When I woke up this morning, the day was lovely. The sun was bright and had that fall into winter sharpness. The sky was a deep blue. When I went out front to get the Sunday paper, I was surprised when the air felt chilly. It had appeared warmer through the window. Since then, though, clouds have taken over the sky and the world outside my window looks bleak. Showers are predicted for later. I’m thinking today is a perfect day to stay home, watch a movie and eat some popcorn, all the while staying cozy.

My dance card is empty today. Yesterday’s concert was wonderful, the last of bluegrass. Though it rained, we still had nearly a full house. The audience even stayed around for the full set.

Popcorn has always been a favorite treat. I remember my mother putting oil in a pot on the stove and adding a couple of test kernels. When they popped, she’d add the rest of the kernels, cover the pot and start shaking the pot on the burner. Shaking was essential as the bottom kernels would burn if you didn’t shake. She’d shake with one hand and hold the cover with the other hand to ensure no popped corn escaped. Every now and then she’d raise the cover to check on the corn, and popped corn would fly out of the pot. We’d chase the kernels down to eat them. We’d hang around in the kitchen listening to the popping sounds. When we heard fewer kernels, maybe one or two, we knew the corn was popped. My mother would empty the pot into a bowl and add melted butter and salt. She was quite generous with the butter, less so with the salt. My mother, to prevent arguments, would often divide the popcorn into smaller bowls, one for each of us.

I remember Jiffy Pop. It was a foil covered pan with the oil and kernels inside. It had a handle to hold on to while you shook the pan. I loved watching. As the kernels popped, the top expanded around and up. It sort of looked like a dome, like the capitol dome. After the popping stopped, you tore the top of the dome and ate the popcorn right from the pan, but, of course, not until after the melted butter had been added. You can still buy Jiffy Pop. Nothing about it has changed. Maybe it is time again to be entranced by the growing top of Jiffy Pop.

Today is another cloudy day. It is also another day in the 40’s. I think we’ll have the same temperature all week, but with sun, no more clouds. That seems perfect for fall days.

My mood matches the weather or maybe the weather matches my mood, cloudy either way. That reminds me of the age old dilemma, which comes first, the chicken or the egg, the mood or the weather. We know the cart comes before the horse but which is which? I am watching a Hallmark movie hoping to jump start a better mood. I know the movie will have a happy ending and all will be right with the world.

I did finish my chores yesterday, an accomplishment. I even vacuumed the hall and dining room. Today I have no lists so anything I do will be an accomplishment.

I didn’t have any chores when I was a kid. My bed was unmade in the morning when I left for school but made when I came home. I did have to hang up my school clothes as I only had the one blue skirt and one blue tie. I did have a couple of white blouses. My shoes went into the closet, my school shoes next to my church shoes. I did my homework in the afternoon if I had any.

My mother always made dinner. My father was never home during the week for dinner. In my mind’s eye I can see him coming through the front door wearing his top coat and fedora. Dinner was always a meat, usually hamburger in some variation, a vegetable and potatoes, mostly mashed potatoes slathered in butter. We’d grab a couple of cookies for dessert. Oreos were the favorite. They went quickly. We always grabbed Oreos in a bunch.

I wore uniforms to school for almost my entire schooling. When we moved to the cape, I wore regular clothes for the first time. I also did my first back to school clothes shopping. I still remember the first outfit I wore to school. It was a Madras blouse and a wraparound black skirt. I felt a bit self-conscious.