A Day Full of Blessings.

I had a great day today.

Woke up at 8:00, showered and started laundry.  Played some games on Face Book and enjoyed the sun coming in the front windows.

The neatest thing--I think I told you I am making genealogy books for my kids for Christmas.  They have turned out really well.  I love the special paper I printed them on--it's kind of glossy, a bit thick--like a magazine page.

I was worried at how much it would cost to have the pages combed (punched), the spiral and a front and back cover, so this afternoon, I took one up to the print shop.  The lady asked me how many pages, which determined the size of the spiral, what color back cover I wanted.  I chose navy blue with a clear plastic front cover.

She said, "Do you want to wait for it?  I can do it right now."

So, I watched her--it took almost 7 minutes.

WOW--it looked so nice!'

She went over to the computer/cash register and started clicking in figures.  I opened up my envelope, where I keep my miscellaneous money and pulled out a twenty dollar bill.

"That will be five twenty."

"Excuse me?  Twenty-five, twenty?"

"No.  Five dollars and twenty cents."

"WHAT?  Oh, that can't be enough."

"Yup.  A dollar for the front clear cover, thirty-five cents for the back cover,   Two dollars and fifty cents for the coil and not quite a dollar to punch it and tax."

I just about started crying!!!  I have 5 books.  I thought it would cost twenty dollars a book = hundred dollars.  Instead it is going to cost me twenty-five dollars for all the books!

Yes!  Blessings are just pouring all over me.
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When I left there, I went up the road to get gas for the car: $2.34.  Glad I waited because Friday, it was $2.45.  Twenty bucks filled it up!!

Then I went to the bank, took out some of my knit/crochet money, came home and put cash in the appropriate budget envelopes and still had some left over to take my Grandson Alex out for his birthday this week.

You cannot imagine how wonderful it is to look in my envelopes and see the money increasing each month, toward my car repairs and my glasses.  Plus, I got my doctor paid off and I only owe 50 to the Chiropractor and 65 to the dentist, which I will pay off next month.

The daily worry over money for the last three years, has been lifted. No--I don't have a lot of extra money, but when I get my debts paid off and my car fixed, I just might have a bit extra each month.  Then I can once again think about saving toward a new recliner or mattress or being able to go out for supper.  

This "job" has been a life saver and a real blessing for me.

I got home and there was a call on my phone to remind me of my appointment at the food bank tomorrow morning.  YAY!  I used the last of my milk Saturday, and I am out of laundry detergent and bathroom tissue.

More blessings.

Then  Pearl came down.  I made Apple Cake Saturday and took them some yesterday.  She brought back my plastic container and half a loaf of bread she had baked.

We had a really nice 90 minute chat.  She asked me if I would please come up and try and get her Face Book account up and running.  Her daughter seems to be too busy to stop in and do it.  Pearl has had her computer home for 3 weeks and still can't access it.  

I am just going to delete her account and start over, but I don't know if I can.  I will need her password and no one remembers what it is.  I don't really know how I am going to do any of this, but I sure am going to try.  Her daughter's are a lot like mine.  Her oldest daughter hasn't spoken to Pearl in 18 months and Pearl has no idea why.  She had tried to call her daughter, but the daughter won't pick up her phone.

So Pearl asked her youngest daughter, Marge, if she knew what was bugging Cathy and Marge said she didn't.  Pearl thinks she does but just won't tell her--in case it might be hurtful.

"If I knew what was wrong, I could fix it."

"Maybe not," I said.

"Well with Cathy, it was probably something I said.  I gotta walk on egg shells around her."

"Sounds familiar."

"What's wrong with our girls?  They use to think we were their counselors.  They shared so much with us.  Now, they just think we are old and decrepit and don't know anything."

"I was thinking the same thing the other day."

"Well, I didn't treat my Mother with that kind of disrespect, even though she was critical and nasty to me.  When she had a stroke, I brought her to my house and took care of her for another ten years!"

"I know.  When you and I have a stroke, it will be, 'put the woman in the nursing home and fahgetaboutit.' "

"Maybe you and I can share a room."

Then she chatted about Merle and she thinks he's pretending to be weak just so he doesn't have to relate to her.

"He goes to work everyday and doesn't seem to have a problem there, but the minute he gets home, he's in bed and sleeps the rest of the day.  Then he gets up for supper, afterwards, he sits in his chair and stares at the TV until bedtime.  He doesn't talk to me.  If I ask him a question, he won't answer and just mumbles."

"I wouldn't like that either.  He's probably tired out from working all morning."

"You should see him when Marge comes over.  She sits down and he just perks right up and talks to her and, blab, blab, blab.  Then she leaves and he goes back to being silent.  Sometimes...I'd just like to smack him in his head and say, 'Hello.  Is anyone in there?' "

I do understand her frustration with him.  

I also consider it another blessing that I don't have to put up with someone like that.