Day 273 - Pebble

As I arrived to work this morning, my car started to make a weird screeching noise. While it seemed minor, it sent me into what I swear was an immediate panic attack. Near tears, I walked to my desk and worked to collect myself all while reviewing my recent bad luck cases. "WHAT NOW?", I thought to myself, "I can't take one more thing going wrong in my life at this moment!". If there is one thing I need in this world, it's reliable transportation, as I am not the girl who wants to play the role of damsel in distress along the road side! (no matter how cute I think I am.)

I quickly researched "screeching car" on the internet and found that the likely cause of the noise may be the brakes, or something of that nature. I immediately called the dealer for a price inquiry and an appointment. Upon driving to my appointment the screeching became worse and I was mortified to be seen driving my car. I might as well have been driving the pink, Ford pick-up truck (a junker) from the '70's sitcom, "Sanford & Son" or the likes of the vehicle below.

Once I pulled into the service bay, I found all eyes were on me and the clunker. "That's not brakes" one gentleman stated immediately as I exited my car. My reply was, "Well, what is it? I'm on a limited budget here!". He smiled as he called out the mechanic and asked me, "Have you driven it in reverse today?". I replied, "No." as I watched the mechanic walk towards my car. He muttered something unintelligible about something stuck and a vacuum which only added to my panic. As he started my car and backed it out of the service garage, I was ready to crawl under a table as the screeching noise hit an all time high. I cringed as all the faces around me contorted. The sound of metal on metal screeching, like nails on a chalkboard, filled the building. I was sure the mechanic had backed over a lone Velociraptor and it was now using it's talons to claw it's way out from under the wheels of my car! I went to sit in the waiting room as my car was driven away, with surely, an angry dinosaur in tow.

It seemed as though only a minute or two went by, but Matt the Mechanic had already reappeared with my now quiet car. With no signs of dinosaur damage, he walked up to me and held something out in his hand for me to take. He wished me a good day, and stated that my visit was free of charge. As I looked down in the palm of my hand, this is what I saw...

The pebble, not the paperclip, was stuck between my rotor and brake pad, or where ever it is Matt said it was stuck. Nothing like my car having a case of "The Pea and the Princess" syndrome. I'm thankful that this trip to the auto shop was nothing more then an inconvenience!

Day 272 - Corn

October's "One a Month" event will find me scurrying through 3.1 miles of corn field, hope I don't get lost! This looks like fun, and if you want to join me you can sign up at the All Community Events website.

Day 271 - Good Day

Today has been the first "good" day I've had in a while. Don't get me wrong, things have not been terrible every minute of every past day, but nothing stood out to make the past days special either. But today was different, and I'm thankful for it! Happiness is...

Receiving flowers at work...

A dinner invite out with a new friend...

Receiving my VIP tickets for the Cheetah Conservation Fund gala in October!

- and -

Having a new follower on my blog - THANK YOU READERS!

Day 270 - Music

I'm not a huge music fan. Ask me "Who sings that song?" and I won't know. Invite me to a concert and nine times out of ten I will show no interest in going. Oddly enough though, I am stuck on Colbie Caillat's most recent album, "All Of You".

There are certain songs and albums that, I'm sure for you too, mark a certain time in your life. I remember the reggae songs of UB40 in High School, Savage Garden's pop music in college, and various break up songs all along the way. We all have those songs that transcend time, and take us back to another time and place. I'm sure this album will do that for me some day as well.

Colbie's songs cheer me on and up with upbeat pop sounds, and reminds me to stay positive. One of my favorite songs (lyrically) from her album is "Think Good Thoughts", I've included the lyrics below. What song takes you back to a different time and place?

Think Good Thoughts

I'm just gonna say it
There's no use in delaying
I'm tired of the angry hanging out inside me
So I'll quiet down the devil
I'm gonna knock him with a shovel
And I'll bury all my trouble underneath the revel
When I'm alone in a dark, dark room I have to tell myself to

Think good thoughts, think good thoughts
Imagine what the world would be if we will, we just
Think good thoughts, stop the bad from feeding
Oh won't let the negativity turn me into my enemy
Promise to myself that I won't let it get the best of me
That's how I want to be

Na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na [x2]

I'm not saying that it's easy
Especially when I'm moody
I might be cursing like a sailor
Til I remind myself I'm better
Cause words can be like weapons
Oh when you use them you will get them
Oh oh but I'm not gonna let them take away my heaven
And when I start feeling blue I remember to tell myself to

Whoa whoa whoa
Think good thoughts, think good thoughts
Imagine what the world would be if we will, we just
Think good thoughts, stop the bad from feeding
Oh won't let the negativity turn me into my enemy
Promise to myself that I won't let it get the best of me
That's how I want to be

I just think of rain on summer nights
Stars filling up the sky
Sun shining on my face
Making a secret wish
Finding my happiness
That always makes me hold my head up high
I wanna hold my head up high

Oh I wanna think good thoughts
Oh imagine what the world would be if we will, we just
(Think good thoughts)
Wouldn't that be something
Oh won't let the negativity turn me into my enemy
Promise to myself that I won't let it get the best of me
That's how I want to be

Na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na [x6]

Day 269 - MMOM

I can't believe how quickly Fall has snuck up on me! It seems as though instantly the sun has decided to set by 7 instead of 9, and the air refuses to warm above 60 degrees. I admit, I already long for the blossoms of Spring! Having been through some rough luck as of late, I thought today's questions should focus on something more positive...

1) What are you most thankful for?
My health and the fact that I am mobile and (currently) have all the functions I was born with! I can do anything, and I am thankful for that.

2) Who are you most thankful for?
While family is an easy answer, I must admit I am most thankful for my friends at the moment, especially my Little Snack Cake.

3) What are you most thankful not to have? (i.e. think unanswered prayers)
I am thankful that God has removed certain people from my life. Despite being a painful experience, thank goodness He knows better then I do!

4) When do you find yourself most thankful?
In the morning and evenings. I tend to close my day reflecting on my blessings before I fall asleep, and also, when I am walking into work. Usually when walking towards my office building, I soak up all the sun rays and energy that I can, knowing they won't touch me for another 8 hours or so. In that moment, I give thanks and reflect on the things I have, not what I am facing.

5) Why are you thankful?
Because I know I am not in the driver's seat during my ride around the sun. Remember, if you want good service, you have to tip the Driver every once in a while!

Day 268 - PAWS

Today was the PAWS 4K event, and while my heart was surely not in it, I kept this commitment based on the cause alone. PAWS, "Pets Are Worth Saving", is a no-kill shelter helping drive down Chicago's homeless pets euthanasia rate. PAWS believes in giving every animal a chance to find their furever home. After having experienced one of the greatest shelter cats ever, how could I not show up? The walk along the beach front surrounded by people and their pets was cathartic for me and reminds me that life must go on.

Speaking of life going on, I am continuing with my monthly events and have decided to volunteer for the Chicago Marathon. You know the saying, "Those who run, do. And those who can't, volunteer!". OK, maybe that's not an exact quote, but I'm happy to share that my volunteer spot was confirmed today and I will be a course marshal on mile 8. In addition to the marathon, I've signed up once again to volunteer as a balloon handler in the Chicago Thanksgiving Day Parade. I can't wait to see who (which balloon) I'm assigned to!

Day 267 - Keesha's Last Day

Upon an initial physical exam, the doctor's response was, "It wouldn't be wrong to put her down, you've done all you can for her". Those are words no pet owner wants to hear, although I knew in my heart that this was likely the outcome of today's visit. With a heavy heart I handed my debit card to the vet and said, "Please take care of everything now, so I can just walk out of here when everything is done". She gave me a hug, and a box of tissues. A small consolation for what I was about to experience, but appreciated none the less.

I read a poem from a pet's perspective years ago that they (pets) shouldn't be alone when facing the end, and made up my mind then that when the end was to come for my own pets I would be there with them. I knew I could not walk away from Keesha at this moment. I had to let her know I was there with her to offer any last comfort I could. It was peaceful and quiet, and I knew she was no longer suffering as her golden heart stopped beating. She had taken her last breathe. I couldn't help but cry.

The vet asked me if I wanted her ashes returned to me, and I said yes. And while I would never think to keep a human's ashes, I cannot let Keesha go. You see, when I adopted the little Tasmanian devil from a shelter over 9 years ago, she was some one's trash. Keesha was literally found in a garbage can because someone had cruelly thrown her away. I refuse to let her leave the world the way she came into it. She will always be with me, where hopefully she was the happiest. If I could find a pet urn made by Sleep Number, I'd get it for that silly cat in a moment.

- Keesha Remembered -

I remember not wanting YOU at all. My adoption intentions as I visited the shelter that day was a black and white cat, and YOU just happened to be in the same cage with him. As I cuddled and held him, YOU ran around the floor like an insane, escaped convict running for it's life. YOU chased a toy as if you were nothing but pure energy. I pitied the fool that was going to adopt YOU. "Good luck," I thought as I left the shelter.

I became the fool that called the shelter immediately after having left it to have YOU put on hold. I couldn't bear the idea of YOU being left alone in the cage without YOUR friend, the one I had intended to adopt, so now YOU were coming home with me. I brought YOU home, and YOU lived up to the notes in your adoption file, "Keesha is a ball of feline energy!". YOU made me crazy, and I yelled at YOU to shape up and behave or I was taking YOU back to the pound. I threatened YOU constantly.

Upon seeing the movie "Lilo & Stitch", I was touched by the scene where the destructive but cuddly alien gets adopted into the family and is loved unconditionally. "Ohana" they called it, "Ohana means family". And that is how YOU got YOUR middle name. I made a deal with YOU that day to stop threatening to return YOU to the pound if YOU would stop acting, well, like a cat. From then on, "Keesha Ohana" found a way into my heart forever.

I remember thinking I had gone insane as I would close my bedroom door every night with YOU on the outside of it, but wake up with YOU in my bed come the next morning. For weeks I thought I was insane, until I realized YOU were sneaking through the heating ducts in the house just to get to me and lay on the bed. YOU were bed obsessed!

I remember YOU purring so loudly next to me, that at one point I wondered who was "mowing their lawn" at such an early hour in the morning...

I remember YOU, a 15 pound cat, somehow managing to hog an entire Queen sized bed leaving me just inches of space, barely allowing me to sleep on my side...

I remember the way YOU always announced YOUR entrance into a room by letting out a half meow, half purring sound as YOU came running towards me...

I remember the way YOUR belly jiggled side to side as you ran, causing me to giggle every time...

I remember the way YOUR tail would vibrate in pleasure as I petted YOU...

I remember claw marks on my sofa, and in the freshly remodeled and spackled wall...

I remember YOUR first Lion Cut grooming, YOU looked so silly!

I remember the way YOU would always sneak onto the bed and upon trying to move YOU, YOU'D throw all YOUR weight against me in efforts to stay put. YOU usually won...

I remember YOU setting YOUR long haired tail on fire as YOU walked too closely to a candle. YOU didn't even realize it, and almost gave me a heart attack! The smell of singed fur was terrible.

But what I remember most of all, is loving YOU. And while I never wanted YOU, I never wanted to let YOU go either. Find peace my pet, and know that YOU are always with me. I love YOU always.