Hit-and-Run

There is a man out there

somewhere

driving a large white pick-up truck

that hit a pedestrian

while backing out

of a convenience store

in Sweetwater, Texas ...

and he left the scene.

That pedestrian was me.

Thursday afternoon I drove the 40 miles west of Abilene

to Sweetwater (where my mother was born and raised)
for my cousin's graveside memorial.

(But that will have to be another post.)

We were at the Old Sweetwater Cemetery
on Alabama Avenue ...
which is off of the main thoroughfare, Lamar Street.

After I left the cemetery, and I was the last one to leave the cemetery,
I stopped at the convenience store there at the main corner.

Being the sentimental girl that I am ...
I was going to take a few pictures
of the landmarks
around there.

I looked around the parking lot,
and assessed that I was safe,
before I started sighting in my affectionate object.

The next thing I knew I was
thrust forward unexpectedly.

(Hit from behind ... didn't hear or see or even sense anything coming.)

I scrambled, wondering what in the world ...
and as I turned around to see what happened to me .. or what hit me ...
I don't know ... that part is a blur ... actually most of it is a blur.

The witnesses said he hit me again ...
this time knocking me backwards.

So basically I stood up after being hit from behind,
only to be hit again from the front
as I turned around in my confusion.

I hope it was a bonafide accident,
and I hope that he doesn't know he hit me/hurt me
because ... the other alternative is too cruel.

The law enforcement in that area told me they will look for him.
They are supposed to call me tomorrow with an update.

SATURDAY UPDATE:

I am fine ... not a scratch on me ...
just sore ... and a little stiff.

I am puzzled by the location of my discomfort ...
it is mostly on the left side of my body.

The point of contact was mainly on my right.
My right shoulder blade, at the back, is very tender ...
but the left side of my body is what hurts.

Mostly the left side of my neck ... on down to the top of my left shoulder ...
and my left thigh feels like it has been pulled/stretched.

Weird.

One of the witnesses has become a new friend for me.
She happens to live in Abilene, and we plan
on meeting for lunch someday
to get to know each other.

The officer on the scene was a sweetheart,
and wonderful.

And he did follow-through for me, and he did find the driver.
There was video surveillance to refer back upon.

The emergency response men were friendly and fun ...
I love people who are happy, who love their job,
and who have sense of humors.

I am not a cut-throat person, and I am not vindictive,
and I will not harass/sue this person.

My first reaction at the scene was
"It could have been much worse, and I am glad it wasn't a child,
and I am fine, and I am okay, and that is all that matters."

And my reaction is still that.

I will only contact this person for reimbursement of personal expenses
if I should need to seek medical attention for a pinched nerve or anything/something like that
(which I do not foresee at this time)
OR
if I get a large bill in the mail from the City of Sweetwater
for their emergency response services.

All involved believe this to be fair.

And, oh, I got my pictures.

All is well.

I sure do keep my Guardian Angels busy ...
they must love me a little bit :)

Fracture, or Sprain?

 

My little sister says this:

"I learned it is not brilliant to jump on a horse,

bareback, in pj's and mules.

But, yes, i got back on."

Beloved Blue

A beloved blue

budgie flew

the coop

Wednesday

while cleaning.

Sweeped a hard

right

on Mockingbird

Street.

Gliding gusts of breeze …

slicing limbs of trees …

to show me

how she

can ascend bleak barriers

with greater ease

than we both dreamed

feasible.

Her blueness

melted

into the other

blueness

—while mine

congealed.

© brooke 2007



Your Love is a Song

This song touches many aspects ... deeply.

Close your eyes and feel it.

Does it speak to you in any way?

It tells me I just might sing again.



Prayers Needed ...

... for my family.

Unexpected death

with a lot of sadness and uncertainty.

Thank you, friends, I love y'all.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Edited to add something very important:

Mendi and Robert?
See all the love here?

It is for YOU too..........

Simple Living Adventure: Sharing Her Humble Harvest With a Stranger

Her generous gift

will be documented, and preserved, forever.

She was too shy

to let me take a picture

of her full face.

I ate very well that night ...
spicy Beef Curry with steamed rice.

Thank you, ma'am.



Speaking of Fire ....

Supposedly, my lost Celtic name is Aithnie.

Aithnie means 'little fire'

and is, also supposedly, an apt description

of my personality.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Here is what it said:

You are a softly glowing ember,

still and silent

until someone (or something)

kindles your inner flame.

It is then your heat rises into fiery passion

or perhaps blazing fury.

 The fire is the fire ...and you are the channel

that determines how it will manifest.

All whose lives you touch

are attracted to your heat and light

and know that given the right fuel

you will erupt without warning

and engulf them in either pain or ecstasy.

Love and life burn within you ...

and a partner who risks the inferno

may reap the rewards of two hearts and souls

igniting as one.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I don't put much stock in these silly things, at all,

but the description of "me" is interesting ...

coupled with the next supposed fact that,

as a Sag, I am a "fire sign" ...

and, well, knowing me the way I know me ...

Yes, it was fun and interesting ...

but that's about all.

THE END ... this post is up in smoke :)

Simple Living Adventure: Fire

Everyday I would gather brush and limbs,

and try to find leftover logs

from abandoned sites.

I'd even salvage half-burned logs

from other sites

that had turned mostly into

"black charcoal."

I guess that's what it's called?

Dragging, and breaking the branches,

is how I got most of my boo-boos:

blisters and bruises and scrapes.

Men make it look so easy ...

placing a foot on one end, and lifting up ...

or using their knee ... 

snap, so easy.

Ha!

At first, I'd just throw everything

into the pit haphazardly.

Eventually, I figured out

that there is a better way

of layering and stacking it all

for a more productive fire.

It lit easier, and burned better.

I was so proud of myself.



Overcome Remorse

"Remorse is the poison of life:
repentance and reformation are said to be its cure."

(Jane Eyre)

* * Remorse is like a double-edged sword.  If remorse has given you insight about what you did wrong in the past ... and if it has motivated you to never again repeat your mistake ... then it has served its purpose. But if remorse is endless ... and if it keeps you feeling unforgiven, and if it keeps you trapped in a cycle of doing nothing ... then it is just wasting your valuable life energy.

* * If you drink the poison of remorse continually ... you will cloud your mind, depress your emotions, strain your Spirit, and wear down your body.  The only way to handle remorse is by taking immediate action to heal it ... learn from it, and move past it.

* * When you feel bad about the past, one way to deal with this feeling is to put "right what went wrong." Saying you are sorry is the first step because it shows that you know that you have done wrong.  Doing whatever you can to "right the wrong" shows that you are truly repentant.  Never again repeating that wrong is the truest sign of your repentance … and the greatest proof that you have learned from your mistakes.

* * When you have made a permanent change in your actions, speaking and thoughts ... your repentance becomes a reformation.  True reformation comes from a track record of results that takes time to establish. The more destructive your behavior has been in the past, the longer it will take to prove that you have truly reformed.  Remember that those who love you will want to have a better relationship with you, and will forgive you.

* * When you cannot "pay back" the past wrong that has been causing you remorse ... another way of handling your feelings is to "pay it forward" by doing random act of kindnesses.  Smile at someone, say a kind word, help them to laugh, open the door for them, give them your seat on public transportation, and so on.  When you start showing love and kindness to others, you begin to overcome remorse ... and will also feel better about life and your Self.

* * Oh. And, of course, pray.

What a Sight to Wake Up To

Egads.

My little brother made the front page

of the Abilene Reporter News

for last night's

Artwalk.

I had to go online

to snatch the photo

while it's still up.

You can click on the photo
for a better look.

Trevor “T-Rev” Allen, right, performs a combination hip-hop and spoken-word song

while Brayden “To the B-Rock” Brookreson dances

to T-Rev’s rhymes

during ArtWalk on Thursday.

This month’s intergalactic-themed event

attracted visitors portraying otherworldly characters that,

although they may not have been sci-fi,

still might qualify to some degree as being “out there.”

~ ~ ~

Yeah, I'd say he's "out there" alright.

Gotta love him,

and I do.

~ ~ ~

Simple Living Adventure: Random Snapshots



Destroyers of Life: Toxic Relationships

"From the backstabbing co-worker to the meddling in-law,

you are in charge of how you react to the people and events in your life.

You can either give negativity power over your life

or you can choose happiness instead.

Take control and choose to focus on what is important in your life.

Those who cannot live fully often become destroyers of life."

(Anais Nin)

 

* * Attention: When you are NOT in the presence of toxic people, do not waste one nano-second of your life energy on them. Do not think about them. Do not talk about them. If someone else brings up the topic of "What they up to now?" just change the subject and make it clear you will not discuss them. The less attention you put on these toxic people, the less you will find yourself thinking about them.

* * Engagement: When you are in the presence of toxic people, do not adopt their tactics by stooping to trade insults with them. Do not retaliate by doing the same rotten things to them that they have done to you. Do call them on their bad behavior in a calm manner by just sticking to the facts. Otherwise, do not engage them. If they start verbally abusing you, walk away.

* * Redirection: When toxic people have hurt you deeply, it is hard not think about them. Yet that is what you must do. When they intrude upon your thoughts, immediately change the channel by thinking about something else that is pleasant. The more you redirect your mind to happiness, the less you will find it drifting back to toxic people. When this redirection becomes a habit, toxic people will rarely intrude upon your mind.

* * Crowding: When you have to be around or see toxic people, arrange to see them when there is a large crowd present. If one person tries to be nasty, just walk away and find another one who can be pleasant. Remember what goes around comes around and those who are nasty will only end up destroying their own life.

Simple Living Adventures Have Ouches

 It's just part of the territory.

Ouch.

Unexpected Gifts

Late last night, I received unexpected gifts

from Josh and my Oldest Miracle.

I am so blessed.

Simple Living Adventure: My Rocket Stove

Day One of my
"Simple Living Adventure"

Had to unpack ...

and set up the tent first.

This looks like a good spot.

In the back, farthest corner.

Then I built my

"sixteen brick"

ROCKET STOVE.

Watch my

"love Love LOVE this"

video

HERE

Made the BEST dadgum

spicy chicken tacos

... with fresh tortillas ...

EVER.