Today it is raining. This may or may not be the reason my right foot is acting up to the point of waking me up several times in the night. When my foot was in an unremitting flare it felt like a steel spike was going through the forefoot. Really painful. This recurrence is right up there. Hoping none of the bajillion bones that live in the forefoot are broken , again. Also know that wearing The Boot (a big clunky air cast) didn't help, so gimping sans boot is acceptable. Hoping it moves along.
The rain brought a rash of thoughtfulness, too. I'd accidentally left my convertible top down and the interior got wet. After popping the roof back on, I left the windows open so moisture could evaporate. This method has worked for me -- but we need a hot sunny day! Anyway, as the windows were open, people noticed and took time to let me know in case it was an oversight. I received an email and a Facebook message alerting me to my open windows, as well as two verbal reminders. Finally, one of my students was riding his bike in the rain and took time to stop and ring my doorbell to let me know my car windows were open. So thoughtful. It takes a village, and being part of a small town like this is just that. Especially my neighborhood.
The houses on my street have been filled with the same wonderful people for literally my whole life. A handful of houses have changed over the past ten years, with my neighbor Pat being "new" with only about 30 years of residency. The majority though are people who have been here forever. Fixtures. Family. The Wards, The Cummings, The Hynes, The Coneeneys, The Austins, The Sullivans. The Ropples. Long histories. This is about to change as both houses on either side of me are sold to new owners. The neighborhood is getting a facelift.
Change can be good, but losing wonderful neighbors is not.
It is sad to see my elderly neighbor's possessions being piled up on the street for trash day, and think that she is never coming back to our street. She is in Assisted Living now, and the belongings that she kept for a lifetime are on the sidewalk. It is a massive chore for her family to clean out the newly sold house. I had to do it after my dad passed away and know how difficult it can be. I keep seeing her little, well cared for treasures come out the door to the sidewalk -- tables, lamps, books, etc, and feel so sad. Is this what it all comes down to in the end? It is a lesson to us all. I plan on visiting my sweet neighbor this week and am glad I can still do so. Time marches on.
A very rambling post for a very overcast Monday morning. Hope the week has more clarity than this!
What will you make today?