The Blog: Spellbound by our own imperfect lives...

This was one of those weeks where I felt like I was whirling in a blender every day. Every day felt full which is a wonderful thing. It means I didn't fill my life with work...there were other things. Wednesday we worked at AARP, Thursday night we went out to eat for Elliot's birthday, today Alex came to play and was joined by his dad and sister for pizza. I don't know what else we did...but it must have been a lot. We were outside tonight at 7 o'clock moving snow which is a task because we are running out of places to put it. We need a giant truck to haul some of it away. It was a beautiful evening, fairly warm, not windy, four inches of new sparkly snow. I will post a photo of the bunny tomorrow as he has almost disappeared under his snowy cloak. We are all snuggled up now. Woodrow in the big bed, Gus on the rug, us in our chairs. The little fireplace is keeping us toasty. We are having tea to warm us before bed. There are things to do and things to worry about ...

I am not going to complain about the weather even though, historically, this is when I start. I talked to the UPS driver and the letter carrier yesterday and they both said this is the coldest (worst) winter they remember. I have a bad memory so I can't say that but I know it's unusual to have below zero temps so often at the end of February. Ah, well. We choose to live here. It's been a beautiful winter even with the brutal cold. I love the sun dogs, the northern lights, the new powdery snow that falls every week, the patterns of drifting snow, the little ice and snow chunks clinging to tree branches from our last storm. Deb and I went for a walk yesterday even though it was very cold. We had many layers on, boots and YakTrax, and we waddled over the ice and snow like penguins. It makes the hips hurt a little to walk like that but we made it almost three miles. Real adventurers, we are. These are YakTrax. Very effective on ice and snow. You just cannot be too conc...

In true Regis/Teresa fashion, we started our vacation season slowly as we don't like to travel too far or be gone very long when we leave home. An extreme vacation for us is a trip to Iowa or western Minnesota. This trip was less than a half mile round trip. We packed some crab cakes and mango salsa, a cheese plate, and a bottle of wine. We drove down the street two blocks to drop Gus off at Reggie's house for the night. Then we drove two blocks west and spent the night at the Americinn here in St. Peter. We watched some television, hung out in the lobby, and were home by 8 o'clock this morning. We had a fine time. My favorite snow drift! Beautiful! Today, we continued our vacation by taking a tour of the countryside to see the big snow drifts. We stopped for coffee, found a few closed roads, saw many skiers and snow mobiles, and wandered back home in time to go to Alex's birthday party, then a reading at the Arts Center. Tomorrow, I...

We were skeptical yesterday when the snow hadn't even started by noon, that this would be the   Armageddon the weather folks predicted. Apparently, they were correct. Regis thinks we got about 8 inches of snow and the first inch or so came as rain. Roads are closed all over south central Minnesota, schools are closed, many events have been cancelled. Our snow blower seems to be frozen because it won't start. Treacherous, but beautiful. I was supposed to sub today but of course, a day off instead! My plan for the day is to clean up the kitchen, make a nice cheese and meat tray for dinner, bake some cookies, and go outside to make some snow angels. Happy winter!

Yesterday was 35 degrees and not only were the natives out in shorts and sandals (not really) but the bunny's head was exposed! He could see for the first time in a week! Today, unfortunately, the snow is coming down at a furious pace and it looks like he will go under for a while longer. So many things have been cancelled that we have nothing to do the remainder of the day. I got in the obligatory ten games of Scrabble and a long nap. Ah, bliss. Tomorrow isn't looking so good either. I am scheduled to sub at the high school which only means that, once again, I get to experience the tension and exuberance of an impending snow day. You just never get over that. I had my oncology check-up this morning. All is well. I talked to my research nurse and my oncologist about my desire to lop off all parts of my body that increase my risk of relapse. I had copies of my medical records with many questions. Judy said this is not at all unusual as the initial experience is over...

Regis spent a lot of time blowing snow yesterday. He moved it all, then the snow plow came by and closed up the sidewalks and driveways again. He is tired of it and plowed this path to the grill as a sign to the snow gods. I remember hearing stories of snow plow drivers in Chicago during a bad year, going crazy and smashing cars with their plows. That's how I remember it...doesn't mean it's accurate. We have a lot of snow. Except for the trips to Mankato, usually along 169, we don't venture out of town. I keep saying I'd like to drive out in the country just to see how it looks but we don't do it. I must be content in my warm little house. I spent a very lazy day yesterday, napping, drinking coffee, playing Scrabble, reading. It was so peaceful and just what I needed. Mary called about noon and wondered if I could come at 1 pm and I said yes. I had been thinking about talking to her. We had a lovely visit and I left feeling comforted and encouraged....

My blog stats today indicate that I have had 99,608 page views. Oh, Betty is the most popular post of the month with 170 readers, followed not too closely by chicken erotica   with 63. Goes to show you just can't predict the taste of your public.

http://www.jesuitwriters.com/life-from-dawn-to-dusk-by-sch-vishwas-joy-misquith-sj I have been enjoying the Facebook posts and blogs of some inspirational folks lately. Oriah Mountain Dreamer (great story about her name on her blog.), Leo Babatua, Toni Bernhard. I print their articles, read them, highlight and make notes on them and save them in a binder. This is of course a process, and like most things in human beings it does not happen in a once-and-for-all straight line, but in more of an ever-deepening spiral. But gradually we can dissolve much of the need for habits of distraction and dissociation so we can feel and live the joy in our lives more fully. [ http://www.oriah.org/] Binders like the ones I kept for my college degrees and licenses and all that   folderol. I am a binder organizer. Always have been. Recipes in binders, articles in binders, weight loss and exercise records in binders. This one is my favorite, though. It's where I tuck all my spiritual reading...

This is the chair I ordered from Nicaragua on Etsy. I know it's wild colors but I looked and looked and just couldn't bring myself to order it in a neutral color. I am going to hire a professional to hang it from the ceiling. It doesn't come with the pillows which is fine with me. It's a chair that hugs you. We are dog sitting this puppy this weekend. Ava is a Fox Red Lab and she was born with a spinal deformity so she hops a little bit in her back legs. She is a doll and gets along famously with Woodrow and Gus. Woody likes to tease her by playing with her tail, boxing at her through the bars of her crate, and hiding under the couch. Gus and Ava were wild for about the first 24 hours, then they settled down. Regis has taken them to the park every day and they run and play and chase balls. Then they curl up for a nap. Mom sent these beautiful tulips the other day. They are truly the color of spring. I keep them in the kitchen so I can see them ...

Woodrow likes to crawl around the computer in the morning. He is a very needy cat, mostly between 5 am and 8 am. After that, not so much. Rene came to visit yesterday and he rolled on his back and looked at her with his big green eyes, then he did some yoga (down dog and warrior one), and then draped himself over the side of the cabinet like a big cat. He thinks he is a jaguar. The doorbell rang yesterday and the Fed Ex man left me these beautiful tulips. I was so glad I was home because they suffered a little in the sub-zero temps. I trimmed them, put them in room temperature water with the magic potion that came with them, and this morning they are much perkier. Such beautiful summery colors! It's warmer today. Regis and I are going to the AARP tax center this morning. I am going to wear my walking shoes so I can stroll around the building between clients. I am subbing the next two days and we are going to a comedy show on Friday night. I wonder how we had time...

Fifty years since the Beatles first appeared in America. How can that be? Hey, Joanne...butterfly wings for Halloween! This is so I remember to take a recipe to class tomorrow night. I love this picture. I love my little house and my bird feeders. I love this tiny house. You can tow it with a car, not that I ever go anywhere. Woodrow drags his bed to the edge of the cabinet and rides it to the floor like a bobsled. He's some cat. He doesn't sit still for long, but when he does he enjoys it. Regis and Gus clowning. Gus claims the bed for the morning. Gus and Woodrow both peered over my shoulder as I cleaned the litter box, then followed me into the bathroom and peered at me as I took a bath. I must be fascinating. Here's the weather forecast...in case you are thinking of vacationing here. MONDAY: Lung burning cold continues. High: 2. Feels Like: -30F early. Wind: WNW 5. MONDAY NIGHT: Mostly...

I have spent a most lazy day. I took a long nap, spent a lot of time reading Patron Saint of Liars, sat in my chair staring into the distance, shopped for a hammock chair, and now I am having a glass of wine and enjoying the dusk. I don't really like the transition from day to night in the winter. It's lonely and bleak and maudlin. I try to avoid looking at it if I can. I have spent most of the day (when I wasn't sleeping) shopping for a hammock chair. I have a swing for summer but right now, I feel a need to be hugged and rocked and I think a hammock chair would do it. Regis hugs me several times a day, pats my back, and says it's going to be alright. I listen to Bob Marley's music which has a frequent refrain that everything is going to be alright. It calms me. I have two goals this week...buy a hammock chair and get another tattoo. Oh...one more...which I can't recall right now. More tomorrow.