I had nothing set in stone planned for yesterday other than I really needed to can or process more tomatoes and I wanted to clean the yard up. Hub's and I agreed we would do this. I slept in a little and hubby was on me to get dressed after all he had walked the dog and eaten breakfast, while I was playing on the computer in my housecoat. This really irritates me as I know I outwork him 7 days to Sunday, but I just went upstairs and dressed, straightened the upstairs, and went to the garden to pick tomatoes. After I had filled the sink with tomatoes, I went downstairs to the garage to find more quart canning jars. I nicely suggested that hubs back the car out of the garage and sweep and clean up after the storm. He was watching TV. Soon he was grumbling about boxes and things D#2 had left in garage. I told him to calm down and I would come and go through it as some was to stay here and some was to go to re-sale and some to charity. When I started looking I realized it really was a lot of stuff.
Then hubs suggested putting it all in the car and taking it to the various places and up to University dropping it off at daughters apartment and taking her to lunch at his favorite Mikey's Greek sandwiches. I of course smelled a rat this was a way to get out of cleaning the yard and it is a mess and needs cleaned badly.
I did not mind taking things to assorted locations but I did not want to drive and spend 3 hours we could spend in the yard going up to University. I said nothing and told him I was canning tomatoes so we would talk about it later.
Washed, sorted, cut up tomatoes and filled clean jars, put int the salt and citric acid, put them in the canner. While the tomatoes processed I watered the flowers and cleaned the kitchen, helped Hub's sort daughters things. He filled the back of the car and also swept out the garage. I was able to get my bike out of the hallway and back into the garage. As I was taking the tomatoes out of the canner it was about 12:45. I decided we might as well go up to University and get rid of the junk, we could shop at Winco and as Jo-Anns is right next to Winco up there we could kill two birds with one stone and I was getting low on bread making supplies. So off we went on a Saturday wasting time jaunt.
Took a couple of boxes to St Vinnies, then stopped at Resale store and dropped off nicer clothes to resell on commission. Drove to Moscow and met D#3 and boyfriend, had a late lunch, went with D#3 to look at computers as she needs a new one and she found the one she is going to buy, then we dropped her off so she could go to work and went to Winco. I was able to get all the things we needed except soda at much cheaper prices than here in Lewiston. Jo-Anns was a nightmare one clerk for a big busy store, I will never complain about Jo-Anns here in town again. (Okay I will when they next irritate me). Then Hub's pulled into McDonalds without being asked and got me a large diet coke and we drove home. Actually I napped on the way home. Unloaded the car and I took a three hour nap. So much for getting the yard done.
When I got up hub's was watching TV again and I told him I was going to get soda at a store where it was on sale. He wanted to go with me and when we went out I noticed that he had swept out the drive way and it looked so nice. He said it was a pain as he was using the large dustpan and he kept dropping stuff out of it just before he would hit the trash can, and then he had to re clean around the trash cans. I asked him why he just did not roll the can right to the pile of debree after all it was plastic and would have prevented another mess. He gave me that look of "What?",then smiled. I had a good laugh, imagining him with this large dust pan and his palsy shaking across the driveway and dropping crap as he goes and then "sh*t" right before the can he drops most of the contents of the pan. Now this would not be so funny except I am sure he did it over and over again. I hope the neighbors were not watching.
We went to Albertsons and bought soda on sale, and ran into an old neighbor. I had a hard time placing her at first but she seemed to know us well. She was so excited to see us. Hub's had no idea who she was. So I was explaining her to him as we continued through the store.
" Remember the first house we lived in 26 years ago. They lived right behind us. She was a teacher and very religious. He was a contractor that did not work much. They had two small kids, one was D#2 's age a tiny baby. He was a short little man with a mean streak and liked to drink. He came over after I had set up the sewing shop to introduce himself and tell me that he had a bad temper and I was never to cross him. This was in broad daylight in my sewing shop in the middle of the weekday afternoon. I looked at him and told him not to ever come over to my house and threaten me. I had not done anything and he had no right. He was to get off my property and not come back. He could threaten his wife and be big man on campus in his own yard but not mine. "
Hub's was shocked and asked what happened to them? Well let me see...." She got a brain tumor and almost died. He found religion and quit drinking, but later found another woman. She raised both kids and they are lovely people. Her looks and behavior were drastically changed by her illness and he could not handle that."
Now this all took place around one aisle of the store. Then we go to the baking aisle as they are having their 1/2 yearly sale and we run into another woman who recognizes us and treats us like old friends. I am searching my memory. Oh , yes she her husband and new baby lived next door to us in our first apartment 27 years ago. Hub's did not remember them, He wants to know where they are now. Well....
" She had another little boy and he was born with a genetic disease that she carries. It was much more severe in him that her. As she aged the disease became more pronounced and started to disfigure her. She worked at Penney's and her little boy is now 20 and lives in a group home in town the older daughter graduated from college and works out of town somewhere. Her husband left her after the little boy was born and she started to become more disfigured. Hense the obsessive religious conversion."
So now in less than 3 minutes I have run into two women just like me, with kids my kids age and trials in there lives that have caused sever changes. They are alone, they live on very fixed incomes and struggle everyday. Why is my life different? How did we make it and they didn't? Or have we made it? Just a very strange experience.
What do you think?
Have a peaceful and restful Sabbath.
Kim
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