  Drama
This week: Oh! The drama of it all! Edited by: Fyn-elf  
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Alas! must it ever be so?
Do we stand in our own light, wherever we go,
And fight our own shadows forever?
~Edward Robert Bulwer Lytton
Every mile is two in winter. ~George Herbert
To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring. ~George Santayana
Don't knock the weather; nine-tenths of the people couldn't start a conversation if it didn't change once in a while. ~Kin Hubbard
Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. ~Maori Proverb
Winter is nature's way of saying, "Up yours." ~Robert Byrne
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Hmmmm Six more weeks of winter or spring will be along in about a month and a half. Either way, what better way to spend these last short weeks than writing! In six weeks, one can get a lot of writing done! And there is drama all around you right now!
The ice storm layers diamond hard ice on every branch and wire. A branch snaps and we are all thrown back into the dark ages! *grin* No power. No computers! No television or heat. Perfect time to light some candles, pile logs in the fireplace, grab a notebook and pen . . . and write! Curled up in a blanket, writing by candle light. Be old fashioned; try it! Better yet, bundle up, go outside and enjoy all that is going on around you.
An arctic low swoops in, swirls across the country and turns into a nor'easter. Snow piles up on top of all that is already on the ground. Eighteen inches more snow! See that guy? The one who got a snow-blower for Christmas? He's happily out 'playing' as he snow-blows out himself, the neighbors and heck, does the street just because he can.
Look over yonder. See the teen-aged boy, bundled up and complaining because he need to shovel Mom out? The guy with the snow-blower stops and considers for a moment, shakes his head and figures the boy should do it. He wouldn't even have thought about complaining when asked to shovel snow as a boy. It was simply expected, so he did!
Down at the corner the little kids are building a snowman, no, a snow family. Wait, it is the bad guys as they are all wearing black hats. A snowball flies and those snow-troops don't stand a chance. Meanwhile, snow-blower guy has finished two more houses and bratty teen is still complaining . . . LOUDLY. Mom gives up, brat stalks off.
Snow-blower guy considers again, plows an intersecting path with super-brat. Conversation ensues and brat goes and gets his shovel and starts shoveling. Snow-blower guy meets me in our garage.
"How'd you get him to finally shovel his mom out?"
"Threatened to snow blow all the snow into the driveway and then he'd have fives times as much to shovel."
"Or, his mom would."
"Nah, I'll let him shovel a while and then offer to teach him how to use the blower. I'd have done hers anyway, you know."
Time passes sharing a cup of coffee. He goes back outside and lo and behold, brat-kid's driveway and sidewalks are all neatly shoveled and the kid is being hugged by mom.
Meanwhile, the snow-army has met defeat and their snowy remains have become a snow fort.
The neighbors all congregate in the street, thanking snow-blower guy. One offers her wood supply if anyone needs it. Another offers a run to town in his four-wheel drive truck if anyone needs anything. At least the corner store will be open; they have a generator. Someone else says that the electric company says it will be a while, maybe three days. !!! Hubby offers to grill up stuff for potluck dinner for all. Lady across the way hollers to all the kids to come get hot chocolate. (Got to love gas stoves!)
Now, if I'd been going through my day grumbling about not having power and grumping about, I'd have missed all this: Fodder for the gristmill in my mind.
I also wouldn't have noticed the cardinal line-up at the Bird-feeder Cafe, the snow angels the kids did in our yard and seeing the now warmed up kids gang up on hubby in a five on one snowball fight. Must say, he held his own pretty good, while the other grown-ups ran for coats and mittens and joined in. Brrr. Cold, wet and the fire went out. "Honey?. . ."
Four-wheeler guy comes back and tells everyone the kids down at the group home don't have enough wood to keep them going for a few days. Many hands make quick work of the formerly enormous pile of wood the four-wheeler guy had in his side yard. The guys pile on the truck, and head down to unload the wood for the kids. They also bring along a pile of blankets (just in case) and huge thermoses of hot chocolate and coffee.
Hours later, twenty-seven adults and kids are crammed into our family room by the fire. Hubby has grilled up venison, someone's chicken, umpteen hot dogs and hamburgers and discovered you can bake meatloaf (in foil) on the grill. Roasted potatoes in the fireplace and yes, I guess we can roast marshmallows! The keg is almost empty, kids are falling asleep on the couches and everyone has had a really good day! Even bratty kid who ended up being by far the best charades player!
Drama. Stuff. It is everywhere, all the time, and ongoing. You just need to look!
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Wintry writing for your curled-up by the fire reading pleasure.
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Remarks from last time 'round . . .
Alexandra Jones  writes:Great points in this week's newsletter, Fyn. I think one of the main reasons Christmas is such a magnet for drama is that so many folks have expectations of peace, warmth and that perfect Christmas. When things don't work out quite as planned, many people get their hopes dashed and end up disappointed, leading to disgruntled family members and lots of drama. My house certainly wasn't free of excitement this Christmas, and I too noted all of those moments and stored them away as fodder for future stories. Thanks for sharing!
Good for you! Such a help when even writing about moments having nothing to do with the memory, they can be shaped to fit!
A.T.B: It'sWhatWeDo told us: This year, in order to enjoy my four year old nephew's pajama-clad dance of destruction with his presents 'neath ye olde tannenbaum like a festive little woodchipper converting just under a square mile of wrapping paper into a fine confetti mist, Christmas dinner was bumped to breakfast at 7am. 0700. I mean really.
These days I'm lucky if I even smell breakfast. I rise to around 100 decibels of Muse or Crystal Method, check a half-dozen email accounts, drink a liter of water, fight with my hair, put clothes on, fight with my hair again, and then fumble with something digital until I can rationalize fighting with my hair again. Typically, by this point, I smell coffee, put on a hat, and begin my "day" remembering what I forgot to do yesterday.
This Christmas I slept in, but around 10am I stepped outside and played Amazing Grace in the snow. That's something I'll remember forever.
Amazing Grace in the snow . . .the image sends shivers racing, and I bet it sounded beautiful.
Joy  says: Thanks, Fyn, for another impressive newsletter. Yes, holidays have a knack for bringing out the emotions, subtle or strong, and providing a warehouse of goods for us to use in future.
That they do . . . just need to pick them up of the floor!
atwhatcost adds: My family has it's get-together after the holidays - on the 2nd. I'm still giggling over the memories. My oldest brother and I love to tease each other, but everyone stared at his wife, when we thought she joined in. (Sadly. A misunderstanding. lol) And, then his son tried, but I told him he needed more work. At which time, Dad taught me I need more work. Nothing like three generations challenge each other on our sarcasm. The family humor stays in training - always. lol
Which is as it should be...great moments!
faithjourney comments: Oh, you went where angels fear to tread with this one - in some families at least. And yet, it's SO true! Thanks for sharing this!
Welcome! *envisions Christmas angels flitting around!*
vickie obara reflects: For me it is the sad feeling that everyone has when the holidays are over.Taking down the tree and putting things away for another year makes everything seem so final.hen you stop and have a cup of coffee or tea and think about the wonderful time with family and friends and opening presents and the look on the children faces as they got the very toy they had been hoping for all year long makes all the work seem secondary to that the happiness that you had for that day and to think it all began because a child was born so many years ago to save us from our sins.
Amen
**********
Thanks to all for your responses! And it is all in the effort to get folks to remember and observe all that goes on around us!
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Drama: February 02, 2011 Issue [#4211]
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