Beneath the Wraps

              Two of our boys took their wives to Arizona.   They left the day after Christmas and are returning today.   I hope they have coats.   Carrie will have one, but the rest may have decided to tough it out, as the weather really was nice when they left.             Carrie texted me that it was 73 degrees in Arizona.   They’ll be returning to below zero.   Actually it is 2 above as I write this post.   Wind chill factor makes it feel so much colder.             It’s not as windy right now as it was yesterday.   It’s a wonder I wasn’t in a coma all day. I don’t remember it being this cold.   Not for a very long while anyway.               It snowed on Christmas day – pretty much all day....

         This year the weather has been awesome enough for me to drive in.   As I was returning home from Jenna’s school, I stopped to get gas.   It was under 20 dollars to fill my tank.   I was stunned.   It wasn’t that low the last time I drove for real.            Last year when Jenna’s school held their Christmas performance, and the weather was rotten, not only did I miss the program, but Tony had as well.   He and Rochelle had just moved back after living in Texas.   Tony surprised Jenna this year when we both showed up just as her class was lining up out in the hall.            There have been some years when I know she hasn’t been able to find me in the audience.   I have taken pictures of her program just to prove to her that I was there.   This year I had my new camera but was very far aw...

I realize that this weather has been tough on a few people and I will probably be unhappy about it when there’s no moisture come summer, but right now I am enjoying walking and not trudging through snow.   I have enjoyed NOT having to wear my boots. I am enjoying the breathable air.   I feel good.   When I get headaches, I can step outside and make them go away.   The headaches are so much better than the sinus infection of the last two or three years – which I DON’T miss at all.          The last few times I’ve gone walking, I noticed three or four trees that still have autumn leaves clinging to the branches.   Does that mean I might still discover autumn leaves on the ground in June?   Wow, that would be something.          To think at this time last year, Jenna and I were getting rides from our neighbor up the street.   Her son enjoys his freedom...

            I have always had allergies.   It doesn’t matter what time of year.   When I was still in school, I had trained myself to fall asleep in a somewhat reclined position – that way my sinuses didn’t drain directly into my throat.   Thus I have actually spent most of my life sleeping propped rather than sleeping flat.   Roland sleeps flat.   Over the years it seems that only one or the other of us can be comfortable in bed.   But not both.             The last three or four years I have complained about the air quality in this house and I have suffered with painful sinus infections the last two or three years.   Before that I had believed that suffering a sore throat was the worse thing – worse than headaches.   But not worse than being so disoriented that I cannot think or function.      ...

While Jenna and I waited for the bus this morning, I took these pictures with my cell phone.

         Just as Roland is about to leave this morning, Jenna informs me that she has drama club.   Her drama club has been meeting each Wednesday morning for about the last two months.   But I had forgotten.          She was dressed minus her shoes.   I was still in my pajamas.   Roland doesn’t like to drop her off so early and have her wait in the dark by herself.            It does seem odd that we would have him drop us off at 6:30 – an hour before drama club starts – but we have to leave about 5 minutes after Roland just in order to get on a bus and still have time to walk from the bus stop to the front of the school – which is what we had to do this morning.          Actually it was more like ten minutes.   I did try to hurry myself as Jenna stood a...

We have not ridden the bus this week as Roland has taken a use-it-or-lose-it vacation.   He has been driving Jenna to school each morning. He had wanted to go see a movie on Monday.   We went to the 12:00 showing and sat through the previews.   The projector (or whatever device they use now) was not working correctly.   We had a choice to wait for the 1:00 or return at a later time.   We learned that it was a three-hour movie.   Three hour movie!   I didn’t want to sit through a three-hour movie!   We couldn’t wait for the 1:00 showing because Jenna gets out of school at 3:20.   But Roland still wanted to see it.   So we returned the next day.   He kept telling me that the movie was only 2 hours and 49 minutes.   That’s more than three hours when sitting through 20 minutes worth of ads and previews. The movie is LOOOOONNNG – I think there is much that could have been edited.   I also thought ...

I don’t mind the change in the weather.   I welcome the cool air.   Even if it means I need to bundle up or dress in layers.   The thing I don’t like is having bus drivers blare the heat as though it’s his or her sole responsibility of heating the entire universe. When I lived with my mom and was working downtown, I would get on the bus and start stripping down.   It was a good 30-40 minute ride.   Just before we got to second south, I’d layer up again.   But the distances I have from West Valley to my destination are so much shorter. It seems senseless to strip down.   At the same time it seems I will suffocate if I don’t remove something. I sit next to the door as often as I can – though the back door doesn’t always open.   I’m getting familiar with which drivers are able to deal with a minimum amonut of heat and which ones have to have the heat cranked up as though Roland is the driver.   I try to avoid their route...

It was nice to have light this morning as Jenna and I walked to the bus stop.   I usually don’t see it until after Jenna and I have parted ways and I start heading back to catch a return bus to West Valley. We were supposed to set the clocks back on Saturday night – but forgot.   We got up at our usual time on Sunday – thinking we had slept in, but hadn’t.   Jenna asked me what happened to all the clocks. Hopefully this will be the last time we have to adjust our clocks and the majority of voters who want to do away with daylight savings times will get our way. I do enjoy seeing where I’m going in the morning.   In December it will be dark again. I notice there are trees that still haven't turned and just as many that are bare now.  Perhaps that will make for a longer fall like we had last year.

We got a new furnace and thermostat – which we haven’t totally figured out.   It was really cold yesterday morning.   Not a big problem for Jenna and me, but Roland needed warmer.   So he made a few adjustments and the air blasted and continued after he left. I put my hair into pigtails to keep it off my neck.   I keep it up during the summer because it is so thick and weighs like a fleece blanket in addition to the already blasting sun.   When Jenna and I left the house, my hair was still in pigtails.   I have worn it down when the morning air’s been cold.   But I didn’t bother taking the bands out of my hair, but secured my hat around them.   It was amazing how warm my ears felt.   I may just continue to do that. In addition to a new furnace, some new appliances were added to our house.   As we made room for all our new material things, items were moved, furniture rearranged and it looks like a tornado blew into ou...

I take Highness for a walk He’s notorious for wanting attention after we have all gone to bed I want to wear him out I’m already worn out Roland and I are on the couch watching Shark Tank I suggest we finish watching in our room He let’s the dog out just before he comes into the bedroom to join me “What are you doing letting the dog out?!” I think. Now one of us will have to get back out of bed to let him in. I can’t remember which one of us received that honor. I am asleep I missed the end of Shark Tank I actually don’t remember turning on the TV maybe Roland did It’s 2:00 in the morning when I can hear Highness whining “Go lay down!” I say Sometimes that works Highness ignores me and continues whining.   I let him outside. I have two pillows in my hand. I sit on the couch in a reclined position. I don’t know how long I have slept when I hear Highness bark again. He has stayed out longer...