The following updates

I just got this email--from Angie's List (of which I've never been a member):

"Linda, your house is 71 years old; we recommend the following updates....."

According to Angie, my house is a year younger than myself and we both have a lot of history, wrinkles, crooked parts and bulges. She's an expression of how I've changed since living here, a never-ending project . I love her exactly as she is, and  I wouldn't swap her for a newer or trendier model. 

I had a minor surgery on my toe this week, the removal of a wart by a podiatrist who x-rayed my feet three times each, revealing that I have crooked toes, just like my mama's. Luci is very attentive to the toe, red and swollen and smelling like the iodine I soak it in.  

I would prefer to have inherited other Carlene-qualities than crooked toes, but as long as I have my memory and can attend to updates as needed, I can live with crooked toes and bone on bone knees.  I won't need Angie to remind me that it's time for new knees, and I'll figure out--as Carlene does--how to find shoes to work around less than perfect toes.

Luci and I went to Artisan's Alley to get paint.  When we went up the stairs, she slowed down to match my pace.  Same thing when we went back down.  When I step off a curb, I find that the counterweight of her ten pounds on the end of the leash is exactly what I need for balance. 

I made myself a rib-eye steak last night.  I followed Kate's instructions and it was the best steak I've ever made.  Luci sat at my feet patiently, licking her lips, but never begged--though I couldn't resist giving her a couple of bites, which she took ever so delicately in her mouth.

Painting yesterday required getting on the floor, back up, back down again--each of which was accompanied by the usual groans.  Luci came running and licked me, her gesture of helping me up.  

If ever I knew an angel, this girl's gotta be the Top Dog Angel.  She's an extraordinary little friend who's doing her part to keep me youngish.  She loves every friend and every stranger she's ever met.  I can't count the number of people who have knelt down to pet her.  A little boy in Tuesday Morning  said to his dad, "Can we pet Luci one more time?".....then "Bye, Luci, I love you!" 

She has such a big and vibrant personality that it always surprises me how tiny she actually is.  If, like my house and me, she needs any updates or changes, I can't imagine what they are.