Wednesday 23 January 2013

Wintering


It’s cold here - like double digit minuses. 

And all I want to do after work every night is get into comfy clothes and watch Netflix. It hasn’t helped that I’ve been sick and achy for the better part of a week.

A few nights ago Shaune looked around at all of us and wondered out loud if what he was seeing was right. I had my smartphone and earphones on watching Lost (Oh Netflix, where have you been all my life?). Deaglan at my feet was glued to the flat screen – Lego Ninjago. And Naveen had my tablet while Shaune clickety-clacked away on our laptop. I was unapologetic. It felt too good to be wrong; the kids snuggled in close to me on the big couch, Shaune sprawled out in the big brown recliner.  

The human version of hibernation.

It’s a relief to know the kids play outside during the school day – a provincially mandated number of minutes so that when we’re home these dark, cold, wintery nights with only an hour or so to spare when you factor in dinner and the bedtime routine, hardly more than huddling close together is needed.

It’s Shaune’s birthday on Sunday and when I asked the kids this morning what we should get him, Deaglan gave his standard answer – a fridge while Naveen was convinced Daddy could use a skateboard. 

And a few weeks ago Shaune asked me if I realized that he would be turning 38 this year.

“Yes.” I answered.

“I thought I was already 38. I really did! It’s like I won a free year.”

“Wow, honey, you should maybe not tell that story to anybody else,” I advised.

A newer colleague at work has been a lot of fun to exchange stories with. Her little girl is several months younger than Naveen and she's great at imitating what her daughter would say if she could speak in complete sentences. In her imitation her daughter is very sarcastic with adult tendencies. Stephen Wright meets the Gilmore Girls. We crack each other up. She does wonderful things for my ego. "I love your stories," she always says, "you're soooo funny!"

Today on the way out of the building she was walking with a group of work people and laughing. "Oh my God," I heard her say to a woman, "I love your stories, you are sooooo funny."

I had myself a Seinfeld moment.



5 comments:

  1. It's been in the mid-60s here. that's my kind of winter, LOL! I firmly believe double digits belong on the plus side of a thermometer.

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  2. Oh, she could like your stories, too. And maybe as the new person she's trying to build rapport. I bet you do connect having children similar ages. And, I do find your stories entertaining and really do love, appreciate, and enjoy your writing.

    I hear you on the hibernation thing. It's so cold here. The weather forecast keeps saying high of 27 F but it never gets above 12 with windchill -20 F (brrr). Plus, being at the latitude we are it's dark. Although, I sense the days are getting longer and as I sit here in bed typing on my laptop with my heating pad at my feet, I am craving warmer days.

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  3. LOL over thinking you're already 38. I turn 38 this summer. I didn't realize we were exactly the same age.

    The problem with it being this cold is that it's so hard to get out of bed in the morning. I don't want to face it!

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  4. Brrr. I read things like this and realize I can never move any further north than I already m!

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  5. This winter is kicking my butt...your hibernation sounds wonderful. Also? I love Lost!! Hope you're feeling better now :)

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