Yesterday started out tough but ended up on a lovely note. There were several decisions to make, hard things to do, and then, after breakfast, I discovered a jagged edge on my bottom front tooth. It had been feeling a little odd for about a month, but I’d ignored it.
Upon closer examination, I discovered it was a chipped tooth, with a vertical crack to the gumline. The panic over a big dental mess hit me hard. Thankfully, my wonderful dentist Dr. Weisberg was able to see me yesterday afternoon. After x-rays and an examination, he determined that the “crack” was a typical dental craze line. I did have a chipped tooth, but that was easily repaired.
The best guess was that it was caused by the car accident on December 15th, when an off-duty cop rear-ended me, as I sat at a light. (Although the cop told the officer on the scene that he was doing “about 3 mph,” damage to my Camry showed that it was more than 15 mph.)
Speaking of cars…
Last night, I was looking at used cars and found one that was very pretty. The stress of making a decision brought a fast return of the upset stomach, and I got fogged in by the angst.
I contacted two very dear friends to seek out their advice, and called my daughter. All three responded in seconds, offering sagacious counsel and wise insights. They patiently and lovingly explained that this wasn’t the car (or the deal) for me. Back at home, as I drifted off to sleep, I felt grateful that I had such loving and clear-minded friends, willing to drop everything and help me.
When I awakened in the wee hours, unable to sleep, I went to my website and re-read some of the beautiful comments left there by “online friends.” These are people that I’ve never met, and yet they have so much love in their heart that they’re willing to pray for a stranger’s return to health and wholeness. That is a reason for much gratitude.
This has become a habit: When I can not sleep, I revisit the “comments” section of my blog, and read each and every one, again and again. These comments mean a lot to me.
More than anything, the purpose of today’s post is to thank each and every kind soul that has helped me through the hard days. Every comment here brings me much joy, and assuages the nagging fear that I’m alone.
In 2002, this website was launched to share the good news and joy of Sears Homes. Sixteen years later, it has become a place where I am the recipient of countless blessings.
Thank you for keeping me here. And thank you for drawing that circle of love and taking me in.
PS. If you’d like to buy a slightly used Camry, please leave a comment! š
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Sears offered “Honor Bilt” and “Standard Bilt.” The Hudson was a “Standard Bilt” Sears house. The Standard Bilt houses were never really intended to be permanent houses. They were quite modest. Framing members were spaced at 24″ and doors and windows did not have double headers. There was no exterior sheathing, bur just the clapboard (1925 catalog).
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As you can see from this image, it’s a simple little house.
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There were two floorplans. The “bigger” house had the second windows in the living room.
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The 2nd floor plan is a wee bit bigger than the first, and it has the double window in the living room. Still, this “larger model” is under 600 square feet.
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And how in the world do you find a simple little house like this? You sure can’t do it by a windshield survey. I found this house via mortgage records. It’s a Sears “Hudson.”
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To learn more about Standard Bilt Sears Homes, click here. Or, just search for the terms “Angry Moose.”
What a nice post, dear Rosie! Yes, God has a plan for each one of us.
He knew Wayne would do what he did.
Just another thing that drives home to us that while we are in charge of some of our life, we are not entirely in charge.
As one of our 20th century saints said, “What wasn’t in my plan was in God’s.”
Whenever I awaken at night, I turn to God and apologize for all who use that time to do bad things.
Have a blessed day! You are loved!
I still think the communists had it right. Everyone gets the same car, same color, there are no fancy features, they all get the same mileage, and they all cost the same.
It took a lot of stress out of the decision making process.
@Gemma
Gemma, you know I cherish our conversations! Always. You’re one of the folks that I was thinking about when I wrote this blog.
@Dale Wolicki
You’re part of my “Brain Trust”! š I rely heavily on your insights!
On my way to work, I pass through a neighborhood of identical little houses.
While they’re not kit homes, they always remind me of you and your blog. I pray that you are surrounded by light and life, and find comfort and peace.
Car shopping is hard, but you will find the right one.
The tinier Hudson has no closets! Or stairs to the basement! Still, I think it would be a lovely summer cottage on a lake or in the mountains.
Hi Rosemary, I found your blog when I bought my house in Park Manor in 2012.
You kinda turned me into a craftsmen home junky, Lol.
I never had any interest in any of that stuff before. I found myself miraculously able to identify the different model’s with my 2 little stinkers in the back seat, Now they say “Mom! Look it’s a Tudor Sears house!”
You have inspired the next generation as well to carry this on when we are all gone.
Thank you, May god bless you with peace Rosemary,
Grief never ends, but it changes.
It is a passage, not a place to stay.
Grief is not a sign of weakness nor a lack of faith
it is the price of love.
“This is just a passage, not a place to stay.”
Thank you so much, Tamela. That’s very beautiful. And thanks for the kind words about inspiring the next generation. That’s a lovely thing.
@Jenny
Thank you so much, Jenny. It warms my heart to know that I don’t just have a “readership,” but rather a surfeit of spiritual sisters, surrounding me with light and love.
Thank you.
Rosemary, there is a wonderful faith-based organization called GriefShare, which has a website griefshare.org. There are groups everywhere (I am involved in one now) and they can be located through the website.
The groups meet once a week, watch dvds, talk about the different reactions to loss and recovery, and do a grief workbook. You can also sign up for the daily emails, which are a good foundation for starting your day.
I think you might find it helpful, not to mention comforting. I continue to pray for you.
Hi Linda,
First and foremost, thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful comment. I surely do appreciate it. If I am remembering correctly, you’ve left many endearing and thoughtful comments through the years. Thank you for that.
As to Grief Share, as part of my healing process, I’ve come to realize that I am “wired” very differently from the majority of the population.
I attended a Grief Share in a nearby city and the fellowship was very positive, and I met several kind and good people. That was lovely.
But as to those videos within the Grief Share program? I found them to be rather insufferable for a litany of reasons. Perhaps it was due to the unique circumstances of my loss (my husband shot himself in the head), but I found that the videos didn’t help heal.
Those videos (both the narration by Nancy and David Guthrie and the accompanying commentary from the people in the videos) caused me to feel even more isolated and alone. As has been said elsewhere, “suicide is a death different from any other.”
Several weeks ago, I met another “suicide widow” who’d tried Grief Share in another state. We had occasion to talk by phone and she said, “Rosemary, we have nothing in common with those people” (in Grief Share).
For those who have lost someone to suicide, I wouldn’t recommend Grief Share.
Interestingly, thanks to Facebook, I’ve met other “suicide widows” who attended Grief Share and their feelings matched my own. Facebook has its ups and downs, but I can say that the women I’ve met through Facebook (in suicide widow groups) have done so much to promote my own healing.
Thanks for your insights, Linda, and thanks for leaving a comment.