Cindy’s Most Scariest Adventure

Most of you know that I work for a Vet.  Well, one of my duties is going in on the weekends to feed what animals are boarding.  This past Sunday was not different in that aspect.

I got up at dark thirty, grabbed a cup of coffee and got myself ready for the day.  After feeding and walking animals, I was planning on going to church.  Always being an early riser, I like to make it to the early service…Then I have brunch and enjoy the newspaper.

Well, this past Sunday, I pulled into the parking lot and started my day.  I walked in, disarmed the alarm and clocked in.  I had 5 dogs and 2 cats to feed and walk (doggies only get walks).  So, I started right in.  It is important to remember this all started around 7:00AM. 

I had walked three of the four dogs.  I had two little dachunds to walk (Forest and Jenny).  They had made a mess of their kennel.  So, I made sure the back door was securely closed and I let the pups out of there kennel to run around in the area while I was cleaning.  I had the door to the office area closed so they were confined to the kennel area.  The back door was unlocked as I had just walked back in and kenneled Cotton.  I did not expect any company so I turned to the job at hand.

I hear a beep from the disarmed alarm, alerting me that the back door had been opened.  I turned around to see a man standing there.  Needless to say, I was frightened and alarmed!  The pups ran right through his legs and out the door.  The animals in the kennels were barking and I was face to face with someone I did not recognized who had no business being there.  My heart was reved up and my flight or fight reflexes were on edge.

I first looked at his hands, which at the time were empty.  We were still a distance from each other but I was already assessing what to do next.  All sorts of thoughts ran through my mind…some of them primal.  Really, I could feel my body tensing for either flight or strike.  I quickly thought about whether I could get past him or if I could knock him down.  He was standing in the doorway so there was no way I could reach out and slam the door to protect myself or the other animals.  Meanwhile, the two pups were out in the yard running around and barking…free as could be.  (The yard is not fenced.  So, if they chose to do so, they could be gone in seconds…)  All of this was running through my mind in split seconds.

I yelled…not sure of the words I used…but feel some of them were not “church words”…I demanded he tell me who he was and why he felt he could just open the door and come in.  Still my body was ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice. 

This person who was unshaven and scruffy looking stated that he missed his little dog and had come to pick him up.  He stated he was sorry for letting the dogs out.  At that point, not knowing whether he was lying or not, I buzzed past him to see about rescuing the pups from the yard.  Forest and Jenny were dancing about barking along with the other dogs in their kennels.  I tried to get them to come to me.  But, this man wasn’t finished ruining my morning, he started trying to chase them down.  Well, they just kept getting farther and farther away.  I yelled at him to stop “trying  to catch” the pups and let them come to me. 

Well, Jenny finally ran up to me.  I snatched her up and ran for the door.  I got her in her kennel and went after Forest.  They are bonded well to each other so he came running after his sister.  I grabbed him up too and got him to saftey. 

Then, I turned my rath on the intruder.  I demanded to know who he was and why he thought he could just walk in to a building to which he had no ties.  He apologized only to the point of saying it was an honest mistake and that he wanted his dog.  I am sure my voice remained raised when I told him in no uncertain terms what I thought.

You see, the policy is no pick ups on Sunday.  So, how had this man just happened to show up at 7:00 AM to get his dog?  He never explained that little bit of information.  He just kept insisting that he had missed his dog, Tassil, and wanted to take him home.  Since he knew the name of the dog,  and I was starting to calm down a little, I knew then that I was not in immediate danger.

I stated strongly that he should have called or at the very least knocked before opening the door.  A door which has a sign on it at eye level that states “use front door”.  He knew the policy…but just missed his dog.  He was sorry that he let the animals out…but it was an “honest mistake”….  Honest mistake my A**.  

Well, I got his dog, the dog’s leash and other things and shoved him at his owner.  Then I shoved them both out the door and locked it. 

I finished up what I needed to do all the while thanking God for protecting me and for keeping me from harming someone else (who might have deserved it a little….).  I realized just how lucky I was that it was not someone who was intent on making trouble.  I made it to church and my heart finally slowed down some time later.

I shared my most unexcellent adventure with my co-workers and my boss on Monday.  There are a couple of take aways from this.  We periodically leave the door unlocked while walking our charges…(keys sometimes get put down or misplaced and it is rather embarassing having to call your boss or walk to his house in order for him to come let you back in).  So, keys should be on person and doors should remain locked.  I learned where the panic button was on the alarm keyboard.  Plolice come quickly in Davidson.

This is not the end of the story.  The owner brought the dog back the next day for a dental procedure.  When he came in he never once made any reference to the incident on Sunday.  When he came that evening to pick Tassil up, I gave him his dog…he never once apologized to me for scaring me so badly on Sunday….That really burned my butt!

There is one question….what was he doing out at 7:00AM anyway?  And what made him think he could just show up to get his dog?

ThanksGiving Memories

You know you are getting older when you can sit back and remember ThanksGivings past.  No this is not like the Ghost of Christmas Past full of regrets.  These memories bring a Mona Lisa type smile to my face.  Wonderful times out in the country.

I remember drawing and cutting out turkeys made with the outline of an outstretched hand on construction paper when I was in Primary School.  I remember lessons about the first ThanksGiving in Grammar School that included why we have ThanksGiving to begin with.  I remember learning about relicious freedom and trials and tribulations….that caused people to come to the New World.  But that is not what this is about.

When we were kids, we would congregate at my grandparents house which was a little more than two miles away from ours.  ThanksGiving morning would dawn with the wonderful smells of food being prepared to take over.  Pumpkin pies would have already been made…cakes and other types of pies would also have been prepared.  But, the main food of the day….turkey, dressing, and various vegetables would be on or in the stove cooking and bubbling away.  It was wonderful to wake up to all the various scents emanating from the kitchen. 

I would climb out of bed (never sure why they use that phrase climb out of bed….but sure it is for a reason) and walk sleepy eyed down the hall to see what was going on in the kitchen.  My mom and my grandmother would be busily stirring, chopping, basting, and chatting about the day.  The aroma from the food would be mouth watering…I could hardly wait to dig in to the wonderful food prepared with love.

I really don’t remember what breakfast would entail on those days.  I do know that the TV would be tuned to the channel to watch the ThanksGiving days parades…we like Macy’s because of all the balloons, etc. 

Some ThanksGivings the weather would be cold and clear, some would be cold and cloudy, some would be warm and sunny, or warm and cloudy….One never knows, in the deep South what the weather will be.  Regardless, we were always anticipating who we would see at my other grandparents house.  There would always be a gathering of Great Aunts and Uncles, Aunts and Uncles and cousins of all ages.  Mostly the cousins were older than we were, my mom being one of the younger siblings of seven.

I could hardly wait for the car to be loaded with us and the food to travel the short couple of miles to Mama (pronounced with short a like in math) and Pops.  We were usually the first to arrive.  Not to be outdone, Mama would have wounderful aromas emanating from her kitchen too.  Usually sweet potato caserole, macaroni and cheese, rice…etc  (You cannot have a dinner with my family without it being heavy on the starches!)

Soon, other members of the tribe would start showing up.  All would bring in a dish or two from their own homes.  The food would be arranged on the counter and over the kitchen table.  We kids would be running in and out of the house stealing the occasional bite of what ever we could get our little hands on.  Cookies, celery sticks, a bite of turkey skin, a piece of ham….it all went down as quickly as it was offered.

The adults would congregate in three places, kitchen, livingroom and porch (if the weather allowed).  Some of the men would walk in the woods with a gun or two between them…while the final preparations were made.  Then….we would all be called to the livingroom to hold hands and say the blessing.  Pop almost always gave the blessing.  Some time Uncle Paul would be called upon.  Never a woman….wonder why?  Anyway, I can remember when I was really young, it seemed like that blessing went on for ever!  After the Amen, we would all line up to fill our plates with the most wonderful food I had ever eaten….

After the main mean….the cleaning up started.  People sat around appetite sated for the time being.  We were never a family that had dessert right along with the meal.  There was always a lull before the desserts would hit the table.  During that lull, I would usually get one of my family members to tell stories about their youth.  Or, if I were lucky, I could get Uncle Henry to tell us some ghost stories.  I would sit and listen as long as they would talk. 

Then, after a respectable length of time, it was time for dessert.  Cakes, pies, cookies, etc….would come out from the back porch.  The table would be laden with all sorts of wonderful desserts.  My favorite by far was the pumpkin pie with coconut cake running second.  Others went straight from the pecan pie…

When evening drew close, family members would start packing up to go to their various homes.  We always shared food from each others homes.  Why take home what you brough?  Get something from one of the other family members….  Hugs and kisses were passed around. 

As I got older, I was allowed into the kitchen (or drafted) to help with the clean up between dinner and dessert and then after dessert when all the food was finally cleared away.  Those were sweet times too.  Women talk differently when they are working together in the kitchen…They really do.  Confidences, old family secrets and other things were discussed.  Hands in dishwater, others drying dishes… 

Sweet, sweet memories.

This Time

This time last week, I was with several of my friends and about 50 other women at a Women’s Retreat for the women of our church.  We drove up to Black Mountain on a dreary, rainy and cold Friday morning and came home on Sunday afternoon.  We stayed at Ridgecrest Conference Center.  I roomed with my very best friend.  It was a good and much needed rest and a wonderful time spent in reflection.

This time last year, I was struggling with being recently divorced.  I was also working myself into a lather about how my ex had not complied with his part of the mediation agreement.  I was barely getting by on my 30 hour a week job that was soon to be turned into 20 hours.  I had to find a place to move to since the rent on my then apartment was going up more than I could afford.  I was miserable….

It is amazing how time can change so quickly.  On minute, you think you are going to fall into the chasm never to be seen again.  The next, you are amazed at how much you have been blessed.  I am so very thankful for all of the blessing that have come my way in the past year!  (Guess this post is appropriate since ThanksGiving is just around the corner.)

Blessed I am, though some times I don’t see it.  I ask God to show me and He does.  He often reminds me of where I was and where I am now.  Life is not all rosy…(I still have that pesky ex trying to “mess” with me over the house.  Believe me that is a long story not to be gone into right now.)  I wake each day with a song in my head.  Most of the time, they are songs of praise.

I have a wonderful new job…well 6 months new.  I absolutely love going to work.  I am thankful everyday for the chance to make a difference in some small way.  I enjoy the people with whom I work.  My boss is kind and willing to teach rather than preach.  He does not raise his voice but gets his point across.  I am so eager to please because of the encouragement I receive.

My job…well, some people would say that it’s not much.  A lot of people would not want to do what I do.  But, I have been in the corporate world and would rather work where I am now than to go back and make mega bucks doing something I hated.  You see, money is not, nor has it been everything to me.  I need only enough to tithe, pay my bills and have a little left over for saving.  (The saving part is still a little difficult since I am still busy paying off huge debt…But I am getting there.)

Back to my job….I get to be around animals all day long.  It is great!  (Until we have to send one to heaven.  But even that can be a blessing.)  I get to love on puppies and kitties.  I get to pet and scratch ear on dogs and cats.  I get to meet a lot of people.  And, most of all, I get to help.  What little I do makes a difference.  I clean cages.  I scoop poop.  I feed animals on the weekend when they board.  I help collect blood and urine.  (Literally I walk behind a dog with a ladle waiting for it to pee.  Looks funny to the owne and to the dog.)  What I do makes a difference!!!

I am sure that most people leave there and don’t remember me.  I am sure most of the animals leave there and do remember me.  I don’t need to be famous or be singled out for an important award.  I will never win the Nobel Prize…but I make a difference.  I am not just a cog in the corporate engine.

All of this came about through God’s blessings.  I know from whence my help comes….It comes from the Lord.  And, I am so very, very thankful to Him and to all my friends who have stood beside me around me and behind me. 

Sure there are bumps in the road.  Insecurities always spring up.  What if’s and only if’s can cloud any day.  But, I don’t stay in the pity puddle long before I realize that I should sing songs of praise rather than wallow in my sadness.

It is another gorgeous Fall day today.  I hope I had the chance to lighten someone’s load a little.  It only takes a second to smile or say a word of kindness to someone.  Try it….