Cold But Warm

Those three words perfectly describe my weekend.  It was colder than a well-digger's a$$ in the Klondike last Thursday when I loaded my heaviest clothes, my knitting basket, and my writing bag into the back of my car and took off.  But first I stopped at Walmart for an eight buck, two-slice toaster.  We couldn't find a toaster last year when we were there and toast is important (ask Durwood) so I figured I could spend eight whole dollars (plus tax) and then have an emergency toaster in the basement.

 
It was a bright, sunny day which made the drive a real pleasure with the big blue sky, the dark green evergreens, and the achingly white snow.  Then I turned off Garrett Bay Road in Ellison Bay and, look... peace... tranquility... no TV... no internet... and I only used my phone to take pictures--except for one call to say I'd arrived safely.  Ahhhh.




My job for the weekend was to keep the fireplace burning.  Everyone helped fetch wood because, even though the wood was damp and seemed a little green, we burned a lot of it.  Luckily there were some lumber cuts in the wood shed that caught quickly and helped the split wood dry out and burn.  I showed you the bread I baked to take along but I also baked this sheet pan of buttermilk brownies (buttermilk is healthy, we aren't discussing the stick of butter in the brownies and the other stick in the frosting, so be quiet, buttermilk is healthy. period.)




In between making manuscript notes and eating three delicious meals a day (with snacks in between to stave off hunger), I started and finished a chemo cap for a newly diagnosed friend.  I added rounds because I heard or read that chemo hats need to be longer to cover the back of the person's head.  I hope it fits her, I put a lot of "f--- cancer" vibes in it to help her on her journey and a few tears for love and healing.
 


The whole weekend the temps never got into the double digits but I kept the fire going to warm the room and the company warmed our hearts, souls, and minds.  It occurred to me that I'm finally truly a Wisconsin girl; there was no question of not going just because it was really really cold.  I just piled on more layers of clothes and took more knitwear.

January 9--Paul Signac, In the Era of Harmony.  Caleb and Anthony stretched and flexed, their torsos gleaming as their muscles rippled in the sunlight.  Barefoot and bare-chested they hefted the steel balls and prepared to hurl their shot far out into the field.  Caleb had taken up field sports in secondary school and held a few records.  Anthony had taken it up to be with Caleb.  The park filled up with families and courting couples.  A painter set up his easel at the edge of the lake while his wife spread a picnic in some nearby shade.  Children ran around playing tag, flying kites.  Caleb coached Anthony, standing a bit too near as he helped him position his shot and begin his approach.  The heady aroma of Anthony's warm skin and clean hair made Caleb lose concentration.  He stepped back in confusion as Anthony's elbow flew around and nearly knocked him down.


I got home yesterday in time to stand on the patio step (yes, that step) and see the fighter planes fly over before the football game.  You know it's the only part of football that I really like.  Since they won maybe there'll be another home game and more airplanes.  It could happen.
--Barbara