Seventy-three

That's how many rings I counted in the stump of a red oak tree that was cut down yesterday between our yard and the yard next door.  It was right on the property line so we both claimed it.  I sure raked a bazillion leaves from that tree over the past ten years!  Three years ago, though, it got struck by lightning and if you were reading my blog then, you know that I thought it might have been those kids next door hacking at it.  That's what it looked like to me.  Since then, though, we discovered that it was indeed struck by lightning and was dying a slow death.  Our neighbor had a tree surgeon come out and look at it and he told us that the tree was no longer able to soak up water or nutrients from the ground and because it was so huge (70 feet!), it may take 8-10 years for it to die completely.  

We agonized over it for two days, trying to decide what to do.  We are both 
treehuggers and are very, very tenderhearted when it comes to any living thing, really.  Trees, raccoons, squirrels, we've had lots of those three to share our yards (and sometimes attics!) with.  We didn't want to cut the tree down but we didn't want it to continue to suffer either.  It was still making green leaves and acorns but we were told that they grow from nutrients in the outer shell of the tree.  The outer shell is the last to go.  I just hope we made the right decision.  

Here it is yesterday when the guys got here.

 

And here's what we have today.  I cried my eyes out over this tree yesterday.  I was so, so sad.  Ami sent me a Pinterest board of tree stump preservation ideas for sentiment's sake.  I think I want to make a planter out of one and put some pretty flowers in it in the spring.  Larry and David have a lot of chopping and splitting to do and then that sweet old tree will keep us warm this winter.

The spot where it stood.  It looks so strange out there now.

I think the first tree I ever loved was a tall, skinny pine that stood on one end of our front yard when I was a little girl.  My brother and I called it Tree Tree.  We played in the straw around that tree, we ran to it, rode our bicycles to it and Tree Tree always served as second base when we played any kind of ball. We loved that old tree!  I remember the first time I rode my bicycle to Tree Tree.  I was so proud when I turned around and saw that Daddy had let me go and was standing in the driveway!

I found this quote that I just love.

Love the trees until their leaves fall off and then encourage them to try again next year.  (Chad Sugg)

Willie

When I went back to school in January to finish up the electronics program for my co-op requirement, I had to go on swing shift at work and one of the first guys to take me under his wing was Willie Whitehead.  Willie had been at the base for many years and was a master electrician.  He knew everything about everything and could just tell you what was wrong with something without looking at it.  I saw him many times just walk up to that plane, turn a few things with his wrench and walk away, saying, "there you go".  In addition to the experience and wisdom he brought to our crew, he also made a mean pot of coffee.  He kept our coffee going round-the-clock in the break room and when you work second shift, you need your coffee.  

Willie had this big toothy grin that just lit up the room.  He had contagious laughter and a crazy sense of humor.  He loved bananas.  He also smoked like a chimney in winter.

Part of my training that I had to complete was ops checks in Cell 6, where Willie was assigned.  Every single time Willie saw me in the cockpit, he would yell up at me, "Get down from there!" and just laugh and laugh.  He said I was going to get hurt and had no business up there.  It became our little private joke and I got to the point where I would just yell, "NO!" down at him before he had a chance to yell up at me.  That always made him laugh.  Willie fussed at me for cleaning the break room, too.  He said the guys wouldn't appreciate it or keep it clean and that I was wasting my time.  I'd tell him, "Yeah, but Willie, it's filthy and I can't stand it."  He'd just shake his head at me. 

Willie got sick this spring.  He didn't know what it was but he suspected his heart.  He went to the doctor who put him in the hospital for tests.  After countless tests and many uncertain days, it was discovered that Willie had stage four lung cancer.

He never returned to work.  He did, however, attend our Wingman Day fish fry Labor Day Friday and I am so thankful that I got to see him and talk to him and hug him and tell him how much we missed him at work.  He had lost so much weight and he was weak as a kitten but that smile was exactly the same.  He hugged me back and told me he was glad to see me. 

Willie passed away last week.  Just precious few months after he was sitting at his table in the break room eating his banana without a care in the world.  I'm sad.  I miss him.  I miss his grin, I miss his laughter, I miss his fussing at me, I miss his white hair.  

Willie, I know you're in heaven now but I wish I could tell you to "get down from there!" and come back to us.  But you're in a place where there is no cancer, no pain.  Only peace, love and laughter.  And I know our F-15's are even more beautiful from up there.

What a week!

And I sure am glad it's over.  This has been a very stressful week for my family.  A very stressful ten days, actually.

Ami and Brian's kitty, Augie, who had his big boy surgery the same day as Tabbie Hoffman, died on the 17th from some as yet unknown illness.  The very next day, their kitty, Simon, came down with like symptoms, terrifying them and throwing their lives into a tailspin.

After a week of fluids and antibiotics for Simon and sleepless nights for all three of them, Simon is showing some improvement.  His extensive distemper test results should be back Monday.  We continue to pray that he will fully recover and soon.

Because we suspected distemper, and since none of the kitties had been vaccinated for it, I took Tabbie Hoffman to the vet Thursday just to make sure.  He wasn't showing any symptoms at all but I thought if he tested positive as well, then we'd know for sure that the boys picked it up at the vet's office that neutered them.  And then hell hath no fury...

Tabbie's preliminary parvo virus test was negative and I went ahead and got all his shots right then and there.  

There were some bright spots to the week, though!  I was taken off light duty so now I can get back on the plane and work and then I went with some friends Thursday night to a private screening of Jeff Foxworthy's new movie, Crackerjack.  It was such a cute movie!  Faith-based and absolutely hilarious.  I loved it.  It should be in theaters by next summer.  Larry and I had a pretty big and exciting day Wednesday, too.  Gettin' closer!

This week, I'm looking forward to things settling down.  Simon will get better and stronger and my sweet exhausted sister and brother-in-law can get some rest.  Halloween will be here Wednesday night and I'm all candied up.  Well, except for some Reese Peanut Butter Cups that didn't make it.  Tabbie Hoffman has a cute Spider-Man costume to wear (IF I can keep it on him!) and I have classes all week so no work.  Yay!!

Oh!  And we have cooler temps coming!  In the 30's at night.  I'm really looking forward to that and to some boring, normal, uneventful, glorious days.

What I'm loving Wednesday!

Yeah, I know.  It's Thursday.

Long day.  :(

I'm loving The Brave Girls Club!

Ami introduced me to these daily inspirational emails several months ago and I just love them.  Sometimes, they say exactly what I need to hear on the exact day I need to hear it.  Like today.

I'm also loving that this week is just about over and that we have this to look forward to!

A little cozy fallness!