Maybe I didn't tell you quite as often as I should have

You were always on my mind.

How many times is it true of us? A friend is on our mind and we tuck it away for later. We see someone is lonely and we make a mental note to visit then don't. We are forever deciding a chore needs to be done and then we let it wait until it has annoyed us so much we get angry and then do it in a bad humour.

I am not blogging in a bad humour but I feel badly I have not gotten the last few days in here in order. I will forget it or get it all screwed up! Darn me!

My Mom's birthday is next week. She's a widow, too, with just us kids for support and her church buddies. She's the only one I know that I will bet there will be more people at her funeral than at the mate's and I'll bet her day is as poorly planned ahead for fun as mine was.

I will not let this happen, she is going to be 70 and it has to seem like forever to her. Seventy birthdays. How can I make this one special? Ideas? I'm listening.

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The guys at the house that burned have the second story down, the first story almost emptied out and the trash going to the burn piles or the dump. They work from freezing I can see to even colder I can't see. I have met sister's, in laws, neices, nephews, neighbors that have moved away but heard there was a need and they came back to help. Some of them from far away. All of them leaving their families to handle their lives while they help the lady that helped them.

I spent Friday helping them clean the place they will be living until their home is remodeled. It hasn't been cared for since the lady who loved it died. They had to do a lot of work just to get the kitchen to where it will function again. I took on the bathroom with the drywall remainders in the tub. It took hours. I watched the two boys while the girl cleaned and while Jeanette visited with her sister. I read them a story and got them to lay down about three. Around five I went home.

The place that burned is salvageable with major renovations. It will be a one story home this time around but that is not all bad. The kids are grown and gone except when they are trying to buy a place of their own. It's usually just her there. Her nephew is a contractor that lives way up north. He told me when he was a baby someone threw him away but his aunt thought he was worth saving. He has been here inspecting and working a writing a list of materials for her most of this week.

Another niece was there bringing hot coffee and treats to keep the calories high for the men working in such bitter weather. Her aunt always had time for her when she was growing up. The neighbor who moved away told me she would let him help himself to the garden for his family when they lived there and it helped stretch their tiny budget.

A kid who says his dad beat him and his mom never cared what he did was a friend of that neighbor and Jeanette's two boys. He is unemployed right now and is broke but he got a ride over to help people that made him feel welcomed and loved. Come to find out he is the son of the man I wrote about back in December. It surprised me that the man I met was a poor father.

One of the older men there asked if I was related to someone with my maiden name. Oh, yeah, I was. One knew my uncle, one my cousin, one knew the cousin I just talked to last week. It started to be old home week!

We were all there for the same reason. Jeanette had reached out a hand when we were down.

Saturday I met them all at the house and took Jeanette around to get heaters for the help and to dry out the basement. I met a girl who was my neighbor when I was six and under. She was older than me and lived one block down. Her mate and she were tracking down heaters for us. They had burned out several years ago and were nothing but kind and helpful. We managed to get four heaters for them. Two for the basement and two for upstairs. It took a trip to the sister's and three other stops to get them all over there.

They all came over to eat venison stew last night. It stretched ok and the frozen cake and pie I bought were ok, too. We ate, drank, drank coffee, played guitar, played cards and talked. Everyone talked and talked and talked. They were fed, warmed and relaxed for the first time in the day, I think.

I loved being able to help so much that later I was even cheerful doing dishes and mopping up our tracks. I kept two of them over because they were too drunk to drive. They left before I was up this morning but they were very quiet about it. I woke in time to see the truck drive away, probably to go back and work one more day before their own jobs take them back to their lives.

I have not had time to sit and be bored, go to the bar or pout because of the anniversary scaring me in the face. (sp int) I have handed out smokes and gas money and food and time freely. I am loving it. I ask every day that I be guided to do it gently and with love and always considering their feelings. So far I have even kept my foot out of my mouth.

On my new calendar mom got me for my birthday I have been writing the names of the people I have had contact with that day. I had one day this month with no contact with anyone on it. Only one. I am not alone. I am too busy to keep up here like I should but the words are building and I will be back as soon as we get them settled in better.

Hugs to you all and more thanks to yet MORE of you who have taken the time to contribute to help them. Even just ten dollars is ten days of walkie talkie phone contact so they can keep cooridinated while they are all spread out like this. It's half a tank of gas to get to the store or to work. Every little bit is appreciated more than I can tell you. Thank you all!