Inspiration From Ray

I was amazed when my VISA bill was delivered Monday. There was only one debit on the card which was for the lockset I ordered for the back screen door. I always charge my gas. I had gone a month without putting gas into the truck! I’ll make up for that on this trip to North Carolina Thursday!

Finally I took the truck in to have the oil changed. There are a number of quick change places I frequent. It was Speedy Oil Change for Tuesdays visit. The place seemed pretty empty. As I was reading in the waiting area, the manager appeared wanting to show me a “problem”. “See all that black in the injectors?’ he grimly said. “That should all be cleaned, we have a service for $59.95 that will clean that all out.” Using my favourite line now, I simply told him I did not have the money for it. He sighed and finished up the oil change. It is those worthless add ons that make those oil places their profit. Besides I have SeaFoam Cleaner at home I can run through to dissolve that crap!

I’ll be staying with Matt and Jen, my nephew and his wife in North Carolina. He details cars for his livelihood. I can’t show up in a ratty truck. I broke down and washed the beast, and waxed it with NuFinish: the once a year car wax! That stuff works pretty well. For a truck that gets as beat as mine does, it looks pretty good for being seven years old! I even Rain X’ed the windshield! If I have time today I’ll vacuum and clean out the cab. I can’t get too carried away!



I woke up at two this morning and could not get back to sleep. The street was silent with the exception of a lone mockingbird singing his little heart out in the holly hedge. That little guy would not stop. If you can’t beat them, join them. I put on my heavy bathrobe, poured out a small glass of box wine and settled into a deck chair on the brick patio. Stumpy was thrilled to be outside so early to check out his territory.

I was enjoying the “Mockingbird concert” and chuckling to myself over the note my friend Ray had left on my Facebook page: “For God sakes Martha ..... could you be any more sugar and spice? Even Glinda the good witch had a bad day every now and then. What ever you’re taking I want some.......” Ray is a close “sister friend” so he is allowed to say that!

I was annoyed that I could not get right back to sleep, but what did I gain? I relaxed for about half an hour nursing that glass of wine as the Mocking bird sang into the still night. I laughed at my Stumpy chasing after bugs, real and imagined. He wanted to stay outside, so he stayed clear of me! Overhead was a bright full moon; the air was warm and infused with the intoxicating fragrance from the Sweet Olive.

I feel kind of guilty as this type of happiness and bliss has become commonplace for me in this crazy world. There is no lack of bad news if you want to be brought down and depressed.

Stumpy is sacked out on the end of the bed as I type this out. A contented cat deep is sleep is the perfect model of relaxation. I’ll bet he will still be in this spot when I get back from the Y in a couple hours!