“Pets are not the acme of human life, but they can make human life more human. Pets teach us to play and to live our own lives more freely. They bring experience where only thought has been.” – Joan Chittister
I was heading to the office of one of my favorite humans, Dr. Jacob Merryman, an outstanding dentist in Schuylerville, New York. It was a routine visit, but I didn’t reach the door. Before the dentistry, I tripped over a wooden garden bed on the sidewalk. I don’t remember much else.
My foot brace got stuck in the bed, and I went down. I fell face and head first (my head didn’t hit the ground). The sidewalk was cold, thick, heavy concrete.
How ironic that I got through a month of ice and snow and went down, landing on my knees and elbows going to the dentist. I might have blacked out a bit, but I’m not sure. A package delivery man came running, yelling, “Oh God,” which wasn’t reassuring. He was very kind and struggled hard to get me up. A patient in the dentistry came out, and she looked horrified.
I remember being dizzy and off balance. I remember my knees hurting.
The delivery man was a very good person. He dropped his packages, came over, and tried to lift me, but he could hardly lift me. I was fuzzy, and my legs and arms hurt a little, but not my head. I knew I would be better. I’m great at falling, but this one came out of nowhere.
I worried somebody was going to call an ambulance if they didn’t get me up. One woman was thinking about it.
Still, suddenly, I felt a presence on my right side as I was struggling to stand, and I felt one arm getting under my right shoulder, and just like magic, I was lifted right up and was on my feet, shaking my head to clear it. I knew my knees might be bleeding (they were), and I saw it was Dr. Merryman who had come running out of his office and lifted me with one arm as if I were a Teddy Bear. He is a big, strong man.
If I was going to fall, this was the place to do it. His tech staff is just as kind as he is.
Dr. Merryman walked me into his office and into my chair. He looked at my knees and said, “Yes, they were bleeding, but it wasn’t too bad.” At first, I was a bit dizzy, but that cleared up. I lay down in the chair and got my head straight.
My head narrowly missed the iron post right next to me.
Dr. Merryman walked me inside, making sure I was stable.
Then, my teeth were cleaned by an assistant, and he examined me; I have to go back in a week because he wants to blunt what he thinks might be the birth of a cavity.
Jacob Marryman is one of the kindest and decentest men I know. He is a suburb dentist, the first one I ever looked forward to seeing. He is also as big as a bear.
When I first saw him over a year ago, my mouth was not in the best shape; my previous dentist had missed about six cavities. Thanks to Dr. Merrman, my feet are in great shape now. But what I love most about him is his warmth, kindness, and humanity. He feels more like a brother to me than a dentist.
Now, he is also a hero to me. Nobody called an ambulance. No reason.
I can still hardly believe I survived a month of ice, snow, and rain without falling. Oh, I forgot. I fell once two weeks ago when I slipped on the ice and broke my camera. But I didn’t have a scratch on me then. It didn’t hurt me, just my camera. I didn’t bring a camera this time.
The weather is so lovely, my guard is down. I’ll post some flowers and watch The Pitt on Max, now my favorite weekly show. And then I’ll read from my latest Irish mystery.
Maria attended her belly dancing class, and Zinnia is doing her lab companion routine. Bud wants to sleep in my lap. Zip is nowhere to be found, which is bad news for a mole or mouse. My back, arms, legs, and sides do hurt.
I expect to write at my desk in the morning; I might be a little late. At my age, falls can be severe. I am sore all over. Once again, I am very fortunate—thoughts to those not so lucky.
Life makes its own decisions.
Onto the Flower Art. I took the photos this morning.
Today, the Spring debut of the Windowsill Gallery was curated by Maria. Flowers around the downstairs windows.
Today, Sarah asks for help getting Velveeta Shells, Cheese, and rice back onto the shelves for at least a few weeks. Velveeta is the most frequently requested item by Pantry customers; the kids love it, and it’s easy and quick to cook. Jasmine rice is high on the most wanted list.
I was surprised to learn that many pantry customers have jobs and are single-mother households. They work hard but cannot afford the food prices.
Thanks for helping them work, eat, and care for their children. It’s a continuous struggle for them, and it often seems hopeless. You are giving them hope, and thank you.
(The pantry’s pet food program is taking off, thanks to the Army of Good and a local vet (she’s our vet, actually). The Army of Good has come through with wet food for cats and dogs, and a vet and other donors have sent larger bags of food for larger pets. (See above and below.) Sarah talks to the pet owners and decides how much they can take and how often.)
From the Army Of Good. This is an excellent gift to the pantry customers, as buying pet food was cutting sharply into their already tattered budgets.
Note: The Amazon Cambridge Pantry Amazon Wish List is accessible anytime, day or night. Click on the links here or use the green button at the bottom of every blog post. Some Army of Good donors tell me they have “adopted” specific items and keep an eye on them. Every item on the wish list is urgent, and the list is updated several times daily.
Ben’s Original Jasmine Rice, Easy Side, 8.5 Oz. Pouch (Pack of 6, $9,98.
Eggs for the pantry families.
Urgent Item Today:
Skippy Super Chunk Peanut Putter, 16.3 Ounce (Pack of 12, $31.28.
Thanks so much for the messages you are sending to the pantry volunteers. Sarah and the volunteers appreciate them very much.
Carring the hay is a sweet ritual.
I love Maria and her posse—Fate, Zinnia, and Zip—who set out for the morning feeding. I was behind them in my bathrobe. It was 20 Degrees. We’ll take it.
Beautiful landscape. as the sun comes up.
