“Strict punctuality is perhaps the cheapest virtue which can give force to an otherwise utterly insignificant character.”
Yesterday Boston broke the record for most snow ever in a winter. There were no celebrations, no sparklers or fireworks, just groaning and complaining. Snow stopped being pretty about 13 or 14 inches ago. It snowed here as well, and the night was cold with a howling wind. I was lying in bed listening and thinking in black and white about Dracula or the Wolfman.
The morning was busy starting with the dentist at ten. It was an interesting experience. First I had a different hygienist then came the coup de foudre. The new hygienist’s chair was heated and had three different massage settings. It was wonderful. My back felt better and my teeth were whiter.
I also stopped in a couple of other places for St. Patrick’s Day stuff, and I wanted to check to see if the store had cut up turnip. They did not but did cut it for me. Now I just have to skin it. Tomorrow will be the rest of the shopping.
I went to St. Patrick’s Grammar School so we always had March 17th as a holiday. The public schools in my town didn’t have the day off, but those in Suffolk County which included Boston did. It was for Evacuation Day which celebrates the date when the British troops evacuated Boston during the American Revolutionary War. Nobody really calls it that. They all call it St. Patrick’s Day.
When I was a kid, I walked everywhere and was never late. In winter I got to school in the morning with enough time to freeze while waiting in the school yard for the bell. At the movies I ended up eating half my candy before the cartoon even started. In high school I’d wait for the bus, and if it was raining, my hair and shoes always got soaked. I used to tell my students that punctuality is the sign of a civilized society. They were never impressed.
I don’t like waiting for people who are late. It seems as if they don’t care about keeping me waiting. They always have an excuse.
If I’m alone and not expected anywhere, time doesn’t matter. I move at my own pace. The day is broken into activities, not hours. I don’t even wear a watch.
Explore posts in the same categories: MusingsTags: Dracula, Evacuation Day, howling wind, punctuality, Snow, snow record, St. Patrick's Day stuff, turnip, walking everywhere, Wolfman
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
March 16, 2015 at 3:17 pm
I stopped waiting for people who always come late a long time ago, if they aren’t in time I’ll just go away to where we were supposed to go or if they are late for a meeting I’ll leave after ten minutes and they’ll have to rescedule the meeting 🙂
I’m jelaous! My hygienist doesn’t have warm chairs or massage in them 🙂 But then again I don’t go to a private practice but to the public dental service. They are much the sdame here but the risk of being “over treated” is much less at the public dental. Lots of scandals here lately about private dentists that charged for things they haven’t done or lied about how much really is needed to be done.
Thankfully we never had to stay outdoors when winter had arrived when I went to school 🙂 We walked straight in to our desks and I sat by the window and a radiator, every year 🙂
Have a great day!
Christer.
March 16, 2015 at 3:27 pm
Christer,
I was always taught you start a meeting on time so as not to punish the punctual. I had a friend who was always late when I invited her to dinner. If there were other guests, I’d start on-time. My friend got huffy the first time I did then I explained I had planned appetizers for a certain time and couldn’t wait for her to arrive whenever. She got better.
I go every 6 months to have my teeth cleaned, paid for by insurance. If my tooth hurts I call to have it checked. This dentist and I have been together since 1971.
The nuns are great believers in lines so we lined up to go into school.
Enjoy your evening!
March 16, 2015 at 6:11 pm
Hi Kat,
My hygienist needs that chair. I will make the suggestion. I suppose it would be too much to suggest that the dentist have one of those chairs too. The movement from the massage might be dangerous to teeth. 🙂
I am selectively late. For things I dislike, I’m late. For things I enjoy, I’m early. I was chronically late for work and chronically late leaving work because I was usually involved in something interesting and didn’t want to leave it. I always made meetings on time. If I’m meeting someone, I’m on time.
My town got over 111 inches of snow but I’m not sure we broke a record. No one has said so.
Today was lovely. Sunny. Reasonable temperatures. The snow we got yesterday has mostly disappeared from the asphalt surfaces. AND I found a green thing growing beside the door. I last saw it back in mid-January. It looked better then. Hope it survives.
Enjoy the evening.
March 16, 2015 at 6:24 pm
Hi Caryn,
It really was comfortable and message just the right spot on my back.
If late only affects the one person who is late, I have no complaints, but late to having dinner or for the theater is inexcusable. I always started meetings on time despite how many people were missing. I learned to do that in an administration class-you don’t punish the prompt.
I know we probably got only half of what you did. We were spared from a couple of those huge snow storms. I can do without a new record!
Today started cold but got warmer. You will start to have a nicer, earlier spring than I will. This is around the time the ocean keeps us cold.
I saw several green shoots and am so happy they are here. Maybe the snow yesterday was winter’s last hurrah!
Have a great evening!
March 16, 2015 at 10:15 pm
If the dentist had that kind of chair I would go more often. The worst thing is waiting to see the doctor. Why do medical professionals think that their time is more valuable than mine? Doctor’s offices should call patients informing them if the doctor’s schedule is running more than ten minutes late. Nothing is worse than sitting in the doctor’s waiting room with all those other hacking sick people.
Friday is the first day of spring and hopefully it doesn’t snow in Boston. Has it ever snowed on Easter Sunday in Boston? That would be a cruel joke. Today the sky was partly cloudy and almost 80 degrees.
March 16, 2015 at 10:27 pm
Bob,
This was for my 6th month cleaning, and they took me early for a change. I too hate it when doctors keep you waiting, but I understand they don’t know ahead of time how long each patient will take. I’m just having my annual check-up, no hacking or sneezing in the waiting rom.
It has snowed as late as early May but not in a while. We, my friends and I, have a first day of spring ritual of greeting the sunrise. I hope it will be warm. Last year was freezing but the year before was warm. We then go out for breakfast.