Conundrum:
noun
- A confusing and difficult problem or question. Aquestion asked for amusement, typically one with a pun in its answer; a riddle.
That's me!
The definition fits almost perfectly...and I am totally okay with that.
It somehow feels like a Win to me.
A lot has gone on this past year. For everyone involved, or not involved.
The best thing about this year is that it's almost over, with just one month left to go.
I feel extremely grateful for all our many blessings. Tim and I talk about it time and time again.
If the Rona had hit a decade ago, we'd most likely be living in a shelter by now, or headed in that direction. Ten years ago I had to apply for food stamps and government assistance, putting my kids on Medicaid and constantly scrambled to borrow from Peter to pay Paul...a lot.
A whole lot.
Tim had already been out of work for over a year when I lost my job as well. All savings and 401k were used to pay the bills. It runs out a lot quicker than you'd think.
At one point we were over six months behind on our mortgage, after being turned down time and time again for a loan modification. We only had six years left before the house was paid off, so they were more interested in taking it from us than helping us keep it.
The only thing (besides the Grace of God) that got us through was the love and kindness shown to us by extended family, friends and sometimes even strangers.
Fast forward to the end of 2020.
A lot older and a little bit wiser.
I've got the COVID(non)CUT going, on top of my quickly graying head, and don't care.
I'm sixty and have been out of work since March 16... for the first time in over forty one years. The entire year will be over in sixty one days.
So what's an old girl to do?
Stay home like the CDC tells me to.
I hang around my house and out in my yards every day, with two pups for company, Monday through Friday.
I haven't been bored or depressed one single day.
I don't always work from sun up to sun down, but will if "need be." Actually, I sleep when I want to, get up when I feel like it, and somehow still seem to do a pretty halfway decent good job around the place.
No complaints yet.
I can always open the door and invite someone in when they knock on our door now. It might not be spotless, but it's not going to disgust anyone.
There was a time when the kids were much younger. I would hide and cower quietly in a back room when someone knocked at the front door, hoping they would go away and not see what a hovel my house was, at that particular moment. The kids' homework or projects, dogs, laundry and work used to always seem to get in the way of a nice and orderly house.
I'd say the end result has been pretty good though, considering they had this whacko for a Momma.
The forever house we bought, after searching for over two years, is old but eclectic.
Just like me!
So many different and quirky things about it make me love it even more.
I think the tree fort is still my favorite.
It's built between a massive live oak and even taller pine tree.
Here's what it looks like from the ground, where you go to climb it.
You walk through bamboo, palms, plants and elephant ears into a small jungle. There's a small path you can make out from the driveway, if you look really closely and it's sunny out. Pull back one side of the elephant ears and you can see the first aluminum ladder nailed to the bottom of the oak tree. Once committed to the climb, I hop skip and almost jump my way to the first rung of the first ladder. We live surrounded by a nature preserve on two sides, a state park on another side and across the street from a lake. We got lots of critters roaming around, and some of them slither on their belly. Not my favorites, but have learned to appreciate black snakes.
I know we have coral snakes and rattle snakes, not to mention water moccasins, but tend to step lively and always have my eye on the ground in front of me.
I climbed the tree fort for the first time after we moved in, just because I had to. It's a trek, not gonna lie...but an awesome view from the top of the awesome place we landed after all these many years of hard work, sweat and more than a few salty tears.
Last year I ventured back up and strung lights on the tree fort.
I loved it. You could see the lights all the way from my brother's house up the street, and beyond. Neighbors even stopped by and commented how they had never even noticed the tree fort before.
This year I told Massey I'd climb up again to hang lights from it. By this point the fort has been there probably at least six years if not more and we have done absolutely nothing to maintain the integrity of the ladders and foot holds which wind their way around the trunk of the massive oak.
One of our neighbors climbed it shortly after we moved in. He wadn't (as we say in the south) exactly tiny and broke the last step onto the platform at the very top.
After that, I wouldn't let anyone who weighed less than me climb to the top...just in case. I've only recently gotten back to triple digits myself, but pretty much know where weak spots are on the climb.
If I had to guess, I'd say the tree fort is about forty to fifty feet off the ground.
You start on an aluminum ladder fastened to the bottom of the trunk. Once at the top of that ladder you step around to another aluminum ladder, two feet to your left. That leads you to the split on the branches of the oak tree, where there are foot long 2x4 foot holds nailed into the trunk, inching your way around to the top.
Then there's a wooden ladder nailed to the top of the trunk, which leads to a trap door you push open and where you pull yourself onto the platform. You can't put much weight on the last few rungs, plus my neighbor broke the top one, so you have to fling the trap door open and pull yourself up by your hands and arms. (upper body strength is not my friend these days) The platform is sturdy, sound and strong though, with steel brackets on all four corners. All the wood of the flooring at the top is in great condition. Once you're up there, you're good.
It's just gettin' there that's the problem.
Especially when you're a sixty year old woman who's currently built like a praying mantis.
I took off into the brush yesterday with a running start and scooted as fast as I could through the thick plants to the somewhat safety of the ladder at the bottom, trying to avoid snakes. Once on the ladder, with my back pack full of lights and drop cords, I scampered up the tree, halfway expecting to see a snake on the next rung of each of the two ladders.
Once past the ladders, I had the hand and foot holds to worry about. I hadn't climbed the tree in an entire year, but am pretty sure a lot of creatures have, on a regular basis and didn't want to disturb them while they may be napping on a foot hold, all curled up and waiting to strike.
I made it up that tree in record time...and twern't exactly easy. Once at the top though, it was all worth it.
The end result?
Pretty spectacular, once again.
I could survey our little slice of paradise from an amazing viewpoint.
So can everyone else walking, biking or driving down the street... and notice one of the coolest things about our forever home.
On the other hand...
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