This one goes out to my sista whose about to burst with new life

Jodi was my hero growing up. She was good to me even though I am sure I was annoying at times. We shared some rough family moments together and few people in my life really know what they were like. But Jodi was there sometimes. And she tried to make me feel better. She usually said things out loud that I was too scared to say. And I'd think about how brave she was. She had a layer of protection (opposite of Cinderella) called being a step-child. Didn't mean much to me, except I didn't see her as much as I wanted to. I always adored her and wished she could be around more. We'd take turns scratching backs before going to sleep. I learned to be a great back scratcher because of Jodi. Later in life, when talking as adults, we both learned how wrong we can be. How we can create stories about how the other side is better, when in reality it just wasn't. It's funny. I don't even talk to the father that made us step-sisters anymore. I haven't since I was 18. And my ties to Jodi and her brother Billy are less frequent than I would like. Geography being one big reason. They are extremely close to my heart though. They are absolutley my siblings, my family. They are both wonderful people with great, big hearts. I hope that now that we're all settling into our lives with spouses and children, that we can stay in better touch. That our children will know each other well and we can make it a point to gather every few years at least. I love you Jodi, and I'm coming apart at the seams with excitement for your new baby girl to come into this world. She will be a gem, just like her momma.

Comedy Skit

OK, imagine this: some kind of old time instrumental music playing while the footage is sped up to increase the comical effect. She gets a call. The new neighbor is pissed off that they parked in front of his house and he reemed her man about it. Great. She plans a quick walk to the car and exit from the neighborhood. Can't walk quick cuz the ground is solid ice. OK fine. She walks slow to the car. Gets there and puts the key in the lock. It won't go in. Shit. She tries a few more times and carefully waddles to the other side. Key goes in. Whew! But it won't turn. She tries in both directions many times. The key starts to bend so she stops. She imagines the mean old neighbor coming out and yelling at her and her having to throw a snowball at him. Then she imagines a complicated but possible entry through the hatchback, removing the dog gate, climbing over the back seat and unlocking one of the front doors. She goes to the rear of the car. It unlocks, but is frozen shut. She grabs her water bottle and pours it around the doors edges. Thinks she's smart. The door still won't open and the water literally freezes within 5 minutes. Shit. She tries kicking the door a few times to, you know, wake it up and tell it to open the fuck up. Suprisingly it doesn't work. Carefully she walks down the street and down her long driveway back to the house. Fills up two big bottles with hot water and waddles back to the car. Pours the hot water all over the hatchback and it actually opens. Yes! She climbs in the back wondering if that angry neighbor is watching this long scene of her quickly removing her car from in front of his house. Oh well. Crouched in the back of the car she takes off the dog gate and climbs over the seat unlocking the back door and pushing it open. Makes her way out and its hard to, but she eventually pulls the frozen door open. Leans in unlocking the driver-side door and starts the car. Thank Goodness it starts. She goes around to close all the doors and the door she originally opened won't close. Shit. She tries to mess with the latching mechanism, but it doesn't work. Now an hour late to work she laughs about what a story this will be as to why she is late. There's rope in the back, she remembers. She'll just tie the door shut for now. The hatchback, however, is very frozen shut again given all that water she poured all over it. So she climbs over two rows of seats and finds a bungee cord. The only way to get it to work is to bungee one rear door to the other. This actually works and it actually holds all day long. She is thankful that she laughed her way through this challenge. She thinks about how this might have been received on the wrong day. But the sun is out and snow is everywhere and whats the hurry anyway. Thankful, she moves on with her day.

Snow Falling on Cedars..no really

I hope this to be the beginning of a glorious relationship. Perhaps I'll finally learn how to type correctly which would make my work, email and other much more efficient. I used to write a ton. Years and years of journal entries about dreams and thoughts sit in a box in my new officina from my first journal in 3rd grade. What happened to all that writing energy? Boys I think. Yes, I fell in love and my writing nearly ceased (except in crises and Yom Kippor when I spend the whole day fasting and writing). I noticed it was happening, but when faced with the choice of whether to go walk in Ravenna park or sit and write, I had to choose the walk. Too much time sitting as it was. More time choosing other things like grad school, raising puppies, getting to know my friend and lover, Pete. My creativity has been starved though and I am setting up pmy new home with the intent to change that. And that brings me to the snow. Here I am sitting on a hand me down couch, in our newly purchased home, cup of tea before me on a hand-me-down coffee table, watching snow fall outside on the variety of ages of western red cedars that line our newly fenced yard (for the pups of course). This is the first chance I have taken to sit and be peaceful in far too long. Many chapters are ending in my life and its time I gave some attention to how to write their conclusions. I think thats where I'll start.