Pooh to Valentine's Day ~ Yes to V-Day!

What is this ridiculous expense we go to for this day supposedly for romance and love...! Do you really think that special someone should buy that card or box of expensive (or not) chocolates or bouquet of roses from a pesticided Central American flower operation just because some guys named Valentine (maybe three of them) became Christian martyrs which had nothing to do with love at all; then the powers that were, decided to tie in a Saint to the current pagan celebration; which then, much later became a misinterpretation of a poem of Chaucer; that turned into the exploitation of feuding (or not) lovers to blissfully unite upon receipt of a special card or gift...(ok- so that's not an accurate assessment, but look it up - it's really pretty muddled and crazy).

The bottom line is...yes, it's nice for that special someone to remember you on this day...but what about all the rest of the year? Just one day to show that you care and with a box of chocolates that will just add to your waistline or worse? And yes, of course it's nice to know that you will wear red or pink or lavender with matching red hearts hanging from your ear lobes so you have that one nailed...but I can't help but rebel against the obnoxiousness of it all - reducing caring, commitment and love to candy hearts and dinner out?

Do I sound like a sour apple here? I'm really not. I just abhor the way consumerism has taken a hold of every special occasion and holiday and put a price tag on it... and an expectation that if one doesn't receive something, anything...they are not loved or cared for or worthy. Which brings me to an awesome cause to support on this day and everyday. Check out this link for a meaningful way to contribute.

Oh, and I secretly love getting flowers....shhhh.

Snow

Written a week ago... I never said it would be current! It's snowing in Evergreen... and Durango and most of Colorado today and yesterday and probably tomorrow. This has been an intense snowfall winter and I'm sorry to say that I have missed the good things about it by being mostly in California. Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing with friends, the SnowDown festival, the lovely peacefulness the winter snow brings to the highway we live close to, staying inside to sew and craft and writing are all fun snowy day activities.

Today I am in Evergreen where there is an accumulation of about 6"; not much compared to Durango's 80". I stay inside even though walking or driving is possible. I'm spending too much time on my computer these days; don't really understand why so much except that it's a way to avoid anything and everything I need to do.

I've been so fortunate to have spent some days with grand babies while I've been here. Evan is three and Styles will be a year old the end of February. They are beautiful boys - I hope their parents guide them carefully, helping them discover all they need to be happy in this crazy, chaotic world they'll be growing up in.

As for me...I'll be heading back to Durango in the morning to pull together income taxes, clean the chicken coop (and the house I'm sure), and maybe get in some time cross country skiing or snow shoeing with friends.

Home for a Day

I am home! Finally, after a three month stay in considerably warmer California with Mom I am home. Pulling up with trailer in tow on icy ground, I unhooked and prepared to unload the car contents. First though, I needed to check out the condition of the house. Let me just mention here that my husband Victor hasn't won any prizes for his housekeeping skills so my apprehension was I felt, justified.

I wasn't terribly surprised at the buildup of "stuff" on the front porch. There wasn't any place to put things since many feet of snow had covered everything but the path that Victor had kept clear to the rabbits and chickens. The shed was close to crumpling and access was limited by snow. The porch became storage for bundles of neatly folded feed bags which do come in handy so we store them and recycle them for various uses; it looked like he had an outdoor freezer going with many containers of milk for his cheese-making stacked on the benches; I could see that the recycling was piling up...

I opened the door slowly... The nights and days have been bitter cold in Hermosa, Colorado and mama bunnies with their babies really need better shelter than they have for this long of a cold snap (16 degrees below at lowest and currently it hovered around 30 degrees)...like to come inside since that is the only place they could have better shelter. So yes, that's where four mamas and twenty-four babies ended up, on the kitchen floor in their nesting/birthing/raising their young boxes, cute as can be, stinky butts and all (sigh).

So... home now smells like bunnies, no longer so cute, which hit me in the face like a slap from an abusive boyfriend... I look around and my heart just sinks... I decide right then and there, that I need to clean and organize before I bring in anything from the car, which I do. As my nose adjusts (only slightly) I notice that Victor's laundry is contained in the basket and most of the dishes are washed and I find just one coffee cup out of place by the computer. What deceived me is that every (yes - EVERY) horizontal surface was covered with alternating layers of paper, tools, fast food restaurant receipts and mentos candy wrappers and then... there are the rabbits on the kitchen floor... But, let me give him credit here, the bathroom was clean, the kitchen floor was clean, probably mopped that morning, the back bedroom/office was free! He had kept this space clear and clean our of consideration for me.

I know the horror of living with a man who somehow is able to ignore dirt and disorganization - he doesn't get caught up in the pettiness of perfection in his own home. Cleaning, when it comes to the interior of the house, is at the bottom of his "to do" list. I have often had meltdowns about this which are never an effective way to bring about change as neither are pleading, begging or crying. By now you are thinking that this must be grounds for divorce - and yes, yes it is, but the man has redeeming qualities I assure you. (I'll tell you about them another time - right now I'm venting).

So- I sucked it up, stayed put and when he anxiously stuck his head in the door upon returning from work, I had to laugh at his big hair and widened eyes. It really was awfully good to see him - and he apologized for the mess and the smell - he didn't like it either. Of course my anger and disgust melted clean away and we reunited like long lost lovers - well, kind of. I got out the scissors and gave him the haircut he had been begging for and then we held hands and cleaned!

I would end the fairytale here but for the title of this entry. I leave again in the morning for a week in Denver, delivering the trailer contents to Bryant, hugging grandchildren and yes, escaping the 4 and 24 bunnies and their oh-so-lovely stinky butts... and praying for warmer weather.