“Lots of people go mad in January. Not as many as in May, of course. Nor June. But January is your third most common month for madness.”
When I went to get the papers, the morning was chilly but not cold. It had a crispness almost like an early spring morning. I squinted in the bright sun. The sky is blue with puffy white clouds. The day is pretty.
When I was a kid, I never appreciated the world around me unless there was snow for sledding, fair weather for biking and a hot sun for swimming in the town pool. The weather didn’t change my routine during the school year. In the summer, each day carried its own possibilities.
My favorite season has always been spring. I got to leave layers of winter clothes in the closet. I often rode my bike to school. The day kept getting longer so the street lights didn’t come on until later. We got to play outside after school. I remember the mud. I rode my bike through it to leave tire tracks behind. The air started to smell sweet. The birds came back and so did the bugs. My mother used to open the windows to clear out the stale winter air in the house. The fresh sheets on my bed smelled like the morning. Spring was and still is a delight.
My clean laundry is upstairs. The only thing left on my to-do list is a bit of dusting. I’ve been doing it piecemeal using my sweatshirt sleeve approach. When the coffee was brewing, I dusted a couple of shelves in the kitchen bookcase. When I get a bit antsy, I get up from the couch and dust somewhere else. I figure by the time I’m done, it will be time to start all over again.
Today I have an appointment so I have to go out. Yesterday I stayed home. I vacuumed. Henry hates the vacuum. Gracie didn’t care. One of my other dogs, Shauna, used to attack the vacuum. That was my excuse not to vacuum. Once my mother was taking care of Shauna at her house instead of mine. She started to vacuum and Shauna went after it. Somehow, the vacuum sucked up Shauna’s tongue. My horrified mother turned off the vacuum right away. Shauna’s tongue was unharmed, but it gave the dog a better reason to attack, to stay on the offensive.
January 25, 2019 at 2:44 pm
sometimes I love the digital world.
Some folks opened a private group on Facebook for people that lived in or were interested in Leatherhead. Leatherhead is a small town in Surrey and one of my first boyhood homes.
Yesterday I reached out and asked who had sung in the Church Choir at St Mary and St Nicholas Church. I had been in the choir in the early to late 60s. Blow me, up popped over 60 responses including names of children I knew 50 to 55 years ago. It was just lovely. We woofed about the old choir master Sydney Hardaker and all sorts from our group of 20 boys and girls
Its cold, its icy, the weekend is almost here.
January 25, 2019 at 6:48 pm
My Dear Hedley,
I’m with you in sometimes loving the digital world. I have reconnected with friends from long ago and others from elementary and high school. I was a member of a drill team for several years. We have a Facebook page and have had dinners at the Chinamoon, a hang out in the old days.
How exciting for you!! It is amazing that there was a Facebook page for your town, and it is also amazing that so many people knew the choir members. Make the next thing they’ll post will be pictures.
The Polar blast is due here after the weekend.
January 25, 2019 at 3:50 pm
We had sunshine in the early day but it was gone by the time I drove homewards. They say we’ll see the sun tomorrow again but after that clouds arrives and with them snow. It’ll most likely be the last we see of the sun for ten days or more.
Yes spring has always been the favorite season, especially when I was old enough to go to our summer cottage by myself, either biking there or by bus. I liked biking most because then I could make a pit stop at my grandmother’s to get some cinnamon rolls and soda to bring to the cottage 🙂 I always took the same way home the day after or two days after so I could have some cinnamon rolls and soda with me home 🙂
I always laugh loud when I read about Shauna and her tongue 🙂 🙂 🙂
Have a great day!
Christer.
January 25, 2019 at 6:37 pm
Christer,
We haven’t had a whole lot of sun lately, but today was lovely. We’ll have sun for a few days, but it will be cold. The news calls it Arctic cold returning. If it is anything like last week, it will be freezing.
I rode my bike all over town once it got warm enough to be out. My grandparents lived not far away, but they were never all that welcoming so I never went there. I would have love cinnamon rolls, one of my favorites.
Shauna was none the worse for her mishap.
Have a great day!
January 25, 2019 at 4:58 pm
Hi Kat,
Imagine the mess that would occur if the family dog pooped in the house while everyone is out and then the Rumba robot vacuum spreads the poop around the house. Yuck, another reason not to mix canines with AI. 🙁
Every dog we have had was scared of the vacuum cleaner. Obviously, dogs are territorial animals and the noise and vibration of the vacuum interferes with the normal sounds in the house. The dog thinks the vacuum cleaner is a territorial intruder trying to take over the dog’s domain. Our dogs also went crazy with barking when the lawn care people mowed and used leaf blowers in the backyard. As soon as the workers left the yard, the dogs couldn’t wait to go outside and pee to re-establish their territory. One would think they would eventually figure it out. Let’s face it, dogs aren’t that smart. Why do male dogs during breeding season think my leg is a female dog? I change my socks and underwear every day. 🙂 Some dogs will even hump pillows, stuffed animals and even real bitches.
The day started out chilly at 33 but warmed up nicely to 52 under clear skies and calm wind.
January 25, 2019 at 6:28 pm
Hi Bob,
Once my dogs were trained, they never went in the house and could be left for several hours.
Rosie from the Jetsons is the perfect robot. She is also the best dressed maid-robot. I’d take her in an instant!
Shana has been the only dog to attack the vacuum. She used to hit it with her paw, back off then do it again and again. I still remember my mother telling the tongue story and how sorry she was. Maggie slept through vacuuming. She was the most laid back dog I’ve had. Gracie barked at it. Henry just tries to get away.
Our high was only 39˚ but with no wind it felt warmer.