Treasure Everywhere!

This doesn't refer to the Field and Fen round robin journal, which, courtesy of Hali, made its way back home recently, during a period when I just couldn't attend to it, but the Dollivers took charge of it. When I get a break from long distance calls about pensions and benefits and stuff, I will get pix, because the journal's a real treasure now.

No, what I was thinking about was this wonderful day I just had. HS and I had agreed that we had not subtracted one person from our three person family, but that the kaleidoscope had been shaken again, and we both have a new chapter to design, with different shapes and sizes of threads to weave on with.

I started the day with final arrangements for the taking away of the hospital bed and the high end mattress, to an old person far from here, that the brother of my friend heard about on a contracting job, who desperately needs a hospital bed and much better mattress. So said brother and friend gallantly came, loaded it on the truck and set off to deliver it. So far so good.

Then a stern call from one of the corporate blinkums who keep on wanting stuff from me, and I'm so tempted to say I'm not your employee! never was in fact, when the angry lady from Houston calls to say I ASKED for a death certificate and I didn't GET it.

Whereupon I explained that I only got them yesterday, which hardly constitutes a delay and anyway I'd sent an original to HQ in Philly already. To which she snaps, well I want it HERE!! my silence reminded her what she was about and she amended, well, a copy will do. So I treated her to the kind of elaborate courtesy that she would construe correctly about half an hour after I hung up, and went trudging off in search of a xerox machine to make the &*&*&&* copy for Ms. Blinkums in Houston.

Then I met HS for his birthday lunch at a buffet restaurant he likes and I loved it. Perfect place for us to have dinner once in a while, our new way of being and enjoying each others' company. He found the place and has often dined there alone, being one of those souls who go out to dinner alone if they feel like it, and enjoy it. It was clear that the wait staff knows him. So that was one big shake of the kaleidoscope.

And here's another: I went to have a depressurizing chat with dear Carol Q., always a source of terrific good humor and a first class listener, in the course of which she proposed a neat road trip, day out in the Fall, to take in for intensive care the two antique chairs which have been um, reshaped by the large butts of the various medical personnel passing through here lately. They need to be reseated. The chairs, that is. Now this sounds like a great treat, and I think we'll do it, yay. I had to keep remembering I can now DO this without a special mass of arrangements and anxiety all day.

Then home again, to freecycle HP's clothes to a young woman who works at a men's homeless shelter in upper NY, where the winter starts early. It was a pleasure to give her, and her mom came too, these lovely warm jackets and coats and boots and unworn beautiful suits for job hunting purposes, not all homeless men are street people, and they hauled off four large garbage bags of nice stuff. HPs legwarmers will warm the legs of men out in bitter cold, and his wristwarmers and fingerless gloves and hats and all that. Cosy handknit slippers to go inside boots. Very good feeling. The clothing will be delivered next week, and be distributed right away.

And I have made two new friends in the process. I broke down several times in the course of the exchange and they were perfectly wonderful, calm and accepting and they really got it. The mom has had her share of grief.

Turns out they are neighbors. And then we got to talk about art, mom's a photographer, and they ran around exclaiming at the stuff on my walls. It may be that another of her daughters will come to me for some lessons in my studio, we'll set it up in a little while. She's a teen wants to paint, has talent, but is annoyed with her self teaching.

What riches! a proposed trip in the company of a dear friend, two new friends made in no time, kindred spirits, and back into some teaching, possibly.So the bed and mattress and clothing left, for good destinations, and new life rushed in.

Treasure everywhere, yes.