Rural Routes, Blog Version

While digging through tubs of old papers, I found a letter handwritten on bright yellow paper with the Manitoba Crime Stoppers logo.

“It was with pleasure and surprise that we read your story about The Little Boy answering the phone by asking if the person calling was reporting crime to the “Crime Stoppers”. We were surprised that The Little Boy was aware of Crime Stoppers at such a young age and pleased at his evident understanding of what Crime Stoppers does.”

“Please find enclosed a Crime Stoppers pin for The Little Boy.”

Obviously I had written about the episode in my weekly column “Rural Routes”, but I did not remember doing so and neither did my husband.

“I wonder what ever happened to that Crime Stoppers pin,” I said.

A week or so later, K2 came home for a few days to visit and I took advantage of his presence to begin going through some of the tubs in the basement which contain his childhood belongings. Many things ended up in the garbage; others are destined for auction or yard sales; a small and very select number were moved to a “To Keep” pile.

Several tubs into the exercise, we found a small container filled with pins and badges. And there it was. The Crime Stoppers pin.

“I found it,” I said, and picked it up to show my son.

He didn’t remember the story, either.

“I did what?” he asked.

But I think he liked the story. He must have. The letter and the pin went into the To Keep pile.

THE HORSE NEXT DOOR

Sitting on the couch one evening, I saw a large brown rump go past the window. It had to be a horse. We often see riders on horseback pass by on the road, but this was much closer than the road.

“Did you see that?” I asked K.

He had seen nothing.

I went to the bedroom to look out that window. I went out on the deck to look in all directions. No horse in sight.

Had I imagined it?

Ten minutes later, K pointed out the living room window and there was the horse. There really was a horse.

OLD HABITS DIE HARD

For many years, I was unable to remove my wedding rings; my fingers, like much of the rest of me, have expanded with age.

But one day in early March, the rings were sliding around on my fingers and I could easily remove them. So I did. The timing was perfect because I was having day surgery soon afterwards and the instructions said I was to remove all jewellery. Until that moment, I had not known how I was going to get those rings off the finger they were wedded to.

The plan is to get the wedding and engagement rings enlarged if possible. In the meantime, I have started wearing another ring on that finger, one that fits better.

But here’s the thing. For many years, the rings would not come off. When I washed dishes, I removed the ring on my right hand and the watch on my left wrist, but had to leave the rings on the left hand as they were.

It was a routine – watch on the left, ring on the right – put hands in sink. And I’m still doing that, even if the ring on my left hand comes off easily and is not really one that I should wear when washing dishes.

Old habits die hard. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Take your pick. Either one applies.

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