Random Acts of "Kindness"

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FLEXIBLE

I lost it. Where did it go? In the beginning of summer, I was able to WALK to Mass. It wasn’t exactly easy, painful knees were a problem but I was able to do it. Now walking a block is exhausting. Knees don’t hurt, but my right hamstring objects. Exercises that were easy are now either challenging or impossible.

I hurt my right hamstring at the beginning of July. The injury caused me to remain butt down and feet up for almost a month. We were in the country so I did minimal walking with Robin in the morning. I tried to continue with water exercise but I soon learned that I was doing more harm to my body than helping it.

I didn’t drive our car for over a month. When I did, I learned that using the automatic control hurt my body. I was able to drive manually, exercising my right leg. I was afraid to ride the scooter, afraid I would do more damage to my legs.

FIGHTING BACK — not at all happy with my limited ability. I started to drink a cup of bone broth every day, hoping it helps my various body parts. I have returned to doing Tai Chi EVERY DAY! I have also added 15 minutes of yoga along with the arm exercises I used to do.

I’m looking for improvement — ANYWHERE. The pain in my knees has diminished. My hamstring continues to be a challenge. Some days it behaves, others — the smallest step will cause pain. One of my daily exercises is for the hamstring.

Many of the exercises that were easy for me are no longer possible. If I get down on the floor, getting back up onto my feet is a challenge. Getting out of a chair or off the couch has also been a challenge. Recently I was able to rise from the couch unaided — improvement!

I’m being reminded that I need to improve my strength and my muscles. I have some DVD’s that are designed to help muscles. So far I haven’t been brave enough to try them.

In the city I have more stairs to climb. I’ll admit that I climb up and down the stairs more slowly. I also use the banisters or other handholds going into the basement. I don’t know if I NEED to use aids or the memory of falls makes me more cautious. In order to remain in our house I HAVE to be ABLE to do the stairs.

Step by step, day by day — I’m working to become more flexible.

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FIRE

I have to admit that I was puzzled. It was cool enough outside to make a meatloaf in the oven. After an hour, I didn’t smell meatloaf and opened the cold oven door. The flame had stopped sometime during the cooking process. I estimated about a half hour. My husband was able to light the pilot light, the oven regained 350 degrees and I finished cooking the meatloaf. The stove is old as our trailer, more than thirty years. What bothered me was gas escaping, the pilot light had gone out. My husband tried to figure out the cause — but our stove did not have automatic ignition. Too old. I phoned the person who repairs our trailer. As long as I didn’t use the oven, the pilot light stayed on.

My husband grilled a steak on our outside grill. We joined friends around their campfire. When we returned, I noticed heat coming from the grill. The gas had not been turned off.

Outside the temperature had risen, back into the seventies at night. Our furnace turned on TWICE during the night. Temperature on the thermostat was set at 70. Temperature in the camper was 80. ??
It was the weekend — our repairman was on a well deserved vacation. I vowed to call him on Monday.

Sunday night the light over our kitchen sink burned out. The number of fire — light appliances with problems was climbing. I’ll admit I was concerned. I’ll admit that I thought a message was trying to get through but I had NO IDEA what it was. We hadn’t been home much during the summer. I wondered if I needed to schedule a cleaning for our furnace at home.

After I called our repairman with the latest problem, we packed up to go home. My husband discovered a green frog on our bathroom wall. At first I thought it was one of our granddaughters toys until it moved. I was reminded — FROG — Full rely on God!

We stopped at an ice cream parlor on the way home. Since my husband was driving, I ordered a cherry ice cream soda and an order of French fries. I hadn’t had a cherry soda in years. I also ordered a chili dog and a chocolate shake for my husband. Carrying the tray out to their patio, the tray tilted — chili dog all over patio, ice cream soda all over the tray and me. Ops — WHAT A MESS! We cleaned up as best we could and I asked the people inside to run water on the patio to discourage the bees. Tiny bit of ice cream soda left — too sweet! My tastes have changed.

One of the first things I did when we reached home was call the furnace people and arrange for a cleaning.

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COMPANIONS

I have to admit that I don’t see them but I KNOW that I am seldom alone. Some times their activity is more noticeable. Early on a Sunday morning out in the country, I headed for the 8:00 Mass at St. Patrick’s. As I drove up a small hill, I saw figures on the road ahead. Slowing my speed, as I reached that spot, I saw 4 deer — two adults, two spotted fawns on the side of the road by the cornfield.

I enjoy the guitar music at St. Patrick’s, the songs are printed on loose leaf paper, assembled into a small booklet. The last time I was at Mass, I couldn’t find the song book. I looked over the shoulder of the woman in the front pew to sing the song. That morning I FOUND the booklet in the pew, hiding behind the official songbook. The pages were included for the beginning and ending songs — two songs, 14 and 16, offertory and communion, were missing. No one had a song book in the pew ahead of me, I didn’t know the songs. I couldn’t sing along, so I hummed the tune.

Acorns were already falling at the camper. The deck of our porch was already loaded, even though I had swept them off once before. Thankfully the roof of our deck protected us as they fell. As I pulled into the drive and turned off the car, two acorns banged onto the hood of our car with force. I decided that I needed to back up the car, out of the range of the acorns.

The events of the morning had already caught my attention. But I was surprised when I made a phone call to a friend. After our conversation, my cell phone rang, telling me I had a voice mail message. Calling voice mail, I listened to most of our recent conversation. I have NEVER had that happen before.

I decided that someone was “helping”, but who? I asked my husband to phone his brother — he has 4th stage lung cancer. His brother was fine, staying out of the heat in air conditioning but my husband learned something that I find very interesting. It might of answered my question. That Sunday was his father’s birthday. Where the two father’s having fun on my behalf?

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HELP

I receive “help” in my life on a daily basis. Most of it occurs without my noticing it. Sometimes it repeats itself on such a regular basis that I become aware. I often receive “help” when I’m writing. It began when I was writing To Pap, With Love. I DID NOT HAVE WRITING EXPERIENCE. I’m not a great typist — as a matter of fact, I almost FLUNKED typing in high school. “what do you mean I can’t look at the keys?”
Thankfully we now have computers, that help with spelling errors. Computers were not in regular use when my father was alive. It didn’t take him long on the other side to learn how to manipulate the system. I don’t know how else to describe it. The day of my father’s wake, at work, my sons computers made such a mess he gave up and came home. Our future son-in-law, hoping to work on a school project, also gave up when the computers locked.

When I wrote my first book, sentences disappeared as they were eaten by the yellow figure on a packman game. The printer jammed. One chapter stopped printing whenever it reached our granddaughters communion party. That “help” occurred often when I was writing that book. It continued when I wrote the various stories in Journey With Me.

Today I still receive “help” on a regular basis. For some reason it is IMPORTANT that I share thought rambles on a regular basis. Today I have brain fog. NO ideas were coming to mind. Thankfully I’m receiving “help”. Files are saved and the computer leaves the place where I’m working. I’m being reminded of long ago. My father passed over in 1995.

Evidently I NEED a lot of “help” because I’m ALWAYS on the receiving end. Some of the help is not exactly what I want. I don’t like to get hit on the head. Nor do I like the frozen cascade of food from the freezer. Thankfully the food has not been landing on my feet lately. Last year I always had compression stocking on my legs. This year I have enjoyed the freedom of going barefoot so most of the time my toes are not protected.

If my thought ramble is not of the quality that is accepted, it won’t save. Or as in time gone by, the sentences unravel. I’m mentioning this because so many persons think the because time has passed, their friends on the other side don’t think of them — I wish to share that years gone by on the other side don’t seem to make a difference.

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CHANCE MEETING

Looking back — my life has changed so much that it is hard to remember the time before my father passed over. I wrote that I have crossed a bridge, and I didn’t want to go back. Things that used to amaze me now seem normal. I hope that I never accept the happenings as common place. I hope that I always remember to say “thank you”!

I am often at the right place, at the right time to either help someone or be helped in return. Often I am delayed in order to accomplish the meeting. Recently, Robin’s leash was in my hand — we were going for a walk. EXCEPT — I saw a queen of heaven sprout in the yard. One sprout led to two which led to —–. Robin’s walk must have been delayed at least five minutes — maybe more.

Since we spend much of our summer in the country, I don’t see my neighbors in the city. I was in time to meet a neighbor, getting ready to fly to help her sister, who has cancer. Recently, in the country, I passed a couple looking for a parking place to attend an event. I shared information, parking available on the street down the road — parking places in the lots were filled.

At the event, the woman from the car asked me if I was a friend of Connie? Thankfully she recognized me. She had information of our friend’s husband who had had a stroke. I had been phoning, without success.
Leaving the Camper on Thursday, I passed the same couple who has just arrived at the camper, stopping to check on their friend’s lot. She had current information for me, although recovering, our friend was having a rough time.

The chance meeting doesn’t always involve a person, sometimes it is a song or a story, a book or a program. Most of the time it is information that I either need or something that needs to be shared. Last year, my chance meeting was with two dogs. In the country, I saw a German shepherd and another dog out for a stroll without a person for company. An hour later, I met a man looking for the two dogs. I provided the little bit of information that I could. Later that day, my husband and I were heading into town. On the back road I spied the two dogs heading into town. We offered them a ride and took them back to the campground to reunite with their owner.

If you have read many of by thought rambles, you know that many unexplained occurrences happen in my life. I often don’t remember them but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

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RANDOM THOUGHTS

DELAYED! Again — by choice or by circumstances. Does it matter? I usually have a rough plan for my day — nothing written, or impressive — just a rough plan. I used to be a night person, getting my energy in the late afternoon, accomplishing something in the evenings. That was long ago. Now I’m a morning person. If I don’t get something done before noon, it is a good bet that nothing of importance will be accomplished that day. If nothing else, I usually have an idea of what I’ll be making for supper.

Today — how can I describe today. GOD LAUGHED! I’m in the city, my husband is in the country. Original plan was that I was driving our granddaughter in to catch a plane to return to Florida. I was staying in the city to attend the Mind Body Spirit Expo over the weekend and return to the camper Monday or Tuesday. I didn’t feel good on Monday, accomplished NOTHING! Usually I have a couple of thought rambles lined up to publish. NOT NOW!

I tried to write yesterday. I had ONE sentence looking back at me from the screen. Mind BLANK. I was not impressed. Earlier in the day, I was reminded that I needed to write. I bumped into one of the pipes in the basement, hitting my head. The day before, I hit my head on the roof of the car. These are usually indications that I’m being reminded to write, share experiences.

Today, I stumbled across a few of the stories I had written for Journey With Me, I was IMPRESSED.

Back to my day. It is cooler, I planned to make cat fish in the oven. I planned to go shopping for food. My husband was going to travel with our middle daughter to our youngest daughter’s house. Our family had gathered at our camper for a weeks vacation and our daughter was taking advantage of time with her father. Since I was staying in the city for a few more days, I needed more food.

My husband phoned. He decided he needed a day to rest. Since Friday, he had been busy, traveling around the area — looking for the Bison in Natchusa, visiting Castle Rock and some of the other parks. Hiking opportunities. Because of my knees, we hadn’t visited them this year. If I was feeling better, he thought I should come out to the camper tomorrow.

Plans changed. No sense to go shopping if I wasn’t staying in town. I had made chicken and dumpling yesterday. There was enough left for today. Sitting at the table, talking to my husband, my watch came off my arm. The band broke! “Is someone trying to tell me something?”

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WOBBLE, WOBBLE

I think WOBBLE WOBBLE should be my new nick name. I feel like a turkey. When ever my husband is walking behind me, I hear him saying: “Wobble. Wobble.” He means I’m rocking from side to side in my walk. I am overweight! Not extremely, just maybe 30 to 40 pounds. That doesn’t necessarily account for my walking. Knee Problems — that is the main cause. My husband said that I am walking too stiff legged, like a soldier, not bending my knees. Its not that I’m not trying to lose weight, it just isn’t happening!

Our youngest daughter has decided to try to walk 9000 steps a day and do 30 days of yoga. My middle daughter decided to join her in the quest. Since I hurt my hamstring, walking that many steps is more than I can safely do. Forget 30 days of yoga. One, I don’t have access to the internet at the camper. Two, if I got down onto the floor, it would be hard to get back up. Three, many of the poses that I could do in my younger days are WAY PAST my abilities now!

My older daughter suggested that instead I do 30 days of Tia Chi, and 30 days of A MORNING CUP OF YOGA. Tia Chi is easy on my body and although I have altered the form since I first learned it, it is gentle stretches for my body. My knees don’t like it very much. I bought the yoga book many years ago. It is also gentle stretches, doesn’t get down on the floor and incorporates some hamstring exercises that I need. The first time I did it, I was too enthusiastic and did a leg exercise that my knees REALLY objected to.

I thought exercise in the water would be good for my body. And it is EXCEPT when because I’m in the water I do too much. I have learned that If I use the weights and the noodles, I am putting less pressure on my knees. I have also learned that the water has to be warmer for my knees. In days gone by, cooler water wasn’t a problem for me. Whether those days are gone for good or just temporarily taking a vacation — time will tell.

I will admit that besides walking less, I have been more careful riding on the scooter. I don’t want to take a chance that I will put my foot down wrong and do more damage. Recently I took our car out for a longer drive — more than 25 miles. I had been in the pool in cooler water and my knee was YELLING! If I used the automatic pilot, my knee HURT! If I used pressure on the gas pedal instead, my knee although still hurting wasn’t YELLING!

Our grand daughter is coming to the country for a visit. I will need to drive her back to the city in order to catch a plane. She will be able to drive if my knee is really yelling, but I’LL BE ABLE TO SAFELY DO IT too!

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SHAVED

I’ll admit that I knew better. I knew if you are using a mandolin for slicing vegetables, it was VERY IMPORTANT to use the food guard. I knew my daughter had severely cut her finger because she didn’t use the guard. I TRIED! I really did. I couldn’t fit the potato into the guard. I couldn’t make it stay attached. I thought if I was VERY CAREFUL I would be able to safely slice the potatoes. I WAS WRONG!

The first thing that alerted me to the problem was BLOOD! LOTS OF BLOOD! I couldn’t make it stop. I wound a paper towel around my finger and used a rubberband to keep it in place. That didn’t work very well. I tried to put a band aid on it. I raised my hand over my head and kept it there. I ran it under cold water. It kept bleeding. Finally my husband woke and came to my aid. We wrapped my finger in lots of gauze and tape.

Perhaps I should mention that I cut my right thumb, just under the tip. Do you know how often you use your thumb? Since I’m right handed, I use my right thumb a lot. It wasn’t very long before the bandage was completely soaked with blood. I wondered if I needed stitches to stop the bleeding. I finished cutting the potatoes manually and finished assembling the meal in the crock pot. I managed to keep any traces of blood out of the food.

My husband replaced the wrapping on my finger a second time. It almost stayed on for the rest of the day. It looked like my finger was wearing an armor. Since the cut was at the top, my husband wrapped the entire finger in bandaging. Doing dishes that evening, the wrapping fell off and the bleeding continued or started again. I thought I had a deep cut. I didn’t know that I had sliced off a layer.

I went to the store and bought more supplies. He wrapped my finger up again. This time I was more carefully and the armor stayed on until evening. This time when it came off, I found a bandage to cover it. Then I found a plastic glove to cover my whole hand. Thankfully the bleeding had stopped for the most part. I will admit that I replaced bandage and glove for the next few days. I went shopping for food and was careless. Not only did I forget bandaids, I forgot a plastic glove. I asked a woman sampling food if I could have one of hers. Thankfully she had one I could use.

That is when I learned I had shaved off a few layers of skin. We went to the camper and I wanted to go in the water. I had to keep the water out of the injured area. I tried a liquid bandage. IT WORKED!

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BITS AND PIECES

BITS AND PIECES

I have learned that it is helpful if I write myself notes. During the summer when we travel back and forth from the city to the country I never remember what supplies I have on hand at either place. I have to admit that I’m better at noting the food and supplies at the camper than at home. It helps for packing.

Since I’m determined to do more cooking at the camper this summer, I brought many of the spices that were called for in the recipes I planned to try. Finding a container to store the spices in and making TWO lists has been helpful. One list is in the container, the other travels with me. I also have to admit that spices hid, and I now have extras.

After the winter, I discovered that some changes I made during the last summer have skipped my memory. I brought painting supplies out to the camper, but it was only AFTER I bought new sketch books for my grandchildren that I found a container with colored pencils, water color pencils and sketch books hiding in a closet.

I recently pulled down a box that contained a cooking appliance that completely slipped my memory. I must have bought it when we traveled in the motor home. It is designed for cooking for two — omelets, steaks, sandwiches, even pizza. It not only has directions, cooking pans and a cook book. I must admit that it is repacked. Will I use it this year? Will I donate it? Good questions — no answers.

I remembered that we had a motorized air pump. I knew where it had rested, I didn’t know where it had moved. UNTIL I decided to pack afghans away in a tub. Surprise — the tub contained not only the missing pump but also the missing inflatable mattress.

When I moved a cookie sheet and a wooden cutting board that I use for cleaning fish, I wrote a note and put it on the frig. That was a few years ago. The note is still there but every Spring I look for the cookie sheet and find my note.

Our house is much bigger than the camper. Just think of all the things that are waiting to be discovered. It doesn’t help that over the years I have been involved in many crafts and have the supplies needed for each. Maybe this Fall and Winter I will explore the nooks and crannies in the house.

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NORMAL DAY

It started early, too early. Sadly I have not been able to sleep more than five, six hours each night. I used to be able to sleep for eight hours, wake up refreshed and ready to tackle the day. But that seems to be a long time ago. Why it changed, I don’t know. Some of it was because I listened for my father when he had Alzheimer’s disease but that was 25 years ago. Has it really been that long since I was able to sleep deeply? And time passes.

I usually open the Bible and Queen of Angels in the morning. The Bible opened to the introduction of Sirach,, Queen of Angels opened to the empty page after Angels as Playmates and Confidants. Interesting!

After spending many days in the country we were back in town. Besides laundry, our plans included shopping — the temperature was predicted to be in the 90’s for too many days. I needed supplies in the house so I could cook, AVOID the heat, the crowds, the stores.

First stop — Half Price Books. Our son had books to donate — we were happy to help. My husband found three books from an author he enjoys. I found FROM JUNK FOOD TO JOY FOOD by Joy Bauer. Hopefully the recipes will help my never ending battle to lose a few pounds. Paging through the book, I found many recipes that might help. I have a couple of her other books and have found the recipes flavorful.

On ward and up ward, store after store after store. We ended at Wal-Mart. I have found the super store carries many of the food supplies that I use. While I picked up food supplies, my husband wandered through electronics and automotive. Heading for the bathroom at the back of the store, I saw my husband talking to an employee. He was glad I came by so he could leave.

The woman he was talking to shared her recent experiences. Her house had been on fire and it took more than three months before they were able to get back inside. Water damage had caused mold, requiring massive repairs. My husband shared the information that I had been in a fire when I was young. And the conversation jumped from topic to topic. She was amazed at the number of similarities we shared. Not only the experience with fire, but also a parent with Alzheimer’s and my writing of three books and a blog. She planned to write but many of her notebooks had been destroyed by the fire.

When we returned home, I shared our day with our daughter. It was from her that I got the title of this thought ramble. She told me, “Mom, you had a “normal day”. Most of your days are like that. Thinking about it — she’s right.

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