There's a Surprise Inside!

what's the best way to have a pet? Poncho

will he recover?

You think you know everything but you know nothing.                                      Robert L. Ricketts

One of the curiosities of life is that it is wildly unpredictable. In all of our childlike hearts we believe we'll live forever! and never have another dreadful day! That is amusing and from an optimist. Those who suffer from depression believe that they will never have another gleeful, glorious day and some days death can't come too soon. As I have mentioned, people are eminently complicated and complex which is precisely why I went into the field of psychology. I love a surprise.

The some of the surprises I love are: the announcement of pregnancies; the birth of healthy babies; the glories of an unexpected sunset; the chance meeting of friends; the good health report when expecting bad news; the full recovery of someone who was ill; the joy in planning a simple trip and having it be vastly more exciting than expected. For those surprises I love, keep 'em coming. Next I'll be singing, "rain drops on roses". 

And speaking of whiskers on kittens, a very pleasant surprise came to me in the form of  my neighbor's cat, Poncho. He just showed up on my deck about three months after my 15 year old cat Rufus had to be put to sleep. I did a double take and definitely teared up when Poncho came to my door. I knew he couldn't be Rufus but...  Look, Poncho is the one at the top of the page and here on the left is a picture of me and Rufus. As I said, a pleasant surprise. This is the best way to love/own a pet. After I put Rufus down I vowed I'd never have another pet. And this solved a problem with that because I love cats. Poncho lives elsewhere, he's someone else's responsibility. I get the benefits--I get to love and pet my visitor without worrying about who will take care of him when I go on my next trip. 

I had just gotten home from a trip about a week ago and I was reading on the couch by  the cozy fire. I heard quite a thump against the window. Oh, no. I went outside and there was a tiny Golden crowned Kinglet thrashing around very awkwardly on the empty birdbath. I picked him up and he closed his eyes and I thought, "this is it, he's not going to make it." I decided to give him TLC, shelter him from predators and put him on a railing next to the front door. I breathed on him, pet him and talked to him. He was so stunned he didn't expire from this weird creature picking him up, petting and breathing on him. After a bit I went inside and periodically checked on him. About the fourth time I opened the front door, he shook himself, probably in annoyance, and flew away, just like nothing had happened. Recovery is sweet.

We planned a trip to my husband's families on the east coast, Philadelphia and Vermont. we  did the planes, trains and automobiles route and it was incredibly warm and honestly felt like an extension of summer. Delightful, warm, dry climate change weather in which I never once wore my sweaters. Because I pushed for it Mr. G allowed that we could travel from Vermont to Quebec City, a five and a half hour drive. Plus booking a hotel in the old part of the city at the last minute wasn't cheap. Once we finally got to QC it was as if we had traveled by car to France. More beautiful than I can describe in a few words this very old and stately city, I was entranced. We walked, dined, viewed the grandeur of the city and had many nice encounters with fellow travelers. And of course, one surprise. The hat less man with arm raised was our guide and bell hop and he had been in business with people that we knew on the islands. What are the odds? Thousands of miles away we meet a friend of our friend.  

 People love to say, "life is short eat dessert first". To that I would add, life is short be aware and amused and delight in all surprises.

susansmagicfeather copyright 2017 Susan R. Grout all rights reserved