Safety

Hello,

At church on Sunday I went to a session about violence in our city. Safety came to mind and I wondered what makes us feel safe. As I stated previously I am not afraid to walk in my neighborhood. On the night of the moon eclipse many of the neighbors were outside to watch it from time to time. One of those was a single mother who told about how she drove her children out to the country to watch the meteor shower earlier in the summer. According to her it was great to see, but a bit scary out there in the middle of nowhere; however she assured us, “I took my dog along.”

As a former farm girl I do not find the country scary, or at least I did not when I lived there. We did not have an outside light in my early years so it was quite dark. I considered that perfectly normal.

It seems so ironic that my neighbor is so comfortable living and moving around in this area, but the country is not safe. I know many people who would not consider this area safe. Is it all a matter of familiarity? Just what makes a place feel safe to one and not to another? I understand that the college students in this neighborhood feel safe on campus, but not when they get off. Is it a matter of perspective and gossip, especially when nothing has happened directly to them or anyone they know?

Then I also wonder if safety is an illusion. Because is there any place that is totally free from danger of either the natural variety or the human variety? I remember from a college sociology class that the small town is but a microcosm of the city. Negative things can happen anywhere just not with the frequency in a small place.

I have to confess that when I walk home I often note that I feel more comfortable the closer I get to my house. Seems to me it is that familiarity thing. Also one of my neighbors warned me about walking at night because there were some not nice people around. He assured me that when I was close to the house he and his dog would watch out for me. Without describing this person too much, I can say that I would find him rather frightening to come upon in the dark. But I know him so he is ok or as ok as I can ascertain.

Paula

Car is Purchased

Hello,

Yesterday morning we drove about 50 miles just to get a car. We might have lowered the price more, but that is not truly the style of Leroy and I. We did the best we could with the skills we have. At least it was rated on the website we checked, as a great deal because it had the price dropped two times. It is a 2014 white Corolla with just 5,000 miles on it. The dealer had used it as a loaner when people had work done on their cars. Surely those drivers treated this vehicle as a precious thing? Both of us felt as if a load had been lifted. We expect it to last 200,000 miles. How old do you think we will be?

I wondered what we will think about and consider now. We did not trade in a car but are selling that on our own so I suppose that will occupy some time. If you know anyone who would like a 1999 Hyundai Elantra manual shift with 160,000 miles on it let us know.

There is also a need to figure out the features on this car. I looked at the manual and realized I need to sit in the car to figure out how to work the possibilities. I also need to learn if we have this or that possibility. Our other newest car is 2004 so we are not up on the newest car technology.

We cannot get Leroy’s biked in this car without taking off the bike’s front wheel. I told him he can just leave it at work and get it the next time he goes there or we could get it sometime when it is not raining and put on the bike rake. There are many ways to solve this problem.

We are hoping Leroy’s hip or leg or back or whatever will feel good after a two hour trip. I keep thinking it can’t hurt worse, or can it?

I drove it home. I have to confess that I did figure out the cruise control, but not much else as I think I focus too long on something and forget that I have cars zipping around just as I am zipping around. Mostly I kept my eyes on the road.

Son-in-law, Andy would not have bought it for himself, but at least now he no longer has to observe us not take his well thought out advice. We did not even test drive the cars he thought were the best. It is rather sad that we did not do that. Maybe for the next car purchase we will pay more attention to him and his ideas. Andy wants a car to do more than get to point A from point B. He wants to feel good in it. Leroy and I are more basic.

Paula

Full Sunday

Hello,

Morning was more leisurely than sometimes because the choir sang at the 11:15 service. Leroy and I bicycled to church just so we could move around faster afterward. It was interesting how many people commented on the bikes. When we walk we blend in as we look more like someone coming from a car somewhere.

We went to the different programs in the Sunday school hour. When one person saw me come into to choir she said, “You walked alone and you weren’t afraid.”

She had asked me before about being afraid to walk from my home to the church and I told her, “I am not afraid. I have not been bothered except someone asked for a match and I just told them no and that seemed fine.”

Now I did tell her, “I biked with Leroy and I was not afraid.”

Generally I do not walk late at night by myself, but I am not afraid before 10:00 pm.

After church I hurried home so I could participate in the garden clean up which was part of the neighborhood cleanup. Leroy had a nursing home service. Leroy, with his clergy collar on, stopped at the garden on his way home. One man wondered if Leroy had come to bless the garden. We all got quite a lot put in the compost bins. So we all felt good. I watered quite a bit because it is quite dry.

Two boys about 8-10 years old came to pick some produce. They really wanted green beans, but they had already been pulled. They did take a number of tomatoes, turnips, rainbow chard, basil, celery, and parsley. I am so happy to have them come. That fits the philosophy of the garden. They were just coming to get enough for a meal or two. I am pleased. Unfortunately they did not want to take brussel sprouts and we have so many of them.

Some of the college students came by and admired the garden. One of them even took some edamame. Great to share all of this.

Paula

Listless Life

Hello,

I very carefully make a shopping list each week. There have been times when I have not looked at it. Or I might look at it at first and then forget about it the rest of the time. Generally I do fairly well.

Today I had thought of at least three things at the last minute. Somehow that does not help my memory. I was proud of myself for recycling some bulbs from the library. It helped that I had left them on the seat in the car. But I remembered to go to a store hardware type store that would cheerfully take them. I patted myself on the back for that good job, checked my list and headed off to the next stop. That took quite a while, but I made a clothing purchase that I believe I will like. Just how do other people know what will be the best? This time a clerk helped me make some decisions after I asked her what is worn with the sweater I was looking at. It might be nice to keep up with fashion changes, but it is not my style.

From there I headed off to get my glasses adjusted. I had wacked my head and glasses strongly. It is amazing how much better they stay in place today.

I got groceries. I remembered that I wanted chia seeds. When waiting to check out the woman ahead of me was asking the checker if they had chi or chi seeds. I rooted around in my cart and pulled out the chia seeds. “Is this what you want? I asked.

The woman said, “Yes.”

The checker said, “If you would let me scan those I will give them back.” Turing to the other woman she said, “And you can go back and get a package without needing to come back here.”

What a deal!  I did get home without buying whole wheat flour, apples, and a windshield wiper. At least I live close to all of these places, two miles or perhaps a bit more.

Paula

Hopes

Hello,

On the way home from MN, Leroy decided to take his wallet out of his front jeans pocket. Years ago he took it out of his back pocket to give comfort in the car. This seemed to make him feel much better for at least 30 minutes before a return of pain. On this trip Leroy did stop once just to get out of the car and move around. He tells me that brings almost immediate relief, however, he seldom thinks we should stop just for that. Hopes up and hopes leveled off as Leroy thinks it might be better if he took out the billfold before he got in the car at all.

My 45^th year college homecoming is this October. My hopes are running higher and higher as I see the list of people who are coming. I even know a number of these people. I hope I will recognize them. Should I hope they will recognize me? Should I get a wig to replace some of the hair that I am losing? I will just take my chances.

When I signed up for homecoming it did not have an option for me to put in the year that Leroy graduated. At the last screen it said he did not go to Luther so I clicked on go back to correct that error. The form was now blank. I refilled it and the place that I could have Leroy’s graduation year came up as well. At the end I got a confirmation number. I emailed my former roommate this morning and learned that my name was in there twice as coming. When I called the college I learned that it was because I had signed up twice. She assured me that my credit card would be credited with the second payment, but not just yet, hence my name is still on the list twice. Hoping I do indeed get my money back. It will be there in a few days.

Hoping Leroy and I find just the car we want when we look this afternoon. Leroy forgot an obligation this evening so I am not sure how much time we will have for this task.

Paula

Home Again

Hello,

It was a quick birthday celebration trip. Just one overnight. Leroy’s hip/leg hurt him while in the car after about an hour each time. This is quite normal. Now the question is, “What newer car, that we are going to spend thousands of dollars on, would be best for his body?” That is what we really want to know. I suspect we will not know until after it is in our possession.

I do get tired from being in the car, but not in pain so I am not much help in knowing anything. I have lots of annoying (Leroy says) suggestions, but nothing concrete.

We were blessed with beautiful traveling weather. The leaves had not yet changed color in MN. Or rather it was only the unusual tree here or there that had any different colors.

We were quite pleased on leaving St. Paul to learn that one of the routes we take has finished road work so the way out of town was much easier. It was calming not to have to follow detour signs. The GPS wants us to take a different route so we tried to be patient with “her” as she recalculated frequently.

Leroy wanted to look at cars this morning. I declined as I have to go to work early. Leroy then groaned, “When are we going to get this done?”

I suggested he go alone, but that is not his idea of a fun time so he just rolled his eyes. I figured he could go test cars, bring home his opinion and then maybe we could decide. Course there are two cars that we might like that are 50 miles away in opposite directions. The Internet is a help, but perhaps a hindrance. We would not even know about these distant possibilities without it.

Paula

On the Road

Hello,

Leroy and I will go to visit granddaughter, Sophia for her 8^th birthday. Leroy is at a meeting this morning. I will pick him up as I slow down when I go past his meeting place. I remember, as a girl, having a foot hanging out of the car and my father was already rolling along. I learned early to be ready on time and seated in the car with body parts inside. He also left a store one time without me. At the hardware store I had been busy looking at nails in the bin and letting them drop from my hand with a satisfying clink, clink. He perhaps told me he was leaving, but I never heard. I just happened to look up and notice his absence. My stomach dropped as I looked all over and ran out of the store to find him standing outside waiting for me. No comments were made, but I learned from that to keep an eye on him and leave when he did.

It should be a great driving day. Do you think leaves in MN are turning color? They are not here, but since it is a few miles north I suspect there is the possibility.

It would have been nice to have a new vehicle to take on this trip, but we are still looking, mostly on the Internet. Leroy is getting ready to just buy something and be done with it. I am not there yet, but he might push me over the edge. Nothing has seemed just right to either of us. Leroy tells me that he is “talking himself into this or that car”. He is tired of looking and finds it emotionally draining. It is easier for me to put aside mentally. We have only actually looked at physical cars two times which I do not consider a lot of looking.

We were going to look yesterday when Leroy was home from work, but the rain deterred that impulse. Should we have gone and gotten a good deal because no one wants to stand around in the rain? Would the sales people have been hungry for a sale?

Paula