Man, today has been a day! Been so busy and so crazy I haven’t even glanced at the sky. Took a good look when I walked Penelope close to dusk and the overcast skies were full of see through smoky thin clouds in colors of gunmetal, slate, and oxford grey, floating quickly across the horizon in a hurry to make it home before dark sets in. The heavy clouds were soldiers dressed in cadet grey and feldgrau, moving slower, their bellies loaded with rain that hasn’t fallen, getting into formation for tomorrow’s rainfall.

I searched for a peek of the sunset pageant while walking Penelope but the stage was hidden by the curtains of the begrimed sky canvas. I know the pageant is going on now and I imagine the setting sun in the colors of grey and pale blue, the sun walking down the stage as a silver beacon of blinding light, dressed in a beautiful glacier grey evening gown fashioned with a bolero jacket in platinum grey silk, diamond necklace around her slender neck, ice blue diamond bracelets on both arms. Father Sky is intrigued by the diamond scintillation as he takes the sun’s arm and escorts her down the horizon.

Mother Nature painted the sunset stage with watercolors dipped in bird blue and dusty blue and accented the crown of the clouds with thin brush strokes of cool blue and ice blue grey, so many beautiful colors on her palette of grey tonight. Father Sky kissed the sun goodnight as she turned off the day’s light and proceeded to try to drag the moon and stars from their cozy cloud covers. Day ending, night beginning.

I’m glad my busy phone calling day has ended and I’m dressed in my comfortable feeted pajamas writing my thoughts and chewing my gum. I’ve been working on changing my banking from Alexander City to Roanoke. Yeah, been three years, should have done it earlier, but I have family at the bank in Alexander City and she graciously helps me with any questions. Had to call her today for help with Chief’s Russell retirement. I called the pension plan to change banks and the pension lady (they thought I was a crazy old woman) wanted to know the date when the first pension check was direct deposited in my account. I don’t know. I’m thinking, that was three years ago, and I don’t print out my bank statements. Didn’t realize the internet only goes back two years.

Then the pension lady says, well, your address isincorrect on the files so you’ll have to change your address before we can change the bank information and I say, “Well, the address is correct on the statement of deposit I receive every month.” She couldn’t explain it so I quit asking. More paperwork through the mail, dagnabbit! Thank you, daughter-in-law’s mother, for your kindness and much needed help. Gonna miss banking with you! You are always so patient and kind.

Sweated bullets as I called Social Security to change the direct deposit bank with them. It was a nightmare when Chief died because everything was shut down and you could not go in the office to complete the paperwork. Paperwork mailed back and forth and a thousand phone calls. Birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, I was traumatized every time I called them, never got a concerned or kind person but today the Lord was on my side and it was very easy to change the direct deposit there. Thank you!

Then I go to the Dollar General to get a few things. Put everything on the counter and when she tells me the amount due, I reach in my purse and my billfold is not in my purse! I run to the car, holding up a line of about six folks, and my billfold was sitting on the seat of the car where I had left it when I had paid for my gas. So, so embarrassed. But it keeps going!

Head to the post office to buy some “interesting stamps.” I always say interesting stamps and the counter lady always says “interesting stamps, huh” as she rummages through the drawer. It’s kinda our mantra. I go to put the debit card in the machine and the machine falls off and the internet goes down in the Post Office at the same time! I am mortified and apologize and she says it happens all the time. I tell her to cancel the stamp order and I’ll run to the bank and get cash. “Oh, no,” she says, “Let’s reboot and wait.” It works and I’m out the door leaving my keys on the counter. As I come back to pick them up I mutter, “Guess, I’m too old to go to town by myself,” and the whole Post Office starts laughing. I laugh with them!

I’m so happy to be back home, put on my favorite mismatched house shoe socks, get a cup of coffee, and walking back down the hall I step in dog pee-pee! And now I’ve lost my phone! Look in my purse three times, never seeing it and when I holler upstairs and ask Stew to call my phone, it rings in my purse! Last week one day I carried the tv remote in my pocket all day thinking it was my phone, wondering why it hadn’t rung all day.

So, I’m thinking maybe it’s time for Shady Oaks. So my lady friends that are going to Shady Oaks with me, start packing. Don’t forget to pack cash for poker and bring bird seed, dog food, chocolate, and Cokes. And Penelope and I call the bed by the window!

“I am going to keep having fun every day I have left, because there is no other way of life. You just have to decide whether you are a Tigger or an Eeyore.” Randy Pausch