Saturday, May 28, 2011

Friendships

I have had the most interesting conversations, emails, messages, and comments after my post a few weeks ago. The common thread seems to be how difficult friendships can be. We all have such a "Hallmark" ideal of having big happy groups of friends and big happy extended families ... and for the most part, that isn't the reality for most . There are so many kinds of friendships ... some easy, some difficult. I think the best ones are when you feel your life is pretty complete and you meet someone else who feels that way about her life ... an occasional get-together or a cup of tea , an email or a phone call ... and that feels like a lovely bonus in your life. These kinds of friends are also busy & don't have lots of time to pour into the friendship ... but that doesn't make it any less important. But both parties understand that and they treasure those times when a laugh is shared, a hug is given, a dinner is shared. And we all know that we are there for each other if needed. That is the kind of friendship I love !! Almost accidental in nature. Not planned or sculpted, not carefully orchestrated or monitored. Some of the dearest people in my life are those I rarely see ... we talk on the phone once in a while, have a visit once a year maybe, a quick conversation on the sidewalk ... and just that makes me happy. These friendships have lasted for years ... some almost my entire life. And casual friendships are amazingly wonderful too ... they are the sprinkles on life's cake !! ... no real expectations just happiness when you run into each other. An annual craft swap, a birthday party, chatting at an event ... all make life sweeter. So maybe the secret is this ... carry on enjoying your life and in the process you will find those friendships that you don't have to work at & schedule so carefully. You'll know a good friendship because it will come so naturally. It won't make demands. It will carry on quietly beside you and you'll know it's there. You'll know you can count on it and it can count on you. Maybe we expect too much of our friendships ... this is real life not the movies !!

Friday, May 20, 2011

Long Weekend ..... WAHOO !!!

A long weekend ... sun after weeks of rain ... house repairs ... bonfire... catching up on work ... beers ... bbq ... can't wait !!! Have a great one everybody !!!

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

There Comes a Time ...

There comes a time when you give up ... on people. Sounds sad doesn't it ? But it's true. Not all people ... don't get me wrong !! I try to see the good in everyone but at some point you realize that some people just don't want to show their good. They come from a place of selfishness or cruelty. They are intent on cutting everyone down, looking for the bad in everyone, finding fault, laughing at failure and getting pleasure from other's unhappiness. They derive pleasure from it. They measure every thing, weigh it, and judge it. Nothing is good enough. They are not going to change. And you are not going to change them. But being around them can change you. And at that point, I think the best thing you can do is see that. Open your eyes wide. Accept it. And turn your attention to all those people who are coming from a place of kindness and happiness ... (and there are a lot of them, thankfully !!) .... now that's the people you need !!
And they all lived happily ever after !!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Such a Sad Day ...

I would like to say that Monday started like any other day ... because that's how stories start ... but it didn't. It was election day and we got up early to go vote before work. I went back home to work on kits and Charlie went off to the store. He called mid afternoon to say he needed to make a trip to the city after work for bags. I was up for that !! We zipped into the city, got our bags and packaging, slipped over to Costco for a medley of fruit, and grabbed some supper and headed home . We listened to the election results on the radio ... that may be where the sadness started. It was a history making day ... not history I liked , but history nonetheless.
We turned onto our road. Just two houses before ours we saw eyes flash on the road. There was animal walking up the middle of the road. Slowly. Deliberately. I couldn't make out what it was. We kept going slowly, expecting it to run off. No. It continued walking towards us. Finally it sat right down on the white line, starring into our trucks headlights. It was a cat. It sat stone still in the road. I got out, thinking it would scare him off the road. No movement. I walked to the cat and touched him. Nothing. Another car was coming up behind us, giving me a bad vision of us both being hit, so I scooped him up and carried him off the road. I thought his hair felt really matted on his belly. I set him down and still he stayed. In order to keep him from darting into the car's path, I reached down to pat him. .................. oh my. I felt instantly sick to my stomach. It wasn't matts. I could feel every bone, every vertebrae, everything. That cat was starving.
By this time Charlie was out of the truck and the cat was walking towards a water trickle in the ditch. We picked him up and took him home. Still no resistance.
We set him up in the woodshed with food, water, a litter box, a bed , and a blanket. He purred a mucousy purr and rubbed constantly against us. He was a little unsteady but seemed content to be there. He was so thin and probably sick. But he was sweet and loving. He ate food and rubbed. We left him to have a peaceful night and to fill his belly.
In the morning we realized that he was probably blind. His eyes were large vacant orbs. Again he rubbed and rubbed. Charlie took him to work in a carrier and called Animal Control so he could go the vet and eventually to a shelter. He lay contentedly in the carrier, responding to pats and affection until the Officer came.. He called the Vets and told them if he was unadoptable because of blindness we would take him back and keep him - somehow. The Animal Control Officer returned with the cage ... and bad news. When he came out of the carrier , he could barely move his back legs. That poor cat was so ill that most of his organs had shut down. Those that hadn't were in the process of doing so. He hadn't eaten , they estimated, for 2 weeks. He had to be put down, there was no hope.
I was blown away. I knew he was sick but had no idea it was so bad. And then I was heartbroken. That poor soul had walked right down the road to the front of our truck. Had it been someone else not slowing for their driveway, he would have been killed then. And then to find out that he had been neglected so badly and for so long, he just would not survive ... and yet he still purred and offered us loving rubs. How on earth anyone could leave an animal to suffer like that ... I shed many tears yesterday for him and for the ugly world that lets that happen. It was such a sad day.
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Rest in Peace Stevie.

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