would break his leg. But, even after that incident, I accepted he was all boy and I couldn't protect him from bumps, bruises or breaks. Until recently, that track was there. Now, after S did some maintenance, the track is covered in new grass.
The dog, she loved this time of year. What more could she ask for. She would play fetch with pears and would go so far as to select her own from the pile. And of course there was always the alfalfa being harvested.
What struck me when I arrived home was how much I love simple pleasures.
It also dawned on me this morning, as I thought about yesterday, no where in those memories or thoughts did Xh enter my mind. It is not as if I have erased the happy memories or even some of the bad ones, it is more that they don't come to the forefront of my thoughts like they once did. What did come to mind was other memories. In fact, one September in particular that made me smile when the weather was very similar. The company I was keeping then, that popped into my head yesterday. Those memories seem to have pushed Xh way to the back of my mind.
Every Storm Runs Out of Rain - 7
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