If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around . . .

I haven't been able to write for the past couple of days. I think someone maybe hit the nail on the head when they suggested it may be my thyroid medication. The dosage was lessened last week, so that’s true. Combined with the near week-straight of rain that we’ve had, my bandaged finger, and my life in general, it took a tree to make it all come crashing down. Literally.

I live in an old house on 20 acres. There are many trees on this acreage, and I see the surrounding woods reaching out and taking so many of them with the vines they send forth. It’s sad, actually. One such tree had died years ago. Many years ago. It’s close to the house, too and should have been removed immediately but it stayed here, gathering honeysuckle, wild grapevines and the dreaded of all vines, poison ivy.

After the deluge we’ve had the past week, a big part of that dead tree came down in a storm Wednesday night. And when that section came down, it split the lilac bush that was growing next to it right in half. I’d venture to guess that the lilac is at least 40-50 years old.

My husband told me that he could take care of the section that had come down. He said it would give him something to do. So I went to work and hoped that he’d be careful with his chainsaw. And when I came home, the tree was still there, untouched and still lying over the pack patio as well. He said that it had so much poison ivy on it that he couldn’t even think of touching it and I don’t blame him. I think a professional needs to come and haul it away and take the rest of the dead tree with it. It looks terrible and is my view now when I sit at the breakfast nook table to eat meals.

And surprisingly, it made me so sad. I couldn’t believe how much a simple tree falling could affect me! But it took the lilac bush with it and I’m just afraid that it will lie there for a long time before anyone comes to do something with it because of all the poison ivy growing on it. It’s an eyesore and I won’t even take a photo of it because it bothers me so much.

I mean, it’s not just the tree. There’s more but I don’t want to get into it. I don’t think my husband would appreciate it.

So today I went to the mall. It was not a very fruitful mission, although it was a long mission. I must have tried on 18 pairs of khaki capri slacks and not a one suited. The power went out while I was at the bra store, they didn't have the camera lens I was looking for at the camera shop and a host of other little things that were bound and determined to get me down but I persevered. And in the end, I got something for my mother-in-law for tomorrow and I got myself a pedicure. It was heaven, even though the gentleman who did my tootsies had a shirt that proclaimed that he was The Man from Nantucket. No lie. Lawsie mercy.

Then I came home and poured a vodka and grapefruit and went online and bought this after receiving an e-mail announcing it. It’s Sephora’s Sun Safety Kit. It’s a collection of trial-size SPF 13’s from brands like Philosophy, Bare Escentuals, Murad, Korres and Smashbox in a little backpack. It’s a $110 value on sale now for $22.50. And it delivers a 100% net profit donation to the Skin Cancer Foundation.

And I also splurged and got my favorite shampoo in the world, Ojon. And I can’t wait to wash my hair using both hands. I mean, I can’t wait to everything using two hands. Typing hasn’t been too awful but everything else from making a bed to searching for keys to trying on khaki slacks has been slow. And annoying.

So that’s why I haven’t been able to post, or much of anything lately. I know there are those that have it much worse than these little things and my heart goes out to you.

And that’s all I have to say about that. (Name that movie line).

Love, and until tomorrow my friends,

Doris, I hear you. I think of you often and wish you well. Alisa, I don’t know how you do it sometimes. All the time.