A strange evening

I left the gym this morning and was driving to the grocery when I was overcome by an extreme feeling of happiness.  It was the endorphins, and I love it when I get that feeling.  It doesn't happen all the time, but often enough that I keep hoping.

Now for last night.  I first should mention that I have a Tiffany style hanging lamp sitting in front of the door, just where Lady used to snooze and make sure no intruders bothered her nap.   I cleaned it up to give it to Ara after I replace the old cord.   The colors are amber, brown, etc., just the color of Lady at first glance.  But I never thought anything about that - it's just the lamp sitting there waiting for me to go buy a cord."

You can click on the photo to make it larger.  Now I know all my eagle-eyed readers will immediately say, "She's hallucinating, that's a LAMP!

Last night I was sitting here by myself playing mahjong on the computer and carrying on a texting conversation with my kids now and then.  They text and I do the same only from my computer.  There were a lot of thumps and bumps, especially after 11 pm, and it sounded like something was on the roof.  I hear birds up there now and then, but last night they had their Army boots on!

The sounds became more strange and I wasn't sure where they were coming from, but I kept glancing at Lady to see what she was making of it.  Of course Lady is actually that lamp!  At 11:30 there was a sound as if someone took a heavy bat and swung it at the front of my house.  Again I kept glancing in the direction of what my imagination was telling me was the dog.  I don't understand how I kept thinking it was anything but the lamp, but every time I heard a loud noise I looked for the dog's reaction.

I must add that the people in this park are not late night people.  There is never a sound after 9 or 10pm unless a helicopter flies overhead, or a fire engine is running their siren.  I have never, ever, been afraid in this house.  I feel totally safe here, no matter what happens all around me.  But I was nervous.  The popping sounds eventually became louder and  I realized they were fireworks going off in the municipal park, about 3 miles from me.  Just a few minutes before midnight I looked through the blinds and saw the fireworks display, and then I could settle down.  I wasn't expecting them because the city of Sacramento made such a big deal about not having fireworks this New Year's Eve.

The mind can play strange tricks on a person - I knew I have no dog, and I knew I had a lamp sitting there, but I kept glancing with every noise to see if the "dog" was reacting.  I couldn't control whatever part of my mind was being the joker! 

What a way to start the New Year!  I'm planning on having a great 2017, but I wonder if I am going to be tricked now and then.