Thursday, January 15, 2009

Another Winter's Day



Name the ten American presidents who were elected despite losing the popular vote.

And that was just the first question. You'd think that a trivia competition being held in a bar would not be so damn...demanding. As to actual real knowledge.

Anyway, it was fun, although I hardly think we kicked ass and took names. It may have been a little premature on my part to make THAT proclamation.

And we didn't lose. We did not come in last. The Drinkin' 'Bout It team did not come in last.
Phew!

Lily and Jason spent the night with us last night so that Jason and Mr. Moon could get up in the cold, cold darkness of pre-dawn to go hunt deer. Jason is getting into this hunting thing. I asked Mr. Moon the other day if he wasn't worried that he was turning Jason into a cold-blooded killer but Mr. Moon assured me that no, he wasn't worried about that.

So when they got in this morning (without a deer, sorry to say), Mr. Moon hemmed and hawed around, talking about such things as smoked sausage and grits until I sighed and said, "Okay, honey, go get some sausage out of the freezer," and he did and I made up some biscuits and cheese grits and cooked the sausage and fried some eggs and he and Jason were happy boys. Now they're going to go cut up and package the last two deer they brought in.

It's winter here in North Florida. Deer season is almost over but we'll have some meat in the freezer. We're talking about starting the tomato seedlings and I sure do hope we have a decent garden this spring. Meanwhile, the camellias, as you can see, are blooming everywhere although this arctic cold we're about to experience may turn them all into brown mush. I'm enjoying them while they're here.

And that's what I'm trying to do. Enjoy what we have in the season in which we have it. Be content with what we have. Realize it's all a miracle. The warm house, the garden plot, the animals who give up their lives to feed us, the giant camellia blossoms whose faces are things of beauty and glory, the friends and family we can play games with, the tiny birds that come to the feeder, the satisfaction of making the men a big breakfast. Loving arms, sweet words, hot food, cold mornings, soft sweaters, smiling faces.

Tomorrow is the first anniversary of Lynn's death. I can't believe it's been a year since she took off. It seems like I've barely drawn two breaths since she died.

But it's true.

A whole year she hasn't been here to share in the glory of the world she loved.

But I'm here. I'm trying to love it for her. I can't really do that, but in her honor, I can honor what she loved.
Which is all of it.

We may struggle with the answers to the hard questions, y'all; the ones about presidents and generals and rock bands whose names start with the letter B, but we can submit to the sweetness of trying. We can submit to the joy of the game.

Which makes us all winners. Every damn one of us.

9 comments:

  1. What a beautiful, full morning you had. I love this life that I am surrounded by, and so much of it has to do with my upbringing. Thank you so much for that.
    I love you. I love Aunt Lynn, and my thoughts are on her love for the odd and the beauty always around.

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  2. Hence the Drinkin' 'Bout It team motto: We Very Seldom Lose Completely. As true in life as it is in trivia.

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  3. There was a lot in this one. I can't believe it's been a year since Lynn's departure. I read you this morning, but I could not respond... cleaning for the baby Julia. Anyway, I thought of Lynn all day and send her good wishes wherever she is.

    PS As far as I'm concerned,not finishing last in a trivia contest IS kickin ars... (perhaps not taking names tho) :-)
    xo pf

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  4. Thoughts to you during what, despite a being a content one, must have been a tough day. Glad you had a good time last night! Sounds like it might have been just what you needed!

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  6. Glad you had a good time.
    I've moved a little ways down the street, I guess you could say. Stop on in!
    http://asinglemomsinsanity.blogspot.com/

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  7. I will never forget how you played mandolin for Aunt Lynn and how she danced.
    I love you, HoneyLuna.

    DTG- I felt so honored to be part of Drinkin' 'Bout It. It was fun.
    And what a great motto.

    Ms. Fleur- Yes. A year. And that was funny about the not taking names part. Too true.

    SJ- Yep. Hard day. But thanks for the thoughts.

    Rachel- I'll re-list tomorrow. Sorry you had to move, but then again, you didn't have to carry a piano on your back.

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  8. Very nice. All I can think about is growing tomatoes. Seedlings, here I come.

    Last year was really my first time with a garden and I grew a whole bunch of different kinds of tomatoes. White, black, pink, purple, orange. The cherry shaped orange Sun-sugars were my hands down favorite. Any suggestions??

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  9. Very nice. All I can think about is growing tomatoes. Seedlings, here I come.

    Last year was really my first time with a garden and I grew a whole bunch of different kinds of tomatoes. White, black, pink, purple, orange. The cherry shaped orange Sun-sugars were my hands down favorite. Any suggestions??

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