Little Bits and Pieces

Yesterday was hard. I packed away some bits and pieces... Clothes came off of hangers and went into boxes, I untangled old necklaces and strings of beads, I looked at photographs... Everywhere I look in my house I see my mom. Her room, her chair by the wood stove, a place at the table... By the time I went to bed at night, waves of sadness overtook me and the tears flowed unchecked. I woke up this morning looking like a pumpkin. There were bags under my eyes big enough to put groceries in.

Today I had a house full of small people. Two girls boarded the school bus at 10:15 am (There was a 2 hour delay due to weather conditions...) and another four played loud and long throughout the remainder of the day. I cleaned a green, crud-encrusted fishbowl. I'm not sure if the fish was appreciative, but he should be able to breathe again and the cats will have fresh water when they look for a drink. I bathed a dirty, long haired little dog who definitely didn't appreciate my efforts. She trembled the entire time I washed and combed her hair, however, she feels soft and clean, and has the added benefit of being able to see again since I also trimmed the hair on her head and face. If I wake up looking like a pumpkin again tomorrow, it will be due to dog hair.

PS. Hannah took this photo of Orville a week or so ago. He's a tricky little guy and has this game where he plays dead. He was quite alive, though quite possibly blind, when I cleaned his bowl this afternoon. Whether or not he survived the ordeal shall be established tomorrow, because I don't feel like getting up to check on him right now. My husband insists we should put him out of his misery, but I haven't heard him complain yet.