My Week…Thus Far…Long Post

It’s said when cattle, or any other livestock, continue to graze in the pouring rain, the rain is here to stay. Knowing there are those in the USA who would give years off their lives for rain, I hesitate to say this…but, we’ve had about two inches of rain every day for about two weeks. My teeth are soggy and I think those are mushrooms growing above the window!

Some have read about my week, thus far, but the following is what I sent a friend via e-mail. It covers the high points; frankly, this has been A WEEK and pain has blocked out some of it. Thankfully. I think. Anyway, this post isn’t for the weak hearted; while the photos aren’t graphic, some of the text is very graphic!

Sunday – 17th wedding anniversary, first without Dave, need I say more?

Monday – fell on large rocks in driveway; sprained left thumb, entire right leg from knee down severely bruised with large bump extending from knee to ankle and have numerous bruises on front of right shoulder where I landed on a large rock. I have NO idea what happened…one moment I was walking, the next I was on the ground with horses side stepping me. Sadie, the Ridgeback, managed to knock into me as she was dodging the horses. The big putz is afraid of the horses! Thankfully, the horses are good about giving me room and only came close to nuzzle and see if I was going to get up. Which I did, after far too few seconds on the ground. I remember the yard gate was open and didn’t want the horses going into the yard; they could garrote themselves on the clothes line…ugly! So, I made my way to the house, very unsteadily, and took an 800 mg Ibuprofen and sat on the back porch while I sorted through my assortment of aches, bruises, lumps, etc.

Tuesday – stayed home and took Ibuprofen to stem pain.

Wednesday – had to go to Courthouse to get buy more Certificates of Qualification re. Dave’s death and me being heir and Executrix. Of course, being Executrix makes me think of leather and horse whips…I’m twisted thataway and have a dark past that’s cleansed by the Blood of the Lamb. Thank God or, as we used to say, PTL -praise the Lord. Anyway, back to the Certificate of Qualification…I bought and paid for several many copies in January but, apparently, that’s now not new enough. Say that three or four times very fast! They must be thirty days or newer. And, yes, evidently that would have been too excruciating to have been told three weeks ago when I sent in the originally requested information and paperwork.

I also went to the library to download books on my Kindle which, turns out, wasn’t working. Using the Brand New USB cord, I tried charging the battery but, nope! It’s not still not working. I called Amazon and they are sending me, gratis, another brand new USB cord. Those folks at Amazon are wonderful!

Thursday – went to my GP for a physical because, ahem, it’s past time. He’s not happy with my blood pressure but he’s happy with my cholesterol. I told him fifty percent sounded great to me and he could take those odds to Vegas! So, he tells me the BP has to come down, that’s just after he asked me how I was doing in the months since Dave died.
Note to self…look up oxymoron in dictionary…

Then, back to the Courthouse to get buy MORE Certificates of Qualification. Perhaps I should buy many, many copies…? Yet another “entity” needs an “updated” Certificate signifying I am who I say I am. Gee, do you think it’s entirely possible I could have changed my identify since January? NOT! HELLO! I am NOT Jason Bourne!

Back home to find my Beloved Abigail Von Rotten the Jack Russell Terror screaming in pain; her right shoulder is dislocated. I pile Abbie, Gracie and Sophie because she’s faster than greased lightening and is out the door before I can catch her…into the car and back to town we go.

Dr. Lois comes out to the car to meet us!!!!! I pray to God all of you who have beloved companion animals have vets who are as kind and compassionate as Dr. Lois and Dr. Anne! Abbie has quieted, her shoulder has slipped back into place and we all trudge into the examination room. Dr. Lois listens while I explain what’s been happening and I tell ask her if “it’s time”. She nods quietly. I’m afraid this will happen one night at 3:00 a.m. and Abbie will be in such terrible pain and I can’t get her to the emergency room, and then, I’ll be forced to shoot my own dog and, while I could do it, I’d rather Please Please God, don’t ask it of me.

I always pay the extra money for the relaxation shot first. It calms the animal, makes them sleepy and eases their way Home. That’s exactly what happened with Abbie. Dr. Lois gave her the relaxation shot while Steven and I held Abbie, then the kill shot, and then…she just slipped away with me whispering in her ear messages to give Dave.

Yes, I firmly believe Abbie, and all our my other beloved companion animals are in heaven. God loved them first, He made them first and we’re all made for His glory and pleasure.

If you don’t believe this, then you’re right as well. Your animals will be in heaven but you won’t recognize each other. It’s best that way; they won’t recognize you and be confused when you don’t recognize them. And you, because you lack the faith of a child, will never know. God is kind that way.

Abbie will be cremated and then buried with our other Beloved Friends who have gone ahead. As for me, it was a three night beer. Yes, I do drink beer, wine and, sometimes, a cocktail. These days, I’m not a big drinker but, trust me, last night called for three beers. Abbie was my heart beat for more than sixteen years; it’s not the same as Dave going ahead but, believe me, the pain is still raw, especially since it’s been less than nine months since Dave went ahead.

Friday – It’s back to town…I swear, I should just get a town job…kidding! Just kidding! smile and as I was going down the driveway, a red fox vixen comes out of my barn and goes up the driveway carrying a kitten. I slam on brakes, she turns and looks at me long enough for me to take her picture.

It’s difficult to tell but that small reddish spot between the second and third fence posts to the left of the gate is Mama Fox. Now I know what all the yelping is about; Mama Fox has kits and they are hungry so she’s been feeding them kittens. Mother Nature and Father Time take care of us all…eventually and in one way or the other.

Then, I head down the road to a neighbor’s house to pick up a table to use in the little town festival tomorrow. Ziggy, their ten month old Great Dane comes BOUNDING to greet meet and I…dumb, dumb, dumb…call out, “Hi Ziggy; whatcha doing Beautiful?” Well. Ziggy goes crazy with joy and begins leaping and running and cavorting around and…this is the “bad” part…crashing into me, over and over and over…Now I’ve started to yell, “NO ZIGGY, DOWN ZIGGY, OFF ZIGGY” and Ziggy is SO happy because here’s a New Human AND she knows MY name! OH THE JOY!!! At Ziggy’s last pass at me, and before I dash to the house, I put up my hands to, hopefully, try and keep her from slamming into me and knocking me into the ground and…and… I’m not quite sure what happened next. See Monday’s note about falling…

Either I “put” my hand into Ziggy’s mouth or Ziggy “puts” her tooth into my hand…either way, I’ve got a puncture wound in the pad of my right hand. Ziggy is such a puppy, albeit a huge puppy and her first humans got her and then didn’t want her because, “Gosh, we had no idea she’d get to be so big!”

Trust me, you can’t think or say anything I’ve not already thought or said! Some humans simply make you wonder if they’re worth their salt!

Anyway, Ashley, good soul that she is, rescued Ziggy and, when Ziggy quietens down a trifle, she’s going to be a fabulous dog! She’s already a beauty and just needs some more TLC and training. I know this because Sadie is just like her only not quite as big. Perhaps I could start working with them both to give teach them some manners…?

A half bottle of peroxide later, I’m, almost good as new. It’s only when I get to the AAA office they ask, “Why are you so filthy and why is there blood running down your arm?” OOPS! Ziggy clipped me and I missed it. Laura said, “I think Dave is trying to tell you to slow down.” I looked at her and said, “That’s easy for him to say!” We all laugh.

I’m almost finished and so is my week…are you still with me?

Now, it’s late afternoon, I’m exhausted, the dogs need to be let out and fed and I’m headed down the valley when…the dang gas light comes on. I’m almost out of gasoline! So, I turn around, windshield wipers beating time get that reference? and head back to the convenience store and gas tanks. I lift the nozzle and…my freshwater pearl bracelet snags, breaks and pearls roll everywhere! While the gas is going into the tank and the rain is pounding down, I drop to my knees and start gathering up my pearls.

No, as it happens, this is not a good time to recall the Bible verse…pearls before swine!

Did I mention I’m exhausted? Tomorrow is a little town festival and I’m going to sell raffle tickets for a VA Tech fleece throw I made. All money is going to our volunteer fire department but I’ve already said, if it’s raining, I’m not going.

We’ve had rain every day for two weeks and you know what?

I’m praying for rain tomorrow!

Originally posted on Thistle Cove Farm.