Perpetual Ruminations

Wednesday

Day two off for this week, and I sure am enjoying it. I had two days off last week, but went fishing on one of them, and got caught up on work stuff on the other. The week before I had a new guard and wasn't sure how things would go, so didn't know if I would have to go in or not. This week the weather wasn't looking very good, but by Monday our four inches of snow tapered off after one inch, and the cold moved in without the strong winds behind it. So, by Tuesday, the weather was cold but not bad. Lots of sun, mild breeze, and no problems from anyone. I took the day as a relaxation day, just kind of spent it doing a lot of nothing.

Today was another nice sunny day, warmer, but windy. The snow was blowing around some, but not too bad. It actually got up to twenty degrees, but with the wind, it's very cold out. In fact, yesterday barely climbed above zero but with calmer winds, it felt nicer than today. Not that it matters, i was off both days and accomplished a lot of nothing. I spent time with my wife, of course. I slept in pretty late both days, which felt terrific. And I just kind of took it easy. With the rest and relaxation, I'm feeling rested and much better. Something had my stomach in turmoil, to the point I was beginning to wonder if it was my gall bladder. Then, the pain shifted and it felt like my kidneys. Now, that's feeling much better and i think it was a new product I tried that tore me up inside.

I also caught Rhonda's cold. she had been suffering with a pretty nasty head cold, and it was starting to move into her chest. But, then I caught it and she started feeling better. I'm sure the two days off and a lot of rest had more to do with it than me catching it from her. Even so, it seems like most of the time a person has a cold, they suffer with it until someone else catches it, then they are better. But, even though I had caught it and suffered with it a couple of days, the last two restful days have me feeling a whole lot better with that, too. In fact, I'm just feeling all around better with a couple of nice stress free days to rest up. And, the best part is I still have tomorrow off, too.

I also had a friend from my childhood post a few pictures of herself when we used to play together. She was twelve and I was thirteen, but I sure had a big crush on that girl. We enjoyed a few seasons of playing and laughing together, but then she moved to a different town and I seldom seen her after that. years later we ended up neighbors for a while. She and her guy were raising their child, me and my wife had our first on our way. This time it was me who moved, but we didn't move far. My friend and her family ended up moving even closer and we kind of stayed in touch again, but soon after my son was born I joined the military and once again we were miles apart.

Years passed, and I often thought about my friend, wondering how life had gone for her, and I even thought about looking her up a few times when I was in that area. But, my life was keeping my pretty busy and I didn't want to burden my friend with some of the problems I had in my life. Time past, things got worse, and no matter what I tried, I just couldn't seem to hold everything together. Then, it all came to a head and I found myself filing for a divorce, single again, and raising three teenager children. Again I thought of my friend, and wondered how things could have been. Being so busy with raising kids, working, and trying to make another mistake of a relationship work took most of my time, and when I did have a little free time I would either spend it writing or drinking.

Not so much for a good drunk, although there were plenty of them, it was to get out and try and meet some nice woman who could fill the emptiness I had inside. In time I found out only I could fill that emptiness, and at that point I gave up on women completely. I had kids to raise, needed to rediscover myself, and so I wouldn't be alone, I had a wonderful new puppy. Of course, it was about this same time that Rhonda, my wonderful wife now, showed up at my door and that was the end of me being alone. Of course, it didn't just happen right then and there, but soon enough we were together more than apart, and soon enough we moved from Minnesota to South Dakota and started a new life together here.

My old childhood friend still occupied my memories from time to time, but it had been over thirty years by this time and I just never even thought about trying to locate her or anything. I had my memories, and that was it. Then, one day in Facebook, there was a friend request from her. We have kept in touch through Facebook since then, and hopefully soon I can make a visit back to Minnesota to visit her. She and Rhonda also will get a chance to meet, and know each other through Facebook. Hopefully everything will work out well, but for now, it's just a few pictures of the little girl who once had my heart and was my best friend.

All these years later, she still holds a piece of my heart, I suppose she always will. We both have different lives, children and grand children, but the few years we shared so long ago has held us together over all these years and across so many miles. Seeing those old pictures brings back so many wonderful memories of a little boy playing in the sunshine -- in a world so far, far away. Things have changed so much, the world had moved on and the only thing I still have from that little boy is his wonderful imagination and a wonderful childhood friend. Hopefully this summer that friendship can be increased to include Rhonda as well.