wonder and admiration?

It wasn’t sand I was kicking at the 98 pound weakling… no, the sun wasn’t shining and my feet weren’t bare… instead I had heavy green farmer’s boots lined with thick felt on my feet and I was kicking snow. Instead of sunscreen I was wearing a fluffy down jacket that went almost to my knees. Bah humbug. The first time sticking my head out the door after our return was a shock to the system. By the time I got back in the house my legs were frozen and my nose was cold. Oh to be back under the Caribbean sun.

Last year was our first time going south and I think it was a big mistake. Winter no longer seems magical and beautiful with sparkling snow. Instead the leaden grey sky feels like a shroud and I feel cold as death. How I long for sunny skies shining on blue water, a sheen of sweat making me glow. And with no trip to NZ in my future it seems even more bleak this year.

I suppose it doesn’t help that I’m still fighting off this cold. I can’t see farther ahead than the end of the day today - even my dentist appointment next week seems far off. Christmas isn’t even on my horizon.

Oh, the dentist. Well, on the second night at supper I felt a worrisome crunch in my mouth and discovered that a big chunk of tooth cracked off from over a filling. I was pretty worried at first as I’ve had one really bad experience with a tooth that left me in the hospital for two nights, but I was lucky and it didn’t bother me much. I couldn’t get it fixed this week (cause how can you get a filling when you are hacking your lungs out), but have an appointment next Wed. It seems there is always something to challenge my good nature.

All of that was from yesterday. Today, Saturday, the sun is shining so it doesn’t seem as bleak. I could even fool myself that the sparkling snow was beautiful. It wasn’t as cold out and the wind had died down so I actually went outside on purpose and took some photos. I even felt well enough to get in the car to go to the village so that we could check out the sales on a furniture shop that is closing (note: the prices were still ridiculously high so we didn’t buy anything, not that there was anything we really like or need).



“He who marvels at the beauty of the world in summer will find equal cause for wonder and admiration in winter.” ~John Burroughs