When I was growing up here in West Virginia, a tornado was something that happened in Texas or Oklahoma or Kansas. Certainly not here in the Appalachias. Since I’ve been back, there have been tornado warnings every year…to the point that Mr. FixIt and I have taken shelter in the basement. These severe storms are getting worse. We should always keep a weather eye out and take all the necessary precautions for safety.
After nearly ten years, the grief I feel over losing Mr. Virgo is vastly different than it was even five or six years ago. Almost always, when memories come…it gives me a warm, loving feeling. I am seldom struck with heavy sadness and it isn’t the kind that breaks my heart open anymore. It is such a relief that my road isn’t as rocky and painful as it once was.
Windy
It was about 72° Thursday night when I went to bed. The peepers were peeping. The wind was gusting hard and shaking the camper. And I drifted off to sleep like a baby. When I woke up yesterday morning, it was 30° and I quickly threw another blanket over me and turned on the electric blanket.
I don’t know about you, but I have a really hard time sleeping the night before I have to get up and go someplace. I set my alarm, then I lay there and tell myself I’d better hurry up and get to sleep because if I don’t get to sleep pretty soon, I’m going to be overly tired then I might sleep through the alarm and then I keep looking at the clock…one hour…two hours…if I get to sleep right now, I’ll still get four hours and that’s doable…another hour…God, I’m giving this to you…(not really…I can’t stop looking at the clock)…so, if I go to sleep right this minute, I’ll get two whole hours of sleep…that’s better than nothing, I can do this…ALARM!!!! Are you KIDDING me??? I just went to sleep!!!!!
The first year or two that I lived here on what has now become known as Marshmallow Ranch (formerly known as The Ponderosa), there were no critters in the back yard. Before that, a big Australian Shepherd policed the fenced in back yard and nothing dared to enter. But, after those first couple of years, the dog’s scent dissipated and the bunnies came back with a vengeance.
I sleep in the camper whenever it’s warm enough and we’ve been getting some lovely, unseasonably warm weather this month. When I came in yesterday morning, Mr. FixIt was still snoozing so I went to the kitchen to make my tea. While I waited for the kettle to boil, I heard a noise. At first, it sounded like it was in the bottom kitchen cabinet by the refrigerator. I was almost afraid to open the door, but I finally screwed up my courage enough to take a peek fully expecting a raccoon to pop out at me. Whatever it was it sounded big!
We learned yesterday we have a couple of challenging medical issues in the family and I surprised myself at how I handled it. I have been known to…how shall I say…crumple under the weight of such things. Three years ago today, Mr. FixIt had his first stroke. Heading into the month I lost Mr. Virgo, such news rocked me to my core. I held it together till they took him up for the MRI, at which point I threw up.
Pumpkin Kitty is almost three-and-a-half years old already. She is our resident Grounds Keeper and keeps the area fairly well free from mice and snakes. She also catches the occasional vole but those little suckers are mean so she usually ends up batting them around till they manage to get away. So far, she has never left us a gift on the doorstep. She probably thinks since she is the Queen, she needn’t leave presents for the hired help.
Saturdays are often a catch up day around Marshmallow Ranch. Mr. FixIt headed to town first thing to pick up moulding for the newly painted hallway. And, of course, like every other trip to town, they didn’t have what he needed so he had to go to another store. In the meantime, I cleaned house.
The sun was shining brightly and the windows were really dingy after having a Christmas tree in front of them for months. I don’t know if you’ve ever used Norwex products, but they have a wonderful two-cloth system that doesn’t use chemicals. With the windows all sparkly, and the kitchen clean and tidy, I ran the vacuum then sat down with the computer to do a little more work on this project.
I know I’ve written about him here. I’ve told you stories…maybe you remember them. Maybe you don’t. But he owns the biggest piece of real estate in my heart and it’s so full of love for my big brother. I just have to write again because yesterday pulled at my heartstrings.
From my earliest memories, I was his champion. I interpreted for him when others couldn’t understand his speech impediment. If anyone so much as looked at him wrong, I was ready to take them down. I was his protector. He was my loyal friend.