behindtheax

tired

It’s beginning to get dark around six o’clock now a days. Around eight every evening, I take the dogs on a walk. I enjoy this routine and forgot how much I missed it with Annie. When I was walking the puppies the other night, the wind suddenly picked up considerably, blowing about leaves and white scraps of paper, Macdonald boxes and small downed tree branches. Even a few wayward garbage can lids slid like curling rocks along the leave strewn street before hitting the curbs. And although there was this crisp chill in the air to accompany the wind, the charcoal sky that pressed in around me felt warm. The sky seemed deeper then usual and I watched it half spellbound as light gray clouds with indigo bottoms meandered past a wiry crescent moon. I slowly walked my route making one quick stop at the library to slip my book through the after hour slot, listening for the quiet thud. When I turned around one of the new buses, all window and yellow light, went by displaying clearly the commuters. On the school’s lawn the flag pole was cast in silvery light and above the red leaf was whipping back and forth trying to free itself from its aluminum trunk. So unlike the half bare, red maple tree nearby, who gently gave her leaves up, letting them swirl away from her.

As I turned off this busier street onto a quieter residential one, the smell of wood smoke greeted me. Fireplaces were finally being put to use and that smell and the November chill went wonderful together. Walking by homes, it was hard not to glance into the ones with their curtains open. Their bright windows drew me like a moth and I felt rather pleased glimpsing a polished banister of a stranger’s staircase as it climbed to another floor, or a set of kitchen cabinets with one door open displaying boxes of cereal or a family sitting down to a game of cards at the dining room table. I love that cozy feeling of being outside of something brighter and looking in.

When I finally stepped across the threshold of my own home, unsnapping leashes from collars I was greeted with the smell of the apple and cinnamon scented plug-in I purchased earlier that day, while Erin and Monica laughed about something as they stood in the kitchen filling tumblers with cranberry juice. I have to say that walk produced a sigh, a flash of contentment, a moment of well-being. I wish I could bottle that.


I had written the previous post a little while ago but ending up not wanting to post it because I thought it was kind of corny but this will teach me to knock on wood whenever I utter that Content word. I just spent the last three days worried out of my head over Monica. After three trips to the Doctors in seven day and spending four hours in emerg with her this morning, combined with a few sleepless nights I’m exhausted but at this point very relieved. I was so fearful she might have ended up needing a transfusion like she had to have in the past but she is fine. Someday I might blog about my children’s medical history but for now I am relieved that Monica is improving after her little episode. Meanwhile Greg is in New Brunswick for his Mom’s Eightieth Birthday and he was going to fly back today if Monica had to stay in the hospital but everything worked out fine. Not that I didn’t miss him terriably during this mini crisis. Erin was great though. She held down the fort for me and looked after the dogs and only had one little mishap with them that involved a bag of potatoes and a few rolls of toilet paper. I had learned to keep drawers and doors shut around here but forgot to pass on this information to Erin.
Anyway, Monica has colour in her cheeks and is feeling stronger and all is well. Whew!!

posted by mary j. @ 10:45 PM