Today, I woke up in a better mood than I have in weeks. It’s a bouyancy out of nowhere, and I’m once again amazed by human resilience. There’s no reason for my mood, none whatsoever. It’s Christmas Eve and I’m snowed-in. We in my family won’t celebrate the holiday until this weekend — hopefully. I’ve been cooped up for 10 days, hiking to the grocery store, stewing in my juices.
You’d think given all this time, I’d have accomplished much writing. Hah!
Old-time Portlanders are talking about this snowfall as the worst winter in 40 years. All I know is that struggling through the snow, I meet up with fellow hikers who smile wide and offer benedictions like, Beautiful, isn’t it? even as they nearly fall on their bums. Smiles all around, shrugs, slips and slides — it’s a strange but welcome comraderie.
Today it must be 34 or 35 degrees — a step in the right direction — and when I opened the balcony window the lovely hush I’d gotten used to had disappeared, replaced by snap-crackle-popping, a most enlivening sound. Truth is, I’d never before heard the sound of a slow thaw. Ice and snow falling off the evergreens and telephone lines, snow pockmarked and slushy: unique to me.
It’s thawing out there; my heart is thawing out a little too. Time to ready myself for a bright, shiny New Year!
Though, more snow is supposed to be coming for us — one more bout before it lets us go. But I don’t care. Even if I’m snowed-in, it’s still Christmas, and Christmas was always one of the happiest times in my family. We did it BIG. Or rather, my father did it big and brought us along with him. The eight-foot tree with thousands of lights; the beautifully made nativity scene, hand-sculpted and -painted, the kind you don’t see anymore. Chipped as it was, I used to love playing with it as if it were a doll set. The multitudes of presents under the tree — too many really — maybe it was almost disgusting, but as I kid, what did I care?
I may be holed up, but it’s still Christmas.
Merry Christmas!
P.S. A few pet pictures, typical of the last 10 days.
Luna, the dog reminiscent of a cat, snuggling into the warmest spot next to my drying boots (in front of the space heater).
Trio, the cat reminiscent of a dog, playing in the snow.
0 comments on “A Merry Snowed-In Christmas”
Merry Christmas to you, Lisa. Love the pet pics, especially Trio in the snow. Glad to hear you are buoyant.
Merry Christmas to you, too, Charlotte. Bouyant is good!
I’m glad your spirits have been lifted! Wishing you good cheer in the new year, as well!
Loved the pet photos, too!
weren’t christmases in marinview neat?? its still the standard to me for humungous live trees, lots of windows, “happy valley” (as my mom called tam valley, or what you could see of it from our living room) and high, high ceilings!!! how i love that 70’s northern california vibe!!! merry christmas, doll, and happy new year! 🙂
Hey Lisa, you are so right on about good old Marinview! We were lucky, living there, weren’t we? I remember us kids congregating at the bottom of the hill to bum rides from kind neighborhood strangers. I also remember you and I listening to records at your house — we were most eccentric kids: Weren’t we in love with 50s music or Elvis Presley or something?
A belated merry Christmas to you, and happy new year also! This is the first time I’ve ever seen a cat play in the snow. Now, that’s something!
Hi Eve, and happy holidays to you! Oh, and have I ever mentioned that my cat comes when I whistle (but my dog doesn’t)?