Another gift

Hello,

The people at the quilt group handed me an envelope. “You should not have done this,” I said on seeing the gift card, “You have already given me this apron.”

“Well that was because we thought you were leaving a long time ago,” one of the laughed, “Now you are leaving again or really leaving.”

I was pleased to be thought of again. Then for some reason I felt some guilt as I don’t think I give enough in return as they have given me the priceless gift of friendship.

After getting out all of our suitcases I have been packing more clothes. The two largest will contain things that we might need if this goes longer than expected. I am wondering if I should have left out more than one pair of jeans. It seems so insufferably hot today that I can barely imagine needing to ever wear them again. I do have some other long pants included in the mix.

If we should happen to move a long distance how will my plants make that type of journey, especially my 38.4 year old Christmas cactus? That would be so hard on it. The other cactus is probably 25 years old. Both of them were quite traumatized and set back by a trip in the hot sun of only 2.5 hours. An air conditioned car helps, but having the sun shine in the window was too much. Most of the rest of the plants I could let go with a bit of weeping and wailing before I would move on. I keep telling myself they are replaceable. Is this great negative thinking or what?

On another note tomorrow morning early, 6:30, I will give a talk about the working life I saw in Kenya. Twenty minutes is the short length of this speech/picture show. The hard part will be stopping, but people have to go to work so there is no other choice.

Paula