Five Simple Things (January 31)

 Hello.

What a crazy week. First there was rain, then it sleeted, then it rained for three days straight, then the sun came out and almost got the temperature up to 70 degrees. It's almost as if the weather can't decide what it wants to do. We are looking forward to spring here, though, because winters in the Willamette Valley seem to drag on and on and can sometimes, as I've stated in previous posts, affect your mood a great deal. When you're already a bit depressed, that weather change can definitely take a toll on you. Overall though, it's nice to know that better weather is on the way, and the sun will peek out for days at a time, instead of short moments at a time. That aside, here are five things that sort of made this week feel less blah.

1. This Rainbow.

One good think with all of the rain, there are a few rainbows here and there. We like to call rainbows we see, a sign that Baz is saying hello, or is with us. The day after he died, there was a bright, big, beautiful rainbow in the sky, and ever since then, we like to think it's him. It helps us through tough times where we miss him. People that don't like pets, or never had a pet, just don't understand that hole in your heart. Animals are only here for a short time, but when they leave us, it is so hard to fill that void. I will never be the same. Baz was my buddy and I miss him every day. The worst part of having a pet, is when their time is up and they leave us.

2. Lebanon Fire District.

Jeff was driving this fire truck and we randomly came across him when Skylar and I were headed out of town. It was kind of a moment of, "Hey that's Jeff!" He hasn't really been feeling the same enthusiasm for the fire department since 2018. He applied to be a lieutenant and other people, less deserving of that position, were chosen over him. There are certain times where it pains me to see Jeff upset, and that night was one of those times. He cried. A lot. And, said that he can't believe he wasn't considered. He goes on calls and takes over certain times when other lieutenants don't step up, he trains new recruits, he puts his time and effort into the department, and it was all for nothing, he says. It is upsetting, but the positive I told him is, take your skills and your knowledge, and apply at a different department that will appreciate you. No one deserves to feel unwanted, and unfortunately, the lieutenant testing with the LFD proved that for him. He will be putting in his letter of resignation sometime in the spring of 2021. I support him in his decision, but it is sad. Sad because, Jeff's passion is fire fighting and to be pushed aside like he was, is not easy to forgive. I hope in the future, the Lebanon Fire District at least remembers what a great volunteer they lost in Jeff.

3. This Sink.

We've been in the process of replacing broken, and older, items in this house. It's kind of a stressful situation, as we don't own this home and only rent it. Positive is, we are able to replace things slowly to what we like. Bad thing is, Jeff's parents owns this home and we actually pay rent to cover these costs. The bathroom is the first on our list of things. This sink is the new sink, and having to rip out the old, water-damaged, particle board sink and cabinet that were here, was no easy task. We will work on the bathroom floor next and also the floor overall. Followed by a good paint job and then the molding. One step at a time. Hopefully, when we move out into a new place, they will appreciate everything we've replaced, fixed, and spent our own money on. But, we never know with them, so fingers are crossed.

4. This Game.

I found this string game at one of the local thrift stores here and we are kind of excited to try it out. It seems like a simple concept, metal ring, on a rope, that you swing and try to catch it on a hook. Simple things like this are one of my vices. I foresee us having a lot of fun with this overall and I can not wait to play a few rounds.

5. This Shadow.

I couldn't help but take a picture of this perfect shadowed silhouette of Eleven on the bedroom door. She was looking up at the closet, probably contemplating whether she should just up there and knock a bunch of stuff down, but it was still the perfect silhouette of her and I love it.

Have a nice weekend.