January Doldrums

It's that time of year. January. Snow. Gray Sky. And then came the freeze! What a freeze. For 2 days while the thermometer stayed below zero, Maggie and I holed up inside.


Then the snow melted. The weather warmed up. And it RAINED. I think the sun has gone south for the winter. It came out one day for about 10 minutes, but I missed it. I was in the basement packing up the Christmas decorations.


I'm supposed to be grateful for all things. Well...... let's see.... hmmm....how can I say this?
I'm not grateful for the below 0 temps, the -35 windchill, and the constant gray sky! Maggie has been asleep for a week. I keep checking her to make sure she is breathing. She gets up, walks in a circle around the kitchen island for 3 hours at night, since she can't get out for her walk.


The icy snow has been a challenge for her, too. Twice I've had to go out and pull her up the hill to the front door. The first time was during the height of the freeze when the wind and the cold were just too much for her. And the second time came when she squatted to pee. She slipped on the snow and sat down and couldn't get any footing to get up. She just sat and waited for me to walk down and help her up. She is a constant reminder that getting old isn't fun.


So how am I handling all this great weather? Well, yesterday, I finally gave in. I woke up in a bad mood, and as the day progressed I didn't get much better. Finally around mid-afternoon I grabbed my coat, and a leash. It was gray. It was wet. It was above 32! One out of 3 was an improvement. Best of all, the sidewalks were clear of snow and salt so Maggie and I went for a walk. We both felt better when we got home. She went back to sleep. I added a Vitamin D infusion.....a nice blend of Florida Sunshine and Russian grains and potatoes. When we lived in the south a Screwdriver was a nice end to the day. Here in the north it becomes a must-have when January and February set in.


Let me end this mid-winter rant on a more serious note.


We survived the Polar Vortex very well. Pipes didn't freeze. Power stayed on. Not everyone was so lucky. I had a fire in the fireplace, and an electric blanket on the bed. I holed up on the really cold days with hot chocolate and a jigsaw puzzle. How VERY blessed I am!


In Florida cold spells could mean nights in the 20's. That's bitter cold when you're used to the 50's or 60's. When I lived in Tampa and we went through cold spells I worried and prayed about the homeless that were living under bridges and huddled around fires in a barrel trying to stay warm. I snuggled into my warm waterbed. (OH, they are so much better than electric blankets. The mattress is warm when you crawl in! Wow!) And I gave thanks, and prayed for those without heat. Since then I've never taken for granted the blessing of a warm bed.




In Pennsylvania, I still think of the homeless but I know there are many "Warming Shelters" for those who are without heat. I am thankful that there are people who are looking out for those in need.


And when the winter doldrums set in, I'm grateful for a warm coat to wear on a brisk day. I felt so much better once I inhaled fresh air. And then I warmed up with that great OJ infusion. And for that I am also Very thankful!

I Love a Good Sport

Teaching our kids to be good sports when playing games can be a difficult thing. Some kids are born to be naturally competitive and even people who aren't naturally driven to win, don't like to lose. Lately, the news too often covers parents who go a little crazy trying to urge their kids on in a game. So this month I was delighted to find two truly great examples of people being good sports.

The first was a contestant, Jean-Claude from Ottawa, Ontario, who was on The Price Is Right. On one of the challenges he was told that IF he won that game he would also be awarded a check for $20,000.00. Well, Jean-Claude guessed correctly, and when they presented him with the check he was almost overcome.

"Are you kidding?" he asked, his hands covering his face. Then he collected himself, and thanked Drew and the models presenting him with the prize. It was heart-warming to see such a grateful person. Fast forward to the end of the show.

Jean-Claude made it into the showcase and gave his estimate of the prize value. Jean-Claude was over by $5,000.00. (That automatically means he has lost.) The other contestant was nervous, but Jean-Claude kept saying "You're ok. You're good. You'll get it." And he stood back and clapped for her while Drew was revealing the value. When she won Jean-Claude could be heard shouting for her..."I told you it was good!" He shouted, he cheered, he whistled for her as she won the final showcase.

Jean-Claude wasn't just a good sport. He was truly grateful for his prize, but just as happy when he lost. He was a joy to watch.

The second story was totally different but even more heartwarming.

We have heard wonderful stories of coaches who put in bench warmers or even disabled kids for the final play. Usually they have a Cinderella ending where they make the final goal or basket. This story didn't play out that way.

Even though the team was ahead by 10 points when the coach put in the team manager, who was mentally challenged, his attempts at scoring time after time were futile. What happens next is where the story becomes beautiful, and where you meet a young man who understood true sportsmanship. I won't tell you the ending. Instead, click on the link to see it unfold.
http://www.kdcountry94.com/2013/02/27/good-news-high-school-basketball-player-passes-ball-to-mentally-challenged-player/

And just in case you can't make the link work my next post will give you the 'rest of the story'.

The Little Miracles We Take For Granted

Steve Jobs once said "It's really hard to design products by focus groups. A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them."
-- Business Week, May 25 1998

The other day I was sitting at my computer when the phone rang. Larry was calling from Phoenix, where he had just landed. He sounded tired. It was understandable. This is the time of year when he spends more time in airports and airplanes than at home. He had flown out of Pittsburgh early that morning. However, he didn't just sound tired. He sounded aggravated.

"What are you doing?" he wanted to know.
"Not much," I said. "Where are you?"
"I'm sitting at the freaking car rental and I CAN'T rent a car!"
This wasn't sounding good, so I proceeded with caution. "Ohh, hmm, uh, (pause) er, why not?"

Deep sigh, disgust, frustration...."because I left my driver's license going through security at the airport."

Here is where I suddenly experience a rapid series of wild imaginings. Stolen drivers license, identity theft, long months of tiresome work trying to get a mess straightened out.

"So," he continued, "you need to head out to the airport to pick it up and overnight it to me."

OHH! "You mean, they have it?" I asked in disbelief.
"Yes, I called my travel agent and he checked and TSA has it. You just have to go get it and send it out to me."

So, I did just that. I headed to the airport. I wasn't sure where to go when I walked inside. I saw a man in a gray uniform and asked, uncertainly, if he was TSA? No, he wasn't but could he help?

"My husband left his driver's license here this morning." "Rosenberry?" he asked.

Really? The first person I talk to knows exactly why I'm there? He told me where to find TSA and 10 minutes later I was walking back to the car with Larry's drivers license. (Don't worry. I did have to show proof of who I was.)

I had no idea where there was a Fed-Ex office so I pulled out my iPhone, opened maps, typed in Fed-Ex and discovered there was one 3 miles away. I had parked about 25 yards from the terminal door and before I had gotten back to the car, I had directions in hand.

Fifteen minutes later I was leaving Fed-Ex. Larry would have his license by 8:30 the next morning.

There are so many ways this could have gone wrong. But it didn't. And that's really not the point I want to make. Instead I am in awe of how easily everything worked. And I am suddenly appreciative of the many conveniences we have today.

First of all, Kudos to TSA! The people at the security checkpoint did just what they are expected to do. Sometimes people don't, so it's important to recognize them when they do. That was the first hurdle.  Finding, protecting and getting the license was done. Transport was the next one. Not so long ago that would have been the hard part.

I don't embrace change quickly. When cell phones came out I thought they were ridiculous. Who couldn't handle being away from the phone for the 30 minutes it took to get from work to home? I have an iPhone now but it's an iPhone3 that I got when I traded in my falling-apart-old-cell phone that couldn't even text. The iPhone4 had just come out so the iPhone3 was free if I signed up for a 2-year plan.

I remember Steve Jobs making that quote about designing things for people they didn't even know they wanted. As much as I admired Jobs, and love Apple products, I scoffed at his assumption that it was up to him to figure out what we wanted before we knew we wanted it! I scoff no more. Not all that long ago Larry would have been calling long distance from a pay phone. Overnight delivery was non-existent. We paid extra for airmail that took 3 days to get there. This would have been a major event.

Thanks to Steve Jobs, Fred Smith (founder of FedEx), and other visionaries, we live in a world of convenience that we often take for granted. I may scoff at most new inventions but I'm glad there are creative people who imagine them. I'm grateful for the crazy fanatics that wait in line for hours before every release, thus ensuring it's initial success. And if those new fangled gadgets hang around long enough I'll jump on the band wagon and benefit from all the ways they improve my life.

I love my laptop. Who knows? Maybe someday I'll finally own an iPad.

Thanksgiving Traditions

Thanksgiving. No matter how you say it, it is hard to change the meaning or the intent of the day. It is a special time. And in every family it is celebrated a little differently. Some opt for the best china and silver while others go for the buffet, paper plates and plastic ware. For most, it means a day with family even if it is just your spouse and kids.

When I was growing up our Thanksgiving celebration resembled the Saturday Evening Post cover with the family gathered around the table, dressed in their best clothes, dad carving the perfectly roasted turkey while we all watched. I assumed everyone celebrated it the same way. Then my brother-in-law joined the family. He came from a different background and was always amazed at the rituals of our celebrations. Our holidays were peppered with customs and conventions. “TRA-DI-TION!” he would declare playfully!

I like rituals and routines. They are a family’s way of making a special day really special. When we moved away my husband and I had to set up a few of our own routines for holidays. And without a lot of family nearby, we became much more relaxed about most holidays. But we still had our special Tra-di-tions!

 One custom has completely escaped me. Black Friday. I am not a big shopper and I’ve never wanted to head out for the big deal of the day. I did go one time, 30 years ago. A friend and I spent the day fighting crowds in the mall and we had fun! We got a couple of good deals. But I’ve never felt the need to do it again. But for those who love to stand in line and hit the stores at midnight, I say ‘Have at it’! I will be warm and snug in my bed in a tryptophan induced dream state.

This year the competition to open earlier than anyone else has hit a ridiculous level. I wonder if anyone is actually eating turkey anymore, or are they just grabbing a cheeseburger at Wendy’s while they hold their place in line? Is there a new tradition for family assignments? Whereas one person used to set the table, while another mashed the potatoes, perhaps now one holds the place in line while someone else runs to Dunkin’ Donuts for the hot chocolate and cream filled confections.

My only problem with all this is what about the employees of those retailers vying for the ‘first-to-open’ trophy? A paycheck is a wonderful thing, but so is a day with family. Even better is a day OFF work. The ‘consumer’ season is upon us and those employees are going to be working their weary heads off over the next four weeks.

Some employees are finally saying enough is enough. Many even picketed outside the store. Unfortunately, that still meant they had to give up part of their day that should rightfully be off. I recognize the necessity of some professions who take care of us. And I appreciate the sacrifice those people make. But for retailers the day of thanks has become the day of greed. Instead of giving thanks for, and rewarding good employees, they have found new ways to walk all over them and take advantage of their need for a paycheck.

I don’t worry about what the world is coming to. Times change. They always have. My kids don’t do things the way I did. I didn’t do things the way my mom did. She didn’t do things the way her mom did. That’s ok.

As inventions change the way we live, our lifestyles will change. I don’t worry about the world my kids will inherit. They will adapt and think little of it. All I can do is make sure my family knows and remembers the most important elements…the basic foundations that make their life a valuable and memorable experience. But I do hope that at some point businesses remember happy employees are a good thing, and something to be thankful for. Trust me. If the stores don’t open until 12:00am, Friday morning, the people will still come.

 

 

 

#1 Wild and Woolly

Fall is winding down. As I headed out today, I noticed the last of the pear trees, the final hold out around here, have shed almost all of their leaves. The pear tree has become my favorite since we moved here. Covered in white blossoms it is the one of the most showy trees in spring. In fall it holds on to its green leaves until the end, finally turning a bright burnished gold before letting them go.

This isn't a pear tree, but it has also become one of my favorites. I watch it outside my window for its signs. It is the first to get green in the spring, and the last to change in the fall. Often the gold leaves turn red, but this year they stayed gold. I took this picture about 5 days ago. Today the leaves are gone.
The chrysanthemums are hanging on, but most of the other flowers have withered in the first frost. The fields are wild and woolly. They aren't what one would normally describe as pretty, but to me they are.

It took me awhile to notice it, but last year I really did. The fields had grown up. The grasses had dried. The wildflowers had lost their colors and now wore hats of feathery white seed pods. The bloom of youth was gone. They had aged.

Just as a photographer can take a picture of an aged and wrinkled old person and you see the beauty within, the life that was lived, so the fields in late fall look beautiful to me. It does mean the fall season is nearing an end, but Thanksgiving is at hand! We'll be putting up Christmas decorations next weekend. It's time for change. Time to embrace the next season. And Seasons are one of the blessings of living north of the temperate zone.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!