I wanted to give it a few days, just to make sure any stray pieces didn’t miss their mark!!

So much I’ve wanted to write, and if the truth be told, I SHOULD BE WORKING right now, but if I put this off any longer, it may never get recorded!

I’m on a 5-acre “farm” with my sister’s 3 horses, 2 dogs and “once feral, now kinda tame” cat…been here since last Wednesday evening and having a wonderful time!  Once I overcame the sneezing, that is.  I’m somewhat allergic to animals, dander, dust, you name it.  But, sniffles and sneezing behind me, I’m thankful that I didn’t get hit by space junk.

Which means, I can continue working the new 3rd part-time job, the original 2 part-time jobs AND I can live happily in my new digs, the in-law suite in The Villages.   I haven’t yet figured out HOW to get all the required work done, move, and have a life too, but I’m working on it.

But, I really wanted to write about the animals.   There’s Indy, she’s a pit bull mix, and she’s the QUEEN of the house.   Travis, a brindle pit mix of some sort, defers to Indy, WHEN Indy is not around!  I’m speaking of the two knuckle bone “treats” my sister and her husband left in return for abandoning their “children” for the week.   Indy took possession of both, and only today did I notice that Travis has been allowed (?) to have one for himself.  Although both bones are a little less for the wear, at least Indy has relinquished on to the subservient Travis.

One morning, I don’t remember which, Indy made her way from my sister’s room, out to greet Travis who was sleeping near the location where I spent the night…she actually touched him, her nose to his, in greeting.  It was so cute.  I’ve noticed that the horses are also friendly to one another…there is an older mare, Maggie who is in the same pasture/barn as McCloud, a Mustang rescue.   Valentine is in her own area, something about the two mares not getting along, I don’t remember the details.  But, I’ve often found McCloud over at the adjoining fence, seeming to be communicating with Valley Girl, as my sister sometimes calls Valentine.

All of the animals, Thump (cat) included, have distinct personalities.   I’ve learned that a treat in hand makes for a part-time friend, in every instance.   Even though I’ve stayed here on numerous occasions, the animals, in varying degrees, take some warming up to.  They are very well loved and taken care of, and I have to rise to the high bar that has been set!   After a day or two, or three, everyone seems to be acclimated and “life” goes on as usual.  Just in time for my sister and her husband to return home…and for me to get back to my life.

Already I’ve forgotten all of the cool things I WANTED to write here…about the dead squirrel “gift” Thump brought me the second morning I was here…my sister had warned me of the things that go bump in the hallway, when Thump hasn’t quite killed the offering he brings in from the wild.   I forgot to mention waking up on the first morning here alone to find a 15 lb cat sitting on my head!!  Forget the 8AM alarm, it’s time to get up when the cat wants to eat.  Oh, and the time when Maggie and McCloud, backside to backside, each demanding (quietly) his and her turn at scratching…Maggie isn’t one to warm up to anyone touching her but my sister, but when I tried using a brush on her, she found she liked it…so much so that AFTER she indicated (ears laid back) that she didn’t like it and I stopped, she then saw me brushing McCloud and decided she DID want some attention too.  McCloud had already backed up to me, indicating he wanted the area above his tail brushed/scratched…and Maggie agreed.   I only had the one brush, so I’d work on McCloud and Maggie would bump into him.  Work on Maggie and McCloud would bump into her.  It was comical, especially considering that Maggie has never really warmed up to me!

I’m sure there’s more I’m not remembering to record…but I have so much work to do, that I can’t indulge myself with writing right now.  Glad to get this much down.  And, glad to have the opportunity to get away from “it all”…I love my life in The Villages, not so much lately, hardly get to do anything “fun”, but as I’ve mentioned before, I LIKE what I’m doing for income, and so, now it’s just a matter of scheduling everything so that there is a nice work/life balance.

Until next time…

Working 3 part-time jobs, trying to continue also having “a life” here in The Villages AND maintaining the weight loss and the healthy lifestyle…and began the move - using a golf cart, the only way to move (mean that in the BEST way) - and, looking so forward to a life without crumbs, second-hand smoke, and responsibility for someone other than myself.

I went dancing even though I am so tired, I can hardly keep my eyes open as I type this…I haven’t been dancing since Sunday…work takes up most of the daylight and into the evening hours.  Not going to complain, instead I remind myself to “think, sing, hum, focus on” the song “Everything is beautiful” - you know, the one that says “in it’s own way”…

So…I dance, and because I like to work out my legs in the pool after dancing, I go to the pool.  Haven’t been there since Sunday either…just too tired.

I’m welcomed and get in and I’m sitting on my noodle paddling back and forth (we all do laps) when someone mentions a “friendly, little white dog” that was running loose.   I wondered silently WHY no one did anything about the little thing…but, there was no dog in sight when I walked to the pool and I couldn’t see one from the pool so I forgot about the little white dog.

AND THEN I SAW HER!  Turns out it is a her.

So, out of the pool and off to rescue the little baby.   I did the usually click-click-click sounds, and called out, what do you say to a dog, there is no equivalent of “kitty, kitty, kitty”.   But, I saw the dog sort of stop and take off in a diagonal, kind of away from where I was…odd.   Anyway, at some point the dog and I were headed toward the same intersection and I was able to get her to come to me.

Figured I could drive around in the golf cart looking for lights still on at 10:45PM in The Villages.  Tried on my street first, picked a house and they didn’t recognize the dog, but told me the phone number to call the radio station…they asked me to make sure and let them know if I was able to find the owner.

I was driving around for about 20 mins…saw many homes with lights on…talking to the dog asking for her help in finding her owner(s).   I finally decided to go back closer to the golf course and was 2 streets away, picked a street and drove down it.

I saw a house with the lights on, more lights than any other house and I could see people in the house, figured they were active, up and I wouldn’t be bothering them - the first house near where I live, I interrupted their book reading and TV show…so, I felt good trying this house…

I walked up to the door, 711 something, and before I even knocked, and while I was starting to say “do you know who this…” - two women came bustling out the door and starting thanking me, over and over.

I said, “you are kidding???? this is your dog???”

It was.  She’s an 11 year old, deaf, “puppy” with dementia!

Go figure.

The owner, the older woman, had tears in her eyes and she motioned for me to hug her…she said she was having heart palpitations when she realized the dog was missing…she was so happy.

AND SO WAS I!!!

I stopped to let the people near where I live now that the story ended well.

So, did the DOG tell me where to go???  Or, am I “gifted”?  Guardian Angels??

I’ve heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don’t know if I believe that’s true
But I know I’m who I am today
Because I knew you…

Women Are Angels

And when someone breaks our wings….

We simply continue to fly….on a broomstick…

We are flexible like that ….