I did it again, found another memory cloud. This one was on purpose. I was killing time yesterday in preparation for my granddaughter’s area track meet. So, I went shopping. I was going to a big box sporting goods store. As I walked up to the store, however, I spotted a Kirkland’s right next door. It once was a ubiquitous mall store that sold home furnishings. It was the perfect place for a no money couple to shop, and we did, and it brightened up our home. I went in, walked around, puffed up once with tears, and bought a garden gnome that was on sale.

We have a garden and garden’s need gnomes to sit in quiet corners and remind people that if you look close enough you’ll find an unexpected pleasure now and again. And that reminds me that I have little ceramic birds we bought at Kirklands long ago in the current garden and I might need to relocate them because the lavender they formerly accented is now full and lush and probably hiding them. And that brings me to the track meet, which had one sad moment when the granddaughter failed to qualify for the 300 hurdles but was otherwise full of joy.

She had already qualified for region in the long jump when the running started. Her 4X100 team proceeded to place third and secure a spot in next weeks big meet. Then came the pièce de resistance, the 4X400. The last race of the night. Her team was seeded fourth with a time close to the four minute mark. They then proceeded to beat that mark by running a 3:50. They were in sixth when the granddaughter took the baton on the third leg and second when she handed it to the anchor who proceeded to bring it home. They won the race. The team won he meet. Everyone was shouting. Everyone was happy. And as senior seasons go, I think this one is turning out to be pretty memorable.

John W. Wilson is the author of The Long Goodbye: A Caregiver's Tale