Garbage? I Think Not

What you need to know about Max is that he doesn't make much sound. His meow is pathetically faint and if you don't see his mouth move, you might think the floor squeaked.

There wasn't a sound when I tightly fastened, then lugged the heavy bag of Christmas debris down the hall on its way out to the curbside garbage.

As I got into my coat the bag rustled. I thought of mice. I have that kind of mind.


You might be fooled by the look but I think he's glad I rescued him.

life as a Single lady

Twenty Decembers ago on my first Christmas without Hal, I thought I would never laugh again, or have a reason to get up each day.

We'd had a co-dependent marriage, frowned upon now but pretty common back then; we did most everything together.

I had it in my head that he had to know a lot more about everything than I did because he went out in the world and mingled with other adults every day.

Me, I mingled with my six kids all born in less than ten years, and there was little energy left over for much else, although I managed to crack two or three books a week.

I got an inkling of the life I thought I missed when when the kids were all reaching their teens and I returned to the work force.

I discovered that:
You can get most of your work done by noon if people would leave you alone and not insist on coffee breaks.
People make the same silly observations during coffee breaks at the office as they do at a neighborhood coffee klatches.
Turns out it wasn't so different from life at home.

I never learned how to cut off long-winded phone callers so I left any calling as well as heavy-duty house repairs to Hal.

After he died,I learned to handle any kind of phone call as well as how to not only turn on his computer but use it to do more than type a letter.
Then there was the VCR--I didn't know how to use it, or virtually anything electric except the kitchen appliances.

Along the way I carved out a new life and built a closer relationship with my kids; they are unique individuals and made their way into adulthood with grace and energy.

And something else--Hal used to worry about what would happen to me without him and it turns out there was this whole different person waiting to burst out.

There was so much to learn that I made a conscious decision not to marry again and I've stayed away from situations where I might meet someone who might alter my plans.

I learned to handle money quite well, never to drop in on the kids without phoning to see if its okay, to pay the taxes four times a year or they dun you, find a plumber when I can't do my own repairs and I'm pretty good with a lot of power tools.

I had the best of two worlds--I married a good man who worked harder than most to provide for his large family and I had the privilege of staying home to raise my kids.

After the kids moved on, we travelled whenever we could and that was a dream come true.

Now, it's another Christmas without Hal but I'm with our family; life's lessons have been sometimes awful but mostly sweet.

One thing I know--something fresh and new will happen tomorrow and it's fun to anticipate.

Never give up.

Merry Christmas.

First Snow

Okay, the first snowfall is sort of pretty.



After that, unless you ski or do other outdoor things to invite broken bones, you kind of hang around thinking about spring.

I do manage to get at a lot of things I put off because the garden beckoned, so it evens itself out.

But spring is better.

Danny

He's my newest great grand kid and a real keeper.
His mom is the size of a minute and how she managed to birth that little lump is beyond me.
He has gained a couple of pounds in the six weeks or so he's been around and he's very mellow.
Sure, pick me up; rock me if you want; I'll let you know when I'm ready for the next meal.


I held him for the first time when I visited his other great grandma in Richmond Hill and Danny was the guest of honor. My hostess tactfully held the cat while I got dibs on the little guy.
That's his grandpa on the left, the new grandma beside him and the parents on either side of me.
His parents are of the hush puppy side of the family--very quiet and soft-spoken. The other side is more verbal and fond of center stage so this yin/yang works out well for both. One side gets to perform and the other side becomes the audience.
Funny-when Hal and I started out as a married couple I never visualized this moment.
Such a bonus.

Is Winter Necessary?

The first snowfall waited until last night to appear and don't think we aren't appreciative.
That it waited, that is.
We got through the month of November with nothing more wintery than heavy frost.
Last night the wind rattled the windows followed by banging sleet and that was followed by quietly falling snow. Now it's spitting ice pellets with a promise of plain old rain to follow.
It's also garbage day.
I'd already stacked it in the front hall last night so it had to go out, slippery walk or not.




The fish snuggled around the pond heater and I can relate to that.
So winter has happened. It pretty well had to some time.