Grateful.

This week....

oh, my.

It'll be an entire Chapter, in my Book, someday.

Talk about a roller coaster ride.

oh...my.

When our basement flooded, because of the IDOT's negligence...

it about...did me in.

Our faucet, in the kitchen...also quit, because when the well ran out of water, pumping into the basement, it sucked up loads of sediment, I....shouldn't have turned the kitchen faucet on, first...

the lines are smaller.

I, was so rattled, with Justin standing there...by the basement, wondering if the pump was working....

I didn't think to turn the bathtub faucet on first, and let it run.

So...

Had no water in the kitchen.

I..tapped on the old, kitchen faucet....to loosen some of that sediment...

got the water trickling...but....then it wouldn't shut off.

: (

Oh My Lord!!

Hahahahaha.

: (

Called Pal, Bill...he gave me the name of a Great Plumber, and he came out, that Evening.

Super...Nice Man!

He was here until nearly 11 p.m., on Tuesday.

Bless His Heart!

I, was So Happy to have a New Faucet, and...Sprayer!

Haven't had a sprayer, for 25 years.

John...didn't like to do plumbing.

; )

John could do, most anything..he set his mind to, but...plumbing, could get him riled, in short order.

I've seen Many Pipe Wrenches Sail Through The Air, over the years.

<3 

Wednesday morning, I was Thrilled to wake up to the New Faucet!

I, wasn't thrilled...when I turned the water on, and....had no water pressure.

: (

Called Marty, the Awesome Plumber...he came back out, tore everything back apart...

the faucet, broke...in the process...and, Marty...was sounding a lot like John, before he left.

Hahahahaha!

He couldn't fix it, Wednesday night, it was getting very late, again.

So...

Marty, was back....Thursday morning.

Bless His Heart.

It's working great, now.

: )

I reached out to our Insurance Company, on Monday.

The Adjuster, whom I've never met, called me on Tuesday.

He said, after we'd visited for a bit...

"There may be a problem, I see the Policy has John's name on it, and not yours. 

Why, aren't you named on the policy?"

I told him, I am....he'll have to talk with our Awesome Agent, Lisa..

She'll straighten it out.

{She did. <3 }

I, went on....and told him, that John...had passed away, 6 years ago.

: (

His name...is Still, on our printed checks, his coat....is still hanging, exactly where he put it, his boots, are where he left them....

even...the little container, that he brought in, every night, to fill in the mornings, with cat food, for the outside cats, is right where he last, set it....by the door.

Our old...Clocks, haven't been wound, since John left.

I, can't bare to turn the keys, knowing...it was John's hand, that had last wound them.

It took me two years, to go into the room, where John, and I...spent most of our time...together.

Have you, any idea...what it's like....going into that basement, and seeing our 'Memories'....destroyed?

Because...a Drain, couldn't drain.

A Drain....I've been Constantly...Reminding The IDOT of, both...in writing, and verbally.

Long, Long...before they broke ground.

Watching them..take so many trees, John...planted, and Loved....so.

For Nothing.

Worse, than Nothing.

For a Trail, that was agreed...wouldn't be.

I've had a lot of time, here...at home, to process.

There's something...that's been eating at me...for several months, that's....had me so worried.

I've written about, talked about it, with Folks.

It's had me more concerned...than all of the tragic loss.

I've been afraid, I wouldn't be able to forgive the people who are behind, and involved with all of this wrongfulness.

I, could feel myself, slipping into a very dark place, concerning them all.

: ( : ( : ( 

On Tuesday Evening, while writing the post, about Staebler, and AJ, from the IDOT,

who wouldn't return my texts...pleading for help.

: ( : ( : ( 

I wrote...to them, personally...and...here, 

"If They....would've been in Trouble, and I saw them...struggling, there's no way, I'd ever turn my back on them. Ever. No matter what our 'history'...is."

I went to bed, that night....then, so sad, and broken...

about 3 a.m., I woke up....and thought, My God....

I, haven't lost my Soul.

I realized, after putting That, in writing....

I, Hadn't Lost....my Soul.

<3 <3 <3 

Have you Any Idea...what That Meant to me???

God, through a pretty ugly situation....showed me, I'm not...as unforgiving, 

as I thought, was So Afraid...I was becoming.

<3 <3 <3 

That's the GOOD News.

The Best...News.

<3 <3 <3 

My Dear Friend, Skip...called me yesterday.

I've known him, since I was a Teen.

: )

He knew my Dad, and adored him.

Skip, has loved me, all of these years.

I, love him...too, just not they way...he's always hoped.

We've remained close Friends, for over 40 years.

He calls, a couple times a month, to check up on me.

Always...has.

Bless His Heart.

<3

As we visited, about this, yesterday.... he said...

"Barbie...

{ Skip, is one of  Few... People, I won't throttle, for calling me 'Barbie'. ; ) }

I know your heart. You don't have a heart, that couldn't forgive."

I told him...

I've never in my life, been this close...to that kind of darkness,

it Scared me to Death.

 Through this tragedy, God....Gave me, the Best Gift.

I'm So...

Grateful.

Throughout, all of This, I've been Truly Blessed...by having some Amazing People, close to me.

Some, I've known for years...

Some, for moments.

They, are Angels, really. 

Love, to ya....

Barb C. 

"