Sunday morn....

It was cold last night, very cold, into the 20's and this is Southern California (but not your typical Southern California). The wood fire is burning, the heat of the stove makes it near impossible to sit close than 5 feet away. I like it hot, so the stove is well fueled. They are predicting I'll have snow on Friday, so a white Christmas may not be out of the question. Still have to make some enclosures for all the faucets, I don't want a frozen pipe to burst. The early morning coffee tasted good, and that went well with last nights pizza. Pizza is the breakfast food of choice. Got some chores to do here, then have some shopping to do. I got to get my gift for the 'gift exchange/white elephant' at work. Got to also purchase some good tamales. Working in a good Hispanic neighborhood, I only have to drive a few blocks to the tamales maker, where I get a fresh dozen, very authentic tamales. The place I go is so popular, you get there early of he's sold out for the day. Oh well, time to get dressed for work outside. The chainsaw will be buzzing this morning.

the question...the answer... the memories

The question of the day on my home page was what winters were like when I was growing up....

Winters were magical, they were cold, I remember the frost on the windows, the patterns on the glass, the sparkle of the sun on a crisp cold morning, the ice to slide and skate on, the sleds, the one's with metal runners, and the wooden sleds made by my grandfather, those were special. I miss the warmth of the kitchen, the wood stove, something baking in the oven, I remember my Dad coming home from hunting with a deer, venison for the meal, my Mom making Christmas wreathes for extra money for gifts. It would get so cold at home we would move to the first floor, closing off the upstairs till spring. I remember going to the basement for a jar of canned vegetables, or to pick some brussel sprouts off the plant growing in a wash tub. I remember heating water for a bath ( we didn't have indoor plumbing) or making the rip to the outhouse and hoping the seat was not frosty. I remember the flannel lined levis, the wool shirts, the wool socks and mittens tied together by a tether so you didn't lose one. Rubber boots, the kind with metal buckles, hot corn chowder for lunch at school, the days when school was canceled because the furnace boiler broke. Walking to school when the bus got stuck, two miles in the snow at 20 degrees below zero. I remember taking my aluminum saucer down Blueberry Hill, our local sledding place. I remember taking part in the local Christmas play at the Grange Hall, the center of the community that was Franklin Maine.

tomorrow...

Tomorrow is our 'parking lottery'. We have some choice parking, directly under our offices, that is in short supply, so we have an annual drawing to see who get the privilege of parking there. Wish me luck because I'd like to finish my career as one of the privileged few..

Tomorrow morning I pick up one of the local folk and give him and his child a ride back to his ex-girlfriend's place. One of the many people in the valley, just getting by.

The coming week is a short one, but long in some respects. I have to be sure everything is done before the Christmas holiday.  

Sunday...

Sunday.... very cold this morning, up before dawn, started a fire, got the place warm. Off to Temecula, and in the best buy parking lot, the battery dies. Off to Sears, a new battery, $100 lighter in the wallet. Off to WalMart, bought my Wrangler jeans. They have the best selection and the only place that sells Wrangler... Off to Petsmart, Mom got a new dog, a small Chihuahua, her new companion. Got him from a rescue operating there.