A Year in Review

Last year I cleared out all of my photo and music files from the computer and stored them on external hard drives.  But I just noticed a rather large file on my desktop that somehow managed to escape the clean-up.  Going through photos is always fun.  Here are some from the batch.

In the summer of 2008 the whole family vacationed in Ocean City and Assateague, Maryland.  The day it rained we gathered on the sun-porch and Yimmy, Rock and I played our guitars while everyone clapped and sang along.  We covered the tables with paper and had crab feasts for dinner.  We played cards for money at night.

Mycol was 17 years & Rockwell was 18 months.

We dipped our toes in the Atlantic and watched the wild ponies saunter on by.

In the fall, Yimmy took me to the pumpkin patch at Schramm’s with him and his boys to pick pumpkins for Halloween jack-o-lanterns.

Last winter was as glorious as this one.  Yim and I went out in the night storm and delighted in the sights.  The Pennsylvanian looked like the backdrop to an old mystery movie, with it’s lighted clock above the archway glowing through the falling snow.

And the row-houses along Friendship Avenue reminded me of a quaint English neighborhood.  These lighted stars go up every holiday season, to the joy of everyone I know in the area.  They are magical.

I remember Christmas that year was great.  I hosted La Vigilia and Alison and Peppino were honored guests of the family.  At midnight, Yimmy joined us and we all went to a Polish church, Immaculate Heart of Mary, with respect for UB.

For Valentine’s Day, Yim and I enjoyed a weekend in the Laurel Highlands at the Campbell House B & B, and I liked the matching fluffy bathrobes.

By March I’d had enough of the snow and cold.  I was in misery with tension just trying to stay warm.  Yimmy took me to the mall to walk around.  That was okay, but not quite what the doctor ordered.  But how about this?  He took me over to Phipps Conservatory for an afternoon of walking through the gardens, breathing the oxygen and smelling the soil.

As a matter of fact, my banner picture of the ferns with spores was taken on that day at Phipps.

In the spring, when it was mild enough, we went on an urban hike.  We were on a quest for all things interesting.  Interesting food, which we found, interesting shops, which we found, and interesting photos.  I had my camera at the ready.  This is the most interesting door pull I’ve ever seen.

Also that spring, we were invited to see La Boheme with good friends of mine and we dressed for the occasion.  After the opera, we went salsa dancing.

Soon, Mycol celebrated his 18th birthday.  My handsome son requested a birthday meal of pulled pork sandwiches with sweet potato french fries, tangy cole slaw, and chocolate cream pies for dessert.  We partied on Zia and UB’s deck and had a grand old time.

Rockwell got another year older, too.

And we are all ready for summer again.

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Winter Walk

Snow storms are the best part of winter.  Peppino and I just took a two hour long walk and it was exhilarating.  Itchy thighs are a reminder of my childhood, when going outside to play was something we just did, regardless of the weather, because we craved it.  (I wonder if this itchiness is the kind NieNie talks about with her grafts?)

As a child in a grown-up body, going out on a day like today seems a bit forced, but afterward I always feel great, like I am alive!  I’ve been told that the Norwegians go outside everyday, no matter what the weather.  Ever since I heard that I have tried to make it my practice as well, mainly because I struggle so desperately every winter to endure the darkness and the cold.  I figure it might be easier to bear if I reversed the roles and took from winter rather than letting winter take from me.

So, Peppino and I carried our umbrellas because in the beginning the snow was sleety.  We talked about frustrating injustices, new-found energy, and planning for the future as we made our way to a half-way point and coffee shop lattes.  Once upon a time we talked over our drinks and through our smoke about moving to France together.  “Over our drinks and through our smoke, to Paris, France we go…”

Now that I am home the flakes are the size of quarters and flying around in the air like the flakes in a snow-globe.  I wish I had someone to play with some more!

The other great part about winter weather and coming in from the cold is hot soup.  I made this hot and sweet vegetable and tofu soup the other day and was able to heat up a bowl on the stove after our walk.

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