00:34 - 27.11.06
imagine
Alright. The movie "White Christmas" has now been on the tv twice in the past two days. Now things feel right somehow.
After I woke my youngest this morning I went outside to shovel the snow off the front sidewalk. About an inch I guess - the light, sand or dust consistency - so it wasn't difficult from a physical point of view. Wet snow is the heart attack snow. The issue was the temperature. Somewhere around -30 C with the wind chill factor, I think early in the morning. It is -36 C/-30 F right now. I just threw my heavy duty winter gear over my warm flannel "penguins skating" jammies and was good to go - boots to my knees and coat down just past the knees so I didn't upset any of my neighbours. I was feeling very fortunate since I had already heard on the news that one homeless person in this city froze to death last night by trying to cope with sleeping outside in this weather. The forecast for tomorrow is that the temperature is to drop yet again.
Once I got my young man out the door I started doing search and rescue activities. It wasn't my intent but the snow shovelling reminded me that I'd better be able to dress for the morning commute - which is supposed to be even colder than it is now - without risking loss of fingers and toes to frostbite. All I wanted was that mate to the one red winter sock I had in my dresser. I never did find it, but in the course of rooting through closets, drawers, and piles of clothes near the laundry room I did find a lot of things that I had forgotten. I also found that the clothes I can wear now are smaller than those I wore this summer. When I was looking for warmer indoor wear in my bedroom closet, I came across a pair of stirrup pants - size small - that my sister's sister-in-law had given me two summers ago. I wasn't able to fit into them then, but I can now. Hurray. That led me on a search for clothes that work with those pants, you know like the long line sweaters and tunics, that I had put away for when I had regained enough of my health to safely lose that weight. I had been wondering where my really warm sweaters and skirts had gone and there they were all packed away in yet another cupboard.
It took all day to complete my searches, which somehow expanded to going through the kitchen cupboards too. You see, after my snow shovelling workout I decided I needed something hot and nourishing to get me through the day's demands. Settled on shrimp spiced with savory, rosemary, garlic and lemon juice with a side of wild rice. Had to dig through the cupboards to find that rice and discovered I had a good supply of baking ingredients for Christmas treats as a result. Now all I have to do is figure out where the fuses are on the stove. My oven quit working last week you see. I've got the correct fuses but the normal place for those - on top of the control panel at the back of the unit - is fuseless. Guess I'll need to look the model up on the internet for a schematic. Then number four son's tax documents had to be found, which led me back into my bedroom. You see, he didn't file right away since the government owes him money this year. Now that Christmas is looming he wants that money. Fair game. The weakness with that is that he now has to file through snail mail and needs copies of the physical tax slips to include in his package. More time spent digging through paperwork and clothes too since they are all jumbled up in my dresser. Found more "lost" treasures as a result.
In the breaks I took while searching I winterized my skin - petroleum jelly for our desert-like air -, mended a number of those found clothes - one of the reasons they were "lost" (remember I don't have a sewing machine) now that I have the luxury of time with only one job to worry about, and read my email. This story about John Lennon's murder and Yoko Ono's request was particularly touching. For someone who has survived the death of her husband to reach out to everyone else who has experienced violence with a request for compassion and forgiveness is quite remarkable. To admit openly that she struggles herself with that is very courageous.
The other search I did was recreational in some ways. I had been working with the I Ching for my meditations. All the imagery had been of snakes and dragons in a positive context. What was interesting was that a comment made by JK Rowling about her last book had been about the snake Nagini and the increased role she would play in the last book. That had puzzled me. Snakes are a symbol of transformation and the alchemical process. Nagini in India are the female half human, half cobras that are the subject of many legends and myths. They live in very deep places where there is water - lakes and wells, for example -, guard treasures hidden therein, can be placated by being fed milk and who give their chosen followers rubies as gifts. Their enemies are eagles and peacocks. Eagles are the symbol for the Ravenclaw house in Hogwarts Schoool of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and one of it's residents - Padma Patil - seems to be linked in some way as the Hindu goddess, Padma is prominent in one of those legends. The Hogwarts Padma has already revealed - in the boggart scene in "Prisoner of Azkaban" - that her greatest fear is snakes. How will all that play out?
Time for that other part of preparing for frigid days - enough sleep to make good choices in transit. Good night dear diary.
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