It stormed much of the day. Since Campbell is frightened of storms now, I didn’t get a whole lot done. I spent most of the day reassuring him that the world truly wasn’t ending. He finally calmed down late this afternoon and is asleep now. Thor best not start banging round up there again else we’ll have to have a talk.

Anyhow, after things settled, and I’d had some supper, I decided that while Campbell was napping, I was going to get one thing on my to do list today done.

I’ve been threatening for a while now to rearrange the furniture in the bedroom.

I wanted to move the bed against the wall so I could prop up in bed and use my Laptop in the evenings when I can’t sleep, or in the afternoons when my back is hurting from sitting at the desk too long. I also wanted to put the chest of drawers, which by the way stands nearly to my chest over into the corner at the foot of the bed, so I could put the fan onto it.

So, once I’d rested my stomach from supper, I turned on an audiobook and began.

At first, things went well. I picked up everything laying round in the floor. I stripped the bed clothes off the mattress and box springs and gathered up mine and Campbell’s stuffed animals. I piled everything into the recliner over in the living room and then, the fun began.

I realized as I was grunting the chest of drawers across the floor that it might have been a great idea if I’d emptied it first, but I persevered and soon, though all my back muscles were complaining I’d gotten it where I wanted. The bedroom isn’t all that big, and so in truth it really didn’t take that long.

“Hmmm? Maybe all those leg lifts, squats, and crunches I’ve been sweating through each day for a month now are starting to pay off.” I congratulated myself as I began readying to move the bed.

Now, keep in mind, the mattress and box springs sit on the floor, so I thought it would just be a matter of starting them scooting and I’d get their momentum going and over the floor to the wall they’d go.

“Humph! Umph! Humph!” I grunted as sweat dripped off my forehead, into my eyes, while simultaneously sliding down my nose.

I pushed! I shoved, and finally resorted to flinging curses before I finally got the blasted thing where I wanted it.

“Phew! I did it!” I sighed triumphantly as I threw myself down onto the bed.

“OWWWW!” I screamed as I landed.

The pain that went through my middle rivaled almost every contraction I had during the 11 and ½ hours of labor I spent having my daughter. Almost.

I curled up in a ball and then realizing my mistake, though it hurt I quickly unrolled myself and began rubbing the Charlie horse out of my abdomen.

“Gods! Who knew you could have a Charlie horse there?” I said as I worked to slow my breathing and bring my heartrate back down to something other than a rat-a-tat-tat beat.

Finally, I’d returned to a reasonable normal and began preparing to vacuum. I went round the room on my hands and knees in an effort to assure there weren’t any stray socks, or hair scrunchies lurking in the corners waiting with evil intent to go into the vacuum to break the belt or get stuck in the hose.

When I was satisfied all was clear I retrieved the vacuum from the hall closet, straightened out the cord, plugged it in and set to work.

It soon became apparent that the vacuum wasn’t picking anything up. I stopped the motor, checked the dirt tank only to find it was empty.

“What the bloody hell?” I demanded of the wretched thing. “Why will you not work?” I grumbled as I shook it to see if anything might fall out.

After several minutes of trying unsuccessfully to dislocate whatever might be clogging up the works, I gave up and threw the thing back into the closet slamming the door in disgust and headed to the kitchen for the broom.

Have you ever swept carpet? Although this carpet isn’t thick, it has a mighty grip on that which is stuck within. But, with much effort, more curses and sweating I managed to sweep up quite a pile of dust bunnies and fur balls.

Now, as I sit here propped in bed, with Campbell curled at my feet, the fan blowing on me and thunder rumbling in the distance yet again, (Thor! Shut! Up!) I feel a sense of great accomplishment.

I’m not sure what muscles in my back and stomach I’ve pulled but they’re howling fiercer than the wildest of wildcats.

I’m quite certain I’ll pay for this tomorrow.

For tonight, I’m going to enjoy the fruits of my labor.

Patty L. Fletcher

Self-Published Author and Social Media Promotional Assistant

Email: patty.volunteer1@gmail.com

Website:  http://www.campbellsworld.wordpress.com/ .

Food For Thought

We all are the Light, automatically. So we really don’t have to go too much further than that. We all have a Light within us – it is the Soul; it is that spark of God, of the Divine, that activates our consciousness.

-John-Roger, DSS

Source: New Day Herald website