Friday, October 5, 2012

Life's Every Day Mysteries


September 14, 2012

The flash of black in the leafy green vegetation didn’t register in my still awakening mind.
What did?

The driver standing next to the vehicle, climbing aboard and getting on his cell phone.

Of course my curiosity was aroused. In the 37 years I’d lived in this house, I’d never seen this happen before. Out on my front porch I watched the driver’s animated face and gestures. Something was certainly up.

He hung up and trotted over to where I still stood on my porch.
“Sorry, mam, they’ll have a replacement out within seven days.”

The look on my face must have been comically confused.

He flashed me a big grin, pointed over his shoulder with his thumb and said, “Your bin fell into the truck and was crushed.”
That scene took place on Friday morning. On Monday morning a clean yard debris bin sat in my yard!


Reading this, you may wonder if this is the most exciting real life mystery I’ve ever experienced. My answer would be ‘it depends’. (Actually ‘it depends’ is one of my most favorite answers to virtually any question).
There was the time when a piece of peacock stone came off my Crone Staff at a Women of the 14th Moon Ceremony. I looked Every Where for it. The next year I spied something glittering in the grass – a piece of peacock stone.

I used to be an avid reader of mysteries. Sherlock Holmes (I’ve the Complete Unabridged Edition); Agatha Christie, and Lillian Braun “The Cat Who…” were favorites I read and reread. These days the mystery needs to be layered into an Historical or Contemporary Romance for me to have a chance of reading it.


If you think there is no mystery in my life, I will admit there isn’t as much as there used to be. I have one special place for my house and car keys and my purse so I do not spend hours trying to solve the mystery of where they are. I make lists to keep in some semblance of control over the mystery of ‘what was it I was supposed to get done today?’ However, there are still those evenings and mornings when I ask myself “Did I take my pills?” Not remembering, I’m ever so glad I take nothing life threatening – if that were the case, I’d certainly figure out a way to eliminate that mystery.
Over the years I’ve had lots of opportunities to solve problems/mysteries as a child protective service worker, geriatric case manager, professional guardian, and emergency responder nights and weekends for vulnerable adults. These days, while I do still work one night a week and one weekend a month as an emergency responder for vulnerable adults, my main goal is to figure out how to reduce or eliminate the everyday mysteries in my life.

© 2012 Judith Ashley


5 comments:

Sarah Raplee said...

LOL! What a fun post, Judith!

I love your self-deprecating sense of humor.It's very Canadian (one of the many things I like about our Northern neighbors), although I know you were born and raised here in Oregon.

One of your many charming qualities.:)

Tam Linsey said...

I love the peacock stone story. I have a similar one:

I found a lovely, intact, three-inch shell in Hawaii last year, and when I attempted to take it back through security with me (we were on a cruise, and the ship had strict regulations) the woman took it away from me. Her excuse was they couldn't x-ray into it, and there could be hidden explosives or something. I was furious.

Well, two days later, while waiting for the flight home, I found another perfect shell - in a cactus garden. Seriously. How did it get there? I was meant to take home a shell!

Judith Ashley said...

Goose bumps come with your story, Tam. And, obviously you were meant to take home a shell.

I'm looking forward to your guest post at RTG coming up on 10/29!

Anonymous said...

It's wonderful when the mysteries are somewhat controllable. Like you, I have faced the mystery of looking for keys, remembering people and places, and yes even pills. Fortunately, there are lots of habits I've employed--writing things down, keys in one place on holder, and one of those pill holders with days of the week. Now the only mystery is sometimes which day of the week is it? Fortunately, I can always refer to the top of the morning newspaper. :)

Judith Ashley said...

Those habits have saved me more than once. It is worth being bored (I like a lot of variety in my life) to have essential things in their place.