As someone with a love of history

I cannot express the feeling of loss  produced in me while I watched the images of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris burning and collapsing. 800 years of history, beauty, art, and architecture were burnt away in mere hours. My condolences to the people of France, but it is a great loss for the world.

Sobering

The thing that struck me the most this week (other than the footage today of Notre Dame burning, which left me crying and sick to my stomach at work today) was that on Saturday I went to the grocery and the man in line ahead of me, who was older, was getting items that obviously indicated he lived alone-single meals and canned goods, mostly, things that could be heated up easily without actually cooking. He was using an EBT card (Food Stamps) and was having trouble because he didn't have enough on it. The cashier checked his balance and he thought she'd run his card, so he started to use his debit card for the balance, which wasn't going through because he didn't know his PIN and the chip was confusing him. I realised what was going on and asked if he was trying to run the EBT first, because he was using the wrong card, and the cashier had him swipe his EBT card, leaving a five dollar balance, but he couldn't get that debit card to work to save his life. It had been about ten minutes. At first I was a little annoyed at the inconvenience, but as it went on I really felt bad for him. The technology was thoroughly confusing and thwarting him. I told the cashier that if it didn't go through in the next attempt to put it on my order, which surprised her. Things have been tight for me as of late, but it was only $5, after all. Finally, with two cashiers and a bagger helping, they got it to go through. He went on his way, never realising that I'd tried to help, and that was fine. But it was like looking at my potential future. He was alone, a little doddering, at the end of his monthly benefit, trying to make ends meet, and if he'd used the wrong card, that might have been the money for his electric bill or something. I'm sure for him the simple act of shopping for groceries was both frustrating and embarrassing, given the all the hoops he needed to negotiate, for which he was woefully unprepared. I thought of how I would have felt. It was very sobering. I'm 52 now and much more conscious of getting old than I used to be. I could see myself like that in 20 years.

By the way, I was able to get the car fixed

It took $163.00, $65 of which was the tow, so that wasn't that bad.  It left me with very little until payday, but still, it's wonderful to have a working car again.  I used it to do errands this weekend, getting medicine for a friend from the pharmacy and getting a few things at the store. On Saturday I also cleaned and organised it, vacuuming and detailing it. I need to wash it, as it's very grimy.

I loaded up my car with my winter clothes and library books yesterday and then took the tubs to the storage unit and the books to the library. There were only two tubs (I don't have a huge number of clothes). I have only four pairs of shoes, including house shoes, to put things on perspective.

So yesterday went better than I thought it would

After work one of my friends and co-workers, Feliz, took me to the credit union, which was half a block from where she parks her car, and then out to PetSmart at Brannon Crossing to get some food for the kitten.  While we were there, I got some Gumbo Ya Ya for dinner to bring home and grabbed a few things from Kroger, and then she took me home. I'm very grateful.  I used to take her home often when she didn't have a car, so that worked out well.

Today I'm going to try to get the car fixed.  They've just opened.  I'm going to call Kenny at Mitch's Auto, get a tow truck over to the house, where the car is unlocked and the key is with YKWIA, and then see how bad it is quoted.  If it's just a hose, it may be very cheap.  If it's more, well, we'll see.  I had a PTO request in for today for a now-rescheduled appointment where I was leaving at 3 pm anyway, so I can leave here and get over there to get the car (assuming I can get it fixed),

Okay, I just called YKWIA to make sure he's awake, and Kenny to get the ball running with the car. Wish me luck!!!

I hadn't realised how long it's been since I posted

It's been a little busy.   The 30th of March YKWIA, Brenda, and I all went out to Masala for a birthday buffet.   I had my actual birthday on Tuesday, April 2nd, and while it was just another day at work, it all went well.  Last weekend Brenda and I went to the Central Kentucky Home and Garden Show, which was all well and good, but we were disappointed in the sheer lack of garden stuff (there was a plant sale of mostly generic geraniums and a few plants at a few booths, out of three major arenas).  But hey, it was free, as we got coupons out of one of those coupon envelopes you get in your junk mail that turned out to actually be useful.

My car has a vacuum leak and has been getting steadily worse.  Yesterday I went to pick up my contact lenses from the optometrist, and the car died as I pulled into my parking spot--not just idling at a light or something.  So today I'm on the bus.  Not sure how to get all I need to get done today, but I'll try.  But even though I came a little early I'd better get off of here and clock in, as it's just a few minutes away.  I'll try to write later.