Thoughts on a Winter Night

Sprout wanted me to blog, so here I am, Sprout. This one's for you.
So, how many of you have ever had cold sores/fever blisters....whatever you want to call them. Well, I felt one coming on and immediately began treatment of it, since they tend to spread, get ugly and hurt my entire face. But, you see, when they begin, you really can't tell where they are. Two weeks ago I had one between my nose and my upper lip....very attractive.
This one appeared to be coming out on my lip. I woke up the next morning hoping that I had treated it in a timely enough fashion so that it would be unnoticeable. Alas, there it was......LARGER THAN LIFE. This humongous thing on my lower lip distorting my whole face.
Since I had to go to work, the dilemma becomes whether to put a bandage all over my lower face, try to cover it with many of the colors of lipstick (knowing that the lipstick would immediately have to be thrown away), or go au natural. I chose the latter.
Working in customer service with a distended lip with a huge blister on it can be disconcerting to customers. They don't want to appear obvious, but they are. The glance, then look again with horror in their eyes, then look away and don't make eye contact. They move on quickly, whispering among themselves, casting sidelong glances as the walk away.
For those that know me, I make up lies about what it is....the cat bit me, I was mugged coming from the parking lot, I fell on the ice and got stabbed by a fallen icicle. I am good at making up lies, as anyone who knows me can tell you.
I have been going to the gym also. Pretty, young girls with their perfect bodies, perfect tans and very white teeth stare in horror. I make some comment about this is what happens when you turn a certain age and go to tanning booths. They immediately look at their skin to see just how much time they should be spending in a tanning booth, then look at my lip, shaking their heads in fear and wonder.
My lip is better today, hardly noticeable, thank goodness. My face isn't as sore, so perhaps there will just be the one and they will go away.
Road trip plans are under way. We picked out the room at the cottage without too much fighting. Plane reservations have been made....I know, it's a ROAD trip, but this one also includes a SKY trip.
Monkeyboy had a hockey game last weekend and scored the only goal. Great job, Monkeyboy.
The weather has been good for sledding (DUH). Sprout had her first sled riding experience and seems to have enjoyed it. Bird and kids built an incredible track which was ruined by the warmer weather and a water leak that flooded their drive.
Winter is a wonderful thing, and I'm sure in July and August we will remember this winter differently. Thinking about those of you who might be getting the nor'easter going up the coast right now. Be safe, and stay warm. Better days are coming.....I hope!

Winter

I debated posting, but decided to talk about the snow anyway since I couldn't think of anything else about which to post.
In keeping with my goal of things to be grateful for, I have wine, electricity and food. We have had 22 1/2" of snow so far and we are getting more. Again, things to be grateful for....the shoveling is done for the moment.
I have realized that there are some things of which I have no control. Weather is one of those. Once I accept this, I can sit back and wait for spring. A large glass of wine helps in this endeavor.
There is something about weather that brings people together. Several years ago power in our neighborhood was off in the summer for two days. People emptied their freezers and had a street cookout. Steaks, chops, hamburgers, hot dogs...all cooked and shared. I wasn't invited. But I heard it was nice.
I have an annoyingly chatty friendly neighbor that lives across the street. I have to time my shovel time so that it does not coincide with her shovel time. She chats with the mailman daily, with the UPS man daily, with anyone walking up or down the street...and if she can catch someone trying to leave in their car, she has been known to flag them down. Frankly, I don't want to hear her constant whining tidbits of gossip and complaining. But then it takes all kinds of people to make a neighborhood.
We tend to look out for one another here. We notice if someone hasn't been home for several days without notice and we tend to share phone numbers, keypad numbers for the garage, wine and even food when necessary. I like my neighborhood and the thought of packing up and moving south puts me in a tailspin!
Spring will arrive. The flowers will pop through the earth, the hostas will again be green and the magnolia will blossom in all its splendor.
Ahhh, the winter of 2010. It will be one that will not easily be forgotten.
Stay warm and be safe.

Collections

I have a hobby an obsession. I see something, it catches my fancy, I buy it. Nail polish is just one of those things. I indulge in a manicure every two weeks. Sherry, my manicurist, suggests pushes a different color of polish each time to "try" something different. Generally, I like her choices and end up buying them just in case the polish chips over the next two weeks. Hence, the line of polish in my bathroom. And if you think that is all of it, you are oh, so wrong. Those are just the current colors.
I do the same with shampoo. When I was at a hotel this summer, I tried one of the sample shampoos. It was wonderful! Smelled great, did a wonderful job of cleaning my hair without drying it. AND, it was sold at Bath and Body Works, or some such store. I raced to the store and bought the shampoo and conditioner. It only came in the large economy size. That was in August. I still have over half a bottle of each. I also have two bottles I bought from Donald, my hair stylist. Oh, and don't forget the one I got on sale at the supermarket. And of course, they all come with the must have conditioner. I have it all.
Soap. Let's talk about soap. Crabtree and Evelyn. Dove (I love their ads for young women, it's the only reason I buy it). And they have all those different scents.
Hand Cream. Nivea, Scentsations, Avon, you name it, I have it.
AND....can we talk lipstick? Oh, it is such a problem. I look and look and look. I buy. I take it home. I put it on. It looks horrendous. Once I found one that I really liked....Vrie Rose. They quit making it. I keep looking.
And what does one do with all of the tubes of lipstick that one tries once, the furiously scrubs off their face. Seems like a waste to throw it away. If you can think of something, let me know...nail polish, shampoo, lotion, lipstick.
The snow has ceased (fingers crossed) and now it is just cold. Winter. The gift shop has spring things out and the Orchid show has begun. Can spring be far behind?
Happy weekend.

Winter

The snow is beautiful really getting on my last nerve. When I woke up Monday morning, which was supposed to be snow free, there was snow coming down and snow on the street. But, it was supposed to warm up as the week went on and up to forty degrees by weeks end. And it did, thank goodness.
Our city, in all of it's infinite wisdom stupidity, decided to close down two of the best sledding spots in the city...Frick Park and Flagstaff Hill. They said it was for safety reasons. They lie.
Here we go....
When I was a child.....
They closed the street for sledding.
I never wore helmets for biking.
Car seats???? I don't think so!
No mandatory seat belts that warn screech an annoying beep for the first three miles.
And I am tired of shoveling snow.
While we are at it (well, I am at it, I don't know about you) let's talk about the garbage men.
Are they trained to be annoying? Because they are. I understand that it is not a quiet job. But do they have to back up the street with the truck beeping all the way? Do they have a contest to see who can throw the can the furthest? All this at 5:00 AM. Then they leave (laughing all the way) as the recycle truck begins their rounds...much the same.
And let's talk about the plow trucks that block the drive as soon as it is cleared.
And how about the jerk up the street that throws all of his snow on the street after the plow has been down.
I am reading a great author and he has a series of books, all mysteries. I am reading non-stop, which is why I haven't been blogging. I know, I am getting all kinds of gentle not so gentle hints from folks.
Remember when I told you I was going to begin all kinds of projects now that I can't sit in my yard to read.
What do you mean, you don't remember.
I'm sure I told you.
Do I have to repeat everything I say.
Oh, wait, maybe I didn't tell you. Hmmm. Well, anyway, I have not begun one project. Well, there was putting one group of pictures on a CD. There was the matting of one picture. Wait, I never actually matted it, I just cut the mat. Hey, it's a beginning.
My blog seems to have a different tone tonight.
I think a glass of wine is in order, and shame bravo to the kids who ignored the signs on Flagstaff hill and went sled riding yesterday.

New Beginnings

It's that time of the year, a time for resolutions, a time to say goodbye to the year and reminisce on the good and the bad.
I woke up this morning to a beep on my cell phone from Buzz telling me the roads were pretty bad if I had to go to work. Giving me the best route to take always helps from someone who has been out in the snow.
I looked out my window and a heavy, wet snow had fallen through the night. As snow goes, this was beautiful. No plows or salt trucks, schools are closed for the holiday and no need to get the roads cleared quickly. A truly beautiful sight.
It's been an eventful year for me. Leaving one job, taking another. Finding a new lifestyle. Making new acquaintances. Friends having significant medical problems and one literally fighting for her life. Family visiting. Steelers winning a Super Bowl and Pens winning the Stanley Cup. Monkeyboy's team winning, winning, winning. Bean moving a bit from dance and exploring sports. A party in the heat of the summer for neighbors to meet and talk with one another on a beautiful summer night. Peg and I dancing and singing in the kitchen at midnight cleaning up after the party.
All in all, it's been a good year. I don't generally make resolutions, but this year I am going to write down at least one thing that I am grateful for each day.
Monkeyboy had some minor surgery yesterday and appears to be doing well. Bean has to have some teeth pulled in the new year for her braces.
I hope everyone has a happy and safe new year. May this year bring more happy things and the strength to deal with the not so happy things. Do you make resolutions for the new year? Care to share them if you do? And how was everyone's holiday? Christmas here was a combination of laughter, presents and fun. My grab bag gift was a great success. It was M & M's with my picture on them.
Happy New Year.