Dreaming of Summer

A cold, cold winter morning is the perfect time to dream about summer adventures. This year as we have been holed up in our houses for most of the past two months, we have plenty of time for dreaming.

What kind of summer fun will you have this year? Are you taking a summer vacation? Spending some time with the grandchildren? Is there a motorcycle or hiking adventure on the horizon or weekends at the cabin? I am trying to get through just one more week, just one more week of bitter cold so we can start enjoying the outdoors again. Hang on folks; summer really is coming!

The Valentines Box

A visit to Valentine aisle this week created an interesting memory for me. Apparently now you can buy a valentines box to put all of your lovely Valentines in. When I was a young school girl in Brandt Grade School you had to make your own box. Decorating anything; much less a shoe box using glue and construction paper is difficult for someone like me. Every year in Mrs. Hawley's room; grades 1-4; we were challenged to bring a box that others would use to drop the Valentines in. My memory is that I covered the shoe box with red paper, cut out a few pink hearts, cut a slit in the top and I had a Valentines box. It was functional and that was about it! My class was large 8 or 9 boys and Deb and Diane, the Haug twins and me. The Twins were great artists, they brought in very creative beautiful Valentine boxes. I always wished I could make something like theirs. But every year my box was pretty much a shoe box with construction paper.

I am glad to see Valentines boxes are available. I am also glad that we celebrate love on this day. Lets remember to send a little love to those that are single or maybe someone who lost their valentine since last year. Share the love and you don't even need a pretty box to do it.

By the way, it was a large class, I think one of my sisters had three in her class.

Happy Valentines Day!

The longest coldest winter EVER!

It is only February 13th and in our neck of the woods we can certainly be facing a lot more cold, snow and winter. You know it has been a cold one when spirits are lifted by a 16 degree reading on the thermometer. Yesterday morning at the gym spirits were lifted, many were talking of not having to wear a coat because it was so nice out. In general everyone seemed happier. The prospect of not dipping below zero for a few days has many ecstatic; including me!

Maybe this is not the longest, coldest winter ever. But to many in the Midwest it certainly is feeling like it. I am ready for a sloppy thaw, how about you?

Olympic Fever

I love the Olympics; I almost everything from the opening ceremony to the closing. I will watch almost any sport and enjoying the competition and a little trumped up drama. I even like the side stories. But I do not like to hear results of events before I get to watch them. I find myself going through the day with out listening to major newscasts, avoiding Twitter and Facebook and other social media. My solution is my own little news blackout everyday.  Then I discovered another trick; highlights On Demand. A two plus hour hockey game summarized in just three minutes. Added bonus this year; better commercials and team competition in ice skating. 

The two weeks of Olympics every four years gives us a glimpse of sports we wouldn't give an hour to on a Saturday any other time of year. But during this time we pretend to be experts on luge and speed skating; even though we have not followed the sport since the last Olympic competition. 

For now we wave the American flag and get excited for the twizzles and celebrate the victories like we are cheering on our hometown team.  Go USA!!!

The Good China Chipped!

This was a different holiday season for us for many reasons. There was joy, some sadness, mixed with some laughter, a few games of cards and some not so pleasant weather.

Before the holidays I wrote about using the good china. On Christmas Eve I took out the good china; well it's not china, but the good dishes that actually match. We use these when ever we are having a nice dinner. The next day when I emptied the dish washer I realized one of the plates had chipped. Now I had to deal with my words...put the pretty stuff front and center in your life; use the good china. The next sentence is so what if it breaks. The plate is chipped; my pretty set of dishes has a flaw.

Now what do I do? Do I try to replace it? Put it back in the cupboard to pretend it never happened? Do I just go with one less plate? Now I can only have 7 for a dinner, that's odd.

Replacing it is not an option; they don't make these any longer. Pretending it didn't happen won't make things better next time I invite 8 for dinner. I guess I will just live with it. Figure it out as we go.

Isn't that how it is in life? We all have flaws; little chips in our lives that can't really be hidden; they are always there. We can put them them in the cupboard; but eventually they have to come out. Not everyone notices them; the little imperfections make us who we are. We have to learn to live with it. Figure it out. It certainly won't keep us from keeping the pretty things front and center in our life.

Use the Good China!

Getting ready for Christmas took a big turn this year. Just as we were settling into our new normal in our home we learned my husbands brother had passed away. Immediately without warning our plans changed. A funeral of a loved one anytime of year is difficult; this time of year it just stinks. 

I can't seem to come up with the right words to deal with this one. Overwhelming sadness for those left behind seems to be the only thing that comes to mind. Family members cling together, creating new bonds of love...there isn't much more we can do. 

This Holiday season hold your loved ones a little closer.The death of my brother-in-law is a reminder that life is short and incredibly fragile. It is a reminder that we never know when our time is up. It is also a reminder to use the good china. Keep the pretty things front and center in your life; don't tuck them away for that special day. That day is today; each day is a gift! 

Baby, it's COLD outside!

Every year we know it is coming. Every year we complain about it. Every year it stings our nose as we walk out in it. Every year we say we will go south when we are old. Every year I mean it more.

The very cold weather is parked over our area for the next 7 to 10 days. I am not excited about this; but it is what it is; so we will need to make the best of it. It is time to crack out the hot chocolate and pull out the board games. They say there is a silver lining in almost everything. In this situation it can be the memories made playing a family game. A few years ago I discovered you can play pinochle online; free. Another way to spend a cold evening in. Growing up family games got us through quite a few blizzards on the farm; those family memories include some heated games of ping pong and Monopoly.

Instead of complaining about the cold let's make a new memory; bundle up and learn to cross country ski or be creative inside. We choose to live in this climate probably because our ancestors did. Let's make the most of it. Make a memory today!