Sunday, September 4, 2022

History Along With The Here And Now


A long, long time ago, back when I was still a relatively young mother, I had a tendency to caretake in a way that I really do not understand these days. Some of it was rather thrust upon me- I had a very good friend who got cancer and she stayed with us in our house on a street in Tallahassee quite near where Jessie lives now. We had a guest room off the kitchen which seemed odd but it was a nice room and the walls were painted a heavenly shade of blue that I came to believe was healing in some way. My friend with cancer did not live so very long but for awhile she stayed in that room and I fed her with nourishing foods and made sure she was comfortable. May stayed in that room after she was hit by a car and couldn't climb the stairs to her own room and that was one of the hardest and most intense and tenderest times of my life and I can still barely stand to think about it. 

In the very early nineties, a very young woman I knew got shot in a robbery and for some strange reason, I felt compelled to take her in after she was released from the hospital. She had been gravely injured and needed serious nursing care. She had a deep wound that had to be irrigated and packed with gauze every day. She was as helpless as a small child. Her father lived in Tallahassee but he was, well, a man who was in no way able to care for her. Her mother lived up north and I suppose they were not very close and although she did come to visit, she wasn't in a position to tend her daughter either. And so, somehow, like I said, I did. 

Jennifer. The girl's name was Jennifer. She was a beautiful woman and had a large group of friends and they would come and visit her at times and one of the friends was a girl named Lisa. Lisa and her boyfriend had actually been with Jennifer when she'd been shot. 
I fell in love with Lisa. And her boyfriend, truthfully. They were the most darling people and became, along with Jennifer, part of the large tribe of our family. 

It's so strange to think of those times now. My life is so very small and solitary except for my family, and when I look back on that life I had then in that house with four children, a spare teen or two generally staying with us who had gotten kicked out of their own house, friends coming and going at all times of the day and night, I cannot believe I am the same person. 

But I have stayed close to a few of those people. I may not see them very often but there is no doubt that we are still in the same tribe. And one of those is Lisa, whom we call Lisa-Lisa, Red Headed Lisa Whom We Adore. I was with her when she had her daughter Grace, that gorgeous grown-up girl in the picture above. And she and Grace and her son Cameron came and stayed with us five years ago when a hurricane threatened Tampa where they live. 

Lisa texted me yesterday that she and Grace were in Tallahassee and would I like for them to pop by on their way home? 
Oh yes. Of course. 

And so this morning they did indeed come by and it was so good to see them. Grace is a high school senior, a volleyball player, most definitely interested in studying psychology, a darling girl. She is going places, that one. It was a good visit. We caught up and laughed and there may have been a few tears. 
Lisa-Lisa looks exactly the same although of course life has changed her in many ways that looks have nothing to do with. I am proud of her. If I have any right to say that. She's been a yoga teacher for many years and works with vets with PTSD and the elderly as well as pregnant woman. I know her students must love her and they are lucky to have her. 

After they left, both Mr. Moon and I lazed around as supposedly one is supposed to do on a Sunday. Yesterday's gardening wore my ass out and he did a lot yesterday too. Finally, after all of his toil and trouble and work and watching Youtube videos, he started the Camaro he's been working on for two years. He turned the key and it rumbled into life. 

Y'all- he is so proud of this. And he should be! He still needs to do a lot to it to get it all running right but it was a dream of his and he absolutely made it happen. He sent me a video (I was in the kitchen cooking our supper) and I took shots of tequila and slices of lime out to the garage to knock back in celebration. 
Oh, this man. He can fix almost anything, build almost anything, till the soil, change the oil, take care of the family, and keep this crazy wife of his as happy and as sane as anyone could. 

I started another dress for Lisi and I think this one will work. I am enjoying this project so much. 

We watched last night's trail cam videos and captured on it was not only a fox, walking past the henhouse as if it owned it, but a doe. We have deer in the yard? I guess we do. Once, and only once, have we seen a print in the yard but here we are. 

I've had this song stuck in my head all day which has been an interesting pleasure as I've sung it softly to myself, the minor key of it winding a sort of enchantment. I offer it to you in case you need that sort of an ear worm. If not, don't watch it.


Love...Ms. Moon

26 comments:

  1. Your life with all the caregiving and people coming and going was amazing, like a play but real life! Amazing to read. Your current life compared to mine is Grand Central at rush hour! It seems to work a treat for you.

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    1. I don't know. Sometimes I really don't understand the me of me then or the me of me now, either.

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  2. THIS is the best thing you could have left us with!! Sinewy lads they just never lose it, Keith is all that! As you are aware...
    Of course the stature of Liberty should have your face- wearing bib overalls, holding Dorothy
    Anne in one hand and Guadalupe in the other.
    Congrats to the man- tequila all around!

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    1. I love that video, Linda Sue. You know I do. I'm glad you liked it too.
      Oh god. Me on the statue of Liberty? Well, if I ever was, I would definitely be wearing overalls.

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  3. Sounds like a perfect Sunday. You have the biggest heart. The world always needs more people like you to take care of those who don't have anyone.

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  4. 37paddington:
    How utterly blessed were all those souls who came under your care. You have given the world so much love dear Mary and you minister to our weary souls even now. There is just something about being in your orbit, because it feels like being enfolded by love. You are a holy woman. I don’t think you know it but you are a healer. Your medicine is love. And those scrawny beautiful old boys singing that song. Gah!

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    1. Oh no, oh no. I am no holy woman. I think I was a pretty darn codependent woman who, while taking care of others could ignore myself. Maybe. I don't know.
      I do know that I love you. And those scrawny old boys, too.

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  5. You wore your ass out gardening? Better get down to Publix to purchase a new ass. You have given out a lot of love and kindness over the years Mer Moon as this warm, slightly nostalgic blogpost indicates. How lovely to see Lisa-Lisa and Grace again.

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    1. Sadly, neither Publix nor Costco sells asses unless you're talking about hams in which case I'm in! It was lovely to see Lisa and Grace. She has certainly lived up to her name.

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  6. you amaze me more every single day. Much love to you!
    Susan M

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    1. Oh Lord. I am probably the least amazing person you'll ever know. But thank you. Love to you too, Susan.

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  7. I haven't heard that song in ages, thank you. How lovely to see a deer in your yard, a pox on the fox though. Let him run in other areas.

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    1. It's a DAMN good song and they wrote it in 1966. I think people forget what good songwriters they were.

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  8. I love the exhilaration in your voice here -- you sound grateful, happy, wise, all the things.

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  9. Well there's just all KINDS of activity in your yard, isn't there? Now you and Linda Sue can post complementary deer photos!

    Glad you got to catch up with Lisa and her family. It's important to maintain those connections to others, and in turn to our past selves.

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    1. All of the animals in my yard seem so busy. The ones in Linda Sue's yard are just hanging out, being cool.
      Your last sentence really made me think. Yes, not only is it important to maintain those connections to others but to our past selves. You are wise, Steve.

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  10. The tree of them like stairs. So glad you got to visit with your friend/family/tribe member. I have so few connections to my past. Not good at making connections I guess.

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    1. They are like stair steps, aren't they? Darling people.

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  11. I think you caregive for many of us here through your words.

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    1. I am so glad it feels that way to you, Jill. Thank you.

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  12. What a nice visit for you, and probably them as well. Family and tribe are about so much more than mere blood, aren't they?

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  13. Thank you for all of the love and kindness you have spread in the world, Ms. Moon.

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    1. Trust me- I have not always been loving and kind. There have been many times when I have not.

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.