Back on Track?

What a strange weekend this has been.

First of all, in my town, we have this event every September called the Fabulous 1890s Weekend. The Weekend revolves around the anniversary of the first lighted, nighttime football game played in the United States between Mansfield Normal School and Wyoming Seminary on September 28, 1892, in our local Smythe Park. The weekend is always a lot of fun and it attracts a huge crowd. This year was no exception.

Having been to many since we moved here, I decided not to go this year. I am not a great lover of crowds, though I like the funnel cakes and the excitement. And the fireworks. My husband shot some video of those and posted them on facebook here.

Friday was rainy and yucky and I was not feeling so good. You know how you get that feeling that you are coming down with something? I had it. My daughter had been sick from going back to school and she passed it lovingly on to me. I reasoned, then, that everyone would probably be at the park on Saturday so shopping then would be a good idea. I rested some, which was also a good idea because Friday night, when I went to bed, I was on the verge of falling asleep when I heard the very loud and very near song of a cricket. I thought he must be in the window - how in the world did he get in the window?? It was impossible to sleep, so I sat up. The cricket song stopped almost immediately.

Perhaps I am losing my mind, I thought. I didn't feel well, it was damp and chilly... I decided to lay back down. Moments later, when all was still, Mr. Cricket started up again. I knew he was not in the window, the sound was off for that. I sat up again and turned on the light. Of course he stopped singing. I sat very still, though my husband opened his eyes. I told him there was a cricket in the room. He nodded and closed his eyes again. Maybe HE could sleep with that noise, but I couldn't. I waited and while the cricket didnt sing again, I saw motion out of the corner of my eye. There he was, walking - walking mind you - brazenly across my carpet.

Now, there is something you must understand. When I was a girl, I liked insects. I would collect empty jars - big, glass applesauce jars - to make terrariums. I would put a layer of nice dark earth in the bottom and put plants in, then I would catch crickets - male and female - and put them in. We would have cricket song in the house. My mother did not much appreciate that, but I loved doing it. I couldn't just stomp on my nighttime visitor. He was just looking for a girl, after all. I tried to pick him up. It had been a long time since I last did such a thing, so I tried to use a sock. He escaped me to go under my dresser. I had to get out the flashlight. There I was, on my hands and knees looking under my dresser for a cricket. I would not get any sleep, I knew, until I caught him. I tried again, but he leapt out from under the dresser to land on an old teddy bear. Staring right at me, he was. This time, I was able to get a good grip on him. I felt him jumping around in my hand and everything! I carried him down the hall and opened the window screen to drop him out.

I slept well that night and I was right. Shopping early Saturday morning was a good idea, indeed. However, on the way home, I completely forgot about the parade at 11 am. Like many others ahead of me, I drove past the band gearing up and that was when it hit me: there's a parade! I managed to take a right off Main Street and make my way home past the University instead, avoiding crowds, cars and the traffic light in town. Yes, we only have the one.

Food shopping tires me out. I don't enjoy it much, but going that morning, by myself, was quite nice. I think I got everything I needed for two weeks of meals and that is always a good thing. I used a bunch of coupons and kept it under $400.00. I planned to spend a portion of my Saturday writing, but found there was something we needed at the Wegman's up in Elmira, NY. I love Wegman's. So, we went. We also ate out for lunch at the OG - soup, salad and bread sticks. We couldn't resist the Pumpkin Cheesecake, either. We came home and though we were supposed to go out that night to a banquet, I was already feeling the illness that grabbed hold of me Sunday morning (stuffiness, sore throat, etc.) so I stayed home to sleep. I am glad I got some sleep that evening because when it came time for bed later on, there was this very loud chirping noise. I went looking where the sound was loudest - right outside the upstairs window where I had dropped the cricket the previous night.

I opened the screen and stuck my head out with flashlight in hand. Mr. Cricket was on the roof of the addition we had built six years ago for my husband's aunt to live in. I had dropped the cricket onto the roof, but I was sure I saw him head for the edge the night before! Apparently, he didn't go over. Set free, he stayed where I had dropped him, calling to the lady crickets who couldn't possible reach him. I didn't hear him on the roof last night and I wonder if a bird ate him, or if he finally found his way off into the grass below.  I don't suppose I will ever know, but it made me wonder if I take advantage of opportunity or do I 'sit on the roof'? How often have I been freed from my own emotional or physical prisons by the hand of God in my life only to stay right beside the site of my imprisonment (be it the TV, the internet, another person or my own fears) unaware of the blessing bestowed upon me? How often am I content to sit on the hard roof of life when the green grass awaits just a hop away?

Sunday morning, I woke feeling feverish, sore-throatish and miserable. My ears were clogged and my voice was squeaky. I sent the family off to church, washed dishes and started laundry. Then I thought I could break the fever by getting some exercise, so I did the Walk at Home. I haven't done that in a long time and my knees HURT today, but I am glad I did it. I showered and spent the afternoon with my husband, relaxing. Our oldest had to work and our other two children went to a Magic the Gathering tournament and were gone most of the day. It was nice to just be together a while.

Of course, that couldnt last, could it? Back to school and work today for the family and I got to experience a broken bathroom sink trap. We have to replace it, but for now, a bucket sits beneath the trap to catch the overflow. Ick.

Just for you, Robin.

I am still wondering, however, how that cricket got into my second floor bedroom in the first place...











So, maybe Robin (in the replies) is right.