snow

I awoke this morning with pain in my back. Oh yes, the joys of shoveling! It was fun though, getting decked out in my snow pants, mittens, ski coat, huge boots, and knitted hat. And when I got tired, I just plopped into one of the piles of snow on the side of the driveway. Amazing to be sitting in snow and not wet or cold. Yes, I am that easily amused. Hard work though. We got 8 inches of snow over night.

Shoveling is a strange concept if you think about it..... take the shovel load it with as much snow as you can and fling the snow as far as possible, ideally off the driveway, usually not though, so you get closer to the side and pick up the same snow again, this time it does get thrown onto where you guess the lawn is, yes! How many times do you pick up the same snow??? So a few hours later, the driveway was done. (all while the snow blower sat in the garage..... turns out it only works when there is less snow, not that I really like the idea of a snow blower anyway.) And there was a lady across the street shoveling and I over heard her getting yelled at. "Do you remember the one rule? Don't step on the snow!" Sad. I can understand the logic, if you compact the snow, it gets icy easier, but sounds strange and I felt bad, shoveling is hard enough, no need to be yelled at for doing it wrong.

I had not much focus or method, just pick up snow and chuck it, none of the rows. I don't have the focus for rows and find it more fun with the random method.

I did try to make a snow man once I was done but the snow was too fluffy and wouldn't stick. There is a snow angel in the backyard though and it looks great!

things moving forward

How many times does life not go the way that you thought it would? But there is something better around the corner.

So I'm off to Madison, Wisconsin, a place that I admit I don't know much about, but that's part of the fun. Just go somewhere, discover the great things about the place, your favorite places to go, meet new people there and see what happens and where life goes. New adventure.

But for the next few weeks, I am here in Michigan, enjoying time with mom and becoming a regular at the closest coffee shop to my mom's house. (they are really sweet here and pull out the soy milk as I walk in the door)

Applying for jobs is a strange concept really. I send resumes and emails and work samples to people, most of whom I am expecting not to respond. Funny cause the worst that can happen is that they won't respond. Otherwise you get a "we'll see if you have the experience we're looking for" email, which of course I don't have the experience. But somehow I still like those emails, makes me feel like I'm getting somewhere, even if it goes no further than that. And you never know what'll happen. Like I emailed design firms in Chicago that I liked, which got me a meeting with one of them, which got me the name of a recruiter. I got in contact with them, and they are great. After a nice interview there, I had someone looking out for jobs for me. Perfect. Now of course, I'm not going to Chicago, which foils that plan slightly but still a good experience. I called a place in Madison who only does design work for companies that they believe in and want to support, interesting concept, eh? That guy was friendly and gave me some suggestions of places to look into. Like a big jigsaw puzzle or a maze or something, some kind of riddle that needs to be solved and get some money at the end, good deal. And get to meet new people, added bonus.

So much of life can't be sorted or figured out though and requires that "wait and see" and a trust that things will work out. And the crazy part is that they do work out, and the plans that you had or thought you had are replaced by something bigger or better or closer to who you are.

oh Christmas tree

Imagine the scene. Me and my mom head to the Christmas tree farm, grab a saw from the stand full of them, and start the hunt for this year's tree. Seems strange, a. to walk around a field full of trees with a saw, b. that this field of trees is there for this specific purpose, c. me walking about with a saw, ha. And so we looked at some trees, and finally found the right one.

It is great, looks like you can hug it, though I don't want to try. So I set about cutting it down. Me, half squatting, half kneeling in the snow to cut down this tree. Back and forth, back and forth with the saw. To my surprise, I was actually cutting through the truck, hooray! I did have to take some breaks though to rest my arms, it's hard work! Then as my mom is starting to doubt that I am going to be able to do it, I push the tree over. (I didn't know I had cut enough of it either, to be honest) Then simply sawed the little bit still attached and tadah, our tree was free. Now what???

Me dragging the tree back to the entrance. Victory. Of course as we get to the entrance, the man half laughs at me dragging this tree and takes it from me. Um, thanks.

After getting some hot cider, loading the tree into the trunk and using a bungee cord to hold the truck sort of shut, we took off, driving back home through the fog and rain. Yes, my friends, even getting a Christmas tree is a great adventure. "Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, how lovely are your branches" Yes, true story, this is a pretty tree.

Sadly though, I killed a tree. I could never be a hunter, as I can't even kill a tree without feeling bad. And what are the environmental people going to have to say?