the winter willies

Except for a few unnamed neighbors people I know,

most folks around here

are getting just a tad sick and tired

of snow,

ice,

the forecast of another storm,

treacherous roads,

salty, grimy cars and

gritty garages.

In fact, I am getting the willies

over being cooped up inside

week

after week

after week.

Oh, I go outside

to shovel snow or

go to work or

walk the dog,

hoping I don't fall.

But it can't compare to

poking in the flowerbeds

planting and digging,

jumping on my bike or

eating my lunch in the summer sun.

Come  quickly, spring.

I'm weary of the winter willies.

confessions of a road rat

I've been tearing up the roads the past six weeks. On the one hand, I love to see family and friends, discovering new places, even new countries.

Oddly, something is wired in me that makes travel a love-hate mixed bag. No matter my excitment level over a trip, a little sense a little dread creeps in. Like a voice telling me, "you don't really want to go, do you?!"

Maybe the dread can be traced to childhood as I sprawled in the back of our station wagon during cross-country trips. Oh, siblings love that. They'd whine, "Barbara's been in the back for hours!" I didn't care about being fair: my tummy always leaned to the queasy side. Or the first time I ever flew, on a prop plane at age seven and got violently sick to my stomach.

Travel as an adult moved into a new realm. Four kids on a road trip resembled a military invasion: games, books, snacks, bottles, diapers, favorite blankets and stuffed animals, pillows, and all the luggage. And don't forget the mayonnaise jar: a must for little boys small of bladder! It could hardly be called a vacation.

Well. Things have now vastly improved. No stuffed animals or mayonnaise jars! Road trips these days have morphed into opportunities to reconnect with my travel companions. A complicated travel plan came into play in December and our son David ended up riding to Ohio with us from North Carolina for Christmas. I'm not sure a 26-year-old would choose road-tripping with the 'rents, but I found it a sweet gift of time together.

Just last month, I road-tripped with my daughter Katie, almost 20, to North Carolina. A real power-trip, completed in under 72 hours. What we won't do for the newest member of the family, all 10 pounds of her!

Family road trip, summer 1965?

photographer: me

so long, teens: Happy birthday, Katie!

Today we say farewell to nearly 14 years of teenagers as our youngest, Katie, turns 20.

I realize teenagers have a less-than-stellar reputation and we definitely had our moments around here. But overall I'd take teens over toddlers any day. They become more independent in their thinking, which can be maddening but also loads of fun.

Of course, even more fun is the young adults we now have ... they do all their laundry and figure out what's for dinner and run to Walmart for their own toothpaste.

Twenty years ago this afternoon, we added a little girl to our boy brood. An exciting day for us all. We're leaving soon to spend some time with Katie and I will update on the day soon. Happy 20th birthday, Katie!

Katie with friends Abby and Bridget at Mi Pueblo for Katie's birthday lunch. And our waiter got wind that there was a birthday ...

happy birthday, brother

Today's my big brother Pat's birthday. I've searched high and low for a photo of us from way in the past, but of course can't find it. It shows us on Martha's Vineyard during college days: my first and only time to hitchhike, thanks to Pat's daring influence.

Pat lives in South Carolina and we don't see each other enough. In fact, he and his wife Janet moved to their new home going on three years ago and we still haven't visited them there.

Anyway, seeing as how I've been under the weather since last night, this short post will have to do.

Happy birthday, Pat! And when I come across that photo, I'll be sure to post it.

no looking back

Solitary drives are a curious thing. On the one hand, I might dread hours alone on the road. Will I fall asleep? What if I have a flat tire: could I change it myself? And ... the silliest of all, what if I'm accosted in a rest area? I let go of such fears by the time I had four children in tow. Really now, who in their right mind would attack a woman with four loud, bickering children?

Last Sunday I drove solo for nearly seven hours, home from Nashville, Tennessee after visiting my dad. I'd planned to come home Monday, but another impending snowstorm brought me home a day early.

So I had lots of time to think, to reflect on conversations with my dad. A song played on a CD and I repeated it over and over again. It became a worshipful time and, I believe, God speaking to my heart and spirit.

Create in me a clean heart, O God

And renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from your presence, O Lord.

Take not your Holy Spirit from me.

restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and renew a right spirit within me.

As I sang

(I sing long and loud while driving alone)

and drove

and glanced in the rearview mirror,

the day saying its farewell,

I was reminded to let go of yesterdays

living today with trust grace

and look ahead, only ahead.

view from my window

diggin' out

I totally appreciate the snowplowmen, as stated on February 8. With two storms hitting us in a week, they've had their plows full.

And I understand their caution in not wanting to slam into mailboxes. One year ours was knocked completely off the post.

But wow, our plowman was overly cautious last night, leaving a couple of feet of snowbank in front of the mailbox.

Plowmen and mail carriers, I salute you!