Life has a way of sending messages and getting my attention . . . Whoa! Pump the brakes and back up the bus! This is not a metaphor. I’m really on crutches.

Let me see ― I managed to make it almost 69 years without a broken bone until a few days ago. Yep ― that’s right. I slid on gravel after hooking up the hose and fell fracturing my ankle in 3 places. 

I have to say it has created some humorous anecdotes with hubby and me. I never knew how important the little things would be.

If you could see the two of us ― me hobbling and him behind preparing to catch me ― you may chuckle. I know we do, like after I fell (not serious) and he was trying to help me up.

It happened on my way to the bathroom when I had just stood up to get my balance and my crutches. My timing was off in getting up and hubby letting in the dogs.

It was like slow motion, when out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kimber (our daughter’s puppy) making a beeline for me and running so hard she tripped for a moment and fell on her face. Weaving on one leg, I could see her coming and couldn’t prepare for it any longer. I fell. It was a soft landing and happened so fast, like a blur ― in one motion.

Picture it ― two old people and one trying to pull the other up saying, jokingly, “You should have done this 30 years ago ― not wait until I was in my 70’s”. It was more difficult to get the job done when we were laughing so hard. Then, after success, we made progress and were up and moving, while tooting along the way.

Boy! I’m a mess but I have the feeling I’m going to lose some weight and gain more leg and upper body strength once I get the hang of it. I’m getting better but it sure is slow going.

This is not all that has happened this year and it’s only half way. It seems like I remember writing a post like this last year catching up in a similar way. Only, those events were more serious and I needed those invitations of the miraculous to begin the year.

This year, it was the word ‘Courage’ that came to me in January to set the tone. I don’t how courage has played into these events but I guess it figures in some way.

Kimber

In April, our daughter found out their lease didn’t accept dogs and they had 3 days to remove her from their rental home. Interesting, how the owners they’re renting from once had a dog when they lived there. It wasn’t something my daughter thought they had to be concerned about when they were presented the rental agreement at closing after selling their house to them. I know . . . it’s complicated.

They had gotten Kimber last Christmas at 5 weeks old. They had fallen in love with her and didn’t want to give her up. So, she was around 4-5 months old, when she came to live with us, until they figured out what they were going to do.

Can’t say we were prepared for such a high-energy dog having mostly owned Labradors, Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds. I remember the first day standing in awe with my mouth open. I was frozen, watching her tear around the living room.

It was like a Tasmanian devil with her running behind the chairs and table catching cords, with the phone and lamp falling, and grabbing a dish cloth along the way. Then, in full charge leaping up and over the couch, never breaking stride, continuing to run until she reached the end of the room and circling for another round.

I never knew an animal could have that much energy, at least not in the house. Then, with being a puppy her biting ramped up the more anxious and hyper she got and she bit hard. So, we definitely had our work cut out for us. We really didn’t know if we could do it or make it worse.

April Snowstorm

Not only that, but also in April not long after we got her, we had our biggest snowstorm ever with around 45 inches of snow. That meant no running around the yard to let loose of that energy. Dogs would have to be inside until some of it melted and a path made to do their business. That was more difficult with Kimber but we managed . . . playing ― biting ― playing.

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We got on the same page . . .

Over time, we got on the same page with Kimber and she mellowed a little and is real sweet. It just took a little consistency, helping her feel secure with a lot of love.

Yesterday, our daughter and the boys came to pick her up on their way out to South Carolina. They’re moving and I’m feeling a lot of emotions with them leaving and Kimber. The house will be quiet again and that’s not all good. She came in and out of our lives, like a whirlwind stirring things up we didn’t realize were even there, and probably wouldn’t have seen.

I called her my “miracle puppy” as she pushed buttons and set off triggers I had not seen in myself and hubby before. Funny, how things go and we think, “I’ve got this figured out”. Then, something comes along that shows I really don’t.

It got hard and I wanted it to go back to the way it was before. I didn’t want to deal with this anymore. But, I learned you can’t throw up your hands and quit. When it gets hard, keep working with it and find a way. I thought I knew all about that but Kimber showed us different ways in living color and more.

House wanting our attention, too . . .

Then, during that time working with Kimber, I’m embarrassed to say, we discovered a leak in the laundry room. It showed up in the bathroom when the tiles on the floor started feeling squishy. We pulled out the washer and dryer and found a small leak in the pipes behind the wall. It must have dripped for some time, which was not good news.

Fortunately, we were only out of water for a few days and our handyman neighbor fixed the leak (God bless that man – we love him!). Now, we have a dry wall man coming to tear out and replace the damaged dry wall. Ugh, what a mess! Where do we start and how? I feel like my house is in such disarray.

There is so much I had planned to do this summer and it’s time to put things in order and get things fixed. We’ve neglected it and put it on the back burner far too long. It’s demanding our attention right along with securing up the back deck and weed whacking our little acre.

My first big pine cone order . . .

In May, I got a small, set of 5, pine cone fire starter order. Little did I know, she would like my pine cones the best and give me an order for 275 for wedding favors. I was ecstatic ― bouncing around ― happy. I didn’t have that amount in stock so it took a little while to complete that order for her.

I had so much fun with this and I’m looking forward to building up my stock again and get ready to harvest the new crop of pine cones when they drop. I can see the pine trees are full. Now, I just have to work around it on crutches. It’s all good and a work in progress.

So, if you’ve been wondering what happened to me, I’m still here, kicking, and this is what’s been going on in my corner of the world.

In all seriousness, putting aside my attempts at being lighthearted, I’ve had to stop and take care of myself. I guess I haven’t been good at that – I thought I was doing okay. Being on crutches forces me to listen to my needs and my body first, instead of looking to see what else there needs to be done. I can’t jump up and do what I want to right away, like I used to. I have to ask for help and it’s something I’m finding I’m not comfortable with. I didn’t realize how independent I was and how much easier it is for me to do things other than for myself.

It’s giving me pause to reflect on so many little things I’ve taken for granted and have not appreciated on what my mind, body and soul does for me every day. Too long I have pushed me to the back for what I thought was more important. Think I’ll have to pay better attention this time as I’m not going anywhere real soon or doing anything too fast for a while. I will listen ― my heart has heard.

I’m living trying to embrace all that comes into my life and see it as a new adventure. When I dig in and resist is when I struggle the most. Each day just keeps ticking on and we can either jump in and play or grumble on the sidelines. I’ve found it works better for me to jump in and play. Either way ― it keeps ticking away . . . tick – tick – tick.

How do you do it ― handle adversity when life doesn’t go the way you want? I thought I’d had a lot of practice but somehow it’s been different this time.

Pat from the ‘ol kitchen table