People who know me well know I over-use the word "bizarre" but it's a great word, very descriptive. Bizarre things happen to me lately, or I see or hear them. I saw a funny meme on Facebook the other day about the fact that we had winter last weekend - the whole season, in one weekend. In the space of three days we had torrential rain [Friday] snow [Saturday] wind and bitter cold [also Saturday] and a pleasantly sunny day [Sunday]. This week has been more normal, with lows in the 30's and highs in the 50's. That's a more typical January day here in Atlanta.
I'm really tired of bizarre ailments, which leave me feeling yucky, but not bad enough to see the doctor. Last week I was dealing with some kind of lingering stomach bug that had me feeling yucky. This week, it's 90% gone but I'm fighting off a sinus infection. Taking lots of Vitamin C. Trying not to over-exert myself. I had to change insurance and my doctor isn't on the new insurance. I don't want to change doctors no matter how low the co-pay. So I will have to pay full price for an office visit next time I go, which means I won't go unless there's a pressing need.
Bizarre noises are everywhere. On Monday our pipes started making a hideous noise every time the water was running anywhere in the house. Sounded like a movie where they show something huge, like Hoover Dam breaking apart - that groaning, metal-on-metal sound. Scared the crap out of me. The plumber came Tuesday and got it fixed, and fixed my toilet. The noise was no big thang, he explained. Thank God. Then we chatted for a while about dogs [Lola loves him] and his upcoming European vacation. Nice man.
Someone has a bizarre idea of how old Robert Redford looks. I watched the movie A Walk in the Woods the other day and enjoyed the scenes of the Appalachian Trail. Love the Smoky Mountains, which have been the backdrop to much of my life, especially when I lived in Tennessee. The story was excellent, too. The problem with the movie was the casting of Robert Redford. The man is almost 80 years old. He was playing someone 20 years younger. He doesn't look 20 years younger, despite dying his hair. Someone needs to have a little talk with Bob and tell him to start playing old men - BECAUSE HE IS AN OLD MAN!! Nick Nolte was perfectly cast and hilarious. Redford trying to deliver comedy lines was just bizarre, also - he sounded robotic. Emma Thompson, who is young enough to be his daughter, played his wife in a role far beneath her talents. Mary Steenburgen was also wasted in a tiny role.
I was outside with Lola a few days ago when something bizarre happened. It was about 9 at night and Lola was on her leash and we had just walked out the back door for her to tinkle. There is a door from the laundry room to the patio which is totally unnecessary and we never use it. It has glass panels in it. There was a broom leaning up against the door, on the inside, next to the wooden blinds on the door. The broom rattled. I heard it quite plainly. So did Lola - she whipped her head around and stared at the door, then looked at me. I thought Mother had walked by the door and just brushed the broom. When we walked back inside and I questioned Mom she said no, she had been sitting at her desk, which is about 8 feet away from the door. She had heard the rattling noise too. It was not subtle. However, we cannot figure out what caused it. It was not caused by a human. There was no vent nearby and no air had caused it - it was too strong for air to have caused it anyway. Mom suggested it might have been a rat, which horrifies me, but the pest control guy was just here not long ago and he keeps the outside rat traps bated so we have not seen rats inside in a few years.
I think perhaps it was a ghost. Probably the ghost of Memaw, who kept a very clean and well-run home. It was probably her not-so-subtle way of telling me I need to use the broom more often. I must confess that I am not the world's greatest housekeeper. The bills get paid, meals get cooked, and things rock along, but my house is never spotless. Michael tends to leave his clothes and things strewn everywhere. I don't care. If I had the money we might hire a maid now and then but we don't, not right now. Memaw, quit rattling the broom!
I see and hear ghosts all the time. Am I delusional? Am I psychic? Don't know. Don't care. As long as the ghosts leave me alone we are good. I believe the spirits of the dead are all around us and I find that comforting. Sometimes I smell my dad's aftershave and I know he's around. Sometimes Lola sees something and tracks it with her eyes, and I see nothing. Does that make her crazy or delusional? Don't think so.
below, Memaw and her sisters. Memaw is on the far right, standing, in a dark dress