Winter Storm Advisory

It began snowing around 11:30am.    The expressway was clear so I had no trouble driving to work.  Throughout the afternoon, I listened to traffic reports. Many accidents due to the snowy driving conditions and an advisory to stay home as 3-6 inches of snow is expected.  I left work around 6pm, scraped the ice and snow off the car.  I decided to drive through the city...more people around if I got into trouble.  It looked like folks had heeded the advice and stayed home, because traffic was light.  I arrived home to see my husband snowblowing the driveway and sidewalks.  The dogs wanted  to go outside so I let them out.  A few minutes later, my son asked, "Isn't that Maui?"  The gate had been left open, and Maui, the mini dachsund, romped down the driveway and raced up the front sidewalk into the house.    It is so comfy to sit at home while the snow turns the city into a winter wonderland.

The Red Santa Hat

Yesterday, I peeked out my window, and it had snowed...not a lot, but enough to cover the branches of the trees and make the outside a winter wonderland.  I wrapped my red scarf around my neck, put on my coat and knew exactly what I needed to finish the outfit!  Hastening to my room, I opened my dresser drawer and pulled out my fuzzy red Santa hat.  Setting it jauntily on my head, I hurried outside, hopped into my car (after scraping off the ice and snow) and drove carefully to work.  The roads were in good shape but folks were concentrating on errands, and it seemed prudent to pilot the car with an extra bit of caution.  The parking lot at the branch store was an ice skating rink as were the sidewalks.  I had to be very careful when I walked over to the coffee shop to buy some donut holes and M & Ms.
The customers at the flower shop were amused by the bright red hat.   I sold some items and it was a fairly good day sales-wise.  I wore my red hat again today and will wear it tomorrow and Monday.  Hopefully it will put holiday shoppers in a happy mood and will help make the Christmas season a profitable one for the flower shop owners.

Letter to Connecticut

Dear Connecticut,

My heart has been heavy and troubled since Friday.  My thoughts are with all the families and friends affected by the terrible tragedy.  If I could rewind time, I would.  If I could do anything, to spare you this awful pain, I would without a moment's hesitation.   Please  know that your loved ones' smile or special talent will always be remembered, that your precious son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, wife, or mother will always be alive in my heart.   And really, truly, there are no adequate words...none at all.

Giggles and laughter
Motion and stillness
Eyes bright with curiousity
Sibling rivalry
Football, swimming and dance
Bike riding, DVDs and reading
Pizza, apples and brownies
Memories of you.

Mother Daughter Time

 
This morning my 17 year old daughter and I drove to the clinic.  After the appointment, we headed across the street to the mall to buy some Christmas presents.  We arrived a half hour before most of the stores opened.  The Apple store was open, so we checked out the i-pad mini.  My daughter considered buying it for her brother, but changed her mind.  After Apple, we walked over to the Windsor store.  I was looking for a dress for my 23 year old daughter.  She had sent me a link, but I waited too long to order, and the warehouse was out of her size.  There are only five left in the country...none in my area.  Then on to the technology store, Brookstone.  Amazingly, my daughter had browsed through the catalog and was familiar with the items.  So she chose a gift for her dad, and one for her 32 year old sister.  At Von Maur, we found a dress. It will be beautiful at a special dinner or on New Year's Eve.  The trip was a success, because my daughter chatted away.  "I like these moccasins.  Look how the ones I have don't have fleece (slipping off her shoe).  And look at these tops.  I like stripes."  Then on to Hollister to purchase some other gifts.  Such excitement as my daughter spotted  remote control helicopters in many stores. At home we wrapped gifts and made grilled cheese.  I stirred up a batch of pumpkin bread mix and spooned the batter into muffin papers.  The delicious smell of baking filled the house.  Delicious....warm  from the oven!

Advent

On Monday, I drove to my sister's church and attended an Advent service. First dessert and then into the church for inspirational talks and music.  I am challenged to show peace, joy, hope and love to other people.  Working on it.  A bit hard when I substituted for a coworker today, and my boss says, "What are you doing here?"  She thought I was scheduled to work the branch store today.  Now you know that I don't want to work there, she knows it too, and I suspect that she assumed I took matters in my own hands and didn't show up!  So I worked until the afternoon workers arrived (one a half hour late) came home, took some pain reliever for a headache, went downstairs and hauled up the outdoor lights and commenced decorating outside.  The earthy smells and 36 degree temperatures reminded me of the good times I had playing outside when I was young.  I suppose putting up Christmas lights could be considered playing.  Yesterday, I decorated the inside of the house. I set up the Christmas village...houses, churches, Big Ben and a lighthouse.   Santa and his pet Christmas dog are coming in the wooden boat laden with gifts.  Only one little sledder knows of the emminent arrival of St. Nick.  The Nativity Village is up too...musicians, dogs, geese, children bearing eggs, Pillsbury Dough Boy even a fantastical dragon (at least I think it's a dragon).  The Christmas tree sits in the corner and  candles and pinecones scent the room.

Vessel spasms or something else?

Though my husband's cardiologist reassured us that the small vessel spasms are unlikely to cause a heart attack, we are still concerned.  Hubby still has upper chest pain, two or three spells a day.  He surmises that the medication is not doing anything.  The cardiologist
suggested that hubby exercise...the body would recognize that it is not getting enough oxygen and grow new small vessels.  But then again, the diagnosis is built on what the condition is not.  A stress test showed that hubby has good blood flow, hence the pain is not caused by a blockage.  It niggles at me....is the pain caused by vessel spasms?

Comfortable with myself

Golden rays, smiling on me
Geese honking, in a vee
Laughter in the air
As if I didn't have a care
In all the world.

A cup of lemon herbal tea
As I sit and ponder what should be
Feeling contentment and peace
And receiving a new lease
On life.

Realizing today that I do not want
To build myself up at the expense of others.
Affirmation yesterday that my zaniness is a part of me
And how borning it would be
If we were all the same.

So let me meet them then.
The woman who is high
The man who is hard of hearing or shy?
Not sure.
The lady who brought her sister's planter
To have gyp added.
The gazer lady who has attention deficit
And all the people in between.