November 29, 2023
Yesterday we received our
first snowfall of the season. For a time, it looked like a blizzard out there,
but eventually the driving snow turned to a heavy floating-down snow, until
finally tapering off around noon hour.
By then we’d received at least
two inches, which compared to the lake effect snow that was attacking areas of Western
New York State, wasn’t really much at all.
I’ve often said that the first
snow of the season is yes, a beautiful sight to behold. And it is, as far as
aesthetics go. But I’m one who requires a more substantial “uplifting aspect”,
when it comes to the cold white stuff. For that I need only consider the winter
calendar according to the Ashbury household. We are today only one day away
from the end of November; winter is October to March inclusive on the Ashbury
calendar; therefore, we are but one day away from being 1/3 the way through
winter.
And we’ve only now received
our first measurable snowfall!
In any given situation, we always
have a choice. It can be viewed in a positive light or a negative one. It all
depends on how you look at things.
We had planned to go out and
get a couple of things yesterday. The snow didn’t interfere with that plan, but
our daughter’s car being in the shop for it’s final free maintenance work did.
Of course, since she has clients in the wider county, she needed a vehicle and
so had the one I’ve been driving—which is actually her car. We don’t own a
vehicle ourselves, not since my Buick died.
One of the items on our
shopping list hopefully for today is a new pair of winter boots for me. I haven’t
had a new pair in a very long time, and I really am overdue. It’s important for
me to wear something on my feet that will be warm, and that has a really good
tread. I walk very carefully all the time, and never more so than during the
winter. I also want to be able to put them on and take them off by myself.
I did check the weather
network to see whether or not we’ll be able to head out today; I think it’s a
wait and see situation at the moment. It is possible we’ll get more snow
squalls today, so we may give it one more day before we make that supply run. Fortunately,
we have plenty of toilet paper, and sufficient coffee-making supplies on hand to
tide us over.
When you get right down to
basics those are the only short-term must-have necessities in life—although I
usually phrase that thought a little more indelicately.
I know it’s not quite
December, but I have already given some thought as to when we’ll erect our
small Christmas tree. Normally this isn’t something that requires a great deal
of thought. We put it up whenever.
However, this year we have that
new kitten. And while he is technically still a kitten (not yet four months
old), he is already bigger than our daughter’s teacup chihuahua. And as far as
Smokey-kitty is concerned, life is comprised of three elements: food, sleep,
and play.
And the greatest of these is
play.
Therefore, my plan is to be
more careful in selecting the miniature ornaments that will adorn our small
tree. Nothing that is breakable shall this year go upon it. Luckily, I
purchased a whole slew of tiny wooden and plastic ornaments shortly after we
purchased the less than five-foot-tall artificial tree. Regular sized ornaments
just looked ridiculous on it.
Now, my first thought was that
we just won’t hang any ornaments along the bottom of the tree—and that might be
an idea. But this is a fairly small tree, not even as tall as I am. We don’t,
therefore, have a lot of room to work with. Maybe, I’ll try to ensure that
nothing dangles below the level of the tree’s “branches”. That might work.
Will Smokey-kitty consider the
festive decor a source of exciting and endlessly diverting fun? Well, that’s
something we can’t reasonably predict beyond a fifty percent probability.
We’ll just put it up, likely in
a couple of weeks, and just see what happens.
Love,
Morgan
https://www.bookstrand.com/morgan-ashbury
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