Sparkles

Much of February was a bearcat, plain and simple. My husband had two emergency room visits, one ambulance ride and a stay in the hospital. The temperatures struggled to get above zero (nothing says cold like a hospital parking ramp after dark!). My kitchen table looked like a hospital supply closet with ongoing home health care in place. Weather and circumstances were indeed grumpy.

That's the bad news. Now, for the good news. Most things do not last forever. Going forward, here are a few sparkles I am grateful for.

1) Unseasonable weather--Once the bone jarring cold abated, the warm air rushed in and within a few short days the snow was almost gone and the parkas took a break. We even had a small tornado in the northern part of our state this week. No damage, just a reminder that we are not in charge of the weather.

2) Library books--It is a treasure hunt each time I visit a library. Some books are "meh", some are entertaining and some are home runs. Being grounded from usual activities meant a little reading time. I helped solve a mystery involving floating body parts in a resort lake and I walked with a soul-searching priest along the Camino de Santiago trail in Spain. Neither book was a home run but they both provided necessary escapism.

3) Eggs--Yup, I am grateful for the lowly egg. Recent news reports of egg heists akin to drug deals gone bad are a curiosity for sure. Add to that, there are plenty of pictures of empty grocery egg shelves ringing an ominous tone. My favorite news clip was about a rent-a-chicken program so you can "produce your own eggs." As one who grew up with chickens, be wary, people. Chickens are more than cute fluffiness. Fortunately, my neighborhood grocery store is well stocked and as long as folks keep their heads on and resist hoarding, the omelet lives on.

4) Sunshine--Despite the below zero temperatures we were experiencing, there were also moments of sunshine and blue skies. From the inside looking out, the sun provided a sense of warmth and optimism. That can be a morale booster and a reason to keep the curtains open.

My husband is on the mend and things are slowly returning to "normal". I have been out on the trail with my binoculars and anticipating the arrival of spring migration season. The weather is an average of fifty to sixty degrees warmer than last week. Coffee time with a friend was deliciously refreshing and my fridge has eggs.

Let the sparkles shine.