Icy Spots

We are betwixt snowstorms here once again, in this most vicious of midwestern winters, another several inches expected tonight, for which a place will have to be made on top of the residual heaps left by the snowplow on Monday. Sigh.

But I walked the dogs today (oh, such joy in their wagging tails!), for luckily the path in our community park gets cleaned very quickly since the local police use it to patrol.  Though I'm sorry there is a need for that particular activity, the blessing is that the walk is always cleared of snow and ice.

We marched briskly around the one mile track, clear sailing all the way, which was fortunate because Magic and Molly were at full tilt the entire time, and I found myself nearly jogging to keep up (the knees will pay for that later).   But just as we rounded the final bend to the parking lot - WHOA!- ice, big time, first a silvery slick puddle, followed by a stretch of deep, frozen ruts.

Slowing down, I crept gingerly across, stepping off the path into a snowbank to avoid that miniature skating rink.  I've fallen once on ice, breaking my right elbow, and believe me, a broken right arm is just not the thing for someone who makes her living operating one type of keyboard or another.  So having been burned, so to speak, by ice in the past, I'm fearful of it.

Of course that icy patch is so like life in general, isn't it?  You're sailing along, enjoying the movement and breeze, when suddenly you're pulled up short - by illness, sadness, family or work difficulties-an icy patch in the road.  Cautiously, we made our way through that small rough spot, the dogs sensing my reluctance and slowing down accordingly.  I focused my attention on each step, careful to maintain my balance.  We reached the car without incident, our joy in the walk not marred in the least.

May all my travels along life's roads be as deftly navigated.

Wishing you clear sailing on your life's pathway...

Monday Musings (late on Sunday)

This morning, on our way to Phoneix' Sky Harbor Airport ( and isn't that a perfect name for an airport?), I remarked that the next mountains I saw would not be those hazy purplish ones surrounding me on the horizon, but the huge grey slush and snow mountains piled beside the roadways and in corners of parking lots.  Sure enough, there they were as soon as we stepped out of the airport, at least 10 feet high and craggy, blackened with grime and carbon exhaust, flanking each corner of the parking lot. Each time I travel in winter, and return from whatever sunny place I've been lucky enough to escape to, I'm struck anew by the contrast in lifestyles between those of us in the wintry climes, and those who live (or at least winter) in places where the weather is always warm.  It's the difference between the ridiculous and the sublime...this morning, I left the majestic, sun filled desert and, in a matter of a few hours, was thrust back into a world of leaden skies, pitted roadways, and snow covered heaps. 

Sigh (of sadness).

As you may have guessed, we thoroughly enjoyed our four days in Scottsdale - after all, what's not to like about sunshine and 78 degrees?  It's very different than Florida, and although I was fascinated with the mountains and the desert plants, I admit to missing the greenery and flowers that are so abundant in the tropics.  But I learned tons of things - about the Saguaro (sa-whar-o) and Cholla (choy-a) cactus, about Frank Lloyd Wright, about fabulous bronze art (Dave McGary), about the best place to have lunch (Elements, at Sanctuary) and dinner (T. Cooks at the Royal Palms) - and in spite of all the "learning" managed to find time for a glide down the Lazy River in an inner tube at the Desert Ridge Hotel. 

Sigh (of satisfaction).

But now it's Monday - or almost at any rate.  My Monday is shaping up like this  - a three hour rehearsal with Classical Bells (substituting for my friend Millie, who has another week in Scottsdale, the lucky girl), followed by an hour rehearsal at the high school (in preparation for District Choral Festival on Thursday), followed by a couple of hours at my office in an attempt to make ready for the week ahead.

Sigh (of  foreboding).

And while I'm trying hard not to complain, I know the rest of this week will be a very stark contrast to the past four days of reading, relaxing, eating, drinking, and most of all, laughing, with two very good friends. 

Of course, no one can "relax" forever.  Truthfully, I often feel guilty about all the "relaxing" I've been able to do this winter.  I guess it's the Puritan in me, or those Scotch Presbyterian ancestors of mine with their darn work ethic.  I've been able to have so many lovely mini-vacations this year, four or five days away from work and winter, and even though I know I work hard and do my best job all year round, I still feel guilty and undeserving about having all this time off.

Why is that?   I have always considered myself as someone with good sense of self esteem, someone who thinks "she's worth it" when it comes to life's pleasures.  But I am prone to anxiety and guilt about the possibility of shirking my responsibilities, fearing any small loss of the reputation I have built for myself over the years.  

So if the Byline is quiet this week, you'll know I'm working harder than ever to make up for all the fun I've been having.

Sigh.

So how about you?  Do you ever feel guilty about having "too much fun"?  Is it even possible to have "too much fun?"

And how is your week shaping up?

Polar Opposites

Dateline: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 Time: 4:20 p.m.

Place: Airport parking, Detroit Metropolitan Airport

I'm standing ankle deep in charcoal grey frozen slush, a mixture of freezing rain and snow falling on my (once perfect) new haircut,  shivering convulsively in my apricot colored raincoat, peering anxiously toward the road hoping against hope to see the blue shuttle bus that will take us to the terminal for our flight to Phoenix, which is scheduled to leave in one hour.

Dateline: Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Time: 4:40 p.m.

Place: The patio, Canyon Villas, Scottsdale

I'm sitting at the umbrella table, bare feet propped on the chair in front of me, legs stretched out in the sun, sipping cold white wine, gazing in awe at the mountainous vista arrayed in all it's lavendar glory in front of me, reading my book.

Which is the better day? Hmm.

Sunny Sunday

There is much that needs doing this afternoon - laundry and vacuuming, some small work projects brought home from the office, packing my suitcase (more about that later!) -but here I sit at my kitchen table, the remnants of dessert (vanilla yogurt topped with fresh strawberries) next to me, tapping away at the keyboard and watching "that brilliant orb" settle into the western sky.  Lord yes, believe it or not, it was sunny here in southeastern Michigan -all day.  And all day yesterday.  And all day the day before.

Only those who have lived in the midwest in winter know how rare an occurence that is.  Three days of solid sunshine, no wind, moderate temperatures - surely a gift from God.

So I let some indoor things slide, and took the doggies for several walks.  Imagine their ectasy on feeling dry pavement beneath their padded paws!  Magic went flying down the street, plumed tail high in the air, a definite manly swagger in his shoulders.   Even Molly, usually sedate and ladylike, broke into a run just to catch up, and they trotted happily shoulder to shoulder, occasionally bumping hips like the two best friends that they are.  I tried hard to ignore their dirty paws and mud spattered undercarriages and allow them their moments of glory.

But now that the sun has dipped below the horizon, an amber glow waning behind the rooftops, I've got to accomplish a few things.  Like laundry and vacuuming, some small work projects from the office, packing my suitcase...

Oh, I promised to tell you about that...

Well, (lucky me!) our good friends have invited us to spend some time in with them next week at their timeshare in Scottsdale, Arizona.  Needless to say, I'm really excited.  But I have to pack a suitcase for this trip - I'm so accustomed to going to our house in Florida where I have everything I need already there, that I think I've forgotten how to pack! 

So tell me, do you have any good packing tips for me?