Lucy

Happy Birthday Uncle Dick!!!
Today is my favorite Uncle, my Uncle Dick's 75th Birthday. So in honor of his big day and one of the loves of his life, his doggie Lucy, I painted a portrait of Lucy for his birthday gift.
    Earlier this week, I enlisted my Aunt, his sister who lives in Seattle, to send him an early Birthday email and to ask him, somehow, to send her photos of his dog. So my Aunt, respecting the time sensitive nature of this request, (This was Tuesday, his birthday is today, Sunday, and he lives in a different state than me) , she promptly emailed him and a day later, she happily sent me photos of Lucy and I set to painting.

Miss Lucy

    On Friday,with the painting finished, and the birthday 2 days away, I headed into town, 15 minutes away, leaving two sick kids at home, so I could mail the package overnight express, something my teensy country one room post office cannot do. Mailing the package was a breeze, I jumped into the car and headed home to my sick babies. I went to call them, to say I was on my way and could not find my phone. Arrrggghhhh, I had only been one place, I knew it had to be back at the Post Office. So I did a U-Turn, and went back.

    I walked back up to the attendant who had helped me, and he not only did not have my phone, he looked at me as if he had never seen me before in his life. Geez, talk about no short term memory. So I left my name and home number and walked out the door. Back in my car and on the road, my mind started to wander and I thought, "If I get all the way home, and they find my phone, then I am going to have to come all the way back. What more can I do -it HAS to be there!!!?" and then I  had a brilliant idea: I would  Go back to the post office and borrow someones phone and call my cell phone, and listen to it ring and find it and go back to my little life. So, another U-turn and pissing off a few impatient drivers, I went back, yet again to the post office.

    When I initially mailed my package, the post office was jam packed, a line out the door and the wait was 20 minutes. Now, 30 minutes later, it was nearly empty, just a few people rushing in on their lunch hours, to answer whether or not there is anything "hazardous, liquid or perishable" in their  mail. But I found one tall guy and asked him if he could call my phone. He said "do you want to dial it or do you want me to?" I said, "you dial" and he did. We stood there, stock still, I might have even attempted to hit an invisible mute button on the room so I could listen for my phone. Nothing. But then,  wait, I could hear it! But where? Over there by the cards?, No, At the desk? No....where????and then from the back of the post office and employee shouts out, "Got it!!" and brings forward a box, which is the box containing Uncle Dicks painting...and my phone.
Found it!!!

The Post Office Guy, everyone there in fact, had a really good laugh. I think he said something like "Now THIS is a good Friday laugh!" And I said "I wish I could tell you that this is the first time!"
Happy to oblige. Very Happy to Oblige.

Happy Birthday Uncle Dick, I Love You