Time

We have a clock in every room and on every electronic device. Half of the clocks show incorrect times because they need new batteries. Growing up, the home clock was in the living room centered over the TV set. We got the big sunburst style with Top Value stamps. And my mom had a Westclox windup in the bedroom with the alarm set for time to awake.  Those days we had enough time to walk into the living room and check the time. Now we panic if we are in the bathroom and don’t know how much time we have left to get ready for the mad dash to somewhere. 

We were lucky if we had a watch. I received a Bulova on my 16^th birthday, and I still own it. The delicate watch still runs when I look at it in the jewelry box and take time to wind it. My cellphone in my hip pocket now gives me the time.

Today I can check the time on the Miller chime clock in the alcove, the digital numbers on the DVR box, the table side phone, the oak Regulator clock in the dining room, the clock in the laundry /bathroom (which reflects in the mirror over the sink as one sits on the throne) and every bedroom and the bathroom upstairs. When I am in the vehicles, I am faced with the time there. On quiet days, we hear the chimes at 12:00 noon and 6:00 P.M. from the Methodist church down the street in New Haven.

Fisher Price used to teach children how to tell time on the wooden wind around clock. Our daughters learned using the digital numbers on the VCR. On Sunday mornings, one or the other woke us with, “Mom, the VCR says 8-2-3”. Time to get up.

Time, time. We want days back to relive a good memory. In the present, we want time to stop to savor dear moments. We talk a lot about heaven and the end of time.

Time marches on.

It gets away from us.

We have lost so much time.

Where does the time go?

Finally…

And maybe someday we will find
That it wasn't really wasted time. DH

February

  February fools us into spring thinking. We had a few short days of 40 degrees, and now this weekend, we have wind chill of 20 below. The warm days stay in our heads though, and we can start counting the days until the first day of real spring. Which can easily involve snow. Gary and I were married on March 16, and it snowed that day. One year in the 90s when the girls were still home, we had several days of blizzard like weather at the end of February.
  February-where does that word come from and why is it such a difficult word to spell? I just corrected three misspellings.

Origin-
"February, second month of the Gregorian calendar. It was named after Februalia, the Roman festival of purification. Originally, February was the last month of the Roman calendar."

Spelling and pronunciation-
Disimilation may occur when a word contains two identical or closely related sounds, resulting in the change or loss of one of them. This happens regularly in February, which is more often pronounced \ˈfe-b(y)ə-ˌwer-ē\ than \ˈfe-brə-ˌwer-ē\, though all of these variants are in frequent use and widely accepted.

  As time passes and we become less as spellers and readers, I believe the word will transform to Febuary from just general usage. Or it will simply change to 02 as we all say into the robotic phone voice when asked for date of birth or as we write on the official forms requiring vital information. For me, now it is easier to think in terms of the numbers.
  Number dates such as 12/12/12 even make the news. On these repeating number dates, superstitions about luck play a part in marriage, birth and even gambling in Vegas. Any event on a palindrome date can mean prosperity or luck. Not much is mentioned about a death on i.e. 2/2/2 or 9/9/9. It might only be important to a genealogist as an easy way to identify and remember grandma. My grandmother died on April Fool's Day, 2001. That says a lot more than 04/02/01. She is probably laughing about her day to die.

So February gives us a forward look into sun and warmth. And it is short. My sister Leah was born on Ground Hogs Day and was teased for it. Every four years, the month has an extra day added to bring time, the calendar and the sun into compliance/adjustment. I do not know anyone with a 02/29 birthday. Oh that would be confusing telling your age since at 20 you would have only had 5 birthdates.

Presidents Day is now a third Monday holiday in February. That way we can celebrate all great presidents, not just Washington and Lincoln on the 22nd and 12th. When I was in school we drew pictures of their silhouettes to hang on the bulletin boards. How do children notice them now? Certainly not all their silhouettes or do they get to pick a favorite. Nixon had quite a nose for his profile. Does anyone remember Martin Van Buren's likeness? We used to see their photos on the school calendar.

That brings me to another random thought. When I meet my Mother in heaven, which face will she have? I hope she will be the young guitar playing redhead of her youth who I never knew. She looked carefree in the old pictures. I cant think that she will be the tired worn young mother of seven. Nor will she be as I knew her in age after years of factory work and worry and stress. "We shall be like Him". Enough. Glorious.

Todays is Valentines Day. A day to celebrate our sweethearts. Time for roses and candy and now jewelry. I made cards for Gary and the grandkids this year. They like to get mail and money. And I helped make 4 valentines boxes. We used colorful patterned duct tape. Checkered racing stripes, camouflage, and flowers. And some hearts glued on. I hope someone still uses tissue paper flowers. In pink and red.

Another random thought. I wrote a story from my memories and thoughts. It is true. That is all I know. When my sister reads my story and remembers a shared event differently does it mean my story is false? Please let me know your opinions.

14 more days until March. In like a lamb, out like a lion and vice versa.