It is weathering outside. It has been weathering weirdly all day. I went to work, anticipating the weird weather, but was woefully unprepared for just how weird the weather would become.

It started off frosty and cold, with a stunning sunrise in certain parts of the county. It wasn’t long before it had warmed to about 50, which has a tendency to make me suspicious of what’s coming. Nader weather.

Sure enough, about 12:30, here it was. The house behind my office has been under a near-constant remodel since early spring of 2020, and stuff was flying off their house in every direction. Time for me to hit the road before it got any worse. Thankfully my board is understanding in such matters, so I packed up my laptop and away I flew.

So I’ve been curled up in my late Uncle Dale’s chair all afternoon, pecking away at the minutes and sending an email or two. What with the long weekend, and not really fully back at full throttle after the holidays, nobody is expecting much.

Anymore, it is constantly on my mind what I’m going to write about each day. This morning, as I started up the road, I spotted a horse on the hillside in a red turnout rug. I thought I might write about it…which would evolve into some story or another about one of my past experiences with horses.

Then I stopped by Bojangles for breakfast, and the Mountain Dew was from the bottom of the barrel, and therefore undrinkable, so I decided to dump it outside on the grass instead of pouring it down the sink. I was jostling my purse, IPad, grocery bag with some stuff in it, my Scotty Kiger water bottle (think Stanley cup…hahaha…Stanley cup), bag o’ breakfast, and my rancid Mountain Dew. I removed the lid and sorrowfully dashed the offensive Dew. Then I could throw it straight in the big trash can outside and not have that in my hands when I went to unlock the door. Yes, that’s right, I had my keys out, too. Forgot about them when I was listing all my pack mule accessories. Anyway, the lid is now separate from the cup, and so I must flip open the garbage can lid while juggling all the other junk. It would have probably been easier to just go on inside like a normal person and use a normal trash can. But me, I like things difficult and exciting. So I whip the lid up to the wheelie trash can and manage to get the lid from my drink in there. I do it again to throw the cup in there and suddenly it’s coming a rain shower of Mountain Dew on my head.

I guess I didn’t get all of it out when I flung it onto the grass.

So now what was left is residing in my still-wet-from-the-shower hair, my sweatshirt, shoes, purse, Bojangles bag, IPad, grocery bag, water thermos, and- oh yeah, my keys.

Le sigh.

Nothing to do but eat my breakfast and dry off the best I could. I rationalized that it was mainly just carbonated water, anyway.

It never fails when I do something stupid like this that everybody in the county comes to see me. Sure enough, had just gulped down my last Bo-round when the handymen showed up. Then a member of my board. And while I’m on the subject of my appearance, may I also mention I had not applied one dab of makeup and my wardrobe was a hoodie, jeans, and Hey Dudes. And I already told you my hair was still wet. So obviously I wasn’t looking my best prior to the Mountain Dew incident. I still needed a few signatures for my petition, so what the hay, let’s walk over to the library and get the rest. They usually see me at my better, if not best, let’s just squelch any idea they had of what kind of person I truly am and give them the real me.

So that’s what I did. And as I was walking over there, I thought again of how nice it is to be in this part of town, where I can do things like walk to the library on a nice day (it hadn’t become blustery yet). I often walk over to Planning/ Stormwater/ Water Department too. And on occasion, dispatch. There’s just something about the simple act of traveling on foot that appeals to me. I guess that’s why I love Savannah and Charleston so much.

I still need one last signature, so that’s why I’m sitting here, waiting on my aunt to get home. I’m quite cozy in this big chair in this quiet house with all the deer looking at me from their various positions on the walls, but I’d also like to be home, rubbing velvet ears. Even though he’d probably be bouncing around, driving me crazy, wanting to play tug of war. I’m sure my aunt will appreciate coming into her home all lit up for a change on this windy, rainy day. So I sit. And I write. And my IPad is still a lil sticky.

Love from Appalachia,

~Amy