I Met Me!

This is a post I started, but never completed. I decided to post it, even though it is running a little behind the news I have already posted regarding my One Tough Lady.

I have met a new lady in my neighboring community through an unusual set of circumstances. She has been in Kentucky for nearly 3 years,but I only met her this past week. Another good friend of mine dropped by one day last week, with a precious cargo(a truck load of yard sale items he had just acquired from helping this new found friend, I speak of). He knows me well, so he knows that I let very little go to the trash pick up folks.I can see potential in everything. He has that fault,too.Nevertheless, he thought of me.He had several items that he thought I might be interested in, and of course, he knows me well, and he was right. He left me with 8 small boxes of books and magazines, a couple of homemade book shelves, a mirror, and a few other assorted items.I am refinishing the mirror to match some Victorian items I already have and cherish. I used one of the shelves to mount my chop saw on. It works great for that.The other, I put on my porch. I had been wanting some storage of some kind for my seasonal flower pots and the like.And the books and magazines?That is where the story begins.As I began to sort through the books and magazines, I found there were many of them that were identical to some I had of my own. Many of which I lost in the house fire of 07.This really peaked my interest as to who this lady was. The more I went through the boxes of books, the more eager I was to meet her.Since I was home alone,I got the urge to go meet her. I jumped in my truck and headed down the road towards her place, but for some strange reason, I talked myself out of the visit,and returned home.It bared on my mind so, that I had turned back and returned home, I called and discussed the story with my Mom and Sister. They said that was God telling me to go, and Satan telling me not to go. At the time, I thought it was because I simply had enough on my plate without adding another job to my list of "Things to Do".However,we,my Mom,my Sister,and Myself,decided to take a trip to this lady's home and meet her.We visited her that day, and found she was having to return to her home state of California, due an unusual set of circumstances,regarding the property her family had assumed they were purchasing for the last few years.Nevertheless, the entire family,Mother,Daughter and SIL, was having to move back to their previous locations,California, and Arizona.Their dream of owning a piece of ground had been lost(for now,at this location anyway).

The reason I say I met Me, is because this tough little lady is a pack rat,like myself. Most of the things we spent so much time packing, over the week and a half I spent with her,were the same type of things I collect.Most were related to her various crafts, and since she is a widow, and crafts make up a huge part of her life.There is no way I could fit all of my collection of "stuff" into the truck and trailer she is using. It would take a Tractor trailer type truck to haul my precious possessions. Let's hope I never have the need to move and transport my "stuff".Life takes a lot of unforeseen twists and turns, and one should never say "Never", but for my sake, I hope I never find myself in her situation or anything similar.I doubt I could be that strong.

She calls every night or at least every other night to let me know her progress. She was 20 miles short of the Arizona/New Mexico line,last night.She sleeps in her truck, usually at truck stops or any large parking area where there are other travelers, stopping for the night. That is good to know. There is more safety in numbers.She has been on her journey since Wednesday morning of the 27th of October.That's one week today. Hopefully, she will be in her home state and find an apartment in three or four days. Cold weather is closing in, and she says it does get a bit chilly in her truck, before she awakens each morning, and starts the engine to get warm.Her faith is strong, and I am sure it will carry her through to her destination,safely.I am so glad I had the opportunity to meet her. Going through all that she's going through at 73,is an inspiration to me.I only hope I can be that strong,when I'm her age.