Goodbye, Old Friend

Serendipity. I have been noticing the little and not so little things in life that aren't necessarily explainable. Not coincidences; no, not that simple. It is the elf that randomly showed up in my garden and lit up on its own on my anniversary. It is saying goodbye to an old friend only to know that another person has been made very happy.

Let me explain.

A few weeks ago I had the Jetta serviced and found out it needs a new catalytic converter. It is pretty pricey because the mechanic wants to use Jetta parts which is the recommended way to go. I started pondering selling the Jetta or donating it to public radio. Since I was on the fence I didn't get the catalytic converter done at that time. One day after it had snowed I had come home driving my truck. My neighbor approached me and asked if I would consider selling it; that he had a friend who wanted a Toyota Tacoma 5-speed. I hemmed and hawed, because I do like the truck for some things, and it was Mikey's pride and joy. I finally connected with the guy and he loved it. He has a dog, too, so the dog hair didn't bother him. It all felt so right and I didn't even have second thoughts once I met him and saw how happy this truck would make him. We talked price, I asked him what he would pay and he offered $5000 more than I was thinking of asking (we both chose different search terms on various auto websites that look at resale value). I let him take it to his mechanic and the mechanic gave it glowing reviews.

This morning we made the exchange-money for me, truck for him. I watched him drive off after he promised me he would take as good of care of it as Mike and I did. And I believe him.

Where I was once pondering selling the one car, the other one was sold in literally a perfect situation. Serendipity.

Goodbye, Old Friend. You made Mike and me very happy. We moved appliances and furniture and tile in you; you helped us move friends to new houses. You took Mike to his PET scans safely and took Chester and Stanley to Chatfield to run and play. You and I went to Wyoming together, to Glenwood Springs, to Steamboat, to Winter Park, to Estes Park, to Wilderness Ranch on those washboard roads. You endured having your insides covered in dog hair because you knew you took us to places that were fun. You are going to make your new owner very happy, and you have allowed me to sock away some money for a new car someday. Enjoy your new life, the new dog who gets the backseat all to himself and a new "gear head" owner who will keep you bright and spiffy.

Here's to you!

Happy Spring! Happy Easter!

Belief

It is not that I am NOT a believer...I just don't know what to believe.

I came home after a really great dinner with Liz at My Brother's Bar. Today was my 13th wedding anniversary to Mike and Liz agreed to celebrate with me at one of Mike and my favorite places. I pulled up to the house and that little Gnome/Elf creature I wrote about a few posts back was all lit up.  Never mind that I have tried to press the "on" button to no avail since it appeared in my garden. Tonight of all nights it is all lit up. There are tracks in the snow going from the sidewalk to the gnome but none out and back.

Hmmm...not sure what it is all about but I will hope that there is magic in not knowing.

Happy 13th anniversary, Mike. Keep those wondrous events happening. They certainly keep me on my toes.

XO Mel

A minute or two in nature

This morning as I was getting the boys ready for their walk I saw the sunrise. It just peeked out of the clouds for a minute, but I managed to capture a picture of it...

I found today that I needed a small dose of nature, and not the Washington Park kind. So, I headed to my favorite short-trip spot at Lair of the Bear Open Space. I walked along Bear Creek and enjoyed the crisp smells of the wind and I listened to all the sounds of spring-a rushing creek, birds chirping, the wind blowing. It was just what the doctor ordered to finish up a busy spring break week and getting ready for my final quarter. I love this picture because it shows that against the gray there are these beautiful yellow branches...

Sometimes I try to snap pictures of myself...

And sometimes I try to capture a moment in my memory. I thought I would share with you this lovely short video of the rushing creek, along with it a lovely quote about nature, for you to take 20 seconds to breathe...

 

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature -- 

the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” -Rachel Carson

Kudos

I finally got a new dishwasher. The old one hasn't been working for quite some time. Mike had installed it when we renovated the kitchen and that was in early 2008 I think. The installer guy told me that it probably had just gotten its use. He also told me that the old one had the best installation job he had ever seen. "Really?" I said. He said he doesn't even install as good as that. I smiled to myself...leave it to Mikey to have done a perfect job. Now I am off to the store to buy dish detergent and Rinse Aid! Thought I would leave you with a pic of Mike in action.

40

I would like to think we would be doing something special for Mike's 40th today. The first thing that came to mind was...Disneyland! Here is him in the teacups at Disney Paris. What a smile.

Happy birthday, Mike!

XOXO Mel

Things aren't making sense in my world...

...I came home from a delicious 5280 dinner with my brother at The Palm. Welcoming me in my front garden plot is a Gnome with a lit up sign that says "Welcome". He was not here when I came home earlier-I recall that I scanned the front garden plots with planting thoughts of spring and there was no little Welcome Nome. Where did he come from? I called some neighbors and no one claimed putting it there.

Maybe the universe is trying to remind me that things don't often make sense but we fit them into boxes until they do. I suppose it is best if I just relish the spontanaity of it all.

(This is not what the statue looks like but it is the closest thing I could find on the internet)