I’ve had more trouble with allergies this spring than I have in a long time. I’ve read that climate change is causing more allergens and those of us sensitive are even more so as things worsen. I already take so many antihistamines I rattle when I walk, but Monday night…after two days of mowing…I took an extra one at bedtime and paid for it with the jitters all night. Most people can take a Benadryl and it puts them to sleep. Not me. I can take one maybe for two nights in a row. After that, it works just the opposite and my skin crawls and I’m jumpy till dawn.
I finally gave up trying to settle in around 2:30 and went to the guest bedroom so I wouldn’t keep my sweetheart awake all night with my tossing and fidgeting. When he woke up yesterday morning, he peeked his head in to see if I was awake then asked me if I wanted to go to Marietta with him. Now, honestly, I would have loved the day to myself without the noise of the television and time to clean up the stuff from camping. But, as those of us who have lost a husband understand…these are days we cannot get back. So, I happily said an enthusiastic yes. He beamed! It’s the little things, folks.
We headed to town in what would turn into a marathon of stops here and there. We picked up the new brake line he ordered, stopped at a gorgeous nursery, checked my mail at the post office box, grabbed a soda at McDonald’s, stopped at the pool supply store for chemicals, looked at campers, went to Joe’s to water our tomatoes, stopped to see one of the kids and check out the truck that was run into yesterday (they’re sore but fortunately ok) then a last stop at Walmart on our way home.
As we drove the two lane blacktop that twists and turns through the countryside, my mind yet again turned to the number of terrible car accidents on this one particular stretch of road. In my mind’s eye, I could see a head on collision so I became hyper alert and watched every approaching car. Last night at around 7:00, a notification came across my phone that there had been a terrible two car accident in that particular place and I automatically prayed for the victims and praised God for getting us through there safely yet again.
This little Killdeer was protecting this triangle space with LOUD warnings to stay away!
We warmed up leftovers for supper and enjoyed a little rest break in the hottest part of the day. When I got up, Mr. FixIt was out working on his brakes. That man has the patience of Job…seriously. Here he is, with some diminished sensation and use of his hands from his strokes, and he tried time and time again to get the fittings to connect on that brake line. I came out and sat with him, offering him what encouragement I could while I knitted. He finally got it finished and asked if I’d like to work on the tractor next.
While I was gone in Colorado, he was mowing at the farm alone and caught the mower deck lever on the guy wire to the telephone pole that holds the transformer. It broke one end of the cover off and he ordered a replacement. I sat down where I could reach under the fender and removed the bent piece. And, of course, the replacement piece is just a smidgen different that the old one. Just enough that the plastic cover would not snap into place. I do NOT have the patience of Job and I walked away several times, only to come back and try again. We finally gave up and he’ll use the grinder on the metal piece tomorrow to get it to fit better.
A mama bird built a nest in the empty mailbox next to ours. Scares you to death!
Sometimes you just have to know when to throw in the towel and leave it for another day. We got a lot done as it was. The brakes seem to be fixed. The tomatoes are watered. We have the chemicals to put in the pool. We understand the problem with the tractor. And…we’re still married!
I’ll call that a win!
?
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV