Trina Machacek: Another first, first

As time marches on and on there seems to be less new, first things that happen around me. Some firsts I can do without. Like first bruise of the summer season because I didn’t duck down enough going under a tree as I drove the lawn mower around the yard.

I have to admit it is such a beauty though. That really isn’t a true first, never done it before thing. Those firsts are getting rarer as time adds numbers of years to my life. I gave thought to the last first time I ever did something, and it took a bit of brain mining.

There was in recent memory, the first time I created a calendar with pictures I took over the year. I am using it and when I look at it all I can think is that years go by so fast. Oh, and that the pictures are pretty darned good.

A long ago first for me was when I went out in the middle of the night to help my ewe, Tinkerbell, deliver twins. Yes, all my sheep had names. Even the ram, Lambert. So that first is etched in my brain and there were many, many more lambs after that.

Seems that no matter how many times we do something, that first time, the first, first will always be on top of a grand pile of memories. Not all firsts get to have a second though. Well not yet. The first time I jumped out of an airplane. Wow. If I close my eyes, I can still see mother earth spinning up to meet me. Hearing nothing but the wind in my ears.

Well maybe a tiny squeak as we exited that nice safe plane. But! Yes, a high flying “but.” If the opportunity arises again to fall out of a nice safe plane? I’m jumping. But that first will never be pushed out of my happy memory banks.

Of course, there are firsts we wish we could forget. First time a boy broke my heart was just as hurtful and memorable as the last time. Both were learning experiences. Both were the right choices too. We carry scars within ourselves that need to be remembered.

We learn from the past amazements in our life as well as we learn from those, “Well didn’t see that coming” moments. I did learn that my gut and my close friends are always looking out for my love foggy head. Friends that love you, love you no matter what craziness you try along your life path, are keepers.

Then something happens and a brand new first happens. Trust me here that this first ever thing isn’t life altering. It wasn’t “Headline News!” It is, however, something I have never done before and in saying that I can never say that I have never done this first before, again.

That is a bit of a weird circle. In all our lives when we do something we have never done before, we can never say, “I’ve never done that before,” again. OK here’s the story. Finally.

For four days I looked for a pair of jeans I have. Not rooting around, just fly by and think, “Where are those pants?” Not in the closet. Not in the laundry basket. I saw there were things in the hamper, so I assumed the pants were in there. I am not a separate and wash clothes person. I just grab an armful out of the hamper and head to the washing machine.

My clothes either make it the way I wash, or they become Saturday wear as I spray weeds in the yard clothes! Or rags. So, I grabbed up all that was in the hamper and threw it all with the pod soap thingy in the washer and hit wash. When it was done, I opened the dryer to move washed to dryer. Wouldn’t you know it? There were the pants I couldn’t find?

This is not the first time I have found clothes left in the dryer for days. No, here’s my newest first. I gave thought to emptying the dryer, but I was in a hurry. No that’s not true. I was lazy.

So lazy that I threw the newly washed load in on top of the stuff already in the dryer with a new fabric sheet and as I went to turn it on, I thought, I hope my ole dryer can handle the weight.

It squeaked and I think it grunted a bit but away it went. Another first, first. Not earth shattering, but a first for me. Makes me wonder, what’s my next first, first?

Trina Machacek lives in Eureka. Her books are available wherever you buy books or email her at itybytrina@yahoo.com to buy signed copies.