Changing

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

The plumber arrived yesterday to fix a frost-free hydrant, critical for filling horse troughs. He found messy pipe connectors and couldn’t reach them adequately. He called for backup support to correct the problems. I saw those plumbing trucks rolling toward my place as I was leaving it to keep a dental appointment.

Upon returning home and having missed the corrective activity, I immediately tested the newly installed hydrant. Water flowed from it perfectly–a huge relief after months of experiencing very low-flowing water. With just a little coming out and very slowly filling the horse troughs, I was forced to hang around, waiting and watching for the troughs to be topped. That might not seem as frustrating as it felt, but with other critical chores needing attention, waiting for slow waters created angst.

At the dentist’s, my hygenist Susan and I caught up with one another. She told me that her husband had been a career Safeway guy; he dreaded Kroger’s takeover. switched jobs and works now for another large retailer. She described some of his new headaches, like too few candidates for open jobs and great revenue losses from theft. My experience at Home Depot let me relate completely. She and I discussed our growing-up years and shared commitments to working and being productive.

“The Times, They Are A Changing.” (Bob Dylan, 1964)

Dear Friends: This one’s a-rambling about experiences that satisfy. Diana