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Friday, December 21, 2012

AYE AYE AYE IT'S CHRISTMAS
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO...
AYE AYE AYE IT'S CHRISTMAS
AND I DON'T HAVE A TREE FOR ME!!!!!
My latest misadventure .....Dec. 19, 2012
I went to town to work a few hours at the
museum ... ran errands, paid bills,
arranged a Christmas surprise for family members,
lunch with a friend, and Safeway to fill the
empty spaces in my pantry and frig. Considered
getting a small tree .. but decided I had time to do that later.
"Let it snow..let it snow... let it snow!" the song
played on the car radio.
Easy for them to say! I have to drive home in this mess!

OYYY  YOY  YOY YOY   YOYYYYYY!!!
 What a hair raising story of perserverence, determination, and
superior driving ability loomed before me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The drive from town to home wasn't too bad ..
a light snow falling, dry roadway with a little ice,
no problem.

Stop at the bottom of my hill,
follow the snow-packed tracks back up the driveway.
Put car in gear and started up the hill.
About 3/4 the way to the top, the driveway veers to the left
and is noticably steeper.
It didn't take long for me to realize I was stopped in my tracks!
Snow piled up in front of the tires, and ice beneath caused me to
spin tires and dig furrows in the snow and ice.
RATS!!!
Backed down the driveway to level ground to get a bit more
momentum to speed past the small but seemingly impenetrable blocks of ice and snow.
Second attempt ....... repeat of the first!
Except this time the furrows became deeper ruts, piled
askew in all directions as I tried to maneuver up the driveway.
Backed down driveway again.
Eldon used to show me how to do this ....
take a flying run and don't stop until you're past it!
Easy for HIM  .. he was a trucker!

And the thought running through my mind was,
all I want for Christmas is to get up this driveway and
HOME in one piece - me and the Subaru
 (studded tires and all wheel drive should have made it easy!)
Uh oh ....Slowing down a little ...
stick your foot in the gas ..
slooowwwwllly ..
hoop - de -dooded to the left,
fishtailed ....
turn into it ... turn into it!
Keep forward motion!
Hoop -de-dooded to the right,
 fishtailed....
steer into it .. steer into it!
I think I can
I think I can!
I think I AM .... I know I Am .... I'm not going backwards ..
I'm going forwards!!!
I'm OUT of it!! But don't stop now,
speed toward the
carport.
And what before my wondrous eyes does appear
but a white tailed bunny rabbit
sitting in my parking space!!!
Out of the way .. I'm not stopping until this
car is parked in the carport! He hopped away.
Ahhh.


Weather forecast ..... more snow clear up to Christmas.

Groceries stored in frig, opened Christmas cards,
then surveyed the lack of Christmas decorations displayed in the living room.
No tree ... and probably won't be able to go to town because of the rutted driveway ... and I'd have to drive in those ruts to get back up the driveway all over again!
That means ... no Sunday potluck and Christmas program afterwards.
Kind of sad. I was going to be alone for Christmas.

I got a box of Christmas decorations down from the closet ...
the tall, clear-plastic box.


With Christmas caroles playing and hot cocoa in hand
I rummaged through the box ....
angels, Nativity figures, tiny wooden trees flocked with snow,
card Vicki sent one year ... "Mary's Song", green garlands of holly, bows and bells
wooden snowmen ....
this will do!
And I set out to decorate .... minus a tree.

Nativity scene ... tiny as it is
(tiny because it sailed with us on our boat for many a Christmas journey)


Garlands of holly (fake, but who will notice?)

Draped over the hat tree ...
mine and his hats
like giant decorations on a skinny little "tree".


The pointsettia gracing the globe
... a Christmas present to Eldon one year..
he joked that we could try to navigate using it.
Oh my ... the anchorages we celebrated Christmas
aboard our boats!


The fountain ... though no longer flows and bubbles
over the seashells and baubles found on beaches,
but looks beautiful bedecked in a red ribbon around the
Captain's lantern
that filled many a dark night
with it's warm glow while at anchor!



Monica and Desi Angels ...
he's the one with the eye patch.
"Arrrrr ... " he used to say in his most gravely pirate voice!
I had given them to my mother many years ago ...
and rescued them out of a box of stuff that was to be disposed of
after she died.


"Elizabeth K.  1918    2005"
my mom's angel.


"Mary's Song"
I can hear the sweet angels
and you singing, Vicki, and am blessed.



The youngest "Angels" in my family and two of the
Angel Guardians
(Karissa and Neil)
 .....
Great Grandchildren in picture ...
Aiden and Devon, Will and Drew and David and Damion,
and Maya  (first Great Grandbaby girl). 

Conner and Hunter, Tyler and Trenton
are out and about and not in the picture.
And a new great -grandbaby girl, Amelia Rose, on the way!
And they all call me
G.G.


Christmas memories .....
family memories 
in 
celebration of the Christ Child's birth.

The collection of memories.......
some long forgotten .....
until a box of ornaments is brought down from the closet,
dusted off and placed under the tree ...
tree optional.

WHAT.....?
What's that I hear?
Not the prancing of reindeer feet on my roof ...
it's coming up the driveway.

Perro and I go out to investigate ....


It's my neighbor, Betsy, and she's plowing my driveway!
YAY...
I just might make it to Christmas potluck and service after all!


Sierra and Willow came to help.
"Let's play ball!" Perro says!


"No ball playing," Sierra says, the bossy golden lab, to
Willow and Perro. "There's work to do!"



"Willow ... you follow Betsy
and me and Perro will run in front to guide the way," Sierra
said .... always in charge.

"Okay ... but I'm bringing my ball!" said Perro.

 And all I had to do was watch ....
Thanks, Betsy, you and Julie are the best neighbors
a Little Old Widder Woman could ask for!

If you're thinking you need tinsel, and silver bells, tree lights
and candy canes strung on a tree ....
just look into your "box of memories"
and decorate them onto your heart.
Toys will be forgotten or broken shortly after Christmas morn,
colorful paper and ribbons and bows will be discarded,
those you forgot to send a Christmas card to will still call you friend.
And all that remains of great worth
are your memories ...
and the greatest
 memory of all  
  of the first Christmas long long ago
of a babe in a manger of straw ....

"Unto us a child is born,
a son is given and the government will be on his shoulders
and he shall be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.

And may the peace and joy of this Christmas season
rest upon and in your heart .....
and not be put into a box lifted up into your closet for another year,
but be ready at hand
to rejoice and be glad
in the blessings we have throughout the year.
In the spirit of the season
I wish you a
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Thank you for letting me share my life and memories with so many of you all over the world!
Love and blessings,
The Little Old Widder Woman, Monica
























Monday, December 17, 2012

A TIME FOR EVERY SEASON ....
AND THIS ONE'S
COLD!!!
Dec. 17, 2012
(Happy Birthday Dad .... Walter D. Kaemerer 1916 - 1984)
 
 
 
So .... I get to stay indoors, cozy and warm,
wrap myself up in my 2011 Christmas quilt,
made by family and friends from Eldon's work shirts ...... mmmmm, feel him close, feel his love.
 
WRONG!!!! No snuggling up for this Little Old
Widder Woman .......
There's winter chores  to do!
The snow is snowing... the wind is blowing
but I can weather the stooooorrrrmmmmm ..... but I digress in song.
OFFICIAL WINTER CHORE  LIST:
1) Make sure the water pump under the bridge
keeps the waterfall free-flowing
so the Golden Popsicles - goldfish -
have aeration during the winter.
They're hibernating
and won't poke their little
snouts out until Spring.
Sleep soundly, little buddies.
 
CHECK!
........................................ 
2)Wheelbarrels and garden tools
stored for the winter.
Oops .... winter is decorating them with a
 
dusting of snow through the carport lattice! They look like
 strong little soldiers
lined up and ready to roll into action
at my command!
CHECK!
One more winter chore off my list.
..................................
3)  Check outdoor thermometer ....
CHECK
32 degrees
 
 
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
..................................
4) Fix door to shed holding regular tires.
I just had the tires swapped at Les Schwab
(thanks you guys .. you're the BEST!)
and will be driving for the winter on studded tires.
I unloaded the 4 regular tires out of the back of my car ...
by myself, thank you!
But couldn't stack them one on top of the other
in the tire shed ..... and the door had nearly broken off by the wind!
So one of my neighbors, Betsy, helped stack the tires.
(Thanks Girls ... you're the BEST!)
However, there's a bit more preparation
to complete this CHORE:
just can't run outdoors in tshirt and jeans and flip flops for this CHORE!
 

 
 
I bundle up ... snuggly, warm hood,
Eldon's snow coat,
gloves, which you can't see 'cause
they're holding the camera for a self portrait.
 
You gotta be NUTS!
It's
COLD outside!
 
I argued with myelf about being out in this frigid air
and getting
myself lost in a snowdrift between here and there!
 
 
Betwixt here ............................................and
there
are drifts of snow, up to my knees!
 
 
 
"Come on, Perro! I can't do this without you!"
 
 
 
"Okay ... but I gotta dig my ball .......out of ... this..... snow.
Ahhh, here it it."
If he thinks I'm going to play CATCH out in this weather...
he's NUTS!


 
With my best pal alongside,
a hammer and nails in one pocket,
my cell phone in the other
I'm ready to tackle the Tire Shed door ....that is,
if I don't get lost in a snow drift betwixt here and
there. 
 
Oh good .......he left his ball. 
 
Too bad Perro isn't a St. Bernard
instead of a Blue Healer ..... St. B's
carry along a little kegger in
case of frost bite or exhaustion.
Oh come on, Monica, (myself still arguing with me)  you're not climbing
Mt.Rainier!
 
"Easy for YOU to say ... you aren't the REAL Monica!"
 
I've made it this far .... so far so good!
The tire shed is right behind the pump house.
 
I have arrived!
 
"I went back for my ball....", Perro says. "Just in case you
want to play ball with me in the snow ..... after you fix
the Tire Shed door, of course."
 
"Hmmm ..... maybe playing ball ain't such a good idea after all ...."
Hammer, nails, string, warm gloves and resolve to fix that door!
I am Woman .... see me ROAR!
I can do ANYTHING!
 
Oh yeah, myself argues with me,
you haven't fixed the Tire Shed door yet or gotten back to the house ..... and it's still
snowing ... bigger snowdrifts to dig out of  and ......
 
"Oh be quiet!
the door is fixed!
Okay ... so I'm not Ms. Fixit ....
but it's good enough for who it's for ...."
Oh my .... Eldon used to say that ..... well, it fits for the occassion. He also used to say
'Pound it to fit and paint it to match'. But that's a summertime slogan.
 
So .... what'ja expect? Contractor quality repair?
 
Now to follow my tracks back to the house .... one foot into each track
and I'm ready for hot chocolate and home made clam chowder.
 
 
 
 
I'm almost there .......
and Perro got home ahead of me ....
and he didn't leave his ball
in a snow drift.

Let's go in and have lunch .... then I'll think about
coming back outside
to play ball with you .... ok?
My cheeks are rosy,
I worked up an appetite ..... and

 
"Meowwww ... it's about time you guys got back. I snuck out
when Perro went out the door with you .....
and been stuck in this cold porch wayyyyy too long!"
"Well .... my dear furry friend, Let's go inside and have lunch.
This Little Old Widder Woman has worked up an appetite!"