Random Acts of "Kindness"

Archive for September, 2012

RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME

The premise of my writing is to show that we have “friends in high places” that are involved in our life. Therefore, for the most part I don’t write about the joys, problems or challenges in my life unless they seem to be interacting with the other side. Often, my life is ordinary. Then there is the rest of it.

My father enjoyed helping other people. My mother might have shared the same feeling. Since she passed over when I was four, I really can’t speak from experience. I have been told that I’m like her in many ways.
Over the past few years I’ve realized that she is often with me, for which I’m extremely grateful.

So, okay, where is this going? Do I have a point? Yes, I really do. When I enrolled in a Creative Writing class, our teacher mentioned that once we became aware of synchronicities, they would occur more often. Depending on my actions during the day, it might be a quiet day or more interesting.

Recently it was a shopping day. One of my favorite stores is Costco. I feel I receive good value for my money and I enjoy interacting with many of the employees. Costco DOES NOT provide bags for your purchases but they will place them into boxes for easier handling. Sometimes those boxes can be extremely heavy. The weight of the box and the deepness of the shopping cart can make it difficult to get the loaded box out of the cart.  Walking through the parking lot, I passed a woman who had such a problem and was able to extend an extra hand.

That same day, at another store, I noticed a gentleman that seemed to be searching for something with a degree of anxiety. When I asked if he was looking for the bathroom, I was able to direct him to the proper place.

Friday, I took our last pug, Lexie , out for a bathroom break. I call her our energizer pug and someday I will write a thought ramble about her. For now let me say that she is 14 years plus, half blind and with hearing loss. Since she walks with a fishtail gate, and stops to rest often, she wanders without a leash. Friday, I took her out in front of the house for her bathroom break. We live on a busy street. A car pulled over to the side, they lowered the window and a woman asked for directions. She was trying to get to the South side of Chicago and the directions she received from her hotel had her confused. I had to take a break to retrieve a wandering dog,  but luckily I was able to help her.

We have lived in our neighborhood for many years and I still don’t know the streets. But when I was young and took the bus, I learned the major streets on the North side.  Right Place, Right Time! Always makes my day!

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OOPS

Just because I have friends in high places and am aware of it, doesn’t mean that life is easy, without problems.

Yesterday, I went down into the basement to get something from our upright freezer. I saw liquid on the floor by the freezer. IT IS NEVER A GOOD THING WHEN YOU SEE LIQUID ON THE FLOOR BY THE FREEZER.

My worst fears were confirmed when I realized the door was not properly closed. I had no one to blame but myself. The freezer is so full that I am the only one that braves the interior, so therefore, I didn’t make sure the door was closed.  It was all my fault.

Looking at the contents, I knew that many things needed to be tossed. Most of the individual servings on the freezer door had defrosted as well as things on some of the shelves. I salvaged what I could and changed my mind about supper. Changed my mind about Sunday’s supper as well and tossed everything that was defrosted. Four bags full.

As I cleared the shelves, I noticed ice crystals every where. It gave me hope that it was my stupidity, not a malfunction of the freezer. I wanted to try a tray of ice cubes to see if they would freeze. Making a space for the tray to lay flat was its own challenge. I really didn’t want to leave more hot air in then was already there.

Thankfully, one hour later, ice crystals had formed on the top of the ice cube tray. The freezer was working. I have to admit, that most of the food that was defrosted probably was no longer part of my diet.

Today was a day to cook, and refreeze the salvaged food.

Yesterday, I was looking for a card for my grandson who is away at college and having a rough time. Many cards, but nothing fit. A card with birds caught my eye as I walked down an aisle. Closer inspection revealed that it was just what I was looking for –the message — continue to try, having faith in God. THANKS! I knew someone was helping. I also knew I needed it.

I wish I could say that the trials of August have ended. Sometimes I jump into something with both feet instead of taking my time. I’m not sure what I did, maybe it was a combination of trying new things and the 90 plus temperatures. Whatever the cause, I’m still dealing with the after effects.

Hoping to solve the problem, I’ve stopped my supplements, and given up caffeinated beverages. One of my daughter’s suggested drinking 64 oz of water a day. I’m hoping to flush out my system. I don’t know when my hot flashes and night sweats ended. I’m not excited that they are back. I wonder if it has to do with the aligning of all the planets. Magnetic energy. December is how many months away?

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Is Someone Trying To Tell Me Something

I will admit that I’m stubborn. I have had an open wound on my left leg since March and have not gone to the doctor. I knew it was coming. I watched a small black dot slowly rise to the surface and when it became an open wound, I wasn’t surprised. I tried to keep it small, eat healthy, etc. but it continued to grow. Stress and other things of normal life prevented me from going to the doctor until it became so large I was embarrassed.

Each time I determined that if it hadn’t started healing by such and such a date, I was going to the doctor. Something else always happened to delay the making of an appointment.

Then it began to heal, and I was very thankful. But I had not learned the lesson yet, whatever the lesson is. I think it has to do with making sure that I have myself on the list, taking care of my needs as well as the needs of others. Often I’m at the store, buying food my family needs and forget that I have to have different items since I’m sodium restricted. When I’m back at home, and ready to cook dinner, I discover most of the stuff that I can eat is still in the store.

Now it is August. My left leg rebelled or decided to self destruct. On the fifth, I hit my leg with the vacuum cleaner. On the 9th, a porch folding chair fell on my left toes. On the 15th, I banged my left foot on our dog’s gate.  Which brings me to the 19th, a can of luncheon meat, fell off the shelf, onto my left foot. Not done yet, in the store,, a box of mushrooms, fell onto my left shin.

I was getting the message. Leg WAS NOT happy.

I wear compression socks because of poor circulation. My left leg was itching, so I scratched it with abandon, over the stockings. I was very surprised to see a blister on my leg, followed in two days by another one. The stocking acted as a scouring pad and scoured my leg.

I cover the open sores on my leg with gauze pads, held in place by paper tape. I was not happy as the area covered by this protection grew in size. So far, I haven’t found shin guards.

A friend told me about a treatment with castor oil and a heating pad which has done her leg some good. By now, I was desperate enough to try it. As I write, five days into the treatment, the blisters seem to be healing. The scratches up and down the leg are either healing or gone. Hopefully soon the larger sore will begin to heal again.

I’M KEEPING MYSELF ON THE LIST. Right now, anyway.

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