Turtles, Lists and Toilet Brushes

[zig]

busting, ng, ss, vero, brit, labug, keep_going, NLW -

(((((((((( ))))))))))

thank you so much for all your replies. i know that i could sit and discuss with each of you what you wrote to me - your words are firmly embedded in my heart - but instead i'm going to tell the story of what happened today and maybe you will see what i saw, and know that i am really in a good place.

as my "stories usually go, it will be a little long - for me details always connect and are significant...every part of this story became an analogy, that i could connect to the events in my life



So right after I got that order almost 3 weeks ago, my serger broke - or started acting up. I was a bit perturbed because I really need it for the order. So I took it in to be serviced and repaired. A few days later, I picked it up, brought it home - it worked 2 or 3 times and then did the same thing again - the day before I was leaving for Houston. The same day, my sewing machine also started bunging up really bad, and so of course, I was a bit unnerved - I needed them both.

As soon as I got back, I took the sewing machine in to a different place. He told me it was a 2 week wait as there were 30 machines in front of mine. I said I understood, explained that I had just got my first order and if there was any way he could do it sooner I would really appreciate it. Not expecting it to be ready for at least a week.

The next morning he called and said it was ready - he'd just decided to do mine first! I was in awe!

Then I took the serger in to the other place. When I spoke to the guy on the phone he got real funny with me when I asked if I could come at the same time as the man who arrives to fix the sergers, so I could show him directly what I saw was happening. He growled at me that they weren't there to give me free lessons. So i just said ok i'll drop it off. before i went there i said to myself - zig, you don't know what's up in his world, don't get all demanding and het up - and i just relaxed.

When i went in (last friday morning) he was all smiles and told me that he'd probably have it ready on saturday and he'd give me a call, and of course I wouldn't have to pay more.

Well, tuesday came and no word, so I called, Long story about the guy who fixes the sergers hadn't come in yet because he was on vacation and then got hit by a semi in OKC and was in the hospital. what was odd was that the guy didn't call me back. then he says, leave the serger for a week and let's see if he's back. I just said very mildly - you know, if he got hit by a semi, he probably isn't going to be able to work within a week. I need to finish this work by the end of this week, so how about I just come get it and take it somewhere else.

So i took it to the shop where i had the sewing machine fixed. He had been very nice the first time, and so I explained - look i took it to dave's and this is what happened, so any chance you can fit me in?

he looked at me and said - i know i probably shouldn't be telling you this, but i know dave and he called me last week and asked if i could fix your serger. i was quite confused!! he told dave to send me over, which dave didn't.

he said - i'm fixing one machine right now - but i will look at yours and call you back in a couple of hours. which he did. turned out when i walked in, that the mistake was mine - i just wasn't feeding the fabric in correctly, and he spent about 15 mins showing me how. he also told me that this wasn't so much a mistake on my part as that the fabric was extremely challenging and most would have thought the machine was broken. he said until he figured out the settings and the way to feed it in, he was having the same problems i did.

I was happy to admit my mistakes and lack of knowledge and really appreciative that he took the time to show me, fully expecting to pay him for his time.

Then he told me what really happened. Dave didn't HAVE a guy that came in to fix sergers - he'd never had one. he'd taken my serger, blew the fluff out and drenched the whole thing with oil (which i had noticed and puzzled over as it was dripping out the bottom) and then had told me parts had been replaced and charged me $80! this guy had cleaned all the extra oil out and told me nothing had been wrong with my machine.

while we were talking i mentioned how i'd always "coveted" one of those fancy sergers - the ones where it automatically feeds the thread in and you don't have to do it manually that i simply hated. he went into detail of what the "hidden costs" were with that fancy kind that was all bells and whistles - and i was like, oh wow, here i was wanting something that i didn't even know what it was truly about. (get the analogy ?) and immediately lost my desire for it!

I said to this guy, and I really wasn't upset, quite calm about the whole thing - maybe i should call Dave and ask for at least some of my money back.

And this is what the guy said to me - and as I stood there and listened, I was almost ready to be scared -

"Here's what you need to do, zig. go home and let it go. just drop it from your mind. you need to tell yourself that this [censored] just happens and just cut your losses and move on. don't call dave or talk to him about it. I know dave, and he's going to hear from me about this. You just go home and make your baby things and be happy I showed you how to work it"

then he absolutely refused to take a dollar from me. i didn't want to just leave, so i asked him if he had any grandchildren. he perked up and said yes an 8 month old and a 3 yr old. i said well can i make something for them? and he was really happy.

and as i drove home i got a little scared and cried - i think it was just having been given such a strong strong message by the universe - cried a bit for accepting it and not resisting it any longer - scared because i knew that i would have to be really really brave.

then i read all your messages and you were all standing up for me so much - just like this guy, and all telling me to be happy anyway in myself - just like this guy.

and so dear sweet friends - i AM happy where I am - and mostly because between the good things going on in my world and the not so good things - both are teaching me so much.

suddenly i start to hear pema's message about the good things and the bad things being equal. from the "bad" that happened yesterday - so much good is already coming out of it - i learned so much about myself and h, and in the middle of all of this, mil called and gave me some beautiful advice on how to take care of myself in this kind of situation, and here i am feeling so well prepared for whatever comes my way.

my horoscope for this week said, you are feeling stuck, but just trust that the universe will give you the signs when it's time to move forward..

I think it did today, don't you?

love you all
(((((((((((((((((((((((to all my beautiful friends here))))))))))))))))))))))))))

zig