I Haven't Thought of a Catchy Title Yet

This morning one year ago we were waiting for Laura to be able to replace a belt in the Durango. The previous evening we’d stopped at a KFC in some little town (I’d have to look it up). We discovered that the AC compressor had stopped working and she thought it would be best to get a belt to bypass that in order to avoid other problems later. That night she got one, but it was too short and by then, the Auto Zone she’d gotten it from was closed. In the morning she was able to replace it and we were finally on our way. By the end of that day, because of our travelling companion, we still hadn’t made it to Chicago. Our travelling companion wanted to stop because she was tired. I was tired, but not so much I had to stop and wanted to continue on for another couple of hours. Another couple of hours would have put us on the other side of Chicago. It would have saved us three or four travelling through it the next day due to traffic and road construction.

Yesterday was an okay day. I ran my little errands. I took my paper to my doctor and Paul’s paper to his old doctor. His old doctor was still at lunch so Joanna and I went to the bank and then Staples before returning to give them the paper. When I went in, I had to wait. And wait. And wait. I’m kind of used to there being a receptionist there, you know? Having to wait was a pain in whatever part of the anatomy you choose to put here. Finally a nurse came out of a room and said, “I’ll be right with you.” She took the paper and looked at it and asked if Paul was changing doctors. I said yes. She wanted to know if there was a reason, I said because the new one is closer to work. There are myriad other reasons but that was the kindest. This doctor never gave Paul a complete physical (“Oh, we can do that later,” is what Paul said he said) and when Paul was having problems with an infection that turned out to be MRSA, all he did is look at it. Paul went to an allergy specialist who donned gloves and poked and prodded and ordered tests to find out what the problem was.

Our last stop was Walmart where Joanna got six colors of paint and other assorted necessary things for painting her and Amena’s room. Nick wants to come over and help sand the walls so that Joanna will be ready to paint, she thinks on Friday. I got more bags of dirt and manure and an Echinacea plant (it’s not the purple coneflower type) for Daniel’s grave site. When Nick comes over, he may be bringing some bleeding hearts which I thought at least some of might be nice on Daniel’s grave site, and other than wanting to help with sanding, wants to help with the dirt (which I am more than happy to let him do).

Once we got home, I went to Hubbardston to pay a tax bill and was given a phone number to call because there are “so many fines and charges” on the bill. Yeah, okay, whatever. I haven’t called yet.

Adam was here when we got back from Walmart as well. Yesterday was Ryan’s 4^th birthday and Adam had a bunch of presents for him which Amena had volunteered to help wrap (she loves doing that sort of thing). We ended up having Ryan’s birthday party here which was fun. We took lots of pictures because Adam says he likes having pictures but is bad about getting them. So am I, really, that’s Becky’s job (hint, hint). Anyway, it was fun. For supper, Adam had gotten two pizzas but I didn’t know that until after Paul called and asked if I wanted him to pick up some pizzas at Aldi’s. I said yes, of course. Then he and Laura went to Market Basket and she pointed out the lobster was a really good price so he called to see if he should get some for us. Well, of course! So he did; three for him, two for me. We now have four other confirmed lobster lovers: Laura, Cedric, Seth and Joseph. Daniel liked it too, so Joanna is the odd man out on this one. Unless Amena doesn’t either; she didn’t try any.

Yesterday Paul got a package which turned out to be a stainless steel ice bucket he got for me to use as a milking bucket. I used it this morning and it was nice to only have one receptacle rather than two. It is nice to be able to put two of my favorite bowls back into service as bowls rather than keeping them for milking service. It has a wider bottom than the bowls and so will be less likely to be tipped over.

Paul is reading an article about a woman in China who has found 30 babies in the garbage. She made her living by sorting through the garbage and found her first baby in 1972. Amazingly, they aren’t all girls. Her youngest, 7, is a boy she found when she was 82. It appears that in the country, they kill the babies while in the city, they just abandon them. Recently, a baby girl was found discarded in a dust bin in a plastic bag with a slashed throat. Can you imagine?

Also in the mail yesterday I got a t-shirt I had ordered. It says “And on the 8^th day, God created MIDWIVES.” I saw it on Facebook and had to get one (http://madebymomma.spreadshirt.com/on-the-8th-day-god-created-midwives-A9845352). It’s kind of like AJ and her purple, you know. Or AD and her spiders.

It’s getting late and there are many things to do today so I need to be getting busy. Before I go, however, I have one request. Please pray for Alisha and Imani. I am still the bad guy; she hasn’t spoken to me since she left, unless you count a very few very brief text messages speaking. I don’t know that she is in trouble or anything but I have heard rumors (and being only rumors, I will not pass them on) and they are not good.

I hope you all have a wonderful day!

PS Grandma, your letter (first one) arrived yesterday. I do love getting letters from you. I got ink yesterday so I can print things with pictures out for you. Hopefully in the next day or two.