Her grandfather says that when we think we are unobserved we act like sisters.
She’s very bright and imaginative with a great sense of humor that makes her fun to be with. Of course there are times when she’s tired and out of sorts and there are times when I’m tired and out of sorts. When we are both tired and out of sorts, although I’m 60 and she is three, we are most happy to see her mother appear from across the way and rescue us from ourselves.
We bundled up and went out to watch the men work on the electric light wires. We stood on a high snow-bank as they worked machinery and one man rode way up high in the bucket and we talked about how her daddy does that same kind of work.
After a few moments of silence on our part she moved over to me, looked up and said, “I thought my Mamma was here, but you’re here.” And she took my hand, satisfied. Perhaps the roar of the engines had bothered her. I wondered what little fear had moved in her mind. It was soon gone and she was sliding down the bank and climbing up again – down and up – down and up – until her pants were wet through.
I wish I could describe the way her little face looks on a cold day. The hood is drawn tight around it with hair back – just a little pink oval with blue eyes. As she stays out it deepens to a lovely rosy shade all over until it glows and is so bright and radiant that it almost seems that you could hold your hands before her face and warm them. Heart-warming at any rate, this diminutive person with little flower face, brought to bloom by snow and cold.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Round Soap
How I need a hot bath and a scrub!
With a smile I climb into the tub.
I relax as the warm waters rise,
And I search with my eyes –
There it is, huddled next to the wall
And as round as a ball!
In my hand it is not a good fit.
I try rubbing my body with it.
But it jumps from my neck to the floor
Away out by the door.
As I drizzle back to my place
How I hate its pink face!
But I grasp it and reach for my toes
And I sigh to myself as it goes
Through my fingers and over my back
Where it lands with a “whack!”
Now I think that all soap should be square
And not fly through the air.
With most things I can cope, I have found.
But not soap that is round.
With a smile I climb into the tub.
I relax as the warm waters rise,
And I search with my eyes –
There it is, huddled next to the wall
And as round as a ball!
In my hand it is not a good fit.
I try rubbing my body with it.
But it jumps from my neck to the floor
Away out by the door.
As I drizzle back to my place
How I hate its pink face!
But I grasp it and reach for my toes
And I sigh to myself as it goes
Through my fingers and over my back
Where it lands with a “whack!”
Now I think that all soap should be square
And not fly through the air.
With most things I can cope, I have found.
But not soap that is round.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Power Outage
December 9, 1996
Do you remember the old saying, “Where were you when the lights went out?” (In the dark!) A lot of us were in that situation this weekend when the nor’easter swept through.
I first discovered I was in the dark when I reach for the light for a trip to the bathroom. Thinking to phone in the outage I reached up for my flashlight and pulled the phone over onto the bed, sweeping a glass of water onto the floor with the cord. The line was busy. I heard that Central Maine Power was amazed to find so many people awake at all hours of the night and phoning in outages. Three calls later I found the phone dead. Outside heavy snow was thumping down. The flashlight showed the pines like skinny inverted Vs, groaning under the heavy load of snow with limbs draped over phone lines. It wasn’t very cold and a light misty rain seemed to be coming down. I crawled back into bed.
I awoke with a cold and built a fire, being glad I filled the wood box the night before.
When it was light enough to see outside I went from window to window amazed as usual to find what a night of snow had accomplished. Birch twigs against the sky were like lace. The trees had an angry look as though they didn’t like their burdens and were about to burst their bonds and go free.
I followed my trail of Kleenex back to the stove and decided to eat things that didn’t require the refrigerator door to open. Apples, nuts, graham crackers, [Peanut butter was high on the list] tea, cereal.
I had learned a thing or two from the outage of two or three weeks ago and purchased batteries for my radio so I listened to channel 6 for news of the storm even though it was not as good as seeing cars rolling over and off the road and the storm spotters huddled in their wintry weather gear.
I took a nap. My little dog was stretched full length before the fire and she made it seem like a good idea.
Lunch time. It’s hard to be creative with things outside the refrigerator.
The news mentioned outages all over the state except here. Dirty dishes are mounting in the sink.
Finally the phone rings and we cam compare experiences. I give myself a treat by having a long conversation with my daughter in Rumford who is also without power and has more snow than we do. My daughter next door is jealous that I found fluff to go with my peanut butter.
I tried to read and did for a while but the days are so short and the dark settles in so early I gave it up. I have plenty of candles and one oil lamp but my eyes are not good enough to read by them.
I discover that just the sound on channel 6 doesn’t tell the whole story.
I got to bed and listen to hear the hum of the refrigerator but it doesn’t happen.
Sunday morning with light rain. I roads are slushy and few venture out. The question ~ when will the lights go on? I walk around impotent vacuum cleaners and gather up Kleenex and clear away ashes from the front of the stove.
I take a nap. My very thoughts bore me. Toward evening my daughter next door things I’m getting depressed and asks me over for T.V. They crank up the generator and hitch it to the TV and there is the telly! There was nothing on for a while, a meaningless football game but in our deprived situation it looked good. Then came some news but the best morale booster was when we decided to break into a Christmas present meant for Mark and treat ourselves. We watched TV and ate chocolate covered nuts and it was almost as good as going to a movie.
I came home and built up the fire and as my dog and I enjoyed the warmth – “It was a miracle!” The lights came on and the refrigerator hummed. I did the dishes.
Do you remember the old saying, “Where were you when the lights went out?” (In the dark!) A lot of us were in that situation this weekend when the nor’easter swept through.
I first discovered I was in the dark when I reach for the light for a trip to the bathroom. Thinking to phone in the outage I reached up for my flashlight and pulled the phone over onto the bed, sweeping a glass of water onto the floor with the cord. The line was busy. I heard that Central Maine Power was amazed to find so many people awake at all hours of the night and phoning in outages. Three calls later I found the phone dead. Outside heavy snow was thumping down. The flashlight showed the pines like skinny inverted Vs, groaning under the heavy load of snow with limbs draped over phone lines. It wasn’t very cold and a light misty rain seemed to be coming down. I crawled back into bed.
I awoke with a cold and built a fire, being glad I filled the wood box the night before.
When it was light enough to see outside I went from window to window amazed as usual to find what a night of snow had accomplished. Birch twigs against the sky were like lace. The trees had an angry look as though they didn’t like their burdens and were about to burst their bonds and go free.
I followed my trail of Kleenex back to the stove and decided to eat things that didn’t require the refrigerator door to open. Apples, nuts, graham crackers, [Peanut butter was high on the list] tea, cereal.
I had learned a thing or two from the outage of two or three weeks ago and purchased batteries for my radio so I listened to channel 6 for news of the storm even though it was not as good as seeing cars rolling over and off the road and the storm spotters huddled in their wintry weather gear.
I took a nap. My little dog was stretched full length before the fire and she made it seem like a good idea.
Lunch time. It’s hard to be creative with things outside the refrigerator.
The news mentioned outages all over the state except here. Dirty dishes are mounting in the sink.
Finally the phone rings and we cam compare experiences. I give myself a treat by having a long conversation with my daughter in Rumford who is also without power and has more snow than we do. My daughter next door is jealous that I found fluff to go with my peanut butter.
I tried to read and did for a while but the days are so short and the dark settles in so early I gave it up. I have plenty of candles and one oil lamp but my eyes are not good enough to read by them.
I discover that just the sound on channel 6 doesn’t tell the whole story.
I got to bed and listen to hear the hum of the refrigerator but it doesn’t happen.
Sunday morning with light rain. I roads are slushy and few venture out. The question ~ when will the lights go on? I walk around impotent vacuum cleaners and gather up Kleenex and clear away ashes from the front of the stove.
I take a nap. My very thoughts bore me. Toward evening my daughter next door things I’m getting depressed and asks me over for T.V. They crank up the generator and hitch it to the TV and there is the telly! There was nothing on for a while, a meaningless football game but in our deprived situation it looked good. Then came some news but the best morale booster was when we decided to break into a Christmas present meant for Mark and treat ourselves. We watched TV and ate chocolate covered nuts and it was almost as good as going to a movie.
I came home and built up the fire and as my dog and I enjoyed the warmth – “It was a miracle!” The lights came on and the refrigerator hummed. I did the dishes.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Broken Leg
1974
There is a lot I don’t know about having a broken leg.
When, cast off,
Does person
Bounce of ceiling,
Like a balloon?
There is a lot I don’t know about having a broken leg.
When, cast off,
Does person
Bounce of ceiling,
Like a balloon?
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Diana and the Sourdough Bread
My Aunt Diana told me I could post this one!
“What a good day for cooking.”
Diana said,
“I think I’ll make some
Sourdough bread.”
She measured and sifted
And stirred and beat,
Thinking how well
They all would eat.
Praising the mixture
To the skies
They sat around waiting
For it to rise.
A feeble bubble showed
And then
It died. She mixed
It all again.
Was it to cold
Do you suppose?
She warmed it up
And then it rose.
Of the starter dough
She took a cup
And after making the bread
She baked it up.
Jen grew thoughtful
After taking one bite
“Sourdough bread
And sour is right!”
On tasting it
All Kathy said was “Yuk!
May I please be excused
Before I up-chuck?”
Tom studied the bread
Upon his plate
“It isn’t the best
I ever ate.”
She laughed with them
And didn’t pout
When they asked her to pour
The starter out.
That evening in
The cheerful room
Diana alone
Seemed full of gloom.
The girls began to
Feel sad too.
Tom said, “Honey,
What’s troubling you?”
She sighed and said,
“If you must know
I feel I have murdered
The starter dough.”
“Oh no,” they all cried,
“It will live in the sea
Where the fish
Will feed on it bountifully!”
Next morning:
“Look down by the sewer!”
She heard them say,
“The sourdough has risen
And is heading this way!”
“What a good day for cooking.”
Diana said,
“I think I’ll make some
Sourdough bread.”
She measured and sifted
And stirred and beat,
Thinking how well
They all would eat.
Praising the mixture
To the skies
They sat around waiting
For it to rise.
A feeble bubble showed
And then
It died. She mixed
It all again.
Was it to cold
Do you suppose?
She warmed it up
And then it rose.
Of the starter dough
She took a cup
And after making the bread
She baked it up.
Jen grew thoughtful
After taking one bite
“Sourdough bread
And sour is right!”
On tasting it
All Kathy said was “Yuk!
May I please be excused
Before I up-chuck?”
Tom studied the bread
Upon his plate
“It isn’t the best
I ever ate.”
She laughed with them
And didn’t pout
When they asked her to pour
The starter out.
That evening in
The cheerful room
Diana alone
Seemed full of gloom.
The girls began to
Feel sad too.
Tom said, “Honey,
What’s troubling you?”
She sighed and said,
“If you must know
I feel I have murdered
The starter dough.”
“Oh no,” they all cried,
“It will live in the sea
Where the fish
Will feed on it bountifully!”
Next morning:
“Look down by the sewer!”
She heard them say,
“The sourdough has risen
And is heading this way!”
Friday, January 9, 2009
Siberian Express
Thursday, January 6, 1988
The new year came in on the “Siberian Express,” windy and cold. We haven’t walked this week because it’s been below zero. Everything snaps and hums. The train coming down the track a quarter of a mile away is first felt as a slight tension, then a vibration as of a tightly strung wire. Next the humming of the rails becomes stronger then fades as it winds through the woods and hills. The cold seems to intensify the sound as the train gathers speed and comes nearer, pulsating and thrumming along the tracks, then groaning and chugging, louder and more loud, until it seems to take over and is split down the middle by the shrill whistle. For a moment more it roars along then clack-clacks into the distance, fading away. A distant whistle and it is gone.
I like to hear the train in the night. It is as though a friend had come near.
The new year came in on the “Siberian Express,” windy and cold. We haven’t walked this week because it’s been below zero. Everything snaps and hums. The train coming down the track a quarter of a mile away is first felt as a slight tension, then a vibration as of a tightly strung wire. Next the humming of the rails becomes stronger then fades as it winds through the woods and hills. The cold seems to intensify the sound as the train gathers speed and comes nearer, pulsating and thrumming along the tracks, then groaning and chugging, louder and more loud, until it seems to take over and is split down the middle by the shrill whistle. For a moment more it roars along then clack-clacks into the distance, fading away. A distant whistle and it is gone.
I like to hear the train in the night. It is as though a friend had come near.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Resolutions
January 1, 1998
I resolve not to give way to age, defeats, or disappointments and carry on. I will speak my mind and I hope to make new friends and not be afraid of rejection. The world needs love. I still have it to give.
I resolve not to give way to age, defeats, or disappointments and carry on. I will speak my mind and I hope to make new friends and not be afraid of rejection. The world needs love. I still have it to give.
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