Gold Skies At Night

"Red skies at night, sailor's delight." But what does it mean if the sky is gold? I haven't written in awhile. I guess I haven't been looking for the magic. But tonight, it forced itself on me with an "in-your-face" dazzling gold sunset Driving home, the sunset teased me from behind, forcing me to constantly look in my rear view mirror. This sunset was golden - no trace of red or orange - just pure, deep, shiny gold. I don't think I've seen a sunset that was just one color like that and so intense. Maybe it was extra intense because we haven't seen the sun much in a long time. The light reflected off all the buildings on Polaris Parkway making them golden glowing towers of light. It was really incredible. "Gold skies at night - pay attention to the light!"

Fast Forward

When Mackenzie was little I used to see this lady all the time walking around Westerville, at the park, at the library, etc. with her little baby girl in a papoose carrier. They intrigued me because they looked so Scandanavian. Both the mom and little girl had blonde hair and really pink cheeks. I heard the mom talk once and she definitely had an accent. The little girl was a doll baby and dressed in little Scandanavian looking clothes and hats. I saw them everywhere! Time went on and I didn't see them anymore but really didn't think about it. Then, today, I was at the library and I saw the mom and daughter. The mom looked the same but the daughter, of course was all grown up. She is probably a year or two younger than Mackenzie and was a good 5'5 or 6" tall. But, she still had the same face and ruddy red cheeks. It was such a weird feeling of "fast forward!" I mean, it's probably been at least 15 years since I've seen them. I don't even know their names but I felt I knew them. I really wanted to go up and tell them "I used to see you guys all the time when she was a baby." But, I'm sure they'd think I was really weird!

A Brand New Day?

Today Barack Obama was sworn in as our 44th president. It was amazing to see the millions of people croweded in the Mall in Washington DC. The news showed clips of people around the world celebrating. There is just such a hope from everyone - especially young people - that he is the person who is going to save our world. It's also amazing to see the faces of African-Americans as they watch a black man become President - the day after we honored the birth of Martin Luther King. There is such hope and pride and a sense of victory. Yet there are those who are not celebrating today. They think he's too inexperienced. They think some people may have voted for him just because he's black. They are scared when they hear his full name - Barack Hussein Obama. I don't know what I think yet. I want to believe in the magic but worry - have we put this man on a pedestal? Has the world built him up too much and made him into their savior? What an awesome weight is on his shoulders. He faces war, economic problems like we haven't seen in decades, terrorist threats, and building tensions in the Middle East. But, I'm praying and pulling for him to fulfill the hope that the world has pinned on him - hope for better times, hope for peace, hope for equality and freedom, and hope for goodness in our leaders. Time will tell. For today, I'll hold those incredible images I saw of people coming together in hope. I don't think I've ever seen or felt anything like it.

A New Outlook

I couldn't get on the computer yesterday to share the magic of being able to see clearly again! Because of an eye problem, I had to use some medication and couldn't wear my contacts for about 2 weeks. I ordered new glasses so I could see without the contacts but they were the wrong prescription. I wore them for a week thinking I just needed to get adjusted from wearing contacts all the time. Then, when it was clear they were wrong, I had to wear them another week until the right ones came in.
So, for 2 weeks my vision was all out of whack. It made me nauseous and dizzy, and I couldn't drive at night (and hardly during the day, either). I felt like I could hardly function and I was SO frustrated. Yesterday, I got the new glasses with the correct prescription. When I put them on, things were better but not perfect. But, when I got the OK to wear my contacts again and put them in - HALLELUJAH!!! I could see SO clearly! It truly was magic to get my vision back. The world looks sharp and I feel so much sharper!

Chivalry is Not Dead

We've had a lot of snow in the past two days (4-5")and today it is bitterly cold (5 degrees). However, in the bowels of winter I learned that chivalry is not dead! Last night, Dwight picked me up from work so I left my van in the parking lot. Of course, today, when I went out to leave, my car was the only one covered in a blanket of snow and snow was drifted all around it. For some reason, today I didn't wear my boots. So, when I got to my car I brushed as much snow off as I could reach without stepping in the drifts. Then, while I was contemplating how I was going to brush off the other side when the only access was to step in a huge drift, a man (a gorgeous man!) appeared out of nowhere and started brushing off that side of the car. I noticed he wasn't wearing any gloves (remember it's 5 degrees). I told him he shouldn't be doing that with no gloves but he said he just moved here from the upper peninsula of Michigan so this weather is nothing to him! He went more than out of his way to make sure my car was all cleaned off. It was so nice. So, whoever you are, Chase Commercial Banking employee who just moved here from Michigan, thank you thank you. Ah, to be 15 years younger and single . . . !!! ;)

The Knife

When my brother Kenny and I were younger, we had a toy that was an orange, rubber knife. I'm not sure why we had it. It probably came with some toy set. During high school for some reason we started playing a game where we would hide the knife somewhere the other person would accidentally find it when they least expected it - the shower, under their pillow, etc. When I went away to college my freshman year, I had forgotten about the knife. One day when I had been away for about 3 weeks I was feeling really homesick so I went to a practice room at the Conservatory to play my violin. When I opened the case,there was the knife! I remember crying and laughing at the same time. It was like a visit from home! Sometime over the years, we lost the orange knife. I kept thinking it would turn up but it never did. For Kenny's 40th birthday I found a similar black rubber knife online and gave it to him. Soon, the new knife was in circulation! At Thanksgiving, I hid it in his medicine cabinet. I asked him about it this past weekend when we were in Medina but he pretended to know nothing about it. Today, was starting out to be a bad day. I got little sleep last night and knew there were things I'd have to face today I didn't want to. As I reached into my purse, searching for something at the bottom, my hands gripped something rubbery. I pulled the object out and there was the knife! I burst into laughter! Suddenly, the day didn't look so bad!

Apples to Apples

Apples to Apples is a really fun game. It's even more fun when your teenage kids want to have a family night and play it. And, it's even more fun when you all laugh til you cry and your teenage daughter turns down a couple of offers to do something else so she can hang out with the family. We haven't done this often enough. Cherish these moments.