Winter

 

Spoiler alert, it is winter here in the mid-west.  Well, it's winter in other places as well, but yeah...winter.  I wouldn't say I was in shock or awe over the winter weather we have been battered with  these last (what feels like) 1,000 days, I mean, it IS the mid-west, but good golly when will it not be snowing, when will it not be less that 30 degrees? Or, more than 20? 

Still, we're not having a Texas experience. My heart goes out to those folks and to all folks who are experiencing anything for which they were not prepared and for which a solution feels far away. 

I cannot let tis day, this post go by without noting that eight years ago today my mother took her last breath.  While I do (mostly) wrap myself in the happier times and drink in her infectious laugh I cannot deny that there is a void, a hole in my heart that is always missing her. I have gotten through these last (what feels like) million days by . . well, truth be told, I don't know how, maybe the sketchbook / art groups. 

My daughter noted in her FB mention of the occasion that, "on this date 8 years ago I lost my biggest fan." Which is true, as much as I champion my daughter (and son) my mom was even more robust in her cheering on! And that sentiment is exactly my sentiment. Mom was MY biggest fan too.

We are all cheering for one another but it isn't quite the same.  

Closing the book on this day, I have some sketching to do. I see the weather forecast is for partly sunny with temps rising to maybe twenty degrees over the next several days. One of my neighbors is working on an elaborate snow sculpture. It looks like he'll have time to finish it and we all will have some time to ooh and ahh over his masterpiece before nature shifts.  

Winter.  

Dear Some of Our Neighbors:

The task of breaking down cardboard cartons is herculean. The difficultly level ranking right up there with the likes of brain surgery. From the intricacies of slicing reinforced tape to the precision needed to massage creases to fold in on themselves, the entire operation is a daunting challenge.


Daunting, yet many of your neighbors met the challenge with an eye toward tidiness and compacting limited trash space and learned how to intricately and precisely break down cardboard cartons.

In the spirit of neighborly acts, those neighbors who have perfected box breaking down techniques are graciously offering workshops for those of you interested in learning the most useful and esteemed skill. The workshops will be held in the lobby for the next three Saturdays.
Bring your own boxes, blades will be supplied.

You may choose not to participate in the workshops and that is fine, however, be advised that disposing of your shoe, gift, furniture, appliance, and other assorted cartons un-broken down is seen by your fellow neighbors as rude and unseemly.

So please, take advantage of the workshops, or locate a self-help book or video--whatever method you choose to learn, please do--learn and utilize your skills. Over time, with practice, you'll one day be able to count yourself among the exclusive and elite, box break down club.

You can do it. We know that you can.

Signed,

The Other Neighbors

Another Friday Saturday Night

One extra big bonus to holiday weekends is the extra day. On this, my second Saturday was an easy, slow going kind of day. The air was the cold but the skies were clear. There was some outside time (after a laze about morning with the sometimes pesky, sometimes lovable Orange Boy) with the Diva aka Diamond. She had to change out of her holiday dress for the outdoors for she has either lost a lot of weight or the dress is just ill fitting without all her hair. I have my money on the latter. In either case she suffered wore the outfit with the grace befitting her diva-hood.

It is another Saturday night and my downstairs neighbor has been out drinking. He's home now, fighting with his front door, upsetting the Diva. She'd like to skip downstairs and give him a piece of her mind for keeping up all that racket. I'm sure. He'll settle down in a bit. As will she. And then we'll pop some corn, pop a disc in the DVD player, and ease our way into another Sunday morning.

Thankful for blue skies, bonus days, popcorn, the Diva dog, and "The Wizard of Oz".

"Begone before someone drops a house on you."

The Quaint Scent

Before I start, thank you all for the kind words.

An upstairs neighbor has a teen daughter. As memory serves, where there is a teen girl, you'll likely find a teen boy.

Teen daughter is not allowed to entertain her teen boy friend in the upstairs neighbor's apartment when mom is away, or at all for all I know.

Thus, the entertaining has been taking place in the vestibule, daily when school is in session, timed to assure full entertainment before mom arrives home. Well, as full as a public vestibule will allow.

They are often still entertaining when I arrive home.

I had forgotten the oh so ripe scent of teen boy. A teen boy right after school, practice, flirting, cuddling with teen girl in vestibule.

Getthemailquick. Getthemailquick. Getthemailquick.

Oh, boy.