Dear Reader:

I knew that Jeff, my amazing lawn maintenance magician, was coming early yesterday morning… and he did… arriving around 7:30 … as I was groggily trying to get my heart re-started.

As I glanced out the windows I realized why my body didn’t wake up as easily as usual… a dense fog… surrounded the house, garden and neighborhood. I quickly threw on some clothes and ran out to meet Jeff who was calmly shrugging off the fog … as he started climbing on the roof to blow off pine straw debris… as I watched from below muttering a prayer for safety for Jeff. ( My fingers clutched my mobile phone ready to dial 911 in a split second. )

Half an hour later Jeff was down… roof cleared and a mountain of debris grew higher and higher as he continued cleaning and clearing the gardens, yards, sidewalks and car pavements.

He was still working when I left to go to Daniel Island to drop some items off for Ben and meet his good friend Gary who has several patients at Wellmore-he is a physical therapist and has been so kind to Ben taking him around Charleston just to get him out and about.

The fog had not dissipated, as predicted by early morning weathermen … so while slowly crossing the Don Holt Bridge I could see the fog rising in bellows while driving-scary but awe- inspiring at the same time!

Jeff told me that he hoped I would be surprised when I got home later from my visit at all the branches, tree limbs, pinecones and dead debris gone from every part of the property… I texted him a Triple Wow when I returned home and saw my home surrounded by such an ” orderly” state of affairs.

…Bushes and trees were cut back ( even cut down completely -the ugly shrubs.) Now I know that nature’s order and man’s don’t always coincide as more leaves will fall, finally completely covering the lawns, blooms fade, flowers die, bright colors turn dark and bare trees wave their eerie branches like skeletal arms and fingers.

But while living in this one moment… this is what I saw! Clean roof, clear driveways , clear gardens without pinecones, sprays, sticks, branches… clean patio- a rare moment of ” orderliness ” in nature. It won’t last long …” But my candle burns at both ends… It will not last the night… But ah, my foes and oh, my friends- It gives a lovely light.” *** It made me deliriously happy!

Today is my favorite day- Winnie the Pooh

… And now my internal soulful question to the universe… ” Does Jeff do indoor house cleaning?” 😉