Saturday, December 3, 2016

Practicing Patience


Sometimes things just work out the way they work out.

I have been waiting and waiting and waiting for the mobile home movers to arrive.  The buyer insists that I MUST be here when the move happens, and he is right about that (the trailer is on my land, after all).  But I have had to cool my heels while precisely nothing happened.  The trailer was supposed to be moved November 30.  Then the mover was supposed to be here at 9 AM December 1.....and then 1 PM.  And then 9 AM December 2.....and then 1 pm.  He finally arrived at 2:30, by the way, and not to move the trailer but to have a meeting to make arrangements with the buyer.

The buyer is my next door neighbor.  He is a good person but very demanding, and things have a way of not working out quite the way he expects (perhaps because he asks too much and pushes too hard).  And I should have expected that.  But I didn't. 

Instead I've been trying to comply.  I don't want to be blocked in, so I've been moving my car to the bottom of my back-door neighbor's driveway in the morning and moving it back at night for the past two days.  This is not a short distance.  It's a five-minute walk.....across my driveway, through the blueberry bushes, over a ditch, up an incline, and down a graveled lane.  And it's no joke for someone who suffers pain walking, who has poor sense of balance, and who is recovering from a nasty fall. 

That long walk got a bit ridiculous yesterday because I had to go to the Post Office twice to make eBay shipments--that meant five minutes to the car (carrying packages) and five minutes walking home (once carrying groceries).  Before my second jaunt to the PO, the buyer/neighbor stopped me and told me in no uncertain terms that I had to stay home!  My patience was wearing very thin at that moment. I was polite but I went anyway.  

When the mover very belatedly arrived, I heard the buyer pointing out how inconvenienced "that poor lady" was to have to park so far away since the mover hadn't done his job on time.  This twisting of the facts did Not warm my heart.  And it didn't do much for the mover either who said, very nicely, that he would be sure to let me know when I really needed to move my car and besides he couldn't get the job done until the middle of next week anyway.  That mobile home will be here for another five or six days.

Aaaarrrrrgh!  I just want this all to be over.

Common sense, common courtesy, and clear communication could have prevented this poor performance.  It's a worthy lesson to remember.  It's also excellent exercise in patience and in thinking about what is really important.  I kept my temper and my friendly relationship with my neighbor, even if I have lost some time and energy.

It was actually quite nice exercise walking.  The leaves are so pretty right now.  The sun was shining and the day was neither too hot nor too cold.  I had baked beans cooking in the oven all day, and they smelled just wonderful--they were tasty, too.  There is much to be grateful for.

Life is good.


My neighbor's driveway in the early morning sunshine.


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