The Bucket

It was an ordinary bucket, much like you can pick up at Home Depot. A 5 gallon homer bucket in white. As I drove 65 miles per hour, I saw the bucket on the side of the road. Yet, it did not stay on the side of the road because a gust of wind blew it right in front of my car. I had no choice but to run over it. I could hear a rasping sound as I dragged the bucket underneath my car. Looking for an exit so I could get underneath the car and pull the bucket out I had to drive about two miles. I drove unto the exit and felt the bucket release my car. I looked in my rear view mirror and saw the bucket, smashed and unusable in the middle of the exit. I hoped that someone else would not have the misfortune of running it over again.

Now I had to get back on I-76 and had to drive back the way I had come on a frontage road until I could get back on the highway. It took about twenty-five minutes to get back to going in the right direction and continue my journey to Greeley.

A few moments of wondering what I was going to do, wondering if I had damaged something underneath my car, and wondering how I could have been so lucky as to have the bucket plop down in front of my car, I prayed that all would be fine. Evidently it was fine because I didn't seem to have done any damage.  I arrived at my destination about an hour later and everything seemed to be all right.

"A plastic bucket

can be used for repairs

but not good if it is

dragged underneath a

car until it tears away.

 Never should it be on a highway

on any given day!"

E. Moscoso

Karaoke Fun

Three years ago I suggested that our 200 plus group try Karaoke. My idea did not go over with the committee because no one would want to do it and the members preferred to come to eat and socialize. Finally, this year we decided to try it. A couple, J & J Karaoke, were hired to entertain the group. I hoped it would go over and people would have fun. No one knew, especially me, that Karaoke would be such an overwhelming success!

Groups were formed, singers placed their name on a list with their favorite songs and some just danced to the music. The lady J went around like a cheer leader encouraging everyone to get up and sing. When she got around to me, I picked Patty Page's How Much Is That Doggie in the Window. I do not sing in public. I do not have a voice that can sing without hitting flat notes so I was hesitant in signing up but J insisted and cheered me on. When she said, "Don't worry, I will sing along with you!" I thought, what the heck.

 The brave singer who was first, sang Patsy Cline's Crazy.  Frank Sinatra was a popular pick with three men singing solos of My Way. A Deacon sang Jambalaya and even did some yodeling.  One man sang New York, New York, and a woman sang That's Amore. There was a trio, a quartet, and many more single singers. The spectators joined in and as I looked around the room, everyone seemed to be smiling and happy!

The finale was every one singing Que Sera, Sera and everyone left humming a favorite tune!

The luncheon was bratwurst, sauerkraut, potato salad and beets while the dessert tables were filled with lots of yummy goodies. Good food, great entertainment, friendship and sitting at creative decorated tables made for a perfect lunch for the Young At Heart gathering!

Makes Me Wonder

How does a penny end up in the middle of my driveway? I walk across my driveway daily to pick up my mail. Back and forth and never have I see the penny I spotted yesterday. It is a beat up penny that has probably been run over many times and maybe I have even stepped on it. It has been hailed, rained and snowed on but I have never seen the penny on my driveway.

I am always happy to find a penny because I believe my son puts them in my path to let me know he is doing all right. How frustrating it must have been for him to put the penny down and then for me never to see it.  Yesterday, when found the penny, I think we were both happy!

Not too long ago I found a penny at a grocery store and I put it in my jean pocket. When I got home and was getting ready for bed, I pulled off my jeans and the penny fell on my bedroom carpet. To this day I have not picked it up because I think of my son every time I see the penny. I vacuum around it and I step over it.

One day the penny was not there. I did not move it so I wondered how it had moved and what had happened to it. As I looked for it, I found it near the dresser. My question is, how did it move from the middle of the room to an area near my dresser? Maybe there is a reasonable explanation but it still puzzles me and knowing how my son loved to play tricks on me, I wonder.

A Walk Around A Lake

There were about fifty persons at the 9:00 o'clock mass at Spirit of Christ Catholic Community. After mass the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament took place and then the procession began. The young Deacon wore a gold chasuble trimmed in red with a gold humeral veil, (vestment that covers shoulders and hands of priest or deacon that carry the Blessed sacrament in the beautiful golden and
spiked monstrance.

Four persons carried a canopy with the Deacon with the Blessed Sacrament walking underneath the  gold fringed canopy.

The walkers left the church and proceeded down Vance Street, down 81st street to Lake Arbor and around the 1.2 mile lake before returning to Spirit of Christ.  Along the way there was singing and reciting the rosary.  The voices echoed over the blue water on the beautiful fall day.

Back at the church after benediction there were hamburgers and hot dogs for those who walked around the lake for life.

"An early morning walk

is a blessing for the

whole day."

Thoreau

Luke or Hamilton

Every day I have to make a decision on whether to read about the interesting fellow by the name of Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow or about Luke's teachings in the Bible.  Hamilton happened to be a book club selection and has 738 pages and was chosen at the same time that I began classes in Luke, The Gospel of Mercy. In studying Luke I will travel through different parts of the Bible which is also a large book!

Both books are interesting, though in parts quite tedious. One thing I realized as I read Hamilton, was why it had become such a sensation on Broadway. Hamilton led an interesting life and Chernow portrays him well through his letters with people in his life. I feel as if I am learning American history all over again, and then some.

Luke was a disciple of St. Paul and learned the gospel from him. He was a Gentile and a physician but had knowledge of the Jewish culture and Greek language. He writes about the life of Christ and miracles performed. I find the readings to be interesting and inspiring. In Luke's writings I am beginning to see a more realistic Christ living his life as a grown man.

My hope is that at the end of these two books, when I try to recall  parts of history, I do not confuse the two main characters!

Pure Love

St. Francis of Assisi is known for his love of animals. Artist depict him surrounded by birds, wolves, cats, sheep, dogs; if it's an animal, St. Francis is there also. At. Spirit of Christ Catholic Community in Arvada, the white statue of St. Francis is with a large dog and a bird. Sometimes, real dogs get in the picture!

On Sunday, October 7, 2019, the annual blessing of the animals took place in the garden. Last year I remember there were cats, hedgehog, fish and dogs. One year I have been told someone brought a horse to the blessing. This year it was all dogs. I guess what surprised me was the love between the dogs and their owners. Some dogs were well behaved and obeyed, while others seemed rowdy and enjoyed barking at the other dogs. One of my favorite photos is a man holding a small Chihuahua. The look of love the master gives his dog, to me, is very tender.

I love the expressions on the dogs as I took their pictures. If a human was in the picture, I could tell how proud they were of their pet. The two deacons went around and blessed every dog present by sprinkling holy water on them I did not hear one dog complain!

"The love we give to a pet

and receive from a pet,

can draw us more deeply

into the circle of life, into

the wonder of our common

relationship to our Creator."

From the Internet

Continuing Saga With Hertz Rent A Car

Yesterday I heard from AAA and was told that whomever they spoke with had told them that I had signed the contract and there was nothing that could be done. AAA feels badly about my predicament and will send me a voucher for a car rental in the future. I thought that was extremely kind of them since they were not involved with Hertz, other than look into my problem.

I placed a question on Facebook about my dilemma with the Arvada Branch of Hertz. It was suggested to contact Fox 31 Denver Problem Solvers and I did. I also wrote the letter below to the manager of the Arvada Hertz office.

October 4, 2018

Kaylee Woodford
Branch Manager
Hertz Rentals
5595 Sheridan Blvd.
Arvada CO 80002

Dear Ms. Woodford:

I rented a car from Hertz on September 28, 2018 for $45.06 but when I returned the car on October 1, 2018, I was told the charge would be $72.55. I explained that the young man who had waited on me had told me that Hertz had unlimited mileage. You told me that probably because I had rented it through AAA, that they had the blurb of 180 free miles with .20 per mile over the mileage allowed. When I complained and told you I had not rented the car through AAA,  you told me, "you should have read the contract." I explained that I did not read the contract because "Dan" had told me Hertz "never charges for miles." You advised me to call the Billing Department. I did and "Rita" told me that because I had signed the contract, I had to pay the charges.

My next move was to contact AAA to find out why the ad under Hertz Rentals had "free mileage" and since Ms. Woodford had said I had probably rented through AAA, even though I kept telling her I had not rented the car through AAA,  I wanted to know why the fees were different than the original rental price. I spoke to Paula at AAA and she tried to get to the bottom of why I was being charged mileage since AAA has unlimited mileage for Hertz. She told me  if I had rented through them no mileage would have been charged. I heard from her today and she repeated what she had been told by whomever she had talked with that there was nothing she could do because I had signed the "contract."  So, I am back to you Ms. Woodford. 

Either you have false advertisement under the Hertz name because even if that blurb had printed up on the Rental Record #109066440,  neither Dan or I saw it and  he told me that  Hertz had unlimited mileage. I took his word for it but I can now see it seems to have been an error on both of our parts. Me for not reading what I signed and Dan for believing and telling me that Hertz had unlimited mileage. At one point you told me that the person who had waited on me was no longer with the company. I found that odd because the young man was sitting at the computer in front of us!

As I told you when I was in your office, I would never have rented the car through you if I had known about the mileage being charged and also, as I explained to you,  I am on a fixed income and only budgeted for the original price of $45.06. Makes me wonder if Hertz has false advertisement by telling customers that Hertz never charges for miles and then at time of payment there is an added charge for mileage?

Please let me know if there is any way to be charged the original $45.06 since when I was in your office you heard Dan say he had no idea that Hertz ever charged for mileage.  I believed him and  I am sorry for this misunderstanding. I don't mean to be beating a dead horse but  I hope, since you are the manager at the Sheridan office, that you can do something to help me.

Thank you.

P.S.  Fox 31 Denver Problem Solvers has been informed of my problem.

I sent the letter registered so I will know that it was received. My future blog will be the outcome of my saga with Hertz!

Depending on what I hear from Ms. Woodford, I have the CEO's email address and she will be my next contact person if my dilemma cannot be settled locally.