“To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark.”
It’s cold, mighty cold. I let the dog out, made coffee then stood looking out the window as I waited for one or the other to finish. The sun is wan, barely giving any light. The breeze is slight but even slight adds to the cold. I don’t see any squirrels. I figure they are comfy in their nests. There are no birds as I need to fill the feeders again. I’ll bundle up, wear my ear muffs and my mittens then brave the cold, all for the birds. When I finally got the newspapers, the cold almost took my breath away.
I have a list of places and errands. Gracie and I need to go to the dump, one of her favorite places, but on a day like today, the dump has an arctic wind blowing across all its emptiness. I’m rethinking that chore.
The weather has me in a reading mode. Staying inside wrapped in a quilt and reading a book is about the coziest way I know to spend a winter’s day. I finished Tick Tock and The Inner Circle this week. Both were quick reads, deep thought not required. My mother always said that buying books for me was a waste as I finished them too quickly. I couldn’t help it was always my answer. Once I get hooked on a book, I read and do little else. If I have a necessary chore, I’m on it and it’s finished in a heartbeat so I can back to my book. I hate it when I’m close to the end of a book I’ve really liked.
When I was a kid, I used construction paper for all sorts of projects. Around this time, I’d be behind a closed door in my room with paper, scissors and crayons so I could make my parents their valentines. It never really took all that long to cut, fold, paste and compose, but my parents always acted as if I had given them a valuable piece of art. One year, a long while back, I made valentines for my mother and sister. I cross-stitched a heart and a Happy Valentine’s Day then used red construction paper to make my card. I cut a space then glued the cross-stitch so the message was in the space. Inside the card was just love and my name. The card didn’t really take long to make, but my mother was thrilled with a home-made card. I was proud in the same way I had been as a kid. I still keep construction paper in the house.
Explore posts in the same categories: MusingsTags: cold, Construction paper, reading, valentine day
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
February 10, 2011 at 12:43 pm
I see we read books in much the same way 🙂 But if the book is very good I just skip my chore even if it is necessary 🙂 🙂 I only take breaks for taking walks with my dogs 🙂
We never celebrated Valentines here when I was young, but making my mother a card for any reason was much like throwing pearls to pigs 🙂 She would smile, put the card in a drawer and throw it away rather soon. She just couldn´t understand things like that. She´s much better that way with her grandchildren though.
It´s snowing here again and it will continue all night they say. Well it´s only early in february so hoping for an early spring is quite useless 🙂 We can have winter here way in to april if we are unlucky 🙂
Have a great day now!
Christer.
February 10, 2011 at 10:20 pm
Christer,
I push myself to do the chore as I really want to be right there reading. Now that I’m retired, I often slide a chore or errand to the next day.
We used to buy a box of valentines then write them out the night before and carry them to school in our valentine boxes. The last part of the day, when we were in the lower grades, was a party.
I just got home-it’s freezing.
February 10, 2011 at 6:26 pm
There is nothing as precious as a homemade Valentine. I still have a cute one that my son
made for me. It is just one of those white paper
doilies with a red construction paper heart glued
in the middle. On it, he taped a piece of gum and
then in crayon wrote, “I chews you for my Valentine.”
Precious!
February 10, 2011 at 6:40 pm
Good pun! Good thought.
February 10, 2011 at 10:21 pm
Rita,
My mother was a saver. She used to joke that when she went “toes up” we’d be surprised at all she’d saved, including cards from us.
Your son’s card: that’s wonderful!
February 10, 2011 at 7:06 pm
A book is one of the greatest inventions in history. I love to look at them, feel them and read them. I love them in hard back, soft back and even digital format. I can spend any afternoon rummaging around either a new or used book store, or the local library. In Dallas we are lucky to have a wonderful used book chain called ‘Half Price Books’. The main store is a former discount catalog jewelry and gift store. The place is huge. Another wonderful used book store is in Portland Oregon called, ‘Powell’s Books’. This wonderful book emporium is located near downtown in a former automobile dealership. Both of these businesses are located on the web.
February 10, 2011 at 10:23 pm
Bob,
I too love books and buy them all the time. When I am finished, I pass them to my friends, my family and finally to the town library. They either add them to the collection or sell them for library funds.
There are some used book stores here-the best is Parnassus where I could linger for hours.
February 10, 2011 at 7:50 pm
http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/crush-the-castle/id318639200?mt=8
Cheers
February 10, 2011 at 10:24 pm
Minicapt,
That one I’d buy-not the how many immigrants one coming out soon.
February 11, 2011 at 11:11 am
We always made our own Valentine cards and put goofy stickers on them. I think it was Hallmark who ruined that ritual. They put out sacks of 100 different cuts of cards that said everything a kid could think of and then some. WE bought a box for a dollar and used up the ones we wanted for gifts and past the rest around for others to use. Took the fun out of making our own.
February 11, 2011 at 12:51 pm
Z&Me,
I only made the ones for my family. For my classmates, we bought those packaged ones you mentioned. There were just too many kids to make one for each. I have a few of those old valentines left which I sometimes send to friends. They are so corny to me now, but I loved them back when.
February 11, 2011 at 8:59 pm
“To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark.”
Kat, you should keep a record of your quotes. I am tempted to put this on my wall and credit it to you. I can’t remember in school if they made valentines day awful or not. I always made a homemade card for my mom. My dad, always gave my mom a gift, and if I remember correctly he gave my sister 😦 and me a small gift also. I’m running out of breath, so I’ll end.
February 11, 2011 at 11:45 pm
Lori,
I wish it were mine but it belongs to Victor Hugo. I just find the right quote for the day.
I don’t remember getting anything special from my parents, maybe a card.