The Redhead Riter - Witty, Intelligent & Addictive: weather

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Words Are Not Necessary Today

When I awoke Monday morning it was to find the landscape covered with snow.

Beautiful.

White.

Glorious.

Snow.

I had about three inches of snow fall while I was sleeping and it was still falling from the dark gray clouds that covered the sky.

Big.

White.

Snowflakes.

When I got in the car, every window was covered with snow. I felt like I was in an igloo!

It was so peaceful that I hated to move, but I needed to clean off the car and go to work. Eventually, I got out of the car and got most of the snow off the windows.

The snow was so white and fluffy.

I relished every second of the white stuff that still kept falling from the sky.

The day passed....

By the time I started driving back home from work, the sky was blue and the snow was gone.

The sun was setting fast and as the sun fell out of the gray clouds, the sky was very blue and the moon was shining brightly..

Now the snow is just a memory - a beautiful memory, but a memory nonetheless.

"Yesterday is but today's memory
and tomorrow is today's dream."~Kahlil Gibran

I Waited A Year And Then It Happened!

I consider myself a very patient person and others see me that way too. When I set a goal, working towards it methodically is actually quite satisfying. Each year I have a reoccurring goal. It is simple. My goal is snow. I want to see it, touch it, taste it, run through it and hear it under my boots. Many times I have traveled great distances to accomplish my goal.

While so many people walk around with barely clad bronzed bodies during the long summer months, I remain in the air condition hiding from the sun's rays and dreaming of snow. I comfort myself that "It won't be long before the cold breezes arrive," but actually it seems to take forever.

I wait...patiently.

Over the past year, day after scorching day passed by and I still dreamed of snow. Well, now that it is actually winter, my hope for snow is ever present in my mind. Could it snow today?

Last week I caught a virus from Alyssa the 18-year-old-germ-factory. I fought it with mega vitamins and even went to bed earlier than usual, but it was to no avail. The virus kept running the usual course of viruses. Unfortunately, I also ended up with a sinus infection and bronchitis which landed me in the doctor's office.

I didn't tweet on Twitter.

I didn't post on Facebook.

I didn't blog.

I didn't chat in my community.

I didn't do any chores at home.

On Sunday night it started snowing and when I woke up on Monday, it was a wonderland of beautiful whiteness.

I was so sick that I didn't even want to walk to the window to look at the scenery.

Most of the day was spent sleeping on the couch or laying there staring at the big blue sky while my body fought germs.

This could easily be the only snow we get this year.

I've waited ALL year for snow that I was now not going to be able to enjoy fully.

Drat it all!

I pulled my big coat over my pajamas, put on my big sunglasses to hide the puffy black circles under my eyes, slipped on my sneakers and grabbed my camera. With my scarf wrapped completely around my face, I walked outside and stepped in the snow.

It crunched.

Ahhhhh....

The crunching snow was music to my ears.

I reached down and grabbed a hand full of the wet snow and scrunched it together.

A snowball! A real snowball!

It wasn't a Twitter snowball! -----===O

I was holding a real snowball!

With a big smile under my scarf, I walked back inside, took off all the "gear" and plopped back down on the couch with my best friend...

Tuesday brought another day of solid sleeping and catering to my body. Thankfully, as Wednesday is rolling around, I'm happy to report that the virus seems to have run out of steam. The sinus infection is disappearing and the bronchitis still has me sounding like a man, but it is slowly getting better.

The big news, however, is that I patiently have waited a year and it finally happened - the goal was mostly reached. I didn't run through it or taste it, but I saw snow, touched it, felt it, heard it crunch under my shoe and made a snowball!

Don't laugh or I will throw a Twitter snowball at you!

You're laughing! Here comes a snowball! -----===O

"Let It Snow" Is The Wish In My Heart

It isn't that I'm rubbing the lamp of a genie, but it feels like that sometimes.

You see, I have a friend named Joan and we talk about hopes, dreams and goals often. She understands what I've been through, where I am now and where I want to be in the future. However, during every conversation, Joan starts to sound like a broken record when she talks about manifesting my dreams. I can hear her now...

"All you have to do is visualize your dream(s) a couple of times a day - when you wake up in the morning and the last thing at night. Then make sure you use positive affirmations in the present tense. Just say, 'I'm so happy and grateful now that ___________' and believe it and experience how it feels!"

That's when I want to say, "blah, blah, blah," but I listen and soak in what she's saying because deep inside I know that a positive attitude begets positive results.

There are many goals and dreams that I am visualizing every day. Since I talk to myself in my head all the time, I actually put Joan's advice into action. Please don't tell her or I won't ever hear the end of it.

A few of my dreams include:

a little house away from the city in the mountains

six pack abs by my 2013 birthday in January

someone who will fall in love, marry, and give me passionate kisses each day for the rest of our lives, of course, that will give me a reason to wear fancy lingerie (wink)
snow

Yeah, you read that right...snow.

I love snow.

I'm a cold weather, flannel wearing, snuggling-cuddling type of person and snow fits in perfectly with all those things. Let's try putting some of Joan's manifesting to work.

I'm so happy and grateful now that it is snowing. (rolling eyes)

I'm so happy and grateful now that I can hear the crunch of the snow under my boots.

I'm so happy and grateful now that the snow is covering everything. (rolling eyes)

I'm so happy and grateful now that the snow has fallen and I have my camera charged so that I can take a lot of pictures.

I'm so happy and grateful now that while it is snowing, the temperatures are low enough to use the patio like a refrigerator for my water bottles. Yes, that is my drink of choice since I've lost weight and am now working on my abs.

I'm so happy and grateful now that the snow is so deep it goes over the top of my boots and melts on my socks. (rolling eyes)

I'm so happy and grateful now that I can make snow cream.

It amazes me that Joan is so steadfast in drilling into my head that I can have and be anything I ever dreamed of having and being. She is equally committed at convincing me that if I do my manifestation, all these things will come true for me -- even though Joan hasn't manifested anything to come true for herself yet!

So let’s try this manifesting thing and cover everything all at once…

I'm so happy and grateful now that I have a little house in the snow where I run around in fancy lingerie to the delight of my loving husband who gives me passionate kisses and enjoys my six pack abs thoroughly every day.

Blah, blah, blah...

The reality is that it is not snowing, I'm not in the somewhat secluded little house and I’m now going to take my flannel covered, untoned abs into the kitchen, get a bowl of fudge covered ice cream, crawl into the bed alone and kiss the dog good night.

So much for manifesting.

Rockin' Friends Spotlight of the Week

Now, the time we have all been anxiously awaiting...This is the weekly post where I spotlight my Rockin' Friends who are the Top Nine active participants and loyal followers in my community where you will find THE BEST people in the world! If you want to be mentioned here next week, then all it takes is to come in and start chatting with everyone in my community.

Top 9 Rockin' Friends

With a big, heartfelt thank you for their participation and friendship, here are the Rockin' Friends this week in order of most participation.

Joan at Rich Beyond My Wildest Dreams

Katlupe at Homesteading On The Internet

Bev at eBlebco.com

PJ at PJ's Prayer Line

Aleta at Aleta's Arty Facts

Paula at The Wandering Hearth

Carol at ArtMuseDog

Meg at Mergie

Amber at Amber May Be...

I'm so glad that I've been able to become friends with these wonderful people who are so active in my community. I encourage you to add their blogs to your blogroll, but also come over and chat with us in my community.

For everyone mentioned in the top nine this week, feel free to grab the Rockin' Friend badge below and thank you for your participation!!

Until next week...Kiss your family, hug your friends and don't forget to be the friend you would like to have around.

Woo Us To Your Blog

As always, attached is the weekly Linky to enter either the main URL to your site or add each post you publish throughout the week. You don't have to do anything special, just drop your link in and get a little extra exposure to your site.

The Redhead Riter

Hurricane Irene Proves We Have No Control

Humans like to think that they can control life and events, but the reality is that the only control we really have is how we react to them. When hurricane Irene started rolling onto the beaches of Virginia, I was safely reclining on the couch. I watched the big black clouds rush across the sky and then the rain and wind whipped all around us. Of course, it didn't take long before thousands lost power and internet access.

There were many, including our friends and their families, that suffered extensive damage. One of my daughter's friends was awakened as a huge tree barely scraped her body when it came through the roof and pierced her bed. My hairdresser's parents also had terrible damage when trees ripped their home apart and rain destroyed everything that was left.

What Is Really Important?

When tragedy happens, people tend to go back to the basics - the important things in life. As long as everyone is safe and unharmed, we are happy because everything else can be replaced - homes, vehicles, clothes, food.

Often it takes a catastrophic event before some people realize what really matters. I'm not one of those people. I already know that people are important and things don't matter.

While I was without internet access, I received phone calls and text messages asking if I was okay because I was missing from Twitter, Facebook, my community and this lovely blog. Then when I was finally able to sign back into everything, I had a message that said, "I have missed you very much. I am very glad you are back."

People, not things are important.

Relationships.

That is what blogging and the whole social media thing is all about - people and relationships.

Last year taught me that I have very little control. I can't control the weather, other people, appliances, automobiles, health or even my own body's reaction to a traumatic event. The one thing that I will always be able to control is my feelings of gratitude and love.

I love my daughter beyond all words.

I am so grateful that she is alive, healthy and happy.

I also am deeply grateful for my family and friends. Not just friends that I see face-to-face, but also those that I have gotten to know on Twitter, Facebook, in my community and on my blog. Your comments, emails, messages and phone calls have kept me going when I didn't think I would last another minute.

I appreciate being missed during the last week. Actually, a huge portion of me has been missing for over a year. Thank you all for sticking by me and extending your care, concern, friendship and advice. I will always be extremely thankful.

Now that hurricane Irene is gone and I have been all mushy, let's do something fun like recognizing some people in my community!

Rockin' Friends Spotlight of the Week

Now, the time we have all been waiting for...(drum roll) This is the weekly post where I spotlight my Rockin' Friends who are the Top Nine active participants and loyal followers in my community! If you want to be mentioned here next week, then all it takes is to come in and start chatting with everyone in my community.

Below are a few discussions going on in The Redhead Riter community:

With a big, heartfelt thank you for their participation and friendship, here are the Rockin' Friends this week in order of most participation.

Until next week...Kiss your family, hug your friends and don't forget to be the friend you would like to have around.

Woo Us To Your Blog

Will Strip For Mango

After arriving home from work, I quickly unlocked the door and stepped into my home to escape the heat this afternoon. Without hesitation, I ripped off my clothes until I stood naked in the middle of the kitchen. My blood sugar was low and I needed to cool off, so I carefully peeled a lusciously ripe mango. The cold, wet fruit helped me to forget about how much I detest the summer's heat.

Almost.

After completely removing the peel, I flipped each one over to scrape the tender mango with my teeth. The sweetness of this exotic fruit helped me to stop shaking. I know better than to miss my afternoon snack, but today everyone was so grouchy that I was consumed in fixing problems and trying to stay positive.

Slicing off a chunk of the delectable fruit, I thought about how much I love the way my polished red nails look against the bright orange of the mango flesh.

Not one to dawdle over my food, I took a bite. The succulent juice threatened to drip down my chin, but I wasn't going to let one drop be wasted.

So I took another bite.

Slurp.

Bella apparently believed that I would have one of my normal catastrophes as she stood motionless staring at the floor around my feet.

"Sorry puppy," I said brightly as I took another bite of the perfectly ripened mango, "I'm not going to drop anything on the floor."

Slurp.

The air conditioner was blowing a huge burst of cold air into the kitchen, but I was still very hot. People think that not being able to sweat would be a lovely problem, but when it gets hot, not sweating is sometimes a nightmare. My body just keeps all the heat stored inside and it is tough not to overheat.

Bite.

Slurp.

Closing my eyes, I enjoyed the swoosh of cold air, the sweet fleshy mango in my mouth and a sense of relief to finally be home.

There are definitely advantages to getting home first - like being able to stand naked in the kitchen while eating a cold, ripe mango...slowly as the cold air whirls around me.

Bite.

Slurp.

If Alyssa was to unexpectedly come home and find me naked in the kitchen eating the last mango, I know exactly what she would say...

"Gross Mom! Put on some clothes!"

Bite.

Slurp.

Poor child.

Some day she will go through menopause and the word "hot" will take on a whole new meaning. There is no heat like the wrath of menopause on a rampage during summer.

Bella whined realizing that I surely must be getting close to the end of the succulent mango. She was right. I was starting to see the whiteness of the large mango seed.

Bite.

Slurp.

How can one piece of fruit, cold air and nakedness feel so exhilarating?

I love the air conditioner.

I wonder who invented the air conditioner. I don't think I've ever had that as a fact on my daily tweets. I should look it up and do a day of air conditioner tweets.

Bite.

Scrape.

Slurp.

I hated to see the orange flesh of the mango disappear. It had to be the juiciest mango I've ever eaten. Something positive can definitely be said about very ripe fruit on sale. It is truly the best of both circumstances - discounts that save money and perfectly ripened mangoes.

The mango flesh was gone, so I picked up the plate and drank the juice that had accumulated from the dripping. I thought about all the times my mother told me that "Ladies do not lick the plate or slurp." I'm sure she probably said they don't stand naked in the kitchen either.

Boy did I break those rules today.

I threw what was left of the skins into the trash, rinsed my knife and plate, put it in the dishwasher and then just stood in the middle of the kitchen. Bella started barking at me, but it was probably because I didn't give her a mango, not because I was naked.

Men just can not understand this overheated, summer menopause thing. It really is best to be naked when it's hot. I am sure they would not mind us all being naked more often, but the hormonal heat....yeah, they are clueless.

I wish I had another mango.

Maybe if I put a sign in my window, "Will strip for mango," a neighbor might bring me one.

Well, on second thought, maybe not.

There's been quite a bit of snow and sleet visiting Richmond, Virginia lately. Of course, I welcome the silently falling white crystals because for some reason, it lightens my mood and helps me feel optimistic. I'm almost like a child when I see snow and even feel like squealing with delight.

Most of the time I contain myself.

Mom, my sister and I have always lived within thirty minutes of each other except for about a year when I went to a prestigious university located in beautiful snowy mountains and when we were all making our pilgrimage from Texas to Virginia. The older I get, the more thankful I am that we live close to each other.

My sister is four years younger and I can remember everything about her being young. I desperately wanted a sibling and when Audrey was born, I felt that my sister was my baby no matter what anyone else believed or said. Mom and Dad didn't mind and even let me name her, so I really felt bonded.

I remember the first time Audrey saw snow. It was a sunny day and the snow had been falling for hours and was several feet deep. I was ecstatic! Mom bundled us up in our coats so that we could play in the fluffy flakes.

Audrey wore a brown plaid coat with a hat that framed her rosy pink chubby cheeks. Her big brown eyes were in awe at the vast white that covered our yard. At the edge of the patio, the roof had slightly blocked the falling snow so grass could be seen peeking out of the whiteness.

Audrey was terrified of the grass!

She screamed and cried. I was baffled, but thought she was cute even when she cried. I was a very skinny child, but that didn't stop me from picking up the chubby little bundle and walking into the snowy yard with her. Her face pressed against mine and her silky blond hair tickled my nose. I desperately wanted to scratch the itch it created on my nose, but I didn't dare set her down in the snow yet. I could feel the heat from her smooth, baby face as she rested it on my freckled one. I loved her so much at that moment. It was life changing and was etched in my memory forever.

I had only walked a few steps away from the patio, but the snow was much deeper. I encouraged Audrey to reach out and touch the cold, white flakes. Her big brown eyes searched mine and then she leaned over slightly to touch the snow. Her lips made a little "o" and her eyes opened even wider in excitement.

When I ran outside to take pictures of the glittering flakes in the bright sunshine this week, I immediately recognized the familiar sight of the grass peeking through the snowflakes that were softly laying on the ground and immediately thought of Audrey.

"A sister is a little bit of childhood
that can never be lost."
~Marion C. Garretty~

The Question Is...

One simple pattern

that I've completely made up.

Two colors of thread

for one cute daughter.

Great information, but

The question is...

when will I finish making it?

crochet

Yeah, I'm sure you have

one question too...

What is this thing I'm crocheting?

I'm not telling...

until I'm finished.

but I have to say -

It is taking me forever!

I would get more done

if I would stay inside

and stop playing in the snow.

It snowed today!

Earlier today

while I worked from home,

the snow started.

Although the sky was gray,

Lots of snow.

Inside I was wearing my favorite clothes

and I felt as bright as

the sun on a strawberry sweet

summer day.

Tell The Truth Thursday - Seasons

I've been hosting the "Tell The Truth Thursday" question for quite a while and the participation just hasn't ever taken off like I was hoping, so I think I'm going to have this post be the last time it will appear on my blog. I have an idea of something else that I will do on Thursday's, so I will work on making it happen possibly by next week.

So on to the question this week :

What was/is your most favorite season?The weather report tonight says that Richmond, Virginia, is expecting 3"- 5" inches of snow on Thursday. It should start in the morning and then turn to ice by early afternoon. Sounds perfect! I'm as excited as a young child!

I love the snow. No, really...I LOVE THE SNOW!

My favorite season is the blistery, cold days of winter. I love the low clouds that hover and block the sun thus making the day a muted gray color. Those are the days I long to sit by a blazing fireplace in warm slippers, thick socks and a

soft,

comfortable,

fuzzy

flannel shirt.

So if the skies drop a whole bunch of that lovely whiteness and it sticks to the road, you will know exactly where I am and what I am wearing. The only time I'll be cold is when I'm finished working and I bundle up, go outside, take pictures and play!

Don't worry...I''ll make sure I share so that you can see the beauty too.

Now it is your turn to answer the Tell The Truth Thursday question. Enter the post URL that answers the question in the Linky below and have fun checking out everyone's answers...