Musings & Threads. Feeling the Love.

Feeling the Love

Wow. With today’s temperatures already well into the 80s I was remembering a time not long ago when we were bundled up against the winds and hoping for some sunshine to warm the winter air. Then… all of the sudden here we are, spring, with days like today reminding us that summer fun is on the horizon. In fact the “official” start of summer out here on the East End is just one week away!

This week, I was taken down for the count by a fairly potent strep infection. Yesterday, our doorbell rang, and there was our beautiful granddaughter with some get well gifts for me. We were able to rendezvous from the distance on our front porch. First were the drawings that she had worked on the full day prior, she told me. Then there were all kinds of lozenges and breathing aids. And the piece de resistance… a special, hand-made necklace, put on a stretchy “thread” so I could easily slide it over my head, making it “so easy to put on.” Which of course I did. I reveled in the joy of giving I saw in my granddaughter’s face. Her five-year-old, unadulterated generosity, love, pride, kindness, empathy. What a moment. After she left, I looked in the mirror and felt all the love I knew went into making the necklace for me… there were all “pinks,” my granddaughter’s favorite color. It was understood in the family that pinks were reserved for her necklaces and bracelets with a few allotted for “Mommy” on special occasions like Mother’s Day and birthdays. But today, my beads were all pink, really pretty ones in different shapes. All pink, except for the two “anchors” of the design. They were purple hearts.

Here’s the story of the day I referenced above. It might serve to cool you off a bit!

Feeling blessed indeed.

Snow Pants & Wrinkles.

Last week we picked up our granddaughter from pre-K, had a snack, made a pit stop at our house, and then dropped her off at Farm School. Farm School is the most charming, wonderful learning place. After all when the pigs are waiting for you when you drive up, and you stroll down the path to the "schoolhouse" with guinea hens, chickens, and animals everywhere, it's easy to gather in some great energy. The hand-made sign in the parking area says "No idling. Children are breathing." But that's a story for another time.

When we stopped at our house, one of my jobs was to get her into her snow pants, using her clothes from pre-K as an under layer. It was a very cold day, and the children spend a good amount of time outside at the farm as one would expect. So, much to her delight, I stood her up on the counter in the kitchen to pull up and tuck, and she was carefully examining my face while I was getting her ready. I felt her little hands stroking my face. She was rubbing gently everywhere, right up and around my eyes. I looked up and she said, "Nini, you have wrinkles everywhere, even around your eyes." I smiled and said, the wrinkles around my eyes are from smiling, and I think I must be lucky to have many things to smile about." She said, "You know there is cream that you can put on your face and make your wrinkles go away. I saw it on "loop tube." Since she was 2, she has called "you tube" "loop tube," and none of us have the heart to tell her yet because we secretly like "loop tube" better. I asked her if she thought I should try it and she answered emphatically, "Oh yes." But then she added, "Don't dye your gray hair though, it's really pretty."

Pants and ski jacket on, off to Farm School, but later I was thinking about the anti-wrinkle "serum" I bought about 4 or 5 months ago but is still unopened; and about the exfoliating/peel pads sitting in the cabinet under the bathroom sink; and my many moisturizers--I do use a couple of them. I couldn't help but feel that the message for women to "look young" is ingrained in us at an early age. I felt happy that I kind of care but not enough to really do anything about it... apparently. And so it goes.