Monday, February 2, 2015

Kindness From Next Door


Snow. About 14 inches total. The most I've ever seen at one time in Michigan, and we were pretty well buried.

Looking at all that snow from inside the house, I knew it would take me awhile to dig out. A long while. But I didn't realize just how much there was until I ventured out and got up close and personal with the sheer volume of all that frozen precipitation piled up everywhere.

I worked on the car first, getting all the snow off the top, the windows, the hood. I had to dig out around it first, and I was already tiring out. I took breaks. I went back out, and I came back in. The rest of my body was toasty warm all bundled up, but my toes kept getting cold, my socks, even doubled up, getting soaked with cold, melted snow seeping into my boots.

Ah...winter.

I worked hard, but 14 inches of snow covering our long, long driveway was starting to defeat me. Then, our neighbors next door got home from grocery shopping and offered to help with their snow blower. I offered to do something nice for them in return or give them money for gas for the blower, but they declined. They just wanted to help.

It's not usually easy for me to receive, but today, I needed to do just that. I'm just getting over a virus, and Daniel's just getting over a knee injury, and while we would've coped without getting out today, it was really awesome to stand there and watch that miracle machine cut through the snow like it was nothing.

Thank you to the kind-hearted people next door for noticing that we were in need and pitching in to help. So often, I'm disgusted in the way people treat each other, the crazy, petty mean spirit I so often encounter in daily life. Today, though? I'm thoroughly encouraged and so very grateful.

Sunday, February 1, 2015

Sick Day, Snow Day


Snow falls. Hour after hour, inch after inch. Altogether, the forecast is calling for a possible total of 11-14 inches. That is a lot of snow, even for Michigan.

In fact, I don't remember the last time it snowed this much in a relatively short period of time. Then again, last winter is a bit of a blur...

Normally, I would be out in it, doing the shoveling in stages because half the amount we're forecast to get is heavy. I can't imagine shoveling it all at once!

Or, if shoveling chores were done, I'd be visiting my little Mommy or papercrafting the wintry day away, probably keeping laundry going in between.

Instead, I am doing more sitting than anything, more sitting than I'd like to do because I am sick. Not so miserably sick I can't even fathom doing anything but lie in the bed and wish the next 48 hours away in the blissful oblivion of Ny-Quil induced slumber.

But sick enough that my energy levels do not match my motivation levels. Every time I get up out of the chair, I get weak, and my headache surges, and I get a little lightheaded.

I don't like it.

And I'm not the most patient person when I'm sick.

So, I'm cooped up on a winter day, trying not to hate the situation, trying to accept the moment that is, trying to find an illness-appropriate activity to counteract the boredom.

And watching the endless snow fill up the world on this cold, wintry first day of February.