Random Acts of "Kindness"

Archive for June, 2018

HI BROTHER

I noticed this morning that I needed one more thought ramble to have something scheduled to publish for the full month of June. Hopefully we will be going to the camper where internet access while available is not as convenient. My recent experience with the heat doesn’t give me much hope for brain function.

As most of you know, when I was four, my mother and brother passed over because of a fire. Did I pass over too and be sent back? Does it matter? If I had any unusual talents at the time — in the late 40’s and 50’s, having extra talents was not safe. So I hid them and they disappeared.

Slowly some talents are surfacing, I’m sure why, maybe because of “help from my friends.” I have a job to do.

The day before my brother’s birthday, a phone call to my daughter ended in the middle of a conversation THREE times. The day of his birthday, before we left for the camper I NOTICED six iris where in bloom in the back yard. I successfully took a picture with the I pad and posted it on MESSENGER to share with my family. (I’m not skilled doing that.) I have a note that mention’s MAJOR HELP but I didn’t go into details. Sadly, I often neglect to write things down. Maybe it is a good thing I do thought rambles on a regular basis.

Are you AWARE? Has writing about some of my experiences “helped” you? What am I going on and on about? Is there a reason?

YES! This morning before going to Mass, I took Robin for her morning walk. Blue skies — not a cloud anywhere. We had a heavy rain during the night but all the clouds had moved on. Slightly chilly. I had on a light jacket that has a hood. Walking under a fully leafed oak tree, I received a shower. So heavy was the water, I raised the hood of my jacket. “Hi Brother.”

I really don’t know if he was the cause BUT who but a younger brother would tease his sister? I have MANY friends in high places, but only one brother!

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BEFUDDLED

Is that a real word? I really don’t know and I’m afraid to look it up. The name came to me when I remembered the previous weekend. In preparation for camping, I looked at the forecast of the temperatures for our campground. At home it had been in the 70’s. I wanted to bring summer clothes if the temperature was going to be warmer. The forecast predicted low 80’s.

They were WRONG! Warmest day in years — 97 to be exact, followed by another 97 degree day. Since May had been cool and rainy, in fact the rain broke the all time record — 8″. My body hadn’t had the time to adjust to 70 let alone 90.

We didn’t have air conditioning but bright and early on Sunday morning, our son-in-law came to our camper to help install the window air conditioner that they no longer didn’t needed. They had a room addition built and central air conditioning installed.

I felt the effects of the heat early Sunday morning. I drove my scooter to the gas station to fill it up. I raised the seat, took off the gas cap but couldn’t get the pump to work. Putting everything back, closing the seat I went inside to discuss my problem. Coming back out, I forgot how to open the seat. I kept feeling for a latch. UNSUCCESSFULLY! I had to drive the scooter back to ask my husband how to open the seat. It opened with a key! I FELT FOOLISH.

But I wasn’t done with the day. Later, I drove our grandchildren to look at a group of animals that had come for a visit: blue eyed pony, llama, Peaches: the albino skunk, rabbits, prairie dog and a turtle or two. Leaving there we stopped at an air conditioned building before heading for ice cream. The line was TOO LONG. Our daughter phoned, arranging to pick up her children. I headed for the grocery store to get bread. NONE AVAILABLE. Only hot dog and hamburger buns. When I went back to our car, I didn’t have the keys? Remembering the numbers for the code on our car, I was able to put the groceries in the trunk. Returning to the grocery store, I looked for my car keys. UNSUCCESSFUL.

Returning to our car, I used the numbers to gain entrance — hoping I dropped the keys inside. NOPE! They were in the ignition — the car running. I forgot to turn the car off when I parked. OOPS!

My husband didn’t far better. He was dizzy and wobbly when he was walking. Not dehydrated, he had consumed SEVEN bottles of water. Still a bit dizzy on Monday but capable of driving back home. The air conditioning in our car, although it works, the car tends to overheat if in heavy traffic. all windows open, we took the back roads to avoid the construction. Then connected with the toll way when it was back to four lanes. THANKFULLY — NO TRAFFIC!

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LITTLE THINGS

It is the littler things that slip through the cracks!

Sunday was the feast of Pentecost — the day the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples in the closed room and changed their lives. I find that feast significant because I realized that I am celebrating my six year anniversary of Wandering With Spirit this month. I can’t say that the blog has changed my life — but maybe it has. If I don’t write on a regular basis, if I don’t have something scheduled to publish every week, my life becomes more interesting than I want it to. More things go wrong. I’m REMINDED that I have work to do. Since I am always on the lookout for a writing idea, I might pay more attention to my life.

One of my favorite sayings is: “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him/Her your plans,” I had been at the Garden the day before. I had many steps on my pedometer. I planned to do NOTHING. The phone rang at 8:10. It was I Dot — we have a transponder that allows us to speed through the tollway gates at a decent speed, not wait in line forever. It was a present to my husband a few years ago. Now I was told it wasn’t working. We would be charged a cash car rate any time we went through. Camping season is starting. We use the tollways a lot. I learned where an office was. I learned that the battery might have run out. The number I received for our credit card didn’t match. I had no idea where the number came from. The one thing I did know — WE HAD TO GO FOR A DRIVE AND SOLVE THE PROBLEM. It was an easy solution. The battery on our transponder had run out, we just needed a new one.

On the way home, I suggested we stop at Wal-Mart so I could try on some shorts. I’ve noticed that my old ones are slipping down. It is most uncomfortable. I planned to order from a catalogue, but in order to do so, I needed to know my size. I tried on a smaller size and IT FIT. My husband suggested I buy a second swimsuit for back up. I like to exercise every weekday at the camper. If my suit is still wet, it is too cold to wear again. I saw a swimsuit that I thought might work. It has to be one piece, two pieces DON’T WORK for exercising. The hanger had my size so I tried it on. I looked at the tag on the swimsuit — it was the smaller size. HAPPY!

I picked up frozen pizzas at the store. My husband put them in the downstairs basement for me — saving my knees. I found them on Friday morning in the fridge — not the freezer. When I asked him — he said I told him to put them there???? Saturday, we went to a steakhouse to celebrate Mother’s day. He drove a different way, and said that was how he always goes. ????

One plus one didn’t add up. I was becoming concerned. On Sunday — Pentecost — I said a couple of prayers — asking God to “help” my husband. My father had Alzheimer’s disease. I REALLY DIDN’T WANT my husband to be affected. I decided that I wasn’t going to worry. Hands off — God was in charge.

Walking home from church — I noticed a shiny lilac object lying on the ground. I almost passed by. Then I backed up and took another look. It was a lilac sparkling gem in a hanging earring. It had a stopper to keep it from falling out of the ear. It reminded me that the night before, I had lost the backing on one of my crystal earrings but luckily the earring had not fallen out.

THANK YOU! Enough said.

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INVITATION CRABAPPLES

By know you know that I enjoy Chicago’s Botanic Garden for many reasons. I don’t have the space, time or energy to maintain a lovely garden myself but I LOVE flowers. I totally enjoy walking the paths, listening to the rushing water on the waterfalls or fountains, and watching as the seasons change.

I try to get to the garden in time for the daffodils. This year I didn’t make it. I ALWAYS try to visit when the crabapples are in bloom. My first visit this year, they were trees in waiting. I totally enjoyed a huge magnolia tree. The Japanese cherry trees were in full bloom as well as the rhododendron in the Japanese Garden. I totally enjoyed the day, took many photos and hoped to return when the crabapples were in bloom.

Just ONE week later, I received an invitation, the crabapples were in bloom. I didn’t hesitate. The next day, sunny but cool found me back in the Garden. This time I arrived earlier, before the bells chimed twelve. This time, once again I found a parking spot in the closest parking lot. THANK YOU!

It is my practice to check out the salads and other food on the menu before I wander the paths. I noticed a key lime tart. I knew it wouldn’t be available when I finished my walk. I decided it needed to accompany me. I wasn’t hungry, but I LOVE key lime pie. It became the second photo I took that day. It wandered with me until I reached the waterfalls. Sitting on a bench — in the sunshine — listening to the rushing water, I totally enjoyed the tart.

The magnolia tree had lost its flowers, the Japanese cherry trees were no longer in bloom, I debated walking the Japanese Garden. I was happy that I did — azalea’s were in bloom, the Japanese retreat house was open, as well as quite a few crabapple trees. I didn’t count the number of photos I took at the Garden. I’m sure it was well over 100. Besides the crabapple trees, I have a photo of two turtles sunning on a couple of rocks. (I overheard a father pointing them out to his son.) I also have a photo of a mother robin feeding her chicks in a nest.

This time I wandered to the island, enjoying the crabapples in bloom in the lanes. White and pink trees were laden with blooms. The red blossoms were still waiting. I noticed a white crabapple tree so full of blossoms that the branches were hidden. A tram passed as I admired the tree. The driver told her group it was a weeping white crabapple. Her favorite tree in the Garden.

Stopping for a salad before leaving, it was a perfect day!

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BASKETS

Thankfully I have “FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES.” I really don’t have a special reason for saying that. I often recognize their help. Recent examples — our sons shirts missing, causing him to stay home and miss Robin’s quest — my parking place at the Garden. The title of this ramble more or less says it all.

I recently recognized what “my elephant in the room” was. Last Fall, the money that supplements our health insurance from my husband’s company ended. I knew it was running out, but wasn’t aware of the time. At the same time, my husband entered the GAP for his prescriptions. Because of kidney damage, one of my husband’s pills is EXTREMELY HIGH!

I wasn’t prepared. This year our health insurance has gone up too. To say that I’m being careful would be an understatement. I just wasn’t aware of what was causing my anxiety.

What does that have to do with baskets you might ask. Since we spend a good part of our summer at the camper, I wasn’t sure how many hanging baskets or flowers I wanted to buy for the city. I saw the prices for hanging baskets and wasn’t impressed — $21. I usually buy at least four or five. I can easily see them, and not have to get down on the ground to plant them. Wal-Mart had baskets at $12 but they didn’t look that great. Four at $12 a piece was more money than I wanted to spend.

THANKFULLY I HAVE FRIENDS. I had already been shopping for food at another store, but I decided to stop at Aldi’s to see if they had any flowers. I didn’t take in a cart because I wasn’t planning on grocery shopping. I found hanging baskets marked down in price to $3 a piece. They looked very sad but I found three begonias that I thought would survive. Begonias like the shade, which is mostly what our yard has. The rest of the hanging baskets were filled with sun loving plants. Yard didn’t look quite as sad.

The next day, I attended the Mass of a friend. She was well known and the Mass was packed! I had taken our car to church instead of walking. Parking had been impossible — street cleaning, construction and the funeral combined. Walking back to our car, I remembered that our son said we needed bleach. I decided to go to the Aldi’s in our neighborhood. I FOUND a beautiful hanging geranium plant for $10. MINE! And it was the last one. When I placed the hanging baskets in our yard the previous day, I remembered that we always had a geranium basket hanging when we first entered. Thankfully, now we had one this year as well!

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