Accepting the Cold
There is nothing more to do than acknowledge the cold and get on with the day. No point in grumping about it. The sun is bright and there are some that are having it worse than us by far. I do not believe Dennis’ furnace is even able to have a shutting down point for a break in the patio porch. The thermostat doesn’t go below 45 degrees. No way are we going to shut it off. We will endure and be thankful for all that could break down in the cold and has not.
The deer returned last night for their shell corn. That in itself was a bright spot. Dennis had moved the top of the bird bath so it was right in line with what can be seen from our east bathroom window. What a wonderful sight to take in as they were eating. It was colder than I thought we should be out . . . but . . . with Dennis going to be gone for his road trip coming up on the 3rd of February, we headed to Fleet and Farm. There now is close to 150 lbs of shell corn in the garage. I will be able to put out corn while Dennis is gone. How cruel that would be to have food for them and then stop feeding them.
I knew that today I was going to pack away the contents of the plastic tub that has been under my bed for thirteen years. We had purchased a plastic Fisher Price doll house and the contents for it when Megan was two. Megan stayed with us for more wonderful times than I can count to. The doll house was in our closet and the tub for the contents under the bed: close at hand in a heartbeat for hours of pretend play.
Megan made trips with me to the Fleet and Farm store when she visited. From the time her little nose could reach the display for the Schleich small plastic animals that the store sold, I was suckered in. Two at a time. The doll house would become an animal hospital or a people hotel. We got our monies worth.
When Nicholas came along and both kids would stay with us, Megan clued him in. A trip was made to the Fleet and Farm store. They each would pick out two animals. Over the thirteen years the doll house was played with and the animal collection fit into three empty ice cream pails.
I digress: I emptied the tub of the doll house furniture onto the sewing tables in the basement. I made sure the batteries were taken out of the several items that had them in. Of course I had to 
push the buttons and hear the melodies. I had to push the steering wheel of the doll house family car to hear it honk as I maneuvered the family members into their seats, fastening their seat belts. The doll house family consisted of a mom, a dad, a young boy, two twin babies and a gray haired grandma. I carefully tucked all the pieces in place . . . and my tears rolled. I couldn’t help it. It evoked so many sweet memories. It was time to move on.
I took a photo with my camera and then sent the photo and a text message to Megan, letting her know that t
he doll house family was moving on until such time that perhaps they would find a place in her home some day. Yes, I was still weepy. I had no more than put the tub and the doll house into their storage place when I got a text back from Megan. “Aww 🙂 Hugs too! I’m getting my driving permit today!”
Talk about an ironic twist to the day. I moved on and put the doll house memories away and Megan is just beginning to move on into a whole new dimension in her world making for more new memories to share with her Grammie. I love it! There is much to accept in our days, be it the cold or realizing that Megan and Nicholas are growing up on me. Yes . . . much to take in and much to enjoy.