Voting Blindly

Having looked at a sample ballot on line, I knew how I was going to vote. I didn’t realize until I was halfway to the creek that I’d left my glasses at home. The poling place is the firehouse, which is exactly where I walk most mornings. Going back would be too much trouble, so I walked on, hoping I’d be able to see well enough to vote. I couldn’t really read the paper I signed, indicating I was legally eligible to cast a vote, but I have read it before. The woman pointed to the line for signing, and I scribbled my name there. Another volunteer handed me the ballot. Scurrying to the booth, I put the paper down. Whew! I could read the names. I couldn’t clearly see the round bullets I needed to fill in. I’m sure it looked like a two-year-old’s coloring, going outside the lines, but hopefully the machine would read it correctly. I held my breath as the ballot was sucked into the voting machine. Good! It was not rejected.

I very proudly applied the sticker they handed me that said, “I voted.” It was not as easy as it once was, but I did it all by myself!

Look! I’m ON the Hook!!

I don’t know when neighbors Lisa and Harmony installed a hook for me, but I found it today as I was removing my windbreaker and hat at their fence. What a thrill!

The close-up shows the name plate, but I didn’t have my glasses with me and couldn’t see that Anne does not show up clearly on the photo.

I dress for the weather, adding layers according to the outside thermometer. Often I am too warm when I walk to the halfway point to the creek. It’s such a relief to shed a layer and walk unhindered until I return to carry it home. Some months ago I asked permission to use their fence, having been without a hanging place since Connie and Marla moved away from across the street. They graciously said it was fine.

We all have places in the hearts of other people, but to have a named spot on a fence has to be highly unusual. I am inordinately pleased. Hours after I found it, I was still grinning. This is the season for adjusting clothing, so the hook will be used often and appreciated every time I pass it. Thank you very much, Harmony and Lisa.

Logan on Halloween

I texted neighbor Shawn to see if Logan would be coming to trick or treat at my house with or without a costume. Every year I ask him what the best candy is, so I was prepared with Reese’s Pieces this time. He has had the flu!! Shawn said he could come over so long as I was aware that he is getting over the flu.

We were very careful. I packed some candy in a bag, and he agreed to pose for me. We didn’t touch at all. He took down his mask only long enough for me to get one shot without it. Rats! I should have thrown him an air hug! Missed my chance!

Happy Reformation Day

Grandson David and I celebrated Reformation Day (October 31) yesterday at church. Many people wore the liturgical color for the day – red. I not only had a red top, but I remembered to wear earrings that are Luther’s seal. They are charms that I hung on ear wires, but they don’t show up well in the photo. Well, they don’t show up at all.

After a rainy start, Halloween showed lots of orange, the traditional colors of the day being orange and black. The living room was suffused with an orange glow from a pear tree outside.

The tree called me to the front porch, wanting to have a photo all by itself.

I shared a selfie with a pumpkin cookie jar and my Jack-o-lantern earrings. Now I shall wait and see if neighbor Logan will come trick or treating. I missed seeing him last year. Although he had a costume, it just isn’t the same to put it on the next day and pretend it’s Halloween.

Update on Dog Bite

When grandson David got up, we had breakfast and went to Urgent Care in town. I was the only one there, but it still took quite a while to be seen. The paperwork took forever. I was glad the receptionist told me they are required to report all dog bites and was happy to fill out two pages of forms for that.

The doctor cut off the flap of skin, put antibiotic on the open wound, and bandaged it with pretty blue tape. A nurse gave me a tetanus shot, and I was free to go. I looked more fashionable going out than coming in.

Neighbors, family, friends, and bloggers contacted me, offering advice and support. To everyone, thank you.

DOG BITE!!

I was walking up my street and realized Angie’s dogs were loose in her yard. I stopped immediately and stood still with my side nearest them. The two dogs ran toward me, and one grabbed my arm and pulled backward. I think the woman who had let them loose is Angie’s sister. She has been warned that there is a leash law here and that she cannot let the dogs run loose. All she did was stand there and scream at the dogs until they went in the front door. She followed them and quickly shut the door. The dog has tried to bite me once before, but he didn’t break skin.

I immediately took a photo of my arm, then one with my arm and the house. Having missed a walk yesterday, I kept going. Soon Julie and dog Mickey came in sight. Julie commented that my hand was going to get cold, then she saw the damage. (I was exposing the wound to freezing air so that it wouldn’t ooze onto my clothes and get stuck.) She advised me to call animal control. As I came back, her husband Pat walked down his lawn and handed me a paper with the number to call. He has been menaced by both dogs who had crossed the road into his yard while he was doing yard work. He was told that the police won’t do anything until two incidents have been reported. Neighbor Bob stopped his truck when he saw Pat with me on the road, and both Bob and Jeff saw the bite. The dog had bitten Jeff before, but he didn’t report it. Pat insisted on walking me home, which was extreme but very comforting.

I called animal control and now cannot leave my phone unattended. The man took my name and number, saying an officer would call me. He advised me to seek medical attention.

Having called the proper authority, I washed my arm and sat down to write. Isn’t that what most bloggers would do?

Wound now cleaned and peeled

Nice Nieces

All of my nieces are much more than nice. They are fantastic, but I liked the sound of the title. The ones I’m writing about today are two of the North Carolina nieces. Kathie and Julie dropped by to see me on their way home from “leaf peeping”. Leaf peepers are what you call people who travel to see fall foliage in the mountains. Julie took a selfie of us enjoying ourselves.

I checked the mirror to make sure I didn’t really have a double eyebrow.

We didn’t have much time, so we talked a mile a minute. It was a given that the scenery was gorgeous. I enjoyed hearing Julie exclaim over the lazy river they saw. (A lazy river is a manmade loop pool with a current just strong enough to move a tube or raft along.) Although the temperature was almost at the freezing point, people were outside enjoying the warm water and a nearby hot tub.

I wanted to know what was new in Kathie’s life, and I enjoyed her reply. It is absolutely fantastic to be a teacher, now that COVID restrictions have been lifted. She said, “We can see the students’ faces again! I told them before that the only thing we could read about their reactions were their eyebrows.”

I had read that communication was severely hampered by mask-wearing, and there was the proof from a hands-on (eyes-on) teacher.

An aside to daughter Lise: Kathie and Julie said they were very impressed at how very neat David and I have kept the house after you left.

A further comment to neighbors: Julie and Kathie exclaimed, “Wow! Look at this garage!! We have never seen it so good!”

Photos at the Train Club

John didn’t have many photos taken at the train club, especially ones with people in them. Most are like those below, pictures showing progress on track work. He loved working with the tracks, both laying out new ones and repairing old ones. If he were looking at these shots right now, he could tell you exactly where they were taken on that five-mile layout.

John was very reluctant to take pictures with his cell phone. He used to laugh and tell people he had a smart phone with a dumb user. He mastered the art of making a call, but often struggled to answer one. His fingers did not swipe well. When he began to bring home photos of track, I begged him to include some with people. I felt like I knew his friends because he talked about them, but I had no idea what they looked like. He tried, he really did. It never became easy for him.

Recently I picked up his phone, because grandson David and I now use it to play games when our phones are charging. Wondering when he last took a picture, I clicked on Photos. These are the only two he took that day. This one shows a friend behind the engine, sitting on a very comfortable seat.

The other shot includes the friend and David wearing a red shirt.

These two photos were taken the day John died. It does my heart good to know that he was thinking of people that day and perhaps was going to share the pictures with me.

Logan Then and Now

Neighbor Logan is very cooperative around my camera, something I really appreciate. After I saw a photo of him making a silly face, I asked for a new one yesterday. It’s very appropriate for October, with Halloween coming in a few weeks. It’s hard to believe we were laughing only seconds before. Logan knew where to find a Wordle app, and we had played game after game on the computer. He slowed down for me, because he is lightning fast.

He is 12 years old now, and here is the one when he was almost six.

I must ask him for a nice one next time, because he is a very good-looking young man now.