Eating a few feathers and taking a smidge of credit

I've been thinking about my last post (venting my snit over someone parking in 'my' space.) I've come to realize that I was exhibiting one of my least favorite attitudes in other people... entitlement. I went from stating that the spaces were not assigned to an 'how dare he!' mini-rant. In re-thinking my attitude, I realized that, since he and I both are 'people of a certain age,' he probably didn't feel like trekking over piles of snow and black ice that night anymore than I did... bad backs, hip problems, and aching knees will do that to a person. I've eaten a few crow feathers this past week. (I save the whole crow for my really bad behavior.)

Now that I've spit out the last bit of down, I'm going to pat myself on the back a little. (There goes the shoulder.) Through another bit of serendipity I recently reconnected with the parent of a couple of my high-school classmates. They were twins but I never had a problem telling them apart. It used to drive friends who had grown up with them crazy... " How do you do that?" Our Senior year, a girl I knew (a Sophomore, I think) admitted that she had a crush on one of them. She wanted to 'meet' him and I introduced them a few days later. They ended up getting married. I've often wondered since how that went. Yeah! They are still married. I can't take credit for the work they put into their marriage. (Why is putting another person ahead of ourselves so hard for us humans?) But I will take credit for the introduction. Sometimes, things are just right.

Unwritten protocol finally broken

The complex were I live does not assign parking spaces. Parking is on a first-come first-park basis. With the snows we've had here (starting before Christmas!) parking has been at a premium. A friend and my son dug my car out (twice in the past three weeks) so I could get out for doctor and treatment appointments. Each time I have returned, I've been pleasantly surprised and pleased that 'my' space was open. Residents and guests have been operating on an unwritten protocol of not taking a space that someone else had worked to clear. I returned home yesterday evening to find a car parked in the space. I was rather taken aback that the driver is a retired Marine. (His car has specialty license plates with the Marine insignia.) All things come to an end. (I think I just tasted sour grapes.) Oh, well... Spring will get here eventually.

The snow! The snow! My God, the snow!

I doubt the younger generation of readers would recognize the re-phrasing I used in my title, but I could not come up with a more relevant phrase. Given that everything is relative and that other areas have had and are having it worse weather-wise than our area, please excuse me if I say that I'm TIRED OF SNOW and mess. I'm ready, so ready, for Spring. Does that count as wishing my life away? I expect (and demand) that all the bugs and germs that have survived our past few mild Winters be totally dead and unavailable to make us miserable later this year.

I have hair. Fun hair. Warmth for my bald head. I had seen a hairy cap and found the pattern to make one for myself. Couldn't... less said the better. When I asked a friend who knits to make one for me, she said she had tried and couldn't handle that type of yarn. A few days later, she let me know that she had one for me, made by a fellow member of a group of ladies that get together to knit, crochet, and fellowship.

From the Heart is a non-profit organization made up of women who use their skills to give warmth and beauty to those in need. Their craft is lovely, their smiles bright, their hearts warm, and their willingness to help each other and their community without boundary. I had seen the results of their charity while I was still working in the activities department at an assisted living facility. My boss had received a call from someone who wanted to know if any of our residents needed lap robes. We expected 4 or 5 robes. What we received were bags and bags of lap covers and shawls in beautiful variegated colors to liven dreary days and warm cold aching knees and shoulders. We had enough to be sure that each resident received one as a gift from Santa.

I called my youngest daughter yesterday morning to see if she and her family needed anything to weather the coming storm. She said she had gone to the store the day before and it had been a madhouse. There were plenty of snack foods available... the store was well stocked up for the Super Bowl weekend... but she was surprised that all the toaster strudels and waffles and pop tarts were gone! Nary a package to be seen. I hope the power doesn't go out. If the wind, snow and ice don't do in the lines, the power surge from all the toasters may.