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Tuesday, September 16th, 2008
Debbie

I wasn't going to blog this story. I figured everyone had heard enough about me and DBCC cookies and my tendency to give them to everyone (including courtesy rides and maintenance men who work at my house). After reading some of the comments and feeling some of the negative emotions on Humzoo tonight, I decided to go for it. If you aren't interested, I'm sure there will be better blogs and photos so feel free to pass on this one.

I moved here 6 years ago (nearly) and brought a big dog, Lucky, who had spent his life chained in a fenced yard. He had to be chained because he jumped the fence. My main criteria for the house was a very tall fence and a big yard. I foolishly assumed that Lucky would remain an outside dog and the high fence and large yard would be his domain. That lasted a few months and he was a member of the family and in the house. So, the huge yard wasn't needed that much but he still enjoyed it and the tall fence did keep him safe. I lost him too many years ago and planned on moving but never got around to it for various reasons. For years I struggled to maintain this huge yard on my own but did a very poor job of it. Being in a fertile place, it grows and has lots of weeds and the blackberry bushes turning into trees overnight. I usually had someone come and do a spring clean-up to give me a headstart on the summer but it was very expensive and I could only afford the one hit and struggled the rest of the time on my own.

What does this have to do with someone named Debbie? Two years ago I went to the library and noticed the bulletin board in the foyer. I thought "maybe someone will do yard work like an eager teenager or college kid that I can afford". I spied "Debbie's Yard Care". I brought her little tab home to call her. I liked it being a woman--I like to support women in business. Having been a woman and struggled to be accepted in male-dominated fields, I appreciate the effort. We talked, she came and did the yard. I came home and nearly stopped the car in my astonishment at the yard. It looked like someone had put a Hoover to it. All the weeds were gone, trimming done, porch and deck blown clean, driveway blown clean, all debris and trimmings put in my yard debris container. All for the price of $35 an hour. I was sold.

Since then she has done the same beautiful job every time she comes. She always comes as she promises. Her work is excellent. She will even put my container at the street for pickup if it is extra-heavy or the truck hasn't come past yet. She is amazing and hard-working and quiet about it. From conversations I think she is a single mother raising her son and doing this work. Hard and dirty work but she takes great pride in it and I admire her--even though I'd never physically met her until last week.

I came home last week and she hadn't come. I was surprised but figured I must have the week wrong. When it gets so dry and the grass goes dormant, she comes every 4 weeks instead of every 2 weeks. I get them mixed up at times. I locked the gate (always unlock it for her) to the back and came in and went back to the back of the house and cooled in the AC room. I heard a mower later but didn't think much about it. I figured it was a neighbor mowing. A little later someone knocked on the door. "Solicitor", I groaned but decided to check it out since the knocking was insistent and loud. It was "Jamison", Debbie's son. They had come, done the front yard and left, thinking I wasn't home to unlock the gate. I went and unlocked it for her and explained I had locked it when I thought she wasn't coming. She never comes that late in the day. She explained she was late because they had been up late the night before with their dog who unfortunately had died.

I felt horrible--like my yard was making them have to do this when they had had a bad night and probably wanted to be home eating dinner. But, the yard was in bad shape and she was already back mowing by the time I got my mind wrapped around her comments. She did her work and left. Even alone and probably tired and emotional, she did the whole yard alone and cleaned all the areas as usual.

I got to thinking about it afterwards what a special person she is. Hard-working, dedicated and from what I saw a good mom too. All good things to let someone know you see and appreciate her. So, we all know my next notion...bake her some cookies. I baked a batch of DBCC cookies (my panacea for everything) and packed and shipped them to her.

Now (I know I'm long-winded) I couldn't find her address. I had it on an old bill but it eluded me. I started using the web and found an address using her phone #. The problem is I found 2 addresses. Quandary...which one to use? I didn't want to tell her the cookies were coming so I didn't want to call her for the address. She seems a no-nonsense person and I could hear her tell me not to do that. I took a leap of faith (and a vague recollection of the missing address) and shipped the cookies. I was brave enough to ship them but too worried they would go to the wrong place to put a personal message in the box. If the wrong person got them--no foul.

When I got home tonight (I swear I'm near the end) I had a message on the phone. Debbie called to say she got home and saw the package and thought "I must have left my clippers at Linda's and she shipped them to me". She said she picked up the box and realized it was too heavy for clippers. She then said, "How sweet, I have never had such a thoughtful gesture. I just can't imagine what possessed you to mail us cookies but it was very, very thoughtful of you. I'm sure when my son gets off of the bus in five minutes he is really going to enjoy these. Gosh, it just brought tears to my eyes."

I wish I had included the card now--explaining why but maybe it's ok that I didn't and she just fills in the blank with why she feels she got cookies. It feels good to give someone something just to do it and not need a reason explained. Now I know I have the right address...I can feel safe to add a card next time. People like Debbie never expect to be thanked or appreciated and are astonished when they are--that says even more about her personality and work ethics. I know her son has a great role model in his mom.

Thanks, Debbie. Hope you and Jamison enjoy the cookies.