In Spite of Everything . . . | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: Please join me in welcoming Author Michele Rhem, who presents us with her poignant memoirs of the Rabbit Patch, where her diaries weave tales of a simpler, expressive life lost to many, but gathered together in her most familiar environs - the Rabbit Patch.

    The sun did not cast a shadow today. I wore a coat on Thursday-and I was not sorry for that. A misty rain fell off and on all day. It was the kind of rain that reminded you of how light snow falls. November is always full of "silver days". A lot of leaves have become vibrant shades of yellow, red and orange. . .a lot of leaves have fallen too. At long last, I can declare that autumn has come to the rabbit patch.

    We have not built a fire in the farmhouse, yet, though a hard freeze is in the forecast for tomorrow night. We have taken to using blankets and wearing warmer "night clothes". The windows are all down and Christopher Robin is content with being a "well mannered" house cat, these days.

    I have adjusted to the "time change" and thankfully so. It is now light when I drive to work and I get home before dark. My heart goes out to those that work late enough that they must drive home after sunset. In a fortnight, the days will naturally grow longer and so it really is a short lived ordeal, after all.

    My grandmother lived her last years at the rabbit patch. She remained wise all of her life, but occasionally got confused about things, that looking back, didn't really matter. The changing of the clocks confused her, the last year. She thought I would be working more hours and blamed the school. I explained it several times, but to no avail. It bothered her to think I would be home less. I kept on trying to make her see that it wasn't so- and so then she claimed the school was changing the time. Finally, I said "Grandmama, the school is not changing the time"-plain and simple. Grandmama asked "then who is?" I thought about that a second or so and said . . "the government." This satisfied Grandmama and we went on to talk about supper, almost immediately.

    The blanket of dense clouds caused night to fall almost suddenly. The mist changed over to light rain. The steady rhythm of the raindrops on the fresh fallen leaves was soothing . I had forgotten this type of sound, that only happens in November, when autumn leaves are scattered over the territory.

    Friday

    School is closed today, in honor of Veterans' Day, and so I decided to sleep a bit later, Kyle woke me at four, as I usually get up when he does. He was a bit alarmed, but I reminded him that school was closed. The house was chilly and it felt so good not to have to stir at that dark hour. Christian came in at six to rouse me. This woke Cash, who needs to go out the second he wakes. Christopher Robin goes out with Cash and so he started crying . . .well, I got up and made coffee. The sky was the familiar "silver" and a cool wind was blowing. I expect we will build a fire tonight as the weatherman reminded us again of the hard freeze. I will gather the last of the roses today . . and I will call Mr. Ellis.

    With Thanksgiving being just "around the corner" . . .the oven stopped working, this week. I have a two oven stove. It is an older model and I can not complain . . but I want to. Thankfully, I found another one-used of course, that may be delivered today. The "refund check" that I received on Monday-and was marked for Christmas, will cover the cost. I want to complain about that, too. Instead, I will remember, that things always work out somehow. I have lived "paycheck to paycheck" for a long while. I buy food at "sale prices" and wear second-hand clothes. We have never missed a meal and always have what we need. It is "second nature" for me to practice thrift, now. I have many accounts similar to the "the oven and the the refund check".

    A few years back, on the day of Christmas Eve, I had driven to town to get a few things that would complete my shopping. I did especially well and was so satisfied with my purchases. Somehow, I had managed to buy a few extra gifts. I wanted to celebrate this and decided to splurge and buy supper "out" for the boys and I. It was raining and dark, when I called home to tell the boys how happy I was and that I was bringing supper home. When I hung up, the car cut off, in the rain, on the highway. I mean stopped altogether. Things went down hill quickly. Kyle, Daddy and two neighbors came to get the car, in that cold rain. Daddy had the car pulled to his house. These things shake me to the core. Later on, when we were all safely in, Daddy went over all the things that may have caused the car to shut off. They were all expensive and I couldn't have afforded a one of them. I was glad that I had another week off to figure things out. I made up my mind that I would not feel guilty, for spending an extra hundred dollars on gifts, nor buying supper. I vowed to enjoy Christmas . . and pray. People laugh because I am apt to pray about anything.

    Early Christmas morning, Daddy called and said I had a special present this year. He was bringing my car home. He had looked at the car, as the rain had stopped that morning, and found a loose wire. That was all it was. We hung up and I started laughing and crying at the same time. I realised, I was always cared for, things always work out . . I was thankful and told God so. It seems really, I always have money, but rarely do I get to record it in my ledger or store it up in a bank.

    Truthfully, we all must "Walk by Faith, not by sight." as it is written. This does not encourage me to live irresponsibly. . . and I continue to learn and understand more. My dear friend, Rae has shown me by her example.

    Rae had stopped working in March, two years ago . This was unexpected and Rae was trying to adjust. In April, Raes' husband died suddenly. This too, was unexpected. Rae was just heartbroken and the future was daunting. Rae, like me lives in a big old house. Her sons are grown and married with children. I asked Rae a year or so later , how she was doing financially. She had never shown a great deal of stress about money, but she is not a "big spender" by nature. Rae told me that she never worried about money and yet her income was very meager. I asked her how she never felt to worry. Rae said "God always provided and she trusted in that." She was so very "matter of fact". I started laughing as I told her that "she acted like God had plenty of money, while I acted like He had $10.00!"

    How privileged I am to live this beautiful life. It seems of little consequence to worry. In spite of everything, I expect things to work out . . .because, really- they always do.

    Dear Rabbit Patch Diary, I am glad for "November rain" and silver skies. I am glad for friends, like Rae, who bring light to my life and prove my wealth over and over. . . and I am very glad that there is a "peace that passes understanding."