Living In High Cotton

Louis and I went to visit BFF from high school and her family this weekend.  It was lovely :)  BFF from high school lives in a land far, far away.  It is so very different from where I live.  It's a charming and OLD town. 

I was telling Louis about how much fun we would have, and he listened quite intently:

He was an excellent traveling companion!

I met some of BFF from high school's friends for the first time, and we celebrated by having one too many cocktails.  Bliss!

Louis had a playmate for the weekend.  He is called Poco, which is Spanish for "a little".  Quite appropriate, wouldn't you say?

They became fast friends, and played each day to the point of exhaustion!  As a reward for being such good little boys, BFF from high school and I took the little muffins out for a shopping trip.  Louis is the proud new owner of this collar:

And this new sweater:

Finally, Louis picked out a new toy.  It "cackles" and sounds very spooky.  He absolutely loves it!

It is always hard to leave BFF from high school's house.  I just want to stay.  BUT...alas...it was time to head back. 

So, there I was driving along in the pouring rain when I saw a car ahead of me hydroplane and go down into a ditch!  I made a U Turn as soon as possible to make sure the driver was okay.  Turns out he was fine.  Which is good.  BUT.....

As soon as I re-started my car it refused to switch into 2nd gear.  It just wanted to stay in first!  Can we say transmission problem.  Grr....

Louis was so tired he wasn't even able to hold his head up anymore.  He just wanted to get HOME.

I felt the same way.  **sigh**

Two hours later the tow truck driver arrived to put my car up on a flat bed truck.  I was 60 miles from Smalltown, VA.  The good news is that Louis and I were safe.  I made it to a country store where they didn't mind if I parked for a few hours.  They kept coming out to check on us.  They brought Louis water.  I read my book and stayed nice and warm and dry.  Louis slept.  Considering what could have happened, it wasn't really that bad I suppose.

BFF from high school pointed out that perhaps the man who drove into the ditch was my guardian angel.  Perhaps if I had not slowed down, then had engine trouble, some terrible fate could have awaited Louis and I up the road. When I thought about it that way, I felt very lucky to be sitting in front of the country store :)

Thank goodness the car is still under warranty, so it's at the dealership AGAIN.  They say they will get to it when they can.  Whatever.  It's just a car.

I'm feeling very thankful today.  Thankful for roadside assistance.  Thankful for the best friends ever.  Thankful for my health, and Louis'.  Thankful for my job and my home, and even my car...troublesome as it may be at the moment. 

I'm thankful that I am the type of person who would slow down to help someone when they drive into a ditch.  I'm thankful that I care enough about people to do so. 

I'm thankful that I got to see a field full of cotton plants that were just bursting! 

My daddy used to tell me, when I would complain about not having something, that compared to many we were "living in high cotton".  Have you ever heard that saying before?  Every time I do it makes me smile:)

I've been blessed in life to always find myself living in high cotton.  Even when my bank account wasn't much, the people in my life have made it so very rich....and I know how lucky I am.   Last night, sitting on the side of the road, all of my friends were calling to check on me.  They each volunteered to drive the 60 miles to where I was to sit with Louis and I.  They wanted to be sure I felt safe. 

I truly am living in high cotton.

T