Good morning from the thoughts of Jackie O. I've just started the day with a grand experience. If you read my post last night you would have seen that I was hoping to sleep in ( car troubles). Well, I woke up ( never did learn to sleep in) but I decided to fake it while noisy Bill and early bird Laura headed off to school for Laura and Plasma for Bill. However a few minutes later Bill stands over me and says...Are you awake?? NO I answer....then ignoring me he says you will need to get your car to Scotia Tire after you call CAA...that kind of got one eye responding. You have two flat tires, but I don't think they were slashed!! Great way to open the other eye.....
Off go Bill and Laura, and I'm up calling the tire place and CAA. Within thirty minutes ( less I think) the CAA truck arrives and the nicest man inflates my tires, reassures me they weren't slashed ( did I mention they are brand new winter tires), and sends me on my way.
Now One could say this isn't a great start to the day...I did.....but two things happened to turn this around. First, while I waited for CAA and I munched on my shreddies....I read from the November Ensign...page 39....go read it....it's online...lds.org.....Magazines..November Ensign.
That magazine rocks....and no matter what goes wrong in your day, week,month, year,even life....it can help you!!! I was especially touched by the story of Frederick G. Williams....
So...now I'm off to the tire place, pumped from my magazine article, and the pleasant CAA man.
I walk into the tire place ( a man's world for sure!!) and I am again treated by the most pleasant man. Even though he took my keys and wrote the details on a slip of paper ( he did everyone that way) and didn't even ask my name...I left my silver headache with him and headed out the door.
Now here's when the second thing happened. I was told it would take a few hours to have my car looked at, so I decided to walk home. As I walked a really special feeling entered my heart. I started to look carefully at everything as I walked the several blocks home. here's what
I saw....
.....people rushing off to work ( glad that I'm retired), blue sky peeking from behind grey clouds, funny signs on shop windows ( even noticed some misspelled words...awww I'm a teacher), pools of water on the ground ( no snow!!),
.....a large construction site....I stopped and watched the digger and noticed all the rock that our little city is built on...made me think of firm foundations
....walked by my physio place and felt really good that I was able to walk today without pain!!! thanks Mike ( my physio hero)
....saw Aunt May's house....treasure my relationship with her
.....street cleaners vacuuming soggy leaves making the city look nice
....past the Ardmore Park where my childhood memories called out....still can see my Elementary school in my mind...long corridors, special teachers....Mrs. Tattrie, Miss Blois, Miss and Mrs. Johnstone,Miss Berringer, Miss Harvie turned Mrs. Roblee, and sweet young Miss Wickwire who let us square dance...Rodney was my dream partner!!! Good friends....Elizabeth ( I actually saw her last Friday and she's a teacher), Colleen, Jill, Selena, Catherine, Dawn,Alan, Archie, Ralph, Bobby, Rodney...and more faces
....running down the hill to home on Berlin Street.
As I walked down the Street I saw parents dropping kiddies off at daycare/sitters and I thought about how lucky I was to have my Mom home with me when I was little. I'm grateful that Kathy has stayed home with her kiddies, and Keah is home with her girls!!! I regret that i wasn't home as much for my kids, although teaching did afford me many more days with them than most Moms. Grateful that I was a teacher, and grateful for good women in my life who helped raise my children.
.....past the Santilli's house where I can look through and see my old home....oh such sweet memories on Berlin St....but that's another post
Crossed Connaught Ave. and headed to my Street. So many more memories of a happy childhood and youth in this neighborhood.
Past the homes of many wonderful neighbors...the Quinlans, Carrolls, Bartiolaccis, Tullys, Browns, and a few whose names are having senior moments....around the corner.....did you ever notice the message painted by storm drains ( plain water only!!)
The world has some interesting things to see...and we so often don't take the time to look. Memories are important and so are lessons from the past.
My past reminds me of how blessed I have been and what's a few flat tires!!!
Have a wonderful blue sky day, and Laura thanks for helping me do the outside decorations....its always best to do it with someone you love!! Thanks for inspiring me to write...it really does make me feel good.
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