Potato Chip Crunch Change...

Always been a girl who likes to her potato chips. Growing up in Iowa, I thought the world could get no better than a bag of bar-b-que chips. Oh, wow--and when the potato chips came out with ridges all over them--HEAVEN. Nothing was better except--maybe a fudgesicle from the Safeway. :) 

Years went on.  My heart melted for the sour cream and onion potato chip. Even Doritos nacho chips and an occasional Cheese Curl --yet I always went back to tried and true bar-b-que potato chip of my youth. Sure, times change. I saw proof of that tonight with: 

All this in a bag of chips? 

Who woulda ever thunk! 

I haven't open to taste test yet...

Have you? 

Stay tuned. 

Christmas Eve 2000 was Sunday

As I drove home tonight from last minute errands, to dive into my jammies and under a quilt, I remembered Christmas Eve 2000. Such a particular Christmas Eve when I drove to Iowa with two cats in the tow. 

*****

I'd put off the trip a couple days because of sciatic nerve issues, a cold--and well, the drive was 768 miles one way. I just wasn't feelin' that jolly. 

*****The night before Dad called me. I burrowed under a pile of used tissues and pain like electric shocks up my leg every centimeter I moved. While Dad suggested maybe I shouldn't come. Since I didn't feel good, cold, weather, blah, blah, blah. 

*****I told Dad: "It's Christmas!" And he just sighed: 'Well, you're gonna do what you wanna do anyway." As much discomfort I was in, I knew then I HAD to get up and go. I just HAD to. 

*****On Dec 24th, I got a late start: 8 AM. When I did this all day drive, I usually tried to leave by 4 or 5 AM.  I filled up the gas tank, paid for my treats and told the cashier I was headed to Iowa. The cashier looked at me like I lost my mind. I think my two cats looked at me that way too. The cashier wished me a Merry Christmas and to be careful. 

*****About 9:30 PM, I pulled into Dad's drive way in Iowa and honked the horn. Thru the picture window, I saw Dad get up from his chair. I knew he watched that picture window, chewed on a King Edward cigar, waited all those hours for me. I'm sure that Christmas Eve was the one day Dad pulled himself away from his beloved westerns. I got out of the car and realized a wooden plank was more flexible than I was. The windchill factor had been on the negative side of zero for hours. 

*****I grabbed my two cats--of course--and made it into the house. The rest of my stuff could be brought in later. Sure, it would be frozen, but oh well!  After I grabbed the two scared cats in my bedroom so they could calm down, I fell into Dad's arms so I could calm down. I was back in the one place I always felt safe. Dad muttered I shouldn't have done all that driving in the cold. I told Dad I couldn't miss Christmas. 

*****And 2000 was the last Christmas we spent together. So now 12 years later-no sniffles, body aches still, but that's more to do with age and got cats. No matter how much something changes, it all stays the same. And I smile.

*******I'll be home for Christmas--if only in my dreams.

Two Week Wander....

Been two weeks since I posted.  I must apologize.  One of the main reasons, was I wanted to share what happened about one of my  terra cotta pots. Giddy I was as I shipped a pot to a high school classmate in Iowa. Thought I packed the pot all snug. Secure. And everything. 
I wait for my classmate to let me know said terra cotta had arrived.  Anxious I became, when the pot didn't show up on the day I was told--it went USPS. My class mate said not to fear. They lived in a rural Iowa town---all 800 of the population. I had a surprise for her, and I couldn't wait for her to get the box.  The main pot, was a 6 inch terra cotta--the one in this link--but I also put two 4 inch pots--one bluish and on purplish inside. Honestly, I didn't like the six inch pot, and I thought the smaller ones were much prettier. The package arrived in a couple extra days. I couldn't wait to hear from my classmate. Well, turns out two of the pots were broken.
Yep.
I gave the durability of the terra cotta more than it deserved.  My fault I didn't protect the the treasure enough in the box. Shoulda done a bigger box. Coulda bubble wrapped, padded them more. I am still heartsick this happened--this was my first shipping of pots. 
Bummed. Bummed. And more bummed.
My class mate said the surviving pot is pretty. I plan to send her another pot. Wrapped better. More secure. I admit to feeling like a failure.  What if this had been a paying customer and they received a busted terra cotta pot?  I am grateful my classmate was understanding. 
Learned alot on this lesson.
In the meantime, I will take a cue from the cat posed pretty here. She likes my terra cotta pots any which way--just as long as the pots don't detour her from the food dish....Stay tuned. 

Thursday Terra Cotta

This terra cotta 'drip drop' pot will
Shipped off to its new home tomorrow.
A few weeks ago, a high school mate said she wanted it--
I put off shipping it for a couple reasons--
One, my HS school mate wasn't going to be home for
A week or so to receive it. The other reason, I had such 
Conflicting thoughts to even send it to her. 
Why?
'cause I am really not feelin' the love for this pot.
Yea, yea. I realize I gotta ALL that 'cause 
It ain't really all about me.  :)
So as I type, this 6 inch terra cotta pot is all packed up
And ready to go, but in my usual way I missed 
The last mail pick up for today, hence tomorrow
Said terra cotta pot it will be on its journey to
Its new home in Iowa.
Stay tuned. 

Christmas Eve Eve

Got out of work at 2pm today--
Happy elf was I!
I think I floated to my car--
Eventho it the wind a chill in the air--
I did not care.
It is almost Christmas.
Bittersweet memories of the
750 mile drive to Iowa with
Two cats, at the time, to keep me company--
I still smile tho, my dad enjoyed those cats
Eventho my step-mother didn't share so much comfort and joy!
Anyway, it's two days before Christmas
And I smile at those little girl memories
Of a time long ago...

Thanksgiving Eve Thought

Searched my memory for Thanksgivings past as I looked in my cluttered fridge and got bummed. No green and red peppers. I love green and red peppers. I got unbummed because I remembered the grocery store cashier informed me earlier that the store would be open on Thanksgiving until 4 pm. So if I needed green and red peppers so bad, I could get them--by 4pm anyway.

Back in yester-century, NOTHING was open on Thanksgiving, save a gas station--maybe. I thought about my parents staying up, what seemed like all night cooking. I fell asleep listening to them talking back and forth. Made me feel safe. If my mom ran out of some ingredient, she was on the phone calling my aunts if they had said ingredient. Or over to the neighbors and vice versa. None of this running to the store for that last bit of ingredient. If you didn't have it or somebody else didn't have it--you wouldn't have it.

NO grocery store was open. My Iowa hometown literally did shut down. A national holiday would soon dawn. The grocery stores my town did have all closed closed their doors and turned out the lights early. Family and company were comin'!

In yester-century the day before Thanksgiving stores would not open their doors again until the day after Thanksgiving. That day is now called Black Friday (that's a whole nother post!). The time away from stores gave folks plenty of time with their loved ones.

Yea. OK. Although I may stop at the grocery store tomorrow before 4 pm to get my green and red peppers, I do ponder about now simplicity of Thanksgivings past:

I miss them.

Remember Martin Luther King Jr

When I was a kid, I had no clue who Martin Luther King Jr really was. Yea, OK, I saw him alot on the news broadcasts talking about 'colored people'--but I didn't get it. I rarely saw black folks on TV. In fact, I want to say Bill Cosby could have been about it on "I Spy." I grew up in a pre-dominantly white community, yet I never experienced 'colored only' water fountains or bathrooms. So on TV, to see people the same color as me, walking with signs, or being chased by dogs, sprayed with water and police beating them--I didn't 'get' it. I'm sure I asked my parents why those things were happening.

Since I can't remember their answer, it must have something to sooth my grade school mentality. My priorities then were the reruns of Leave it to Beaver and the carton Huckleberry Hound. In fact, Huck and his friends were on my TV, the day the news broke in and said Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated.

I do remember that. I yelled out to my parents who sat in the kitchen. They soon stood at my door to watch the news. My dad said "I'll be damned." Their faces dropped and clouded.

I admit I didn't really embrace my culture or my heritage until I much older. Don't get me wrong, my pre-dominantly white Iowa hometown will always be my home. It wasn't until I left did I realize how much I missed out growing up. I faced alot of inner-race racism because folks, black folks told me I didn't sound or act black enough. Then it began when a white person would meet me and tell me I didn't sound black on the phone. My question to both eventually became, "What does black sound like?"

Now as an adult, I do 'get' this. I can listen to the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I hear his determination, strength and courage. I look at the young folks of today who have more things Dr. King could ever dream of.

And I wonder if they 'get' it and/or even hear a whisper?

In the Morning...

It's 6:30 AM Monday as I type this.

Here in Dallas it is currently 28 degrees with a sheet of ice blankets most of the city. Not too much snow, at least not in my neck of the woods. However, some schools are cancelled or starting late.

This is when I realize I still have some "Iowa" left in me. Twenty-eight degrees back home, in January, would be balmy and cause for sun screen. To cancel school because of hardly any snow and ice that will melt by noon? You better get up and get out of the door and not be late either!

Which is exactly what I'm doing. I couldn't even find my job's bad weather hotline. The last few times we had bad weather, and it was worse than this--my job was not postponed. So I can't imagine it being postponed today. Yet, alot of my co-workers won't make the trip. It happens everything time.

I get asked the next day if I made it. When I say "Yes" their response is, "Well, you're from Iowa."

Yes, indeed I am.

MIssed July 13, 1985 being Saturday

What I remember about that day is, I lived in Kansas City, yet I was back in my Iowa, visiting--imagine that. I'm sure it had to be more some guy I was nuts about....I digress.... actually I was in the apartment I had been a roomie with my hometown 5th Steet Friend. I still chuckle how we turned in pop cans (that's soda cans to some of you) so we'd have enough funds to go out. OK, I digress again. OK, the 5th Street Friend was hosting a bridal or baby shower for a co-worker of hers. I came in toward the end of the shower because (a) I thought it would be over and (b) most importantly, I wanted to catch some of Live Aid on MTV. This was before anybody could really afford VCR's and the question still was: VHS or Beta?

I made it back to catch this performance which I've showcased on the blog before. That's OK, 'cause Tina Turner can be showcased ANY time. I loved this video! Ms. Tina and Mick--and ya just wonder, how much of a State of Shock they were ever in...

Nonetheless, it's Friday in 2010 and that's all that needs to be said....

Too High

Got home tonight and my grass seems to be a bit too high. It was just mowed last week, yet I think my Lawn Guy and Crew need to visit on Saturday. I tell myself I oughta invest in a lawn mower--so just to mow when I feel fit. Hmm. Guess I ain't felt that fit enough since I ain't bought one. Yea, good grammar I know, I digress...and it could be fear of somehow chopping my hand off while I mow might be part of it too...

Thought of my KC Chum today and I didn't even hear our anthem Sister Sledge "We Are Family" when I did. Nope. Thought of when I zipped to and thru Kansas City, on my trek to Iowa a week or so ago. How it woulda been nice to stop and do lunch or coffee. The next time I journey North, I just may have to make sure I stop. OK-I just smiled, because I recall us sippin some Saki and playing our version of trivia, while another friend tired of us. Or the time we got lost and found the not so safe part of Omaha and released balloons or the time....yea, time for a visit.

Think I need to go out to my backyard, check on the grass there and to make sure my peach tree hasn't fried in the heat. Then I'll take a gander upward to the clouds...
...and be assured dreams are never too high.

A little...

Tuesday for ya. Hot here in Dallas. Around 98 or so with heat index of 104.

However all is well. A/C cranks out the cool air. Taking a break from school. Well, for a night anyway.

A new class, started today--and I don't have to do anything in it, until tomorrow. So a break is needed. Oh the last class, which ended yesterday, couldn't end soon enough. I will get my lowest grade in that class. With no PC, no camaraderie within our Team projects, my not turning in some projects--even tho I enjoyed the subject matter, the situation stunk. I counted down seconds to the five weeks' end. So a new class. A new vigor. I want my "A" back. Stay tuned.

Seems like alot has happened. I am so glad I headed to Iowa. Granted, when I was about 10 miles away from my hometown, my chum Deb was on the phone telling me the turn out wasn't like they thought--GREAT. All in all it didn't matter--I had a BLAST. I think I told you, I had lunch with a classmate, here in Dallas, last week, didn't I?

We knew each other in high school, yet not close buds or anything. We had a nice chat at the Reunion. And he lives about 20 minutes from me. What was neat for me, and maybe him too, was being able to chat with somebody who knew you 'before'--From high school, anyway and able to talk about today and tomorrow. I love the chums I've made in Dallas, although there's something to be said to chat with someone who recalls a little past moment in time--just like you do--just "before."

Food was good too.

Sunday Short

Sun shines here in Dallas as I ready myself for church, Feels good to get up and go.

Last week, back in Iowa and caught a few minutes of my church, the Inspiring Body of Christ service, with Pastor Rickie Rush online. I pointed out to my chum Deb, the seat I call 'mine'.

Deb asks, "Do you have assign seats?"

Time zipped by so last week. I do miss Iowa to a degree--I honestly do.

As I sit here, already thinking of the Starbucks Cafe Vanilla Grande Frappucino I'll treat myself to later and the several malls, Wal-marts, and Targets in my radius, the 3 grocery stores within 5 minuts of me, with 2 across the street from each other and one of those with a Starbucks IN it! I wonder if I could really adjust to small town living again...

Stay tuned.

In the meantime, gots to go get my Praise on!

He didn't bring me this far to leave me...

Like Before

Horses, a dog, corn fields and my orange car. Iowa. Screams IOWA, huh? You may need to click on it, to biggify it. Well, maybe all except the orange car aka my Pumpkin. This was snapped at a chum's house. They have 5 acres of mowable yard, the rest somebody farms on. They live on a gravel road. I'd forgotten how tricky gravel can be--if you go a bit too fast--trust me.

Iowa. This is the first visit, since my dad's passing in 2001, that the visit home felt different. It felt good. See, even tho Iowa was my home, I had no home to go to. My dad wasn't there to great me with his infamous King Edward cigar in his mouth. Would be an emotional roller coaster, the few times I did go back to Iowa. A classmate, who lives in Iowa, still says it's sometimes hard for her to come to our hometown, because her parents are gone too. I thought I was alone--yet more and more adult children, more so those who have moved away, experience this. I still have friends and other family---however it just wasn't the same.

This trip tho--I didn't feel all the emotion. Sure, I cried when I headed out to the cemetery to see my parents' graves. I told them I still wanted to make them so proud. Outside of that--I felt closure. All was OK.

In fact, I had the BEST time in Iowa, I'd had in a long, long time. I was asked if I would ever move back. I don't know. Being there, did feel right. Maybe because all the classmates, back for the reunion, knew me 'before'. Knew me from the first. And I liked that.

Lots to ponder as I drove south on I-35 and smiled when I finally saw this sign:

Would I move back? No clue.

I do know, I have lunch tomorrow with a classmate who's lived in Dallas, maybe just a bit longer than I have. We hadn't seen each other in a few years until this past weekend. Sadly he's now a widower. Our Saturday night chat was filled with sweetness, fun, and laughs.

Just like I remember.

Just like before.

Back...

Drove 770 something miles today.
From Iowa back to Dallas.
Back for last two and half hours. Did litter box duty and fed the cats a special treat.
The drive was uneventful--which is good. I listened to Paula Deen's audio book of:
"It Ain't Just About the Cookin'--I wasn't much of a fan of hers
Until I listened to her--I am now.
I could related to alot of stuff Paula spoke of--
Except the Food Networks star and having lotsa money part.... :)
Yesterday, I spent time with my 94 year old uncle, who had me laugh lots while
His beer sat close by. Then I dashed off and saw two chums in Des Moines
And then another chum stopped by to say good bye, with his 13 yr old daughter--
Had to smile, because this chum and I did kindergarten together!
I really don't want to live in snow and ice, yet there was something about
This Iowa trip that was different. Real different.
For now, I'm home and need rest.
I'll think about it tomorrow.
No work tomorrow
And oh so very glad.
Night all.

Touch Base Thursday

Miss me?

Trust me, I missed ALL of you! Of course, there's a long sorted tale, yet I'm weary and must hit my bed to grab a train to SnoreVille.

Let me says this, when I woke Monday morn to flip on the TV for news at 5:30AM I had NO TV-except for a bunch of words telling me there was nothing wrong 'technically' with my TV, just call them for 'an important account matter'--OK, I musta missed a bill. No worries. As I readied for work, I notice some men out in front of my house--it was the gas company.

See, last year, two houses within a couple blocks streets of me, blew up due to a gas leak--in broad daylight. So the Gas Co was fixing out dated stuff. And I thought what a cute little bulldozer they use--which stayed parked on my curb for two days.

Anyway, I paid my bill Monday night, the guy said should be back on in a couple hours. Well, that couple hours turned into Thursday. First Verizon (my phone, Tv and Internet) said they didn't have my payment-so I told them I had the receipt, etc-so they said my stuff would be turned on. Come Wednesday and enough of "The people you need to talk to left at 6pm" and fussing at people in the Verizon store--I sat on hold and used up alot of cell talking to this Verizon Tech. He said, "there is no reason your services should be off."

Then I tell him about there was the Gas Co all week. He got silent and then says, my line may have gotten severed---that would make sense. So today, Thursday, I was told at 8AM the Tech could come out ANY time by 9PM tonight. I had things to do. I did them. Fretted the whole time. The guy called me and beat me to my house.

He came out late afternoon. And yes, the Gas Co severed the Verizon line...TWICE. In front of my house and a couple doors down. Turns out my next door neighbors knew and the husband was out there when the Gas Co did. They both said, "We thought you knew."

Well no, I didn't. So since my house was the first they worked on, my line got cut first. Joy.

Anyway, all is good. I did miss alot of school stuff so I thru myself on the mercy of the Teacher. And I await her response. There's only so many time I could give Kinko's 20 cents a minute to use their PC's.

I missed you A Lot!

Now if you excuse me, I gotta go to bed and get some rest.

The 750 mile drive to Iowa tomorrow needs all the energy I can muster.

Still Sunday Stuff 3

Well, for about 10 more minutes anyway. Usually blog this late--cause usually, this time on a Sunday, I'd be in bed because Monday would be a work day. Yet, Memorial Day it will be. Who doesn't like a holiday fall on a Monday?

The a/c is still runnin'. Geez, it's going to be a long summer, even tho summer isn't quite here yet.

Mainly, the deal in these last 8 minutes of Sunday, I've pondered a bunch of stuff. My weight and how the 41 pounds I'd planned to lose did get lost alright. I think it just itself all over my hips. So yes, some of it has to go. School--and how I feel to start applying to places before I even get my degree, and then my parents. How, if I were back in Iowa, I would visit their graves, with roses in hand. I'd reminisce of Memorial Days past. Those days we'd spend the whole day together, either with other family members or just our family of three fishing and picnic-ing.

I'd also search for my paternal grandparents, buried in the same cemetery. I never knew either one. I'd let them know I know the names of my great-great grandparents, who were slaves in Loudon County, Virginia. But my paternal grandfather may have known all that since he was born in 1876, and his grandmother didn't pass until the early 1900's. History I want to uncover.

OK, two minutes left. And wouldn't you know I have a quick 30 minute school write up thingy to do? The school is two hours behind me and it won't take long. I am getting tired. And my bed awaits.

It's been a good Sunday.

Friday Snow Update

The official snow tally in the DFW area: 12.5 inches. Most snow EVER in the history of weather keeping...

And I have to go to work. Yep. The entire city, including my former company,is shut down, --my work is not. Even tho I play the IOWA card every chance I get when it comes to Wintry weather and just GO-I do draw the line at a foot of snow. Especially, when the city has never experienced such a sight--so I have no desire to be a warrior to rush to get to my desk.

Hence, I delayed myself, as I know alot of other folks did.

The snow is already beginning to melt. Yet, I gotta admit, the snow has been pretty. All in all, it should be gone by weekend's end---and my Blue Bell Ice Cream remains to ease the Winter Woes. :)

12.5 inches of SNOW.

What state do I live in?

So...

On this dreary and chilly Dallas afternoon, I'm walking thru The Home Depot, right? I got my squirrel food in one hand, since The Home Depot is the only place that carries the kind I prefer, , and my other hand is inspects carpet samples. The Home Depot associate comes and asks if he can help me. I, of course, say sure-if he can give me about 25 grand, I'd be just fine.

He laughed and educated me about carpet.

I bought this house in 2008. It has not been the most relaxing adventure. I love my little house. I have yet to do much to decorate it, due to the lack of a relaxing adventure--except watch a chum's husband and my chum put down laminate in one living space. There's carpet in the rest of the house, which I'd thought about ripping up and put more laminate down--now I wonder if just a prettier shade of carpet--would be be better. I shade of carpet I like--then again, I look at the corner the cats have decided to claw up, and laminate comes back to mind. Anyway, I want to tear down some of the wall, to make the two living spaces look more flowing--and the window I thought I once wanted, has now turned into a skylight in my mind.

So stay tuned to all of that.

The main jest of this post, outside of I did not drink all my 74 ounces of water, is while I looked at carpet, and learned of their twists and loops, from The Home Depot associate, a song I once disco danced to, on long ago Saturday nights at The Joker in Des Moines, Iowa, came on. For a minute, I thought it was about 1981 and the glitter ball was above, while I danced in my no shorter than 4 inch heels, and then in a next minute, I realized it was 2010 and menopause tapped me on the shoulder..

I'll ignore the tap and go back to 1981. Cue up Bonnie Pointer.

Christmas Eve 2009

And this picture is the view from my front door here in Dallas. Just like Iowa--almost. :)

On this day of all days, as I always do, I recall the spirit of Christmas Eve Past. Especially when I was a kid and didn't know my parents 'helped' Santa out during this night. Just could never get why they seemed to be so tired on Christmas Morn and why sometimes the milk I left out for Santa would smell like that funny stuff my dad drank: SCOTCH.

Or that first Christmas after my mom's death three months prior. It was iffy Dad and I would have any kind of celebration. Both weren't feeling it. Then I remember one day, Dad pulled the King Edward Cigar from his mouth and said, "Dammit, we're having Christmas." The next thing I knew, we had a tree and goodies under it. It wasn't the same, yet it was. The next Christmas Eve, I woke up to a beautiful piano in my house. Dad was shining it up. I hadn't heard anything, when it was delivered that morning. I still have it with me on this Eve.

Or the Christmas Eve, my boyfriend at the time--we'll call him Comic Book, due to his love for them, especially Superman, and Thor--and etc. Anyway, it was our first Christmas and we'd dated pretty much all year. Since his family, which we was not that close to, was in Louisiana, I invited him to my parents house. Our relationship was shakier than the Titanic when it met that iceberg, however on this night, Comic Book was a true little boy as he realized some of the presents under the tree--for HIM. He'd never really had such a thing. Considering my dad could NOT stand Comic Book, the gesture was grand.

Or the Christmas Eve I drove to Iowa from Dallas when I had sinus stuff, plus pain from my sciatic nerve. I'd already put off the trip a couple of days because I was miserable. Dad called me the night of Dec. 23, to check on me. I was stuffy and lie flat on my back to ease the sciatic nerve pain. Dad suggested--quite firmly-maybe I shouldn't come and plus the weather, blah, blah, blah. Of course, I blurted out, "It's Christmas!" Dad tried to sugar coat it how I could come back later in the year--when it was nicer. Then Dad, being the man he was said, "Well, you're gonna do whatever you want to do anyway." So on Christmas Eve morn, I didn't leave as early as I wanted to-still ached and sneezed. However I piled my stuff, desktop computer, two cats and me and up I-35 for a 750 mile trip, I went. Arrived around 9pm Christmas Eve night. Dad said I was his best Christmas present. And he mine. That was our last Christmas Eve together.

So on Christmas Eve 2009. I'm not back in Iowa, eventho friends opened their homes to me in Iowa and in Dallas. Earlier this morning, a chum was at the airport to fly to his parents' home. He'd text'd how there was a delay, so he sat. I called him at 7:15am and coughed and sneezed from sinus stuff and frog voice. We chatted until he got on the plane. Later he text'd his arrival was safe and sound.

Although both my parents are gone, I realize on Christmas Eve 2009. their spirits warm this house.

Some things aren't the same, yet they still are.

I am blessed.

Thursday Thought

A chum from Iowa sent me photos of her yard-well, really of all the snow they have. The windchill earlier there was 35 below zero. I just shook my head--and shivered. All are safe and warm.

And to think I use to live there. Born and raised. Been gone from the Midwest since 1988--when I moved to Dallas over the 4th of July holiday. My first intro to Dallas heat. I got use to it tho. Drink lots of water and wear light clothes.

Folk have asked me which I is better--the heat or the cold. Well, with the heat, you're not layered and covered head to to stay warm, like you need to be in the Midwest winter, because you ARE warm. Now, snow does need to happen for Christmas. That was the beauty when I journeyed back to the Midwest for the yuletide. It felt like Christmas.

Then the snow can melt and Spring can hurry up and get here. That's how I felt when I'd get back to Dallas, from the Midwest, and toss my winter coat aside. Not to see again, until the next winter journey to my home state.

So all in all, I'm glad everyone is safe and warm.

And I'm also glad because my cup o' hot chocolate renders of memories of how it was and now how it is...