Today was kind of tough. This morning putting the bird feeders up I kept hearing a little bird crying for help. It took me a while to figure where it was coming from but suddenly saw Chevy leap on a little cardinal. It must have been the same little guy I was watching at the feeder as his mom and dad fed him. His little top knot was askew and he was hollering for more food.

The little guy fell out of the redbud tree and now was in Chevy’s clutches. I screamed and ran after Chevy and was able to pick the little bird up. He didn’t look too hurt but was obviously traumatized so I kept him sheltered in my hand. I walked around the yard looking for a place to put him but anywhere I could, the cats would also be able to go.

After a while I got hot and tired and put him up on the big feeding table, hoping he would stay quiet and mama and daddy would come to his aid. Well, he didn’t stay quiet and made so much racket, the three cats came on cue. I tried to shoo them away while the baby hopped wildly around but to my dismay he hopped through the fence and into the neighbor’s yard. I couldn’t help him there.

Callie climbed over the fence and went towards the little guy who was making his way to a tree. With three cats after him and no strength he was a sure target. I said a prayer for him and came inside so I wouldn’t see the demise of the little guy. I hope he had a surge of energy and made it high into the tree.

A short time later, my grandson Jonathan, came with a buddy to get Rocky’s old International pickup on a trailer to take home. Rocky had sold it to Jessie who was one of his weight training buddies. Jessie and Jonathan had grown up together and are still good friends who help one another when it’s needed.

I took pictures as it as it left the place it has been since Rocky and I married. I don’t know what Napoleon and the outdoor cats will do for a place to climb and sleep on…..a favorite place for all of them. Rocky had hoped to get it running so he could drive it around but became too sick to work on it. Seeing it go down the road was tough…….more of Rocky being taken away bit by bit until there won’t be any of his unfinished jobs left.

I got myself together and went to visit my friend who is in the nursing home now and it was sad to see her efforts to accept the unacceptable. I’ve never known anyone who wanted to go to a nursing home and although they try to make the best of it, there is a lot of adjusting to do.

Some days are cloudy and some are sunny. I’ve never been one to expect life to go my way all the time…….I can still see some good things about today that will make another day better in the future. I can be glad for the birds I’ve been able to save this year and I can see how friendship works together to get a job done. It was Jonathan’s hope to drive grampa’s truck out on it’s own power but he and Jessie will work together as they finish the project and talk about Rocky and all the good he brought to our family. Jonathan loved Rocky every bit as much as he could love a “real” grandpa. Rocky was always good with young men to encourage them and to help them when needed.

As for my friend, she will eventually get to move to an assisted living apartment which will give her more privacy and more of her life back. If we look at the sunny side we can see further than we can in the dark.

God is in His heaven……all’s right with the world.

Until tomorrow, I am,
Essentially Esther