For years, I’ve secretly believed that I am a magnet for strange personalities. I’ve never minded, because strange personalities often come in the form of very interesting folks. For example, if there’s a person wandering around a large grocery store, looking for vanilla extract, they will choose me to approach and inquire about this. They won’t choose a person with an employee badge, or a nice elderly couple, or a person in the actual baking section – they will seek me out.
This happens in large cities as well. If you see a person on the street, loudly proclaiming that their landlord is harboring rats in the basement, they are likely proclaiming this to me, personally. Meanwhile, dozens of other people are walking by (mainly giving us a wide berth).
Lately, I’ve begun to think that my personality is attracting more than just odd quirks. I seem to be attracting large, hard surfaces and not in a good way.
It started with the built-in garbage can in our kitchen. You pull out the handle, deposit trash, and push the large drawer back in. I’ve done this millions of times in the past twenty years but last week, it didn’t work.
I pulled out the drawer, threw in a piece of trash, and shut the drawer. When I raised my hand, however, it didn’t come up naturally and easily. It came up – full force- against the edge. This resulted in my ring finger and pinky getting severely struck – and a lined bruise formed almost immediately.
The next day, I was leaving the garage where we park the mowers. In front of that building, right between the two doors, is a plant stand we made several years ago. Every spring I place a large, pretty pot of flowers there and it looks nice through the summer and into fall. I say this not to brag, but to underscore that this planter (currently empty) is not a new addition. I’ve known about its’ presence for years and have successfully navigated around it for that same time period.
Well, not that day. On that day, I tripped over the dad-blamed thing and rammed my other hand into the open garage door. This resulted in a bruise on the thumb of my other hand.
Sakes alive. I’m a walking disaster. The worst was yet to come.
Just a few days later, there was a car accident down the road from us. About three or four emergency vehicles raced down our road and we naturally looked out at the flashing lights. They were about a quarter-mile away and soon I forgot about them.
After about an hour, I poured myself a little glass of wine and placed it on the dining room table. I returned the wine bottle to the rack, which is next to the three steps down from our kitchen to the dining room. As I turned to go back up the steps, three things happened in about one second.
First, loud sirens screamed outside, down the road that intersects with ours. Secondly, I was startled and turned around to look out the dining room window. Finally, as I turned, I stepped out – thinking I was on the bottom stair.
I was on the top stair and my foot found open air. My leg plunged downward, as I was turning, and I didn’t, by some miracle, fall on my face. I did, however, slam my entire backside into the corner of the wall.
Yes, I’m bruised -a lot worse than a finger and a thumb. Suffice it to say, I couldn’t sit down easily (or lay down, for that matter) without a lot of discomfort. But hey, while large immovable objects do seem to be attracting my body to them, I’m not breaking any bones.
Yet!
Scene of the crime:
come on Sis! This kind of stuff happens all the time to us OLD folks – you are just joining us in the trip into Never Never Land! Rumbling, Stumbling, Bumbling is a WAY OF LIFE for me now! All we need to verify your tale is a PIC of YOU, not the crime scene! HA1 So very glad you did not break anything – bone wise – but Mom used to say it hurt LESS than bruising!
Probably, she knew things we did not! Love the phrase dad-blamed, only when I grew up the blame for accidents for me and Clark were ALL MINE! Dad never got blamed once!!
Love ya, keep up this precious spot, often makes my whole week seem easier!!
John, I received this from a friend and thought you might enjoy it.
I Love This
I am not afraid of tomorrow for I have seen yesterday and I love today.
Noah’s Ark : Everything I need to know, I learned from Noah’s Ark ..
ONE: Don’t miss the boat.
TWO: Remember that we are all in the same boat!
THREE: Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark.
FOUR: Stay fit. When you’re 60 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
FIVE: Don’t listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
SIX: Build your future on high ground.
SEVEN: For safety’s sake, travel in pairs.
EIGHT: Speed isn’t always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
NINE: When you’re stressed, float awhile.
TEN: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
ELEVEN: No matter the storm, there’s always a rainbow waiting.
Most people walk in and out of your life,
But FRIENDS leave footprints in your heart.
Now, John… how do we know that the snails didn’t ride in on the cheetah’s back? 😉
John, I have no idea why my comment to you came in so many times! I’m so sorry.
Now I didn’t want to say it’s because you’re getting older, but I’m in the “winter season” of my life and I know that I am! I’ve already told my daughter, “When I go, please let Susie know that I’ve truly enjoyed my time with her, but I’ve gone to a better place!” I have problems with balance… running into walls, rounding corners, step height, stumbling. I can actually stumble on a flat, carpeted floor! Did you know difficulty with hearing is often associated with balance? I definitely have trouble hearing, but that’s okay. A lot of stuff I don’t want or need to hear.
Not only misjudging with my feet, but also my hands! I knock stuff over, break things, hit things with my hands and cause bleeding or bruises. I hit a fork so hard yesterday, I had two bleeding holes!
Now don’t let all this discourage you. Just live in the present, take one day at a time… one minute at a time if you have to. And know that God is ever-present and He’s with you. He loves you! The reason people are attracted to you is because of your smile. They know you are a friendly person. Even your eyes smile!
I loved the “scene of the crime” area. Beautiful! So sorry for your injuries. Maybe next time you could just leave your little wine glass there and take the bottle with you. 😊
Yes, Susie, you often make my day!
Bets –
Always great to hear your comments- but shocked only the two of us get how good this pod is
you are a special person who cares about stuff and things to the max – keep on keeping on
we are NOT done yet with Sue!!
John, we are two peas in a “POD” and we will keep on keeping on! We will never be done with Sue! I think there has to be others out there enjoying her writings, but they just don’t get involved. Boy, are they missing out! Did you read her latest on Language Barriers? Our laughs for the day!