Thursday, February 24, 2011

Snow Forts and Food Coloring

So my last post was about the lovely feeling of spring in the air. My what a difference a week makes. I'm normally not moody about weather. I enjoy the seasons and I'd rather be cold than hot...until this winter. I've decided Fall is still my favorite season and Spring is quite nice as well. Summer and Winter I could do without. This winter has been really ridiculous though and every time you think winter is over, that four letter word makes news again: snow. Normally, I don't mind it. I love the first snowfall of the season. Being all snowed in with cocoa, a great book, and a cozy fire. This month though it seems like it's been rougher than before. Everyone seems to be complaining about it. Now it appears I'm included in that. So, in order to redeem myself and turn this frown upside down, I'm going to tell a little snow story from my childhood. In fact, I may even tell two.

The first snow story is from one of our first winters after we moved from Michigan down to Indiana. I had made a best friend, her name was Emily. We lived just down the street from each other. We would play together any chance we had. She was my first friend who got a Nintendo before anyone else. I was jealous. We used to skate in her hallway to Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer (it was the 90's and incidentally, it was a REALLY short hallway). Her house is the only place I've had SPAM (except for Hawaii but what happens in Hawaii, stays in Hawaii).

One winter we must have had a ton of snow because we built a snow fort in her back yard. This fort was pretty big as far as I can remember. We carved out a decent sized cave and someone suggested how to decorate it. I'm not sure who's idea it was to break out the food coloring to "paint" it though. In all honesty, it was most likely me. I was always coming up with "great" ideas so I'll take the blame for this one. We went into her house and brought out every color of food coloring her mother's pantry possessed. We squirted those little bottles until the snow looked like confetti cake...and so did our gloves, coats, and exposed body parts. The snow looked great. We, on the other hand, did not. I don't remember getting in trouble but I'm pretty sure I did.

Another winter we had a major ice storm. It knocked the power in our little town out for a few days. Somehow the local ice cream place and the candy store had power (thank goodness!). Emily and I would walk to both nearly every day of the summer or a fortuitous snow day. I remember this day because all of the trees and power lines were covered with so much ice they looked like they were made out of glass. The wind blew and the trees tinkled like a chandelier and creaked like they were about to shatter. I don't remember another ice storm like it.

So as of 10 minutes ago, another storm was supposed to hit dumping 6-12 inches on our snow logged land. So far, we've got not a flake or drop. Since I've brought my computer home, blogged about snow, and am other wise prepared, nothing will happen. Isn't that always the case? Now, next week I'm sure I'll be blogging about Spring again...Actually, I won't. We are going to a really special concert so I'm sure I'll be all excited. And just you wait until who you read it is.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Spring is in the air...for a few days anyway.

Today's warm-ish breeze of 59 degrees was so great. Especially after the -4 a week or so ago. No, I'm not going to talk about the weather, I'm going to talk about the feelings this weather brings!

I'm sitting at my dining room table imagining the windows open, late spring light streaming through the windows, and a warm-ish breeze stirring my papers on the table. 10,000 Maniacs "Like the Weather" is playing on my iPhone. There with me yet? Good.

These days remind me of being a kid knowing school was thisclose to letting out and my birthday was even closer. They remind me of listening to 10,000 Maniacs in our driveway as I roller-skate around narrowly missing the cracks in the pavement which meant a nice scab was not too far away. Or jumping rope with my BFF Emily. Or pretending to write novels in my little bedroom. Or torturing my brother. Typical stuff really.

I'm also reminded of driving as a 16-year old, just out of school for the day, BLASTING Jars of Clay from my open windows. Bass thumping in my Grand Am, letting everyone know just how "cool" I was. Maybe or maybe not racing a friend down the street in our cars (you didn't see me you can't prove anything!). Heading to work at the fudge and coffee shop in Grabill. Working on homework in the bunk end of my parents house while (it's true) Amy Grant's "Lucky One" played in the background. (Hey, we weren't all stellar in our music pick!) Wishing someone would ask me to prom.

I think of my Toyota with the sunroof in college. Playing Barenaked Ladies (the band people! the band!) and wishing I too had a million dollars...I'd be rich! Walking to class in "The Valley" while talking to Breea or Julie or one of my roomates about the latest boy or shocking thing someone did. Of working late in the art lab while listening to Moby and wishing I could sleep.

Spring is also the time of year my brother died but I like to think of the great things about spring. Like when I lived in Cardiff. Being away from my parents on the anniversary was tough but my amazing friend Naomi planned a whole day based on take-away Chinese, cheesy 80's movies, and pic-n-mix. We watched "The Karate Kid," "Thelma and Louise," and "Dirty Dancing" in a comfy little house in Thornhill. Still blasting music by the way. This time it's Snow Patrol, Will Young, and Franz Ferdinand...when in the UK, listen to UK music! :)

I also think of after college and meeting my husband for the first time. It was May 8th, 2005. Best. Spring. Ever. Nothing more to say really. It just rocked.

Now, spring makes me dream of laying in the hammocks reading the latest page turner. Taking our bikes to the River Greenway. Planning a little road trip. And yes, still BLASTING music through my open Jeep windows. Right now, it's Adele. I'm hoping to move spring along and she's just the girl to do it!

Oh, and in case you don't know what songs I'm referring to, here you are.