Saturday, March 28, 2009

Pay It Forward



Well, Gentle Readers - I believe.

Today was a warm, mildly windy and occasionally sunny Saturday in C-burg. The other two of my three lives were being cared for by Brenda and our new lady, Donna. I had planned to go to lunch with Leah last weekend, but something came up. So today, we got the action moving toward Bob Evans around nooonish (after I got the checks cashed for the girls, shopped Kroger's and talked to Barbara on the phone about Ed's plight in Alaska - w/ the erupting volcano, etc., ya know...)

Long story short: we dined, we chatted; we went shopping for tablecloths, Fiesta ware, cheap blankets, whatever. Around 3pm, We went back to Bob's to get her car.

While we were getting ready to trade back into her car, a nice-looking, middle-aged couple of strangers came up to the car and the man ask: Are you folks local? "Yes" Maybe you can help us, he said. We are driving back from North Carolina, where we took our son (to join his unit going back to Iraq - for the 4th time.) I lost my wallet in Virginia and we have no money to get (gas to get) home. I called the state police, and they sent the safety patrol. The patrol could only give us 2 gallons of gas. We are from Erie, Pennsylvania, and that won't take us home. That's my car [back there]a Ford Fiesta.

I don't know if it was the Ford Fiesta (small gas tank) or the plight of the couple, but I said: Can you get your car over to the Go-Mart? "Yes" Then, sure, I'll buy you a tank of gas.

And Leah and I drove our cars to Go Mart where the couple filled up (9 gallons or so). We chatted about cars and tires and her health (she's diabetic)...They ask for my name (she said she's send us the money), but I didn't tell her. I just said "Pay it forward." And that felt really good. I could do it; someone needed help and I could help. She told me their first names. And they drove off - back to Erie where it will probably snow tomorrow.

Leah and I went over to "the Valley" and unloaded groceries, talked to the care givers and the cared for, drank tea and ate cookies. Then she called Mindy for dinner information and decided to stop on the way home for takeout (for her and Jay.)
*****************
Leah just called. She had a story to tell me, over her baked potato.
She did stop at Wendy's.
She did get in to a long line of patrons at the drive thru.
She did see the manager come out (with two bags of food) and head for her car.
She tried to give him her credit card, but he said: It's been paid for, by the driver in the vehicle ahead of you. You are free to go...

Random Act of Kindness or Pay It Forward. I don't think it really matters. I feel really good about today.

Linda, one of our caregivers, says there are really angels "out there." And, sometimes, I think those angels are closer than "out there."

And Now You Know The Rest of the Story. (Thank you, Paul Harvey...somewhere up in heaven, I think.)

Friday, March 20, 2009

Friday - The First Day of Spring - Vernal Equinox 2009


Hello y'all,
It was a beautiful First Day of Spring, March 20, 2009, a.k.a. Skip Day for the teacher. Unfortunately, it was also skip day for Brenda, who hurts from Gall Bladder and back problems, so Linda came to rescue us - and forgo the mandatory lawn care she does for the Masonic Lodge in Shinnston on Fridays. (Isn't that a humongous sentence?!)

I made my appointment at 8am only to be turned away - I am now considered a "new" patient and will not be seen on Fridays.

I did get Hardee's sausage biscuit and gravy for the family, but did not get to shop or grade papers or get my hair cut. Nor did I get to the funeral home pay respects to friend's family. I blame that on Dr. Murray, who surreptitiously dropped those dilating eye drops into my eyes at 2:30 then sent me to look at new glasses... and forgot to give me sunshades to drive home in....

Monday, March 16, 2009

T'will soon be March 17, Erin G' braugh...


It's transition time from night to morning... winter to spring... youthful feeling to old age? doesn't seem quite right... perhaps perspective is in need of adjustment?

I'll look to my photo collection for inspiration because I'm short on words tonight.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

March 10, 2009 - Mental Health Tuesday



I think I heard on NPR that the Iditarod started this week (in Alaska, if you didn't know.) So here's my salute to the past and present connections to this activity. Hi guys. Good luck.



International Women's Day was Yesterday, March 9, 2009

I like this picture; so I posted it to my blog. No wonder I will walk around the "home" mumbling "Mesopotamia lies betweeen the Tigris and Euphrates River Valleys" sometime in the future...

Everyone is fine. It's all wavy gravy. NO cause for alarm. Settle down. Relax. No problemo. Yadda, yadda.

I took the day off from school.NO, I did not get everything done that is to be done. So there is something left for another day.
Accomple (is that French?)
1. got the sticker for the Dodge,after driving to the dmv and discovering I had the wrong tax ticket year (2008 not 2007).
2. got a copy of my marriage certificate from the county courthouse for 5 bucks(useful, if I decide to retire...even more useful if I remember where I put it when I came home...)
3. got a sled load of groceries from Kroger... the senior discount covered the taxes on the haul, but barely.
4. mailed the SV PSD request for eminent domain to Ed and Barb; bought stamps, too. They're in my wallet.
5. got the 300 running. Need to check the tires (the tire icon won't go away)3/4 a tank of gas still...(that needs to be moved to the bottom of the NEXT list.)
6. Made an appt for the LHS to be stickered and oiled - Friday 13th.
7. Made an appt for me for check out/up - Friday 20 - along with the eye drs on the same day....
Non accomple (could this be espanole?)
1. didn't get Dad's visa from bbt cancelled... I didn't have a copy of the death certificate. They don't have my AIF documents either...
2. didn't get taxes together.
3. didn't get my hair trimmed.
4. didn't find a cure for anything...
5. didn't secure world peace...
6. Didn't buy new clothes, shoes or stocks... I guess I didn't save the economy of the country either.
7. Didn't get to bed before 10 pm edt. Oh how early the 4:30 alarm will ring on Wednesday.