A Harbor in the Tempest

Doesn't it kind of look like cotton in those branches? Very cold, cold cotton.

So, by the time most of you read this it will be that day. I thought I'd shake things up and balance out yesterday's dolphins and rainbows post with a little reality. First, I'll link to my Valentines' Day post from last year, here. What a difference a year makes, huh?

Valentine's Day would have been my mom's 76th birthday and this year I will also turn the age my mom was when she died. When I was younger, I couldn't imagine making it to this age. All those years of living like I was going to die young, are mocking me now.

The other weird thing about this time of year, is that Stinky had meningitis on February 12th when she was five and I spent Valentine's Day that year in the hospital wondering what kind of shape she'd be in if she made it through. I was lucky that my friend T. worked in the hospital back then, and even though she didn't know me that well, she kept me company in Stinky's room after she got off work.

So, I can get a little squirrelly for a few days around this time of the year. Of course, because of Erik's efforts, this weekend should be pretty amazing. This week has been crazy hectic what with all my kid taxi cab duties and two choir concerts, two days in a row. Tomorrow night Stinky will have another movie night for her friends and Coadster and I have a stay at home date where we go in my room with tons of blankets and pillows and chocolate and watch a girl movie together. Then on Friday afternoon, I'm off to meet Erik and some friends and start boozin' and gun shootin' and all the other fun stuff one does in a town called Bourbon, Missouri.

So, for any of those of you who couldn't really get with yesterday's love fest, I'm asking you to allow me a bit of mushiness this pseudo holiday season - you know, just to make up for all those other years.