Last Tuesday was one of those annoying days. The internet went out in the whole darn Town of Highlands before 11 a.m. Early estimates to get it back were 2 p.m., and then 7:30 p.m. Fortunately, Spectrum fixed whatever the problem was by about 3 p.m. The problem for me is that the only day of the week that I absolutely, positively need the internet to work is Tuesday. Of course, right?

So, I set out with my iPad and my phone to find a good cell signal somewhere so that I could work from my hotspot. Couldn’t make it happen. I called friends in businesses and municipal offices to see if they had some secret Wi-Fi provider that I could latch onto for a few hours. Nobody did. So, I headed to my office in Newburgh, but as I drove over Storm King Mountain I realized that I could go work at the Cornwall Library (Munger Cottage was offered as an option too, thanks!). I went to the library, settled myself in a comfy chair, and got the job done.

An hour or so in, I had a down moment so clicked on one of my social media accounts. The first thing I saw was that Dolly Parton had died. It hit me like a ton of bricks.

Dolly Parton has always been in my peripheral vision – my parents were/are country music fans, so, growing up, I often heard her songs. In more recent years, she’s done collaborations with pop stars, so I’ve heard those. Of course, I’d also seen her in movies and on TV shows (even as a kid – I feel like there was a variety show at the Grand Ole Opry we watched). I’d also heard about her Imagination Library – but I never really explored what it was because we’ve always been fortunate enough to make sure our kids and grandkids had/have all the books they need and want.

But the thing that always stood out to me about Dolly Parton is that she just seemed so real. And everything I have heard in the last 24 hours since she died backs that up. She was unapologetically herself. She loved who she loved – and it sounds like most everyone. She was kind – giving away bazillions of dollars. She cared – supporting the underdog. She loved her big hair and rhinestones – so she wore them. She appeared to live life to the absolute fullest. She was just a good person.

Maybe it’s because I’m getting older, but the thing I’ve decided that I love most about Dolly Parton was that she fully believed “only God can judge you”. In a world where most people spend way too much time – I know I do – worrying about what other people might think, the message that no one has the right to judge you is an important one. She also said: “Don’t you ever forget who you are and where you came from. And don’t you ever let anybody tell you that you can’t do this or you can’t do that. You can do whatever YOU think you can do.”

Back to my day … I got my work done, despite the sadness and aggravation. I enjoyed spending several hours in the Cornwall Library. During a few non-work moments, I perused the new books (Fast Fiction is how the shelves I love are labeled) and promptly went on the Highland Falls Library’s website to place holds on the titles I liked. I picked up a book of jokes from the Friends of the Library’s free shelf and got to say hello to a few familiar faces.

A bad day, but also a good day, I guess. That takes to my final Dolly quote this week: “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain”.