Welcome to October, my favorite month of the year. The air is crisp and clear, the geese are starting on their noisy voyage south, the falling leaves of red and gold drift by my windows and blanket the yard, and the dead weeds are easier to pull and cut out of the garden. My back is still a little sore from the garden cleaning out on Saturday but I am satisfied.
Dick trimmed back our few blackcaps and the “witch” tree as he calls it, and yesterday he was able to borrow a friend’s lawn mower to finally get the Schoolhouse lawn trimmed and neat. The people who had looked at the property a while ago came back a second time, but still no news of an offer or interest. It looks as though our plans to open over there might better wait until spring if it still hasn’t sold by then. Some plans and ideas take a little longer than anticipated.
Grandma, can you please play with me?
Friday Karen brought the grandchildren, Garrett and Heidi, along with her mother-in-law Mary Ann up for a visit. Karen’s friend Rachel had just given birth to her first child and Karen wanted to bring her a freezer meal and of course see the new baby. Because Rachel lives nearby, we also benefited from her drive north. At one point Heidi came over to me and very quietly asked, “Grandma, can you please play with me?” I told her of course and what would she like to play. “Outside,” was her answer. Ahha! That meant up on the hill to swing high in the tree. She smiled and we excused ourselves for a while to go make memories on Mr. Baker’s Swing. Afterward she brought me a couple of books to read to her and my day was now complete. Garrett and Papa played with the trucks and Dingy bear while also visiting with Karen and Mary Ann. It was a wonderful day.
Friends and neighbors
Thursday my friends Ardie and Bev, and I went to Massena for the calling hours of a neighbor from West Potsdam. Bill had also been a customer and I hadn’t seen him since the diner closed. It was unexpected and it is always sad to say good-bye even if the years brought a natural separation. It also brought back memories of Bill’s mother and his relatives from Pennsylvania of many, many years ago. Our daughter Kate, in her teen years, used to visit with Mrs. Voss a few times a week and read to her from one of her favorite books. Kate told us it stimulated a good many conversations of the way life used to be and she learned a lot of local history and about the past. Proverbs tells us that, “better is a neighbor that is near than a brother far off.” Cultivating relationships in the neighborhood is very rewarding and comforting. Especially in hard times.
better is a neighbor that is near than a brother far off
Speaking of neighbors, the North Main Street Ladies went to the Lobster House today for lunch. We certainly had much to catch up on and spent quite a while there just visiting. We decided to get together again before Christmas and this time I will host them. Another date on my calendar!
Dick attended the men’s breakfast Saturday at church then his weekly library sale in Potsdam, any yard sales he could find, and then helped me in the garden. It was a lovely day ending at Hometown for supper. And we had yet another September birthday last week and that was our daughter-in-law, Elizabeth. Birthday wishes are sent to California!
Life’s curves
When my middle son was growing up, due to birth defects and childhood accidents, Eric and I made many trips to the hospital and doctor’s office. I’m not sure I could count the number of times between birth and about age ten. It was our thing and I would take him to the hospital, sleep in a chair, and then bring him home. Well, Sunday morning, he called to say he needed to go to the ER and was on his way. He didn’t seem to just be telling me a fact, but I sensed an apprehension in his voice. So, I “skipped” church and met him at the hospital which of course brought back memories of years past. It turns out he will be just fine, got a tetanus shot, and antibiotic with the instruction to rest and keep his foot elevated. I learned that the apprehension I sensed in his voice was from the thought that because he had been unable to get to a doctor right away, he thought he might lose his big toe. Praise the Lord that the damage was minor and healing should be fine. My mother’s heart was glad to have been there and Dick thought maybe, just maybe, Eric subconsciously felt that he and I could handle this together. I might have misread Eric’s voice, but was glad to be there.
Life hands us many curve balls, ping pong balls, and moth balls. So, whether you are pulling moths from the past, trying to keep ping pong balls in order, or riding the curve of a setback, I pray you will keep your chin up and your eyes on the road ahead. All will be well in due season. Enjoy this beautiful month on October! Lovingly, Sharon