Rain, rain, rain ... and more rain ...

  We've had a full day.  Went to the aquarium and lunch with our new pal Kris.  He's Kevin's co-worker's new room mate.  Kris is from Norway.  He's here in Seattle to experience the world and is going to school here.  He's a gem.  He and Jef have become such wonderful friends.  Kris was so great with Silas.  He was toting him around like a proud uncle.  At the aquarium, I told him, "dude, you keep holding Silas like that and you're gonna SCORE with the ladies."  The only cute ladies we saw were holding hands ... with one another.  So, either they are lesbians (he's outta luck) OR they were going for the family package like Heather and I did some weeks ago.  Again, if you're playing the role, YOU GOTTA COMMIT!   Damn!  I thought we were the only ones bucking the system!

  This morning, Kevin and I noticed a van outside of our building.  We're on the second floor of our building ... just above the welcoming green awning.  The van has been there for some days.  But, we noticed that a woman was just hanging out.  We wondered if she was living in it.  Then, I noticed her closing curtains, tidying up, putting on a huge backpack, and locking the door.  She walked away.  I KNEW that she was living in that van.  That is her home.  Now, I'm, certainly not rich.  My income, actually, puts me at poverty level.  But, I'm comfortable and happy and live in a quaint apartment with great family and pets.  But, I felt so sorry for this woman.  I loaded up a bag of canned goods, a trash magazine, some bananas, an apple, a nutrigrain bar, and other goodies.  I tied the bag to her rear-view mirror with the only string-ish thing I had ... A SPARKLY GOLD STRING FROM A BIRTHDAY GIFT.  I did it while she was gone, as I didn't want to embarrass her.  When I got back, it was gone ... well, the bag was gone.  The sparkly ribbon was still hanging from the mirror.  It was blowing in the wind, attached to the mirror.  So, I was sitting up in the apartment, looking down at her van from my window.   I was looking in hopes that I might see if she, herself, was rifling through the bag or was eating something that I had left for her.  I was worried that someone just took the bag off of her van.  I eventually sat down to surf the interweb when I heard someone whistling ... like they were calling an animal.  I looked out of my window (hiding behind my plants, like some psycho) and saw her letting a cute little black and white cat into the van.  She closed the door after the cat hopped in.   At that point, I told myself that crying wasn't an option.  Now, I have to admit, I CANNOT STAND A FRICKIN' BEGGAR.  People that incessantly panhandle, without returning the favor in whatever way they can, annoy the hell out of me.  If you can find a way to repay the favor ... ANY WAY ... I'm fine with it.  Sing me a song, tell me joke, give me a hug, or do a magic trick for my son.  If you sit on a street corner, asking other people for help, DO NOT DRAG A HELPLESS ANIMAL INTO YOUR SHIT!!!!!!!!!!  If you cannot feed yourself, DO NOT GET A DAMNED DOG!!!!!   I don't feel sorry for you ... normally.  OH, AND BY THE WAY, IF YOU CANNOT FEED YOURSELF, DO NOT GET PREGNANT ... THERE IS SUCH A THING AS PLANNED PARENTHOOD.  I've been there, when I didn't have insurance, to get my annual "girly" exam ... you know the PAP SMEAR.   They might as well have handed me a bag of condoms when I walked in the door, as they were "strategically" placed EVERYWHERE!!!!!   They were free.   Don't be lazy, folks.  But again, I digress ...

  I don't ALWAYS throw money at folks that seem to need it, as I probably need it more than them.  But, I do sometimes feel moved to do so.  I, as stated above, typically don't buy into people that are homeless and have animals.  But, this woman wasn't ASKING for anything.  She is, simply, living.  Living outside of my small BUT warm and cozy apartment with her pretty kitty.  So, in any case, I remembered that we got a coupon for a free bag of cat food.  We got the food the other day.  I got the bag and just went down to her van and acted ignorant.  "Um, do you happen to have a cat?"  She said, "Um, yeah."  I just told her that we had gotten lots of coupons for cat food.  I told her that all this food was probably going to expire.  I asked if she wouldn't mind taking some of it off our hands.  She said, "Well, sure.  Thanks so much.  My cat's getting angry that I keep feeding her(?) dog food."  I didn't mention the groceries from earlier in the day.  It's a big city.  That could have been anyone.

  Later tonight I heard Kevin's voice outside.  He had, apparently, come home from band practice.  He had, also, blown my cover.  He walked up to her van, as the door was open.  He introduced himself and pretty much told her that I was the one "secretly" dropping off all this crap.  Men aren't the most subtle creatures.  I was pissed at first.  But, when he made it up to the apartment, he said, "Well, Karen is so thankful for the cat food.  Oh, and I told her that you were the one that gave her all the food.  Sorry."  Really?   I had NO F-ing clue!  He went on to say that she has a job interview on Friday.  Whether thats the truth or not, who knows?  I don't care.  Kevin asked her if she had any candles or a light in the van.  She said no.  So, I sent him down there with some candles, some (more) flowers, a wind-up flashlight, and a copy of "The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood."  It's the only book that, I think, I have 2 copies of.   He, himself, told her that he was home on Thursday night.  I work late.  He said that if she would like to come up to the apartment, while he was here to supervise, she could come and take a bath or shower to get herself cleaned up for her interview on Friday.  Again, we don't know if she actually HAS an interview.  Honestly, I could care less.  Pretty wonderful that my husband doesn't think I'm crazy AND is actually offering to supervise her showering in the apartment ...................... WAIT A MINUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

  I will finish this by saying that I'm not writing this to prove to ANY of you that I'm a saint or a  great person.  I'm not writing in hopes that I get responses showering me with, "Oh, ya'll are so wonderful!"  I already know that we're bad asses:  Kevin and I can rock a karaoke bar like Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton ... my son can make the iciest person in a room melt into a hot mess ... I have HUGE franken-titties ... Kevin's band is getting back together AND he just got a raise at work ... we have the coolest families and friends that this universe has EVER seen ...  Our jobs ROCK!  So, I'm pretty fine with myself.  I'm, probably, better off than most folks I know.

  I'm just writing this because it's my blog and I blog ... I'm a "blogger."  I'll blog you outta the blog-damned state, if you cross me!  

  Seriously.  I feel like helping this woman.  If she proves me wrong, great.  I'm so fine with that.  But, what does it hurt to try to help someone out ... especially, someone that NEVER asked for help in the first place.

xoxo

Anna