Gentle Reminder

Since the BBQ, it’s been quiet as a tomb around here. I spotted nothing and no one out/about all weekend long. More than likely, probably because it’s been too hot to go outside.

Not ready to face another Monday this morning, I nevertheless put on my big girl panties, headed out for the Pain Cave and, crossing the parking lot, spotted Fire Rescue in front of Painted Rock Lady’s unit.

She’s had a very hard time lately — in/out of the hospital for respiratory issues, then for a broken hip.

She has a good support system of neighbors who take care of her dog when she's hospitalized; look in on her, grocery shop, whatever she needs when released from the hospital to recuperate at home.

She has a little dog, and it was the dog that caused the first hip break by pushing her out of bed.

Her recent injury is yet another hip break and, believe it or not, the cause being pushed out of bed by the little dog.

"She probably needs a bigger bed", said I when being told of this latest injury; and it was said, "She’s been told she can no longer have the dog".

I'm assuming that came from the doctor, because she can't risk another fall or trip over the dog.

I dunno. The whole story of her dog trying to unalive her, pushing her out of the bed not once, but twice, sounds sus, but stranger things have happened.

At any rate, I don’t know what befell her this morning that Fire Rescue was at her door, but since they didn’t take her out on a stretcher, I’m guessing that since she’d still recouperating from the latest hip operation, can’t get around to fall, it must have been the breathing thing, maybe a problem with her oxygen tank.

Popping into the market after this morning’s workout, I got in line behind a woman who had just the cutest little kids in her cart — four of them, all Red Haired/Gingers.

They waved at me, I waved back. One asked "What are you doing here". "Buying tomatoes", said I and asked the mom if she does TikTok, know what’s being said about Gingers.

And here I got the gentle reminder Infinite Spirit sometimes gives me to not be so friendly when out and about because not everyone is friendly not everyone has a sense of humor.

Mom was cold and rigid in her response that NO. She doesn’t TikTok and could care less what is said about Gingers because she’s heard it all.

"It’s not bad" said I, and then thought that if she’s racist, she might see it as bad, so I said, "It’s not bad, depending on how you see things".

Mom had nothing to say, but her tense uptight body spoke volumes. So, I ended the attempt at being friendly with, "Well, you’ll have to figure out what’s being said for yourself", because I didn’t dare risk infuriating her further by telling her.

Maybe she’ll be curious, ask around, look it up. If not, no sweat off my back as I walked out of the market still smiling and in a good mood; but once again kicking myself for forgetting to not be so open and friendly when out and about because people are walking around angry, miserable, humorless and want to stay that way.

It’s a shame those cute kids have such a pill for a mom.

If you don’t TikTok, have no idea of the fun trend going around about Gingers …… A woman posted that people with "Red Hair are Black …… Gingers are Black".

She gives no evidence to support this hypothesis. It was just something she came up with and it’s gone viral.

Gingers are posting cool things about now being considered a part of the Black community; Black people are welcoming Gingers to the family, inviting them to the Cookout. It’s just a silly, feel-good, inclusive thing going around, distracting from so much which is ugly and exclusive.

Like this guy's posting of "My mood when learning Gingers are Black".

And prepping the kids for what to expect at the Cookout.