Monday Morning Musings

Posted on February 9, 2015 under Monday Morning Musings with one comment

Sometimes, ya just have to color

In case you haven’t noticed, it’s winter . In some ways, it’s like an old fashioned winter with the significant accumulations of snow , but 50 years ago, I don’t recall the wild swing in temperatures. It would snow in December and get cold and would remain that way until April. Depending on who you’re talking to, you either hate winter or you embrace it. I saw some pictures of a friend ( 50 ish? ) who was trying snowshoeing for the first time and lots of people have been enjoying skiing and snowmobiling. Global warming? Questionable. Climate change? Absolutely!

It’s human nature to comment on the weather but from the relentless chorus of whining, you would think that we lived in the tropics and that snow, sleet and frigid temperatures were foreign to our climate. I don’t hate winter but I love it less every year, especially after taking a pretty good spill on the ice the other day. Might I suggest a trip to the hospital to visit the sick and dying to get a bit of perspective?

Do you know what a nonagenarian is? If it was spelled “nanagenarian”, I might have guessed that it had something to do with being an elderly grandmother. I’m partially right. People in their nineties are called nonagenarians. I am reluctant to call anybody 90+ “elderly” any more as people ( most of them woman ) are living healthy, vibrant lives. Our next door neighbor turned 90 last weekend and if ever there was a poster child for aging, then she certainly fills the bill. She is agile, bright and witty. The storm last Friday didn’t keep her from going out to dinner with her children. I know several other “nonas” who are doing extremely well. They are a source of inspiration. To all of them I say “ lang may yer lum reek.”

I posted a picture of my back yard on FB last week and it received a lot of comments. Our apartment abuts the Brierly Brook and on the other side of the river lies the “salt ponds.” As children we spent thousands of hours there skating and playing hockey. We would show up after school, scrape the ice and play until supper. After supper ( and homework? ), we would be back at it and play until exhaustion set in. The moon provided natural lighting. I had forgotten this but “Big Alex” reminded me that we used rubber boots as goal posts. When conditions were perfect and the field was covered with a thick layer of perfectly smooth ice, it was not uncommon to have to skate a very long way to retrieve an errant puck. Yes indeed, it was a much simpler and joyous time.

Last week’s move was very challenging to say the least. Mind you, when you choose to move in February, you “play the cards you’re dealt.”  When the last of the boxes were moved, I decided to pen a story so that I would never forget this week. Most sensible people would quickly try to erase this from their memory banks forever. I haven’t been accused of being sensible lately, if ever. “Court Street Blues” is an account of moving in less than ideal conditions.

Have a great week.

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