Yesterday to my delight and surprise I recieved a package from Kelly W, a blogger I read often but whose threads I rarely comment on, my preference for the past couple of years being on the debate that follows political articles or screeds about volatile topics.  Kelly writes more fiction and 'slice of life' sort of stuff, and while it's excellent and entertaining it doesn't lend itself well to (my sort of)  commentary.  I do want her to know I read, though.  Hers and Joe's and SanCho's and Buddah's and all the other creative souls out there putting it on the line at JU.

I just wish I had a way to seperate the gazillion 'how do i fix this skin' or 'look at my latest doodad' articles. Once that's fixed and the ignore feature is implemented, I may start blogging here again, or at least more often.

But I had to post this because I don't have Kelly's email addy and besides, this was sweet so I felt she deserved a public thank ya.

I've had a bitch of a week between dealing with DFS (trying to get some help) and multiple doctor appointments, one every single day this week (ugh) and I had actually experienced a mini breakdown the afternoon this package arrived, overreacting to the fact that the 'surgical center' where I am to have my hand operated on could't even draw blood there to do a potassium test and sent me halfway across town to a LabCorp franchise to have that done, and then they rejected me for surgery ANYWAY without medical clearance from a cardiologist...something we knew last week, yet they still insisted I come in there for an EKG and then drive across town for a blood test. 

I'm tired and I'm sick and we're busted ass broke and I felt put upon, taken advantage of, and callously inconvenienced, not to mention smarting from the price of gas.  I must have really looked sad that day because I stopped at Cici's Pizza after doing all this running around, and when the cheerful manager explained that they took cash only for their $4.99 buffet,  but that there was an atm 'right there behind you' and I replied (miserably) "Yeah, but that will add another four dollars to my meal in fees" he took pity and laid a free lunch upon me.

I was incredulous:  "Are you serious?" I asked, and he replied 'Of course, please help youself, and if you have trouble finding anything you just let me know."

I ate two slices and a bit of salad, drank ice water (didn't want to make a pif of myself) and thanked him sincerely on my way out.  What a nice fellow. We'll return as paying customers soon, even though the food wasn't all that wonderful.  For the price that day, though, it was fan-farkin'-tastic.

So I get home dejected, not knowing now if my surgery is gonna be delayed because of this cardiac exam which is scheduled for Monday (the initial visit, at least) and looking forward to more lumbar facet injections in my back the next day (which I had done this morning) and was feeling more than just a little overwhelmed, teary-eyed as I entered the house.

And what do I see on the kitchen table but a package....for me!  From Washington State?  Hmmm, who would be sending me anything from there, I wondered...

OooH...TEA.  Fancy Tea!  Earl Grey, Chamomile, and Simon's beloved PG Tips.  And a bag of special coffee, and some 'power bars' and 'energy bars' and a really cute card.

What a nice treat! What a thoughtful gesture (the munchy bars traveled well, Kelly, arriving unbroken, moist and fresh and OMG yummy.  I feel guilty eating them, are they good for you?  Nothing good for me could taste that rich and sweet!

Simon couldn't wait to put the kettle on (we do tea properly here, no microwave allowed, lol) and the Earl Grey was sampled first, along with one of the smaller bars, which we shared.  ( which ones are energy and which ones are power?)

Delicious.

I had some of the Chamomile after I returned home this morning from my lumbar facet injections, and found it as soothing as legend claims, especially with just a drop of honey in it.

Thank you so much, Kelly! That was so sweet of you to think of us that way.

 (And no, Tova, I'm not mad at you for giving her my address--feel free to do the same with any other 'care package' fairy, there's nothing like a sweet little surprise to provide a soft landing at the end of a harsh day.)

((((Kelly))))

PS- Simon has an interview the first week of April with the City of XXXXXX.  It will require a move south, down on the N.Carolina Border, but it would be a permanent job, and a GUBMENT job.  (hooyaah for benefits.)

Keep fingers and toes crossed all, prayers if ya believe in 'em, and cookies if'n ya wanna send 'em, lol.