“A-hem!”
I ignored the rude person behind me. My attention was on a lime-green, cotton hoodie, marked “As is – $5.00”. The sun-streaked variations of colour enhanced the garment’s character. ‘Mark it up a few dollars,’ I thought to myself, ‘and some DNA-evolved, debit-card-carrying-teen would love to be wearing it.’
Younger folk flood this Thrift Shop. It’s a boutique. Thrift boutique.
“‘Scuse me, lady! You want to look through this bag before I hand it over to management?” I turned to find my friend, Susan, grinning as she held out one bag of clothing while clutching another bag of books. “Hurry up.” she said. “My arms are falling off.”
We headed outside, giggling like school girls playing hookey.
“You’re just the person I wanted to see! I really want to tell you something.” I quickly checked the pair of trousers she pulled out. Too small.
“Good.” Susan said. “I could use a Latte. Can we talk then?”
To imagine mine, take a bit off the heel and lower the top to ankle-height.
After Susan presented her donations, she said, “Come ‘ere. I want to show you Mary’s shoes – just donated.” She lead me to a pair of Ox-Blood Red, hand-made, Italian-leather, ankle-high dress boots with heels. “Mary bought another pair while she visited. She told me to keep these. They’re too tight for me so I brought them here earlier. But that means they’re your size!” They were and I left them on.
Knowing the value of these soft, elegant boots, any temptation to feel guilty about handing the clerk $12.00 was overridden by the fact that they could have been passed directly from Mary’s hand to mine.
On the way to our favorite hang-out, we stopped at the pharmacy to buy new toothbrushes. A large, deep-mauve witch’s hat,
A close second to my Witch's Hat
decorated with various shades of large, dark purple plumage and black netting sprinkled with spiders, sat atop a Halloween display. Amazed, I plopped it on my head. Clerks, customers, Susan and I swooned and drooled over its dazzling colours and sassy character. $20.00. It matched my new boots perfectly.
Harry Potter Lightening Bolts - Sizzzzle!
.
.
.
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The hat was also a perfect match for the silver lightning bolt earrings on black onyx that I purchased an hour earlier.
“Gads, this hat is enough to make me want to have kids!” I said as I hesitantly replaced it on its holder. “If I bought it, it would be a piece of art for my home!”
We paid for our toothbrushes and walked to our coffee spot.
Remembering the higher evolved DNA of younger people and being bored with usual selections, I asked the gorgeous young woman at the till for a suggestion. She said, “I love the Pumpkin Chai with fresh whipping cream. It’s so good, it’s sick.”
I didn’t flinch. Thankfully I’d read comments from much younger family members on Face Book. “Sick!? That’s what I’ll have then!” I said, feeling my DNA rise a notch.
Susan and I collected our drinks and found a table in the corner. At the neighbouring table, a woman who was one of the customers at the pharmacy, spoke up, “I bought the hat.”
“You what? You bought my hat?! I demand to know where you live!”
She said, “The clerk assured me that you said it was too small for your head.”
“You wouldn’t have even noticed that hat if I hadn’t been wearing it in the store! Susan and I are coming to your house. Be prepared…this won’t be pretty!” Thankfully, the woman’s sense of humour matched ours.
Once we settled into our drinks, Susan said, “You had something to tell me?”
“Yep, I do.”
“Well, what’s up?”
“I’m brimming with gratitude. Every single organ in my body is in perfect shape.”
“The Cat Scan…?”
“Yep. I just came from the Doctor’s Office. Dr. Jan and I listened to the Radiologist’s dictation about my body over the Internet. Kidneys, liver, pancreas – all healthy. The whole works.”
“What about that spot?”
“There was nothing there. Just to make certain, they want me to do another Ultrasound in 2 months. But the Doc says that’s largely because the cat scan technician wants to cover all bases.”
“That’s fantastic. Do you feel relieved?”
“More than I thought. I never felt there was anything wrong, but it’s a huge relief to know there’s nothing wrong.”
As I drove home, I said another prayer of thanks. What a morning – abundant and full.
I chuckled over the thought that I’m back to not knowing how I’ll die. Blessed ignorance. Not knowing means I again have forever to be here. But just in case, I wore the perfect boots to enjoy a very sick Pumpkin Chai with one incredible friend.
***
Thanks to all my friends who prayed and sent healing energy.
With your help, it worked!
(Special thanks to Joan, one of my faithful readers. She’s also my high school friend who recently retired as Teacher of Nursing from one of our local Colleges. Her patient, wise and thorough counsel gave me the good sense to accept that whatever is, simply IS. Because she filled in the blanks, I was able to get on with the test without wasting good health by worrying.)
Van Morrison – Beautiful Vision (I need to reset something so the videos appear. Thus the link for now):
Words to Van Morrison’s “Beautiful Vision”
Beautiful vision
Stay with me all of the time
Beautiful vision
Stay ever on my mind with your beautiful…
Mystical rapture
I am in ecstasy
Beautiful vision
Don’t ever separate me from your beautiful…
In the darkest night
You are shining bright
You are my guiding light
You show me wrong from right
Beautiful vision
Stay ever on my mind
Beautiful vision
Stay with me all of the time with your beautiful vision
In the darkest night
I said you are shining bright
You are my guiding light
Show me wrong from right
Beautiful vision
Stay with me all of the time
Beautiful vision
Stay ever on my mind with your beautiful vision
I can make it
I can make it
With your beautiful vision
Soul Dipper 
Hi,
What a fantastic day out you had. The hat sounds like a blast, seems you gave inspiration to someone else seeing as how they brought the hat, the lady was obviously meant to have it, you had to be there to make sure she brought it. 🙂
I’m happy to hear everything is AOK with your health, that certainly did make the day extra special I feel.
It was one of those day, just like the teen years, where I simply showed up and the right people showed up. Let’s face it, Mags, everyday is exactly that, but we forget to see it that way!
Hi Amy .. love the way you can take your mind off things .. beautiful ‘boots’ and that witches hat – now that would be fun .. especially if I looked like the rest of the model – sadly no.
Glad all is well .. with thoughts – Hilary
Oh, Hilary…you knew that wasn’t me? 🙂 I’m not a big consumer so it was interesting that the first thing I wanted to do, after hearing the great news, was buy myself a gift. It was fun to be shopping for something besides fireplace bricks, paint thinner or duct tape.
Just sadly I’m glad my guess was right .. in a little trouble if I’d dug myself a hole .. for the model you! I bet it was fun thinking about light moments and something fun to wear .. than bricks and mortar .. I agree – cheers for now .. Hilary
Oh, Hilary, I will not get into decade deciphering! To define the spread would take a few! You are a long way from being in trouble! 😀
Oh good .. I really don’t want to have some physical exercise digging myself out of a hole! Cheers Hilary
What a gift. The day, the friends, and your health. How marvelous and wonderful.
SDS, if only I could paint. I’d use your style and paint myself in that huge, luxurious witch’s hat! I’d finish the one you started with the mysterious hand movement. It would be putting something into the caldron. Isn’t it amazing that I’m mentioning one of your unfinished pieces and we’ve never met. Bless the Internet!
What a blessing you have been given!!!! I am so glad for you. I loved the witches hat, every year two friends of mine put on a witches luncheon, we have such fun and the costumes and green faces are amazing. We had three gals last year who had the most realistic looking warts I have ever seen. It sounds like you and your friend had an amazingly wonderful day. It doesn’t get much better that, fun and fellowship. I miss you and the island, I think that is the most I have relaxed in a long time. I feel blessed to have met you, you will always be in my heart.
Many thanks, Dee, for your prayers and kind support. Your heart is so full of sincere giving that it’s no wonder you do so many good works. It’s true that it is in the “fruit” that we know a person’s heart.
A witch’s luncheon…hmmmm. I think we have that quite often… 😀 Seriously, Dee, I’m so very happy you were able to come here – to take yourself away from a demanding lifestyle. We certainly do have a slower pace which was good preparation for Greece! Go with a pace of Grace.
So happy all is well with your health, what a relief for you, And those are some sick boots! (and a great deal to boot! couldn’t resist the pun.)
I’m not sure who was happier about me buying the boots…Susan or me. She could hardly wait to get home and email Mary!
So pleased to hear all is well with you…now about the wood that needs splitting for winter. 😉
Hey Charles…it’s all done. I did it as soon as my woodsman delivered it. That was another celebration…I chopped and stacked it in two days and didn’t need to visit my friendly chiropractor afterwards! It takes quite a while to get young, but a good pile of wood helps! 🙂
Thank you for the wonderfully light and enlivening piece. And thank you for sharing your journey of facing what could potentially have been a challenge, as nothing more than an opportunity. With gratitude, Chris.
Chris, Jim’s and your stories, presence and influence on our island, thanks to the incredibly healthy foodstyle (hah! a new word!) you offer – and live – becomes even more precious when facing possible health issues. It’s amazing what you have done already to build an awareness and to cause people to question. You are a blessed addition to our community. And you work soooo hard. I hope the smoothie shop in Sidney called you for wheat grass. She’s looking for a supplier so I told her about you.
This is wonderful news. I am so glad:-) And so happy too that you had a really fun filled day in celebration..boots and all. And about the DNA you talked about..really !! No amount of running ,trying to keep up with them, helps. We’re still left panting behind. “Sick” …and another one”bitch” . by the time one figures out the nuances of one word something new has been added to their lingo. But we’ll keep trying, won’t we?:-)
I’m laughing in a conspiracy of understanding, Nadira. If some of the younger folk slow down enough for me to hear the words, I’m jumping hoops trying to understand them! 😀 Another plus for Face Book. It gives me time to ponder…:)
Oh, Amy, I’m so glad. This is a purely delightful, uplifting post. I think I must have been on my blogging break when you were facing the C-T scan so I join you in retroactive prayer. Now I want to go and buy a witches’ hat. Why not?
I’m so glad to hear you are well.
I love the idea of celebrating our health 😉
Yes, Toke, it is a good thing to celebrate. That is the attitude of my Doctor, too. We hugged and almost did a little dance in her office as we listened to the report on the cat scan!
I didn’t know you were facing an illness and I’m delighted that you’re in the All-Clear! Loved the story of your morning and the reason behind your fancified mood.
I, too, am a thrift-store bargain hunter…;)
Thrift stores call on us to slow down, to really look and to consider who the person was who wore/used the items. It all becomes precious to me. I’m sitting here wearing a top that I cannot imagine giving away. When I found it, I sensed the person had died. Everytime I wear it, I think of her!
G-d is good!
Yeah, I’m thinkin’ you already knew that–but it’s worthy of putting into black and white.
(((((((((((((((((( G-d )))))))))))))))))))
He takes awfully good care of you.
Now. About that hat……..zackly where does the gal live and how much trouble would it be to sneak into the house and nab that hat in those boots?
Mel, you are a woman of quality. I knew you would like to join Susan and me on this very significant hunt! I’m afraid the woman would laugh herself silly when she caught us! We’d probably have to resuscitate her and forget all about the hat.
Awesome news, friend ~ glad you have a clean bill of health, and some supple new boots!
Rock on!
Loved your post today, Nancy. In my blog family, you are the ice breaker of the internet. You crack the ice, plow through the slush and hold true to the integrity of the mission. If there are people “using” us (readers) in a spirit of mockery or deceit you’ll spot the flaw that fastidiously opens the floe to exposure.
So am I glad about my health. I didn’t know how much until I heard the “all clear” news.
I’m very glad to have you in my life – well…this cyber life. But, Yep! I’m glad.
Thanks, Amy!
A couple of people on FB decided to “shoot the messenger.”
They’ve unfriended me on FB and unsubscribed to SLTW.
They have offered no explanation.
I doubt they will.
To quote my Great Aunt Edie from Edinburgh: “There’s naught so queer as folk.”
What a strange day.
Glad yours was a delight and that you got such excellent news. I’m glad that you’re in my life too! 😀
Long live Aunt Edie. She’d probably agree with me that there’s something sensible about letting the natural processes separate of the wheat from the chaff.
What a day–brimming with magic! I’m so glad you celebrated in high style.
Hey Sally, I wore those boots all day today. I’m afraid I’ll be wearing off the soles. I had to shop for (stove) bricks today and because I had on those boots, walked with just a little tart attitude (at my age!) and smiled with my new white teeth, the service was better than I’ve experienced for years. Bricks! Boots! White teeth. Man, the gratitude thermometer is going to explode!
Thanks for sharing your sick news! 😉 wonderful that you could spend such a wonderful with a really fine friend. Love every moment of your “new” life.
Oh, oh! Sounds like you can throw that word out like a 16 year old! Aren’t kids great? Just when we catch on… You see, I knew they talked really fast and really quietly to get past (or bug) adults. Michael Jackson took us to the “bad” world and it seems the young folk want to talk in opposites. However, if I’m catching on, it’s already old hat! Speaking of hats – got a witchy one?
Sick blog post Amy 😉
I’m happy to hear of your (confirmed) good health! It’s always a blessing to have that.
Congratulations on the boots, they sound spunky – a good thing to kick the winter blahs away!
Continuing to send you positive, healing vibes: because one can never get too much!
Many thanks, Britt. I’m enjoying your sashay into your new career. What a versatile young woman you are. And Britt – I don’t doubt one bit that you use that word regularly!
Amy, so very grateful to learn of your good news. Have been thinking of you and did distance Reiki that first couple of nights after you post on this.
You developed this story so well. I was completely engaged right from “A’hem” … clever …
Looks like you are prepared for Halloween, but I think you have Thanksgiving there before that, eh????
In any event, happy days … they holidays should be pleasant now with your good news.
Thank you for the Reiki, Jamie. There was not even a spot found! Wow. I’m so grateful. You are such an asset in this world!
weeeeee, this is me doing my happy dance that tests came back just fine, that you had a fun day out and got a pair of kick ass boots. It’s all good.
You’re on, Joss’ – kick ass they are! One friend pointed at them and said, “Are these the boots?”
I said, “You kiddin’? I don’t think they come off!”
That’s wonderful, Amy. I’m so glad everyithing is A-OK. I think you should have bought the hat and then you could have gone around saying: out, out, damned spot!
That may conjure William Shakespeare’s Ghost! 😀 Have a great weekend, Kath.
I fancy those boots and all clear cat scans! Celebrate Amy!
a clean bill of health is such marvellous news and the universe knew you needed to celebrate in proper style, so you were sent those beautiful red boots. It’s the kind of meaningful coincidence I love.
I wondered whether you’d wear the boots again and really enjoyed your reply to Sally i.e that you wore them shopping for (stove) bricks
“and because I had on those boots, walked with just a little tart attitude”
Hi Rosie…thanks for your comment. I know how busy you are so am very honoured!
O beautiful vision, Amy. What a post. I feel as if I’ve just drunk a pumpkin latte and am drunk with it, and blood-red boots, and a frivolous hat wreaking with envy, and all that this life, and living each day as if it’s the last, brings. Thank you, abundantly.
I love how you “see” and feel, Ruth. Thanks for your welcome comment. In my career days when I had to drive long distances by myself, I would play that song and sing with such gusto that I would vibrate for miles.
Jumping up and down and clapping, Amy! This is great news! You get to be with us indefintiely! Somehow you have kicked in that age old feeling of being reborn into each and every day. Thank you!
With every breath, we all are reborn, Leslie. But we keep forgetting. Peace is found by riding that breath inside! Simple? Yep, you bet.
I am SO happy to hear about your perfect health!:-)
Boy o boy, me, too, Leila! Here’s to yours as well!
So glad to hear that you’re well, Amy! Also sorry to have missed earlier news that you were not so much & the opportunity to add my thoughts & prayers to everyone else’s…but delighted they weren’t required:-) big hug & kiss in celebration! XO
Thanks, Naomi. Retroactivity works just fine! 😀
Hi I am cecilia and I just stumbled on your blog as i was attempting to waste as much time as possible before i go back into my writing and i loved your work. Simply, beautifully told.. thank you, i hope you don’t mind if i pop in again! c
You have me grinning over your comment. By all means, Cecilia, pop in any time. I will make a point of going over to visit you as well. Put on the kettle!
I love that hat. What a celebtation, so full of inspiration. It perfectly captures the spirit of the post. Health really is something to celebrate. Jeeze I wish that headache would go away!
Hi, you wildly creative – and still-publishing books – blog buddy. Congrats on all you’ve accomplished. No time for headaches for you. You must be close to taking a deep and deserved bow!