Joy and Chaos

Betsy at home with me

Monday was such a wonderful day. I finally was able to bring home Betsy, our new family member. She is three years old, has the most expressive and beautiful green eyes, and is a mother. She left her two several-months-old kittens behind. She was surrendered because of substance abuse problems in her old home. I am grateful that the owner surrendered her so that she could live a safe life forever. Betsy is now spayed. And my sidebar is now complete with one of the first photos of her. And of me. My new small family.

Betsy is very warm and loving. She lets me hold her, comes when I call her, purrs quietly, speaks softly, and follows me around. But if Nelly is about, she steps aside. Nelly's nose is definitely out of joint. She is not being aggressive; just passive-aggressive. Nelly still uses her biscuit blanket at night, which is good because it relaxes her body. Of course, I am giving Nell all the support that I can.

Betsy after exploring the cellar.

We had a warm and delightful Monday night. I was looking forward to Tuesday when I would begin a new mathematics curriculum with young students that need extra support. The weather for Tuesday was supposed to be as wonderful as it was on Monday. It was going to be perfectly warm after a hard frost.

But five miles east of home, I hit a deer. We certainly are used to watching for deer. The roads are mowed and trimmed to help drivers see them coming. We have even had two deer leap over the front hood as we drove. This was a small deer, no taller than the hood of the car. It came out of nowhere, as if it dropped from the sky. It was simply a terrible thing to experience. It was pulled under the car and the car went over it. All I can say is that I am glad it was killed instantly.

8 AM on Rte. 16

I pulled over to call…who? I decided to call the state troopers and completely forgot Fish & Wildlife. I couldn't get a signal, but a woman stopped and she could. I was told to wait for a trooper who would retrieve my car parts that had been taken off of the car in the collision. The owner of a house nearby and the woman then left for their jobs. 

While waiting, I listened to my audiobook, watched a flock of robins, and then heard the crows gathering for the poor deer's corpse. That was a bit too much for me, so I closed the window so that I couldn't hear them. Eventually, about five crows congregated in the tall trees. The flock of robins, once I turned my car off, were very happily looking for food in the grass.

There are crows up there.

A robin foraging for food.

But at 10 AM, two hours after the collision, I went home. I called the state trooper barracks in Derby but nobody responded to my voice mail. I called my mechanic, who did not return my call until it was dark out. I spent the day with Lucy, my cats (how nice it is to be able to say cats plural), reading, and wondering why I have not cried for the deer. 

The fender was "undone"

No front plate

The deer was gone this morning. I have learned from the staff at school that the state troopers have a list of families that will retrieve the deer for food. I punched the fender of my car back into place, but the front license plate and hardware are gone. Since I am disabled, it is unsafe for me to search for them in the ditch. It will cost $12 for DMV to replace the plates. I have no idea what Subaru will charge to replace and install the hardware to attach it. 

I grieve for the short life of the young deer. I am grateful that I am alright so that I can care for the dog and cats. I am grateful that my car doesn't need many repairs. I am so thankful that my youngest mathematics students are happy with the change in curriculum and that relationship-building can continue full tilt. They won't feel deficient now. And all the kids at school knew about the deer and the new cat and wanted to hear about both all day today. I am thankful for the quality of my life. 

Thankful Thursdays at
Brian's Home

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