I was very happy with myself earlier this morning. You might say that I was basking in the successful feeling of getting a post ready for my blog. I was nearing the finish line when it happened: The dreaded blank white screen. Oh, no!!! Where is the edit button to undo? There is none. Gone is gone. GONE. What had I done? I didn’t mean to hit a delete button. I really don’t know what happened, but I do know that only blank space leered at me from my computer screen. I saw nothing. It was gone.
Being at times a tenacious person, I am going to begin again. I know it won’t be the same, but I shall try my best to recreate the post I had going earlier in the morning. So, we begin.....
I woke this morning to another chill in the house. I’d gotten up and was clutching my first cup of coffee, feeling its warmth. Mr. was rousing from his sleep and mumbling something about checking his windshield. It was a mystery to me why he would put that first on his ‘to do’ list, but he seemed quite anxious to see about it. I can’t say I saw any reason for such concern. The only time I remember worrying about the condition of my windshield was when I’d have to scrape it before going to work.
I decided it must be another one of his country ways. I know he believes in reading signs of things. I figured his windshield must somehow be related to something important. Actually, I think he has rubbed off on me a bit as I found myself listening to a persimmon report from one of his friends. It seems they had opened a persimmon and found a shovel image on the seed. Of course, a shovel would be needed if it was a bad winter with lots of snow. It’s a sign.
It was then that Mr. came though the kitchen on his way to check out his windshield. He was on a mission. I could see those signs: purposeful walk, eyes forward, no hesitation, opening the back door, leaving it open....’Ah, close the door!’ I clutched my nice warm coffee and hoped the storm door would keep in the heat until Mr. returned.
The wait wasn’t long. He faced me and made the announcement: There is ice on the windshield. ‘Ice?’, I said. ‘You’re kidding me, right?’ I knew better, but I’d said it anyway.
I’m sure there are times that Mr. must find me wanting in understanding this whole sign process. I don’t always connect the dots of realization as quickly as I might if I were a country girl. This city girl just didn’t get it. That’s when he made the second announcement: The garden is gone!
With only one cup of coffee in me, I wonder in amazement how I was able to muster up the look of shock and horror followed by a deep sigh of distress at his news. I knew he had worked hard on that garden and was expecting a fresh fall crop of green beans in a few days. He’d mentioned them on more than one occasion. This expectant gardener had just seen his crop and all his hard work go down the drain, so to speak.
I was feeling a little conflicted here. I really did feel sorry for him. It may even be a wifely duty to feel sorry for him and share his loss. On the other hand, I knew the hunt for the little jiggly thing for the pressure cooker could be put on hold. No jiggly thing equals no canning. No beans (Do you see where I’m going with this?) equals no canning.
At this point, he put on the show of accepting what life and the weather brought his way. It’s just what happens sometimes. He just needed ten more days and those beans would have been ready to pick.
He left, but that conflicting feeling remained. I was a little sad for him, but I was perhaps a little relieved that I might not be spending hours in the kitchen trying to can those beans. I hate to admit it, but I was almost feeling a little blessed and perhaps a smidge smug.
That’s when It happened. I’d reread my lovely post thinking it was not a bad way to start the day. I was just a few words from the end when the screen went blank. As I lingered in the moment, I saw the sign. This time I didn’t need anyone to help me connect the dots. I’d not been really ‘feeling’ his moment as he watched his hard work rendered useless. Now it was gone, as was my hour of work on my post. Equally gone.
So, Dear Reader, I leave you with that. Take it for what it is worth. I’ll bet you are smiling. I am too.
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