Getting adjusted

Hello,

Lexi is better or at least she seems to be fever free. She still coughs some and her nose runs, but not as copiously as it used to.

I fell asleep before midnight last night, maybe even before 11:00 pm. The only problem was that Lexi woke crying hard at 5:00 a.m. with the Muslim call to worship. She maintained her grumpy mood for a good bit of the morning. Today is a national holiday so Sarah did not work this morning, but has a budget that she needs to complete today requiring an afternoon of work. Lexi is sleeping and we are counting on this rest to restore her cheery nature.

Sarah requested that I take glass to the recycle glass store where it is used to make some new items such as goblets or glasses, while some other colorful broken bits evolve into art objects. This place is just a short walk from their house. A letter also needed mailing so I could do that at the same time. Because Lexi had been sick I did not feel that I should take her on this errand. Wednesday, while Lexi slept and with Jamine (not sure of this name) I walked the recycle glass to Adam’s Arcade. Yes! They were open. Even though the walk is short the glass was getting heavy. Next on to the Post Office. I was finally able to do those jobs that she had requested the previous Friday. Not needing to take Lexi created happiness. The busy street would have been difficult to cross with the stroller. Just getting my body across required quite a wait. I walked with the locals waiting with me, hoping they had some knowledge of safety. Needing to check traffic from the opposite side of the street unnerves me a bit. Consequently my head is spinning around like a kepi doll.

In the middle of the street there is two, possibly three, feet of space so walkers can pause, look the other way, and dash madly the rest of the way. The hard part with the stroller would be that there are two-foot long cement impediments keeping cars off the side walk. In the middle there is a curb on both sides of the dirt island. I would not have been happy with the stroller; scared is the more apt term.

Easy to go to the post office because I remember a bit and I can read the signs. I go to the proper window, buy the stamps, take the envelope to the counter, lick the stamps, affix them to the envelope, search unsuccessfully outside for the box to put it in, re-enter post office, and ask two women at the counter where to mail envelope. They respond, “Ask the man at the window.” So it is back in line for a short wait. The clerk tells me it is just outside the door and sure enough it is a part of the building. Somehow I had become focused on the ATM machine across the walkway. The clerk watches me and makes sure that I am finding the spot, smiles when I drop it in. There are helpful people everywhere. Light and carefree I make my way home.

Paula