Blue Skies Day!

 Joy cometh in the morning.

If that's not a hymn I don't know what is. But simple Blue Skies is the tune that I chose to wake up with...well the skies at 6:30 were still a bit grey, but I could feel it becoming sunny again.

Whew.

My phone call yesterday gave me a date for the date. I have finally asked when the approval (not even thinking about possible disapproval) of my application will be completed. She said anywhere between 1 day and a week.

I didn't mention the 3 weeks that she's been requesting more forms than she originally asked for. A week!

And she even said, when do you want the apartment? Oh joy! I can say when I can move in? There is availability which won't be snatched out from under me? I gave a date which seemed possible. To bring together the efforts of my sons who will figure out how and where everything can come together to actually move meager belongings 2000 miles across country.

And now I am sort of healed from the pneumonia of last month...I can find more packing materials and go to work! Don't forget to wear a mask to deal with dusty things!

What can go into boxes and tubs first? What can I do about the furniture that's going? Maybe in a couple of weeks I can give notice to my present landlord...the 30 days required notice of "intent to vacate." Sounds like I'm about to go on a vacation. Oh la! What on earth is that? I just go to the hospital and have a vacation at this stage of my life!

Moving forward. Work to do.

Oh joy!

Being open to new things

 I used to be a person who would turn a cold shoulder on a stranger...especially a man, except maybe one in a wheel chair.

I sat down to wait for my friend at a small coffee shop early Monday morning, while my car was being given some TLC. Then the man who had been sitting in a corner while I ordered my coffee wheeled himself into the same area I was sitting, with my back halfway to him.

I'd mentioned to the barista that it was also St. Gertrude's Day, the Saint of travelers and cats...as well as St. Patrick's day! He asked me as I turned away with my coffee and scone, what was the name? I misspoke and said St. Agnes...and later said I had trouble with names.

So here he wheeled himself halfway toward me, and mentioned, "can I tell you a little something I learned?" 

"OK," I said.

"When you say you have trouble remembering names, I've learned that you are reinforcing your not remembering them. I've learned that to imagine seeing the names written helps me to remember them," he said.

"I also remember better from visual cues," I replied.

He then introduced himself. I kept putting my coffee's sweetener in and stirring it...and listening to him, and when he said his name was Ray "Sunshine" I replied that in my 30s I'd gone by Barbara Sunshine because I was an artist who signed her work Sunshine.

He then tried to tell me how he received the name Sunshine, coming from a Shoshone Indian, but he seemed to forget part of his story. And that's when my friend arrived with her tea. I said thanks for visiting as Ray wheeled away. Later I saw him through the window walking his wheelchair across the 5 lane highway to the other side, where most of the businesses were still closed from hurricane damage. We wondered where he was going, and if maybe he lived in one of the nearby recently opened low-income apartments.

I finished my scone, still not tasting it much, and my coffee, same flavorless warm stuff. Even though the scone said cinnamon nut, I didn't have any taste of cinnamon this morning. I sure hope this goes away soon! Then called the car place, where she told me my inspection, air filters and rotating the tires would be $181.

"Geese," I said to my friend, who drove me next door to get my car. "That's a lot, I would have expected maybe $100!"

But we went through the ticket, and it showed all the expenses, as well as a note that I needed to get new brakes on the front wheels. I asked what that would cost, and said I'd be back as soon as I saved enough money for it...asking how long I could wait. If I hadn't said I use the brakes more than the accelerator it would have been a few months...but that told him I should be back in a month.

So then I came home, (no parking place so just pulled over to the side of the parking lot) and am here happily full of scone and coffee, and a bit more broke than I started out this morning! And it's only 10:45!

Moments Cafe