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Hey! I’ve been away for too long!!! So many details, so little desire to recount them all….
I do miss blogging, though I don’t enjoy revisiting all those
little memories that cause my shoulders knot up.
Like when we were driving here and the earth quaked.
Like when my speedometer and odometer stopped working.
Like when Irene blew through.
Like when My Friend finally pooped….in the dog crate….in the back of the truck….while we were living in a hotel. Hey, where does a hotel keep their hosepipe? Hey, they don’t keep their hosepipe anywhere.
Like when I was driving the truck on the interstate and something engine related blew up….Like when I lost 80% power….Like when I thought the whole truck was going to explode on account of the racket it was making….Like when I couldn’t find anywhere to pull over for 2 miles of interstate and highway…..Like when I almost rammed another car because I was so flustered…Like when I had to get towed….Like when I called Chuck at work crying about it, and everybody in his office overheard.
Like when the guy at the fix it place recommended we go see the dealer.
Like when I signed up to unload one pile of household goods in Hampton and the other in Newport News, because we could get one month free from Uhaul (I still hate Uhaul), and then found out, that if I never see Hampton or Newport News again, I’ll feel alright about that.
Like when I was filled with shame when I looked again at the amount of stuff that I asked Chuck to bring to Alaska and then to Virginia.
Like when opened the cabinet under the sink and found pooled water.
Like when we thought we had fixed the sink, and I sang “when it’s broke ‘round here, we fix it” all day, and then found out we had another leak in a different spot in the same sink.
Like when I found that the wall behind the washing machine nozzle was stained with fresh recent well water.
Like when we found out our water smells like metal.
No, it’s like rotten metal. Does metal rot? It does. (rust)
Like when, after I hung all Charley’s clothes up in her closet I noticed the wood bracket was hanging onto the wall with its imagination.
Like when, no matter how hard we tried, we absolutely could NOT
get the box springs to fit up the staircase.
Like when we found out our shower’s water pressure is hysterical
(if you don’t ever have to use it).
Like when our air conditioner broke a week after we signed the papers.
Like when I had to pay a guy $80.00 to tell me fixing the air conditioner was going to be exPENsive. (And also, he mentioned our heat pump would NEVER run in its current condition.)
Like when Verizon sent me a fancy MIFI device for internet service and I spent about 4-5 hours, determining it had a bad router.
But do you know what’s good? There are some things. Lots of things.
When my mom and stepdad went out a bought a new couch right before we left, and were like, “Hey, ya’ll want our old couch?”, and we were like “Heck yeah, we want your old couch. That couch is awesome. And we will unload our entire trailer full of stuff and reload it just to fit that couch in, it is so awesome.” And as I sit here, on our only piece of living room furniture, typing this rambly blog, I can say, with all certainty, it was totally worth it.
When Chuck showed up to pick us up in Newport News when the truck broke down within 30 minutes of my call….When he was so cool about it, not stressing out in the least.
When the guy at the truck fix-it place, saw the look on my face when he said the “d” word (dealer), and he decided to re-check the truck himself (behind his tech) and fixed it!
When Chuck fixed the leak in the washing machine hose, lickity split.
When I called my Dad, and asked him about the leaky sink, and he told us how to fix it, and the answer was simple, and worked immediately.
When I said, “CHUCK, Charley’s closet shelf is hanging there with its imagination!”, and he came, with a drill and screws, and fixed it, because he’s here, and we are together,
and I love him.
When I pull out something that once belonged to my Grandmother or Nanny out of one of those (100’s) of boxes.
When Charley rediscovers a toy that has been in storage for 6 months and spends hours being content.
When the previous owner of our house called me directly to say, he’d make the a/c and heat work again. He also said he wanted to put my “mind at ease.” That he did, that he did.
When two guys from Lowes delivery service show up with our refrigerator and all Chuck and I had to do was stand there and watch, while they got it off the truck and set it in place.
When Chuck cooks me up a masterpiece like this….
When I found a kitchen table at a thrift store for $7.00.
When I found out that if you take one extra box springs that won’t fit upstairs and put it under a different box springs and a mattress, it makes for almost the right height of a real bed! Now I really DO feel like the Princess and the Pea!
When our realtor (also our handyman (not really) and my only Virginian friend) came over to give us a lesson in wells and all the rigamoro that runs it. He came here, in the heat, and added air to the tank, and explained stuff to us,...because he’s nice - and probably feels a little sorry for us - but STILL, he’s nice.
Life is messy sometimes. Things don’t always happen like we think they should.
But I plan to continue to count my blessings and keep my chin up.
We are so blessed.
More to come on our new island home!!! (yes, island)
9 Comments
because you 3 are finally together...well actually 4...don't want to forget "my friend"
ReplyDeleteit makes it ALL worth while :)
Dangit. You made me cry... and laugh...
ReplyDeleteI am SO glad that you all are together... and it WILL all be worth while - look at your baby (and your man) and you can DO ANYTHING!!!
;-D robelyn
P.S.
ReplyDeleteYou said Island... now I hear hula stuff in my head.
So tickled for you that your family is back together...and that you got to move on from Alabama/Alaska. Can't wait to hear about this island home of yours. No more moves in our future (sigh), so I'm going to live vicariously thru you!!
ReplyDeletei was wondering how things have been going for yall. nice to hear from you. sorry for the trials. but so glad you are all together!
ReplyDeleteNice piece of writing. God bless. Keep blogging.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back Hayley!
ReplyDeleteI loved this blog. It made me reflect on my own blessings. Thank you.
Chuck's stuffed pepper looks delicious. Is that on your diet? I like your writing too but you'd fail English with it in a heartbeat. I also wish you would quit writing about dog poop in every post. But I'm just your mom. I do love that you are so thankful for the good things despite the bad. Great things happen to those who wait, sacrifice and smile :)
ReplyDeleteI love this post, sister. That's what it's all about.. Looking up to God and being grateful for what you have. That slight change in perspective changes everything in life.
ReplyDeleteYou look very pretty in these pics, too. Nice photos all 'round.