Some Neil Diamond

I love listening to the radio or a CD when I drive. It makes me think, makes me remember, makes me sing along. Sometimes a song comes out of left field and brow beats me into really thinking about the lyrics. Alot of times I still think of Mr with some of those songs..."our songs" as you would have it. But more and more, Malcolm finds his way into these songs, and again, my winter heart explodes. The other day, it was a Christmas song by Neil Diamond and the words that struck me were:
"When people ask how we've stayed together, I say you've never let me down.
You make it feel like Christmas, even when things go wrong ..."
So, seeing as how I've been on a roll, last blog notwithstanding, of talking about my feelings of the season, I thought it was very fortuitous that this particular song whapped me in the head.
I thought it ironic that the one major attribute that Malcolm has always shown me, without fail, is that he won't let me down. My everlasting gripe with Mr was that he so frequently did, and swallowing that constant sense of disappointment , I think, leads to ulcers and such. It also leads to expecting everyone to BE disappointing, it leads you to expect less so that you won't be hurt. Malcolm has always come through for me in whatever way was humanly possible. Our plans haven't always been kept, but the alternative he's given me has always been more than enough for me to trust in him to be there and keep me happy. But what's more than that is the lyric about how "you make it feel like Christmas, even when things go wrong". That spoke volumes to me about what loving and being in love is, and what Christmas can and should be.
We spent last night together, so most of you know I've had little to no sleep. LOL, I can't be upset, because stealing whatever time we can together is too important. In the quiet afterglow, Christmas lights and scented candles, with mess cleared and showers taken, we hunkered under the covers cuddling, and talking softly about how he is Belief and I am Hope. He loved the analogy, and felt I'd nailed it. We talked about his love of winter, of the way the air looks and smells right before the fat snowflakes begin to fall, the sky pink as the low clouds absorb the town lights and reflect them back. It is very quiet then, and even more quiet as the first layer of accumulation blankets the earth. I was surprised, though, at his admission that more than that, he loves the morning after when the sun refracts off of the immaculate snowbanks and the world is blindingly bright and pristine. Another of our dualities....I am the winter moon to his sun. He does make my life feel like Christmas. Things won't always be perfect. If they were, they wouldn't be real. But his loving and generous heart know how to negotiate a deal that makes both of us happy. He pushes me outside of my comfort zone. I am learning to let go, and trust again. We also decided that next year will be a time when we need to decide how we will deal with the distance issue. It sucks the way it is, and I don't want to live apart from him. He feels the same, but our unique circumstances each carry some heavy baggage. Being caretakers means not always thinking about our needs first. I don't know what the new year promises, but I'm glad that the Ice Prince sits on the throne next to mine and shares the burden of responsibility.

Laughing My ASS OFF!!! (and what an ass it IS!)

OMG OMG!! LOLOLOL
ROFLMFAO, OMG, LOLOLOLOL
Can't BREATHE, laughing TOO HARD!!!!! SHIT, when I catch my breath, and can see thru the tears of my laughter, I MIGHT blog about it, but it's just TOO DAMN GOOD. He's outdone himself. LOLOLOL
LOLOLOLOL

Article on Creating a Better World

I found this in my meanderings online, and really really liked what he said. Enjoy!
A New Paradigm
Equity vs. Equality
Imagine that you and Bill Gates enter into a poker tournament. Bill
is allowed to bring all of his money and you are allowed to bring all
of yours. What will be the result? Bill will make you go all in on
every hand and even if you win a few hands, Bill has enough resource
to eventually break you.

This is the scenario for the average American working class citizen
who is told that if he or she works hard, it is possible to rise
above the straights to which they were born and become a person of
affluence. Is it possible? Perhaps. Is it possible for you to succeed
in breaking Bill Gates in a poker game? Perhaps. Is it likely? No.

If you consider the lopsided distribution of wealth and power,
coupled with a culture of institutionalized racism, is it any wonder
why so many Americans feel disenfranchised?

"All men are created equal."

I have some issues with this statement. a) What about women? b)
Created implies that someone picked up a piece of clay and formed us.
Sorry, my religious God-believing friends; I don't buy it. c) People
are not all the same. Which is the what the word "equal" means.

This statement was written in another time and has served us well in
the past. But like all things, it's becoming a thing of the past and
of little use in a time when everyone being treated equally is an
institutionalized excuse for allowing the rich to get richer and the
poor to get poorer.

It is time for a paradigm shift towards equity.

What is the difference between being treated equally and being
treated equitably?

I have a deaf student in one of my classes (a very good student, by
the way). Because of her disability, there is a sign language
interpreter in the class. If she was being treated with equality,
there would be no sign language interpreter and she would be expected
to perform at the same level as everyone else. Remember, equal means
the same. But luckily, she is not being treated equally; she is being
treated equitably, which means she is getting the extra help she
needs to thrive and reach her full potential as a human being.

Equity, not equality.

So how do you find the best poker players?

The capitalist mindset would have you believe that if there is a big
enough carrot being dangled out there, the cream will naturally rise
to the top to nab it. The idea being that individuals in society will
follow Darwin's model and climb our culture's evolutionary ladder and
thrive if, and only if, they are the fittest.

But there are a couple of things wrong with this notion.

First of all, consider the human quality that is absolutely necessary
for a person to achieve a lofty position in our capitalistic
ecosystem. Is it kindness? No. Is it compassion? Hardly. Is it
generosity? Please, spare me. A person who reaches the highest of the
trophic levels of our economic system may not be devoid of these
qualities, but these are not the qualities that got them there.

Greed got them there-- the wish to have more, the desire that puts an
individual's needs and self-worth above all others, the driving force
that propels a person up the economic food chain, clawing and
clambering over the backs of others who are also fighting their way
to the top. I'm not talking about people who become doctors and
lawyers and such in order to achieve a comfortable living for
themselves. I'm talking about the two percent of the population that
controls 95 percent of the wealth.

Do we really want to live in a society/culture/economy that is built
on a negative human quality? I know I don't.

Besides, it is a flawed notion to begin with.

Evolution propelled dinosaurs to the top of the ladder, where they
stayed for millions of years. Mammals lived alongside the dinosaur,
but could not flourish because of the oppression of the dominant
species. It was not until a cataclysmic event killed off all of the
dinosaurs that the lesser species-- mammals-- could thrive and reach
their greater potential.

So in their infinite wisdom, those who hold poker tournaments require
that everyone enter the game with the same amount of cash. With
everyone starting on an even footing, chances are that those with the
greatest ability, not those with the greatest resource, will come out
on top. With a level playing field, it takes skill and ability to out
maneuver your opponents, as opposed to just having the resource to
overpower them, much like a brontosaurus steps on a fury rodent.

The wealth (and so, the power) in the U.S. has steadily, over the
last couple centuries, shifted into the hands of a relative few. When
the phrase "all men are created equal" was coined, the culture was
largely agrarian-- with tradesmen and shop keepers providing goods
and services. And the "men" in the phrase were just that-- excluding
women, excluding Black men, oh, and by the way, they only included
property holders. The original phrase was "life, liberty, and the
pursuit of property," not "happiness."

With this shift of resource and power to the relative few, it has
become increasingly difficult for the cream to rise to the top. Those
at the top are firmly in place; so firmly that when they screw up
royally and send our economy to its knees, as it has gone recently,
the government bails them out. The cream at the top no longer has any
accountability; this is how entrenched they are at the top. It is
tantamount to socialism for the rich and capitalism for the rest of
us. The system is broken.

The fix, then is logically a redistribution of wealth. Level the
playing field so that those with real talent have a better chance of
attaining their dreams, even when they are born into one of the
oppressed classes. Remember the dinosaurs? Where would we be now if
dinosaurs still ruled the Earth? We would still be scurrying around
trying not to get stepped on. It is not until we have a system that
treats people equitably (as opposed to equally), giving everyone what
they need to thrive and reach their full potential, that we will, as
a culture, begin to move towards our greater potential.

Is this socialism? Sure it is. But socialism is not at odds with
democracy-- one is a political system and the other is an economic
system. We have been duped into thinking that socialism is
necessarily a bad thing. When socialism is paired with a
dictatorship, we call that communism (USSR, China, etc.). When
socialism is paired with fascism, that's Nazi Germany. Has anyone
tried pairing socialism with democracy? We tried once with the rise
of the unions and it was working out pretty well for most of the
people. When unions were strong, the economy was, for the most part,
stable. Those under a union's protection made a decent living. This
strengthened their buying power and so bolstered the overall economy.
But unions were attacked by those with power until former President
Ronald Reagan finally squashed the union system (and our economy)
back in the 80s. The economy has been relatively unstable, violently
bouncing up and down, ever since.

So, as the new administration under President-elect Barack Obama
begins its work and those who have power start their propaganda
machine and begin to rant about socialism, ask yourself where you
would be if dinosaurs still ruled the Earth. And do you really want
to let the dinosaurs continue to rule the U.S.?

Written by Mark Brosz

Christmas, Pt 2

Graham Cracker Cake
1 pt heavy cream, Hershey's chocolate syrup
Honey Graham Crackers, 1/4 c confectioner's sugar
Whip Cream until stiff peaks form. Add confectioner's sugar and stir until incorporated. Add enough syrup to give it a nice chocolatey taste. Lay out four graham crackers and top with cream. Continue to layer to desired height, but reserve enough cream to cover top and sides when finished. Cover loosely with foil or wrap (I use toothpicks to tent) and refrigerate overnight until crackers are soft. Serve cold.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The original purpose of assigning a Pt 1 to the last blog was that, at the time that I was writing it, I was ludicrously tired and uncertain that I would actually be conscious when I got to the point of it, the way it was going. LOL. You see I have wild rantings of mythological proportions when I'm tired. But the gist of it is true, and mostly to the point I wanted to make. But as I've been mulling it over in my mind, I've thought about more reasons why my past Christmases haven't always been that perfect blend of wonder and astonishment I used to get as a kid. And alot of it has to do with the fact that my mom gave up hosting Christmas a number of years ago, and my sister took over.
My sister, where to start? My sister and I have always had a tenuous relationship. God knows I love her dearly, and would do anything for her. But she's a tough cookie, and rightly so. Her life has been crazy She lived through open back surgery for scoliosis, lived through some sexual perverts in her past as unfortunately more women than not have had to deal with as kids, lived through a brain tumor and lived to see her firstborn son survive and defeat leukemia, and her second son survive and defeat encephalitis. I'd have become a bit jaded and hard should I have had to deal with all that too. So we lovingly refer to her now as "The General". My sister likes decisiveness and action. She likes order. She needs for things to make sense and go smoothly. My god she and I are so different. I like to go with the flow, for the most part, live like a pig because I can't keep house to save my life, and tend to be a ginormous procrastinator. It's caused more than a little friction through the years. But of course the issue of this blog is Christmas.
My sister had a definite vision of what Christmas SHOULD have been. She was always at odds with my mother over our traditions, and as much as I LOVED the casualness and almost Bohemia of our Christmas Eve celebration, my sister despised it. She wanted the storybook brought to life. And as soon as she got married, she abandoned her lifetime's worth of holiday tradition to begin anew. It began as a subtle change, pressing my mother to serve a formal dinner on Christmas Day, instead of a potluck on Christmas Eve. It wasn't many years until my mother suddenly suggested that someone else do it that suddenly, my sister, in her new house, was hosting that Christmas Dinner. Formal, dressed up, Christmas Dinner. And the gift giving was moved to Christmas Day as well. And it was scheduled, and video taped, and each person was given their one gift at a time, and their thank you time, and so it was carefully repeated until each last gift was carefully, demurely, and cautiously opened. There weren't any Christmas lights on, since it was daylight out. And there was no picking at food. The meal was served before the gifts. Ahhh, and since it was deemed necessary to highlight everyone's need to diet, the desert selection was pared down to one or two choices, always with a fat free option available.
I wonder, if perhaps other people have lost their love of the holiday because, like me, they find themselves stuck in someone else's traditions. Don't get me wrong, sometimes learning new traditions is enriching and enlightening. Sometimes though, when all of your own traditions are lost in the process, it does leave you with this sense of disappointment, disassociation, and ill at ease feeling. Like you're experiencing something and you're not really "getting" it, or it just isn't satisfying the itch. I'd felt alone in this realization until last year, when my brother called me (the one I'd blogged about) and expressed this same exact feeling. He and I have become the square pegs unable to quite fit in the new holes my sister has drilled. We're there, we're trying, and SHE'S happy about it, but he and I feel this vague let down which we finally admitted, at least to each other, is the fact that we miss the old ways. He tried to rekindle it last year by inviting everyone over to his place for italian sandwiches and a movie, but you could see the resistance in the others to let this insurrection gain any momentum. I feel incapable of reviving our old traditions by the sheer fact that my mom doesn't keep herself or her apartment clean enough to invite people over, and by the fact that I haven't established a family besides just me and my daughter, and she's still wanting to see the gifts on Christmas morning. So now I'm not only living someone else's fantasy of Christmas, I'm perpetrating it onto my only child. I wish I knew an out, a way to get back what we had. But I'm wondering if maybe somethings really do get lost forever. And it makes me profoundly sad inside. Thankfully I've found my balance in the season and I am grateful for the celebrations I'm invited to be a part of. I find my holiday joys in the small moments. Like when Jujubear saw Santa step off the fire engine and, upon seeing his real beard, turned to me and squealed "It's HIM momma, it's the REAL SANTA!!" She and I will be singing in my other brother's family choir at church this year, for the simple reason that my daughter loves to sing, and this is a way for her to develop her god given talent. It will be bittersweet for me. Mostly because the choir is run by my 1st brother and my sister, neither of whom believe I can sing, only because I haven't for so long now. I can, and quite well. It's not comfortable, however, because some years back when traveling with a professional choir, I developed nodules on my vocal chords and it can become painful to sing for prolonged periods. Plus, asthma meds dry out the throat. We'll see how it goes. It gave me great joy back then to sing great pieces like Handel's Messiah. I think I can handle a few carols. Part of me can't wait to see the look of shock on my brother's face. LOL, my sister too. It'll be good for them to know that there was another singing star in the family once. Of course, if they'd have bothered to attend any of my concerts back then, they'd know that, wouldn't they?
I also find my seasonal joy connecting with my friends, and catching up on their hectic lives. December is a crazy month, and I know things can get difficult, but my friends have always made time for me in their lives. I'm also planning a big birthday party for my daughter. She decided over the summer that she wanted to do a sleepover party this year, and I decided it should be done over her Christmas break. So we've decided on Jan. 2nd. Hopefully I survive it. LOL!
I'll be posting a few more of our traditional dessert recipes throughout the month, and just wanted to suggest that the above cake would also be good with espresso syrup added in or any other number of variations of flavors. Happy Holidays!

Where Are You Christmas, pt 1

Where are you Christmas
Why can't I find you
Why have you gone away
Where is the laughter
You use to bring me
Why can't I hear music play

My world is changing
I'm rearranging
Does that mean Christmas changes too

Where are you Christmas
Do you remember
The one you used to know
I'm not the same one
See what time's done
Is that why you have let me go

Christmas is here
Everywhere, oh
Christmas is here
If you care, oh...

If there is love in your heart and your mind
You will feel like Christmas all the time

I feel you Christmas
I know I've found you
You never fade away
The joy of Christmas
Stays here in silence
Fills each and every heart with love

Where are you Christmas
Fills your heart with love
Where are you Christmas
Why can't I find you
Why have you gone away
Where is the laughter
You use to bring me
Why can't I hear music play

My world is changing
I'm rearranging
Does that mean Christmas changes too

Where are you Christmas
Do you remember
The one you used to know
I'm not the same one
See what time's done
Is that why you have let me go

Christmas is here
Everywhere, oh
Christmas is here
If you care, oh...

If there is love in your heart and your mind
You will feel like Christmas all the time

I feel you Christmas
I know I've found you
You never fade away
The joy of Christmas
Stays here in silence
Fills each and every heart with love

Where are you Christmas
Fills your heart with love
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So today I was thinking about all the people that claim they can't stand Christmas. It comes too early now, it's too commercial, it's a farce, it's a mess, it's expensive...blah blah blah.
There are definitely pros and cons to every argument, the same holds true for holding the spark of solstice love in your heart. Maybe there are alot of downsides to Christmas being marketed in October, but then again, maybe it's more of a good thing than anyone has stopped to consider.
As a child, I held a magical love for this time of year. I may have only reclaimed my crown, but I've always known that my place is in the winter castle. Winter in Maine is simply indescribable to those that haven't lived it. Some couldn't dream of living THROUGH it, while others can't imagine living away from it. When I was growing up, winters were the stuff of legends...storms that dumped 3 or 4 feet of snow at a time, snowbanks upwards of 5 feet tall, and home grown ice skating rinks with mazes of snow forts all around them. Christmas time, in such a wonderland, could be nothing less than spectacular, and our traditions were delightful then.
As a Catholic family, we celebrated Advent, and attended mass regularly. I was always in choir, so my love of Christmas music comes from the joy it brought me to be involved in creating that music as much as simply listening to it. My mother always made sure we had an advent calendar to count down till Christmas, a tradition I carry on with my own daughter today. It wasn't about the chocolate or the gift, it was about the beautiful illustration that was hiding behind the little door, and it's significance to the holiday. I didn't believe in Santa so long because I was the last of 5 children, for one, but also, our gifting happened Christmas Eve, and my mother would build the excitement and anticipation to Christmas by wrapping the gifts as soon as she'd bought them and placing them under the tree immediately. We decorated with so many lights, and the house was always a beautiful glowing haven of warmth and special love. My mother would cook, and cook, and so would my grandmother, who lived with us, and the food would be placed on our unheated porches which acted as secondary and third refrigerators at this time of year. Pies of every kind - custard, pecan, raspberry, apple, and cakes like Graham Cracker Cake (also known in some parts as ice box cake), and Chocolate Sheet Cake. She'd make sugar cookies in 12 shapes, with icing, and she'd make a peanut brittle, and she'd make chocolate covered walnut butter brittle. She'd make meat pies, called tortieres around here, made with potatoes, and spiced pork. Christmas eve would be an endless buffet. She'd make pressure cooker BBQ chicken thighs, and beef stew, and spaghetti with meat sauce. She'd hand grind meats like chicken and ham to make meat salads to spread on finger rolls. And then all the relatives that would come over would bring their dishes. Potato salad, cole slaw, beans, baked hams, and things I don't even remember anymore. We'd start the night by going to the 5 pm mass, and then it was on for the rest of the night. My mother's sister and her kids would come over, as would my father's sister and her kids, and so many other relatives I can't think of now. We'd rip open our gifts and revel in what I understand now was resourceful gift giving by parents that struggled as much then with money as we all do now. It was a relaxed atmosphere, play clothes, comfy, eat as you will, when you will, as much as you will, the adults sitting around talking, and us kids in my room playing till all hours of the morning, falling asleep in the living room under the Christmas lights. I can't think of a happier memory. So why am I reliving this now, besides my winter heart glorying in nostalgia? Because mostly everyone has treasured memories like this in their hearts. So why isn't the season so endearing anymore???
As I grew older, I found it harder to get that amazingly repleted Christmas feeling, that feeling that nothing on earth could be any better than that night. That total innocent acknowledgment of profound joy. Life started getting more complicated, and my needs more self centered and bottomless. It started feeling, like I believe bouncy lady J put it, like it was all this work and build up with no orgasm. LOL...god I love her and her analogies. That feeling of confused disappointment when something that you've waited on and hoped for has passed you by and you've missed it somehow. I think lots of people experience this and instead of confronting it and figuring out what the hell they missed, begin to construct a protective shell of disassociation and disdain for the holiday and all it's trimmings. But what really have they missed? And what are they afraid to admit that they've given up on? I do know, because I'd almost done the same thing. Two simple words - Belief and Hope.
If I use my Ice Prince for a moment to illustrate.... Malcolm is certain, he is the harbinger of the end, and the herald for the new. I mentioned this before because he was born on New Year's Eve. He is the bridge between a life already lived, and one imminently about to BEGIN. He has to have strong beliefs and convictions to balance the duality of his nature. And my role as Ice Princess, born two days after the solstice has me being caretaker to the end of times, the soul that governs the celebrations that wind up a life nearing it's end, the one that keeps the lights blazing as we enter that darkest time of year, and the one that maintains that it was all really worth it. Malcolm is Belief. I am Hope. When Belief and Hope come together, we create Love. And THAT, my friends, is the magic of Belief and Hope. Having Belief and Hope create the kind of environment that fosters and nurtures Love. And when we LOVE, we are divine. Have you ever woken up besides your lover, completely sated, warm in his arms, wrapped up in the scent of his body and known without question that you were Happy? In that brief moment you loved unconditionally, you were connected to another soul, and there was magic all around you because belief and hope were alive in your heart. That is the same knowledge you carried as a child at Christmas. The love, camaraderie, belief and hope we are "supposed" to feel at Christmas were NEVER supposed to be confined to that season, it was supposed to be a season to celebrate the wonderment we felt all year long. The gifts we give at Christmas are a representation of the love and generosity of heart and spirit that we share with our families, our friends, and our fellow planetary inhabitants. Perhaps the marketing companies have made Christmas into a gold mine, but consider this for a moment... The physical reminders of the holiday don't have to mean commercialism, greed, duplicity, or uncharitability. When I see the first decorations displayed in the stores, I feel the first sparks of my winter heart light up. I'm reminded of the precious ornaments I've collected through the years with my mother, or on my own, and begin to relive the stories and memories behind each of them. I laugh at the thoughts of my neighbor who used to decorate his house so much it showed up on satelite footage. He no longer decorates because they have felt a most profound sadness this year at the loss of the visitation of their grandchildren. They lost both belief and hope, and the manifestation is a lack of willingness to participate in the spirit of the holiday. I won't let them lose all their belief and hope, because I love them. And love, no matter what, really can create miracles for people. And isn't that what people really want at this time of year? Christmas Miracles?
I got my miracle earlier this year when I met Malcolm. I received another miracle almost 9 years ago when I birthed my daughter. Besides simply providing for our basic needs, I can't think of another thing I want this year except for time with the two people who rekindled my belief and hope, and taught me the meaning of real joy by showing me honest, reciprocated love.
Belief and Hope
PS - in no way is the living room pictured above mine, or in any way reflect my house or my family's house. It's far too meticulously perfect. That living room would belong to my friend Jeff, and is his scene from last year. He does everything perfect like that. LOL Love and hugs to Jeff. MWAH!

Imagine

Imagine, just for a moment. I'm deliriously tired right now, but as my winter heart awakens more and more each December day, my love and conciousness expand exponentially along with it. No, I didn't take any drugs. No, I'm not becoming a born again again. But just imagine.
Imagine a world with such injustice that the undying belief for CENTURIES in ONE man could make a people cling to the last shreds of hope. Make them stay faithful to their culture and beliefs. Make them mindful, devout, and gladdened by the thought that this manifestation of their God's love for them will change the course of history forever. Imaging living in a world with such violence, with such corruption. Imagine losing all but the last tenacious cell of hope.
Imagine wanting to end the cycle. Imagine wanting to change the course of our lives. Imagine value, honesty, and fidelity as real makers of men and women. Imagine people being driven to do what is right instead of what is easy. Imagine the leadership of a man who believes in us as much as we believe in him. Imagine creating a new society, a better world, a kinder nation. Imagine us happy as a people, imagine us free, unfettered, and discovering who we truly are. Imagine us living the lives we desperately need to live, not based on wealth, or acquisition, or power.
Imagine us genuinely loving ourselves and those around us. Imagine building people UP instead of always tearing them down. Imagine governments acting honestly, free of the corruption that haunts them and destroys the people they govern. Imagine us finally caring for our planet, our oceans, our wildlife, and our children. Imagine loving your partner wholeheartedly, without reservation, without suspicion, and without fear. Imagine being loved in return unconditionally, for who you are, not for what you can do or for what you have. Imagine Trust.
Perhaps ONE man did have the ability to right the world somehow. To speak truth and be heard, not that week, not that year, but for eons. Perhaps he was God, or at least God-inspired because how could one man ever hope to be heard in light of everything the world was then, and still is today, if he was not in some way assisted by the divine? I believe in a higher power that guides us all. I believe that he would inspire us in any way he could to see a better way. I believe, in the very frigid core of us, is the spark of the divine waiting to explode in conflagration, should we only learn how to BELIEVE. If I could have one wish, it would be for more people to imagine the possibilities of belief and hope. And I would wish for them to open THEIR winter hearts and feel the fire in the ice. We've all grown a little cold over the decades, and only a bonfire will effect the kind of awakening we all need. Angels? Inspiration? Men of God? Whatever it takes.......
Imagine...

Winter Royalty

The first snow hit last night. I always think of Frosty and Santa when the first snow falls...how the mean magician locked Frosty into a greenhouse full of beautiful poinsettias, and he melted. And poor Karen, how she cried. I always cried too, in fact, I still do. Santa saved him though, by opening the window and telling Karen that it was CHRISTMAS snow, and that never really goes away, although it may take the form of summer rain. Well, here in Maine I like to think that we know a might bit about snow, because we have like 8 months worth of it. No, I'm not really joking. LOL. But that first snow is magical, even more so when it hits your freshly decorated Christmas lights, and blankets them casting a soft, peaceful glow in a very quiet, sleeping world.
I love this time of year. I was born to it, literally, my birthday falling 2 days after the big day. Winter is my season, my colors, my climate. I positively THRIVE in the cold weather as though my body hibernates all year waiting for the snow and ice to finally fall again and awaken me. I think perhaps I embrace being the Ice Princess because if it means I govern during the Winter Solstice, and Yuletide, and Christmastime, then YES, I AM THE ICE PRINCESS AND COLD TO MY SOUL. Proud to be. I am heartened by Christmas music, and my philanthropic self (it's ok psycho stalker bitch, I know u don't understand that word, look it up on google, hun) is finally nourished by the good will which seems to infect everyone. And so, with the plunging temperatures and the first snowfall of the winter season......my general malaise ended and my winter heart awakened.
We decided to take a shopping trip tonight after I got out of work, and Juju got done her homework. We traveled to Freeport, ME, one of the shopping capitals of the world LOL, to contribute to the healing of the economy, and to purchase some boots so that Juju could play in the snow. I brought a smallish sum of money, and was so delighted, so absolutely charmed that not only could I buy my baby some boots, I could also, finally, purchase a new pair of shoes for myself. The environment was gorgeous if you look at the picture above, that is actually last year's theme. This year their theme is Northern Lights, and the ginormous tree was entirely decked in midnight blue and crystal white, with huge snowflakes tumbling amid the branches, and bright sparkles flaring here and there amongst the pine needles. It was so amazing, like being in the deep woods at midnight with nothing but moonlight brightening the new fallen snow. That "hush" feeling, like deer and rabbits and other woodland animals might come to pay homage to the tree, to winter itself in the quiet of the night. We spent a moment appreciating the splendor that is Freeport at Christmastime, then hopped into the car with our meager but very beloved parcels, and drove home looking for more fabulous Christmas displays and listening to Holiday music.
I'm feeling very loving and very loved tonight. I just spoke to Malcolm, shared the hilarity of yesterday's blog with him, and asked his permission to visit with and share coffee with Balor. "Would you mind if I did that" I asked him, and his instant response..."No, why would I?" "I didn't think you would, but you are special to me, and I don't want to do things to irritate you." I told him. "No worries and don't sweat it. Have fun and tell me the story after," he answers. His mom is going into the hospital tomorrow, so I'm going to do something special for him when I get out of work. I'm not sure what yet, but definitely something floral, and something food.
What Malcolm knows and made me realize is that although I am Ice, ice burns. He found the conflagration in the center of my being and it burns Prussian blue, and Titanium white, and all the colours of the landscape in wintertime. He is my winter soulmate, my Ice Prince. I also shared with him on the phone that I'm incredibly happy with the way everything has turned out. Our time together has been nothing short of spectacular, and as we approach the 8 month mark of our relationship, everything just keeps getting better and better. This, our first winter season together, is our very special time. Imagine that finally, I've someone to celebrate the holidays with. Not merely someone who will always be absent or drunk on those days. I can't wait to bask in the glow of the holiday lights with him, and watch the myriad colors dance over our skin. Because Ice is beautiful like that.