A Yeah Me Achievement

 

OLD GLORY POSTED

Yesterday was July 4.  250th birthday of US. I had no invites to celebrate and thought of years past how we 'd enjoy the day and usually always watched fireworks that night because I loved seeing them.  But now just me.  Still I  put the flag out and she proudly held colors.  

It was also Saturday, so I go to Saturday eve mass, and as often had lector duty yesterday. I was dressed and ready feeling festive with red wedgie sandals, red jacket and blue dress and wearing my beaded flag earrings.  These earrings were made for me so long ago I. Career days by Kitty Bath, one of my staff.  Kitty could be a problem for her supervisors, a frustration to handle at times, but she had a good heart.  Of course I wasn't dealing with the issues,  that was the supervisor's responsibility,  I was higher level management.   Ah but anyway Kitty had a hobby of beading, teeny beads like these. She found it relaxing.    I have these and two other pair, roses which she gifted to me. I wonder what ever became of Kitty.   Last heard she'd moved to WA state.  

My beaded flag earrings

Anyway suddenly as has been happening here all week, boom!  Thunder, the sky turned dark grey and opened up pouring out buckets of rain.   I looked at the weather app and it showed us in the midst of a storm.  Maybe it would let up some soon.  Well that did not happen.   It just kept pouring.  I did not think about the flag.  I was concerned and decided I'd better change clothes before mass and get closed up shoes too.  

No let up imminent in the rain..  I knew I would have to use an umbrella too getting from the car into church.  I figured we'd have a low turnout with it being the 4th and people having their celebrations but I still left early to get a close parking space.  Old glory was OK when I left but getting some rain despite the eaves of the roof.  

But when I returned after mass, OH NO,  The flagpole had been blown loose from the holder and the flag was on the driveway. It had quit raining by then so I stopped in the driveway, opened the garage door and picked up the flag.  Brought her into the garage and laid her over the gardening cart to dry.  Darned, I noticed the flagpole holder had been bent too.  I could deal with that later.  Came in and had my dinner but kept thinking about that pole holder.  So out I went, taking a hammer, always my tool of choice, I tried pounding it back up but that wasn't working.  Neither could I adjust it by hand.  Now I would just have to wait, maybe get help from a friend, maybe would need a new holder.  I was mad at me for not taking the flag down soon as the rain started.

Today right after having my morning pills and coffee out I went and looked at the damage again.  As though it could have fixed itself overnight!  Hmmmm.  Would I have to ask for help.  I try to avoid that because I do not want to be a pest, though my good friend tells me not to even think that way.  I tried a big rubber head hammer, nope nothing.  Hmmm.  Finally, using pliers I managed to unbend it and get it back up into position!  That was a "Yeah Me" and "Thank You, Lord" moment.  And today the flag is again hoisted and proudly waving!  But the least hint of rain and down she comes.  I have lights for the flag but I'm not leaving her up all night.  Don't want to push my luck!

Not a fun chore

I don't know when exactly I began to resent and grumble about making the bed aftelaundering the sheets.  But I notice it now.  I really dread tackling the queen size bed.  It is simpler in summer with cotton sheets instead of winter's flannels, but still something I do not look forward to doing..  Nevertheless there is only me to do this so I do.  

Way back when in my career days, seems like a land in a far far away time now, I began to launder bed sheets on Sundays and I still do.  No particular reason, just a habit.  

I don't know why I make such a deal out of this.  After I learned to alternate my sleepin on the two sides of the bed,, I only launder and face this chore every two weeks..  The right side of the defacing it  has always been my side, way back when Jerry was alive and there was a we instead of just a me.  I still prefer that right side.  But I have adjusted to one week o. Each side, that saves the laundering.  I was talking with another widow friend and griping that it didn't seem worth washing sheets weekly anymore but that had been my routine for 60+ years and I just rotely continued.  She said, "sleep in the middle" but I couldn't adjust to that.  She also suggested I alternate sides.  And that's what I've been doing, one week my side and the next week the other side, which 5 years later is still Jerry's side to me.  54 years of marriage are not erasable.

Metal bar at foot

This bed has many features which zi seldom use but which Jerry liked.  It has a massage feature and can elevate head and or foot.  I just leave it flat.  Only rarely do I hit the massage control.  There is a steel bar at the foot of the bed.  This is a major pain pulling the top sheet and summer thermal weave blanket through.  Still these sheets are easier than winter's  flannels.  And lifting the corners of each side of the foot of the bed is another challenge.  But that has to be done so I can have carefully tucked in corners.

Corner to be tucked

So I grumble along.  Nobody here to hear my griping anyway.  Once it'll done I always am relieved. At least for another 2 weeks until the next time!

Somewhere I posted to Facebook a nice quip about the gift of making a bed.  I need to look for that and remind me.

But for now, done for another couple of weeks! 

All made and ready again

FOUND IT:  The Daily Ritual of Making One's Bed as a Gift and Blessing

Titles are generated by AI from Meta

Yesterday my daughter Grace was packing up to head back to her home after spending Christmas with me and she looked into my bedroom and said, “Do you do that everyday?” I replied, “Do what everyday?” She said, “Make your bed and put all those pillows on there?” I said, “Yes I do.”

“Why, she responded, you are the only one who see’s your bed?”

“Oh dear I make my bed every morning because it’s a gift that I get to open at the end of everyday. A gift that not everyone has. So while I’m wrapping my bed in the morning and I’m unwrapping it at night I’m reminded of what a great blessing my bed really is in my life.”

When we stop viewing what we have as little, insignificant or not enough, then we get to see what we do have as gifts we get to enjoy, great blessings in our lives and provision for our needs.

I’m thankful for my bed