Winter Picnic

Good Wednesday morning!

Before we get into our story today, I had a little scare yesterday. Our furnace went out, so the workman told me to unlock the basement door, and he would get started around 8:30. I usually walk until around 8:30, so I left the basement door unlocked, and when I returned home at 8:35, the guy was already in the basement.

He came out immediately to the big gold van and told me he was sorry, but the dogs had gotten out. Now, we have two six year-old beagles, Sparkle and Copper, and the only time they come inside is at night to sleep, storms or bitterly cold weather... and when they do come in, they have an unfinished room in the basement with their bed, toys and water. They can cause no damage whatsoever to that room. We close the door to their room at night to keep it warm and keep them from roaming the basement and getting into trouble.

I would normally have let them out in their nice, big fenced-in backyard before I left since I knew people would be in the basement, but it was too cold at 7:30, and I knew the men wouldn't be working in their room... or I thought the men wouldn't be working in their room.

They had a ten to 15 minute lead on me, and panic stricken, I started driving, calling their names, etc. Copper will come when called. Sparkle thinks it's a game and will run for hours. However, she had gotten far enough from home when I found her she ran to the van, and let me pick her up without a chase. Unfortunately, no Copper. I continued to drive around looking for our Copper, and fussing (in a nice tone) at Sparkle for abandoning her buddy/brother/companion. She showed no remorse. Five minutes later, I caught a glimpse of what I thought was a dog running across a yard a street away, and I tore out in that direction. No Copper. I stopped the car, yelled his name and listened. Jingling. Silence. More jingling. I yelled again, and a beautiful copper-headed beagle with a crooked front leg ran around the house and into my arms. Ahh. Total relief.

I would tell anyone I am not really a "dog" person. I mean, I don't mistreat animals, and I love a puppy as much as the next person, but I don't talk about my dogs in the same way I talk about Mikie and the kids. However, in saying all that, I love these little dogs and what they've added to our family. I love Sparkle's haughty little attitude when Copper is a little too rambunctious, and her prissy little walk. I love Copper's total enthusiasm and energy about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING, and his unconditional love of everything Faulkner.

I also love a happy ending, and today's little adventure definitely ended happily.

Now for my friendship story.

When I first started working for my attorney years and years ago, I met a girl named Robin. (A different Robin from my Commenter.) As it is with new relationships, we talked in the halls for a few days, saw we were compatible and then decided to have lunch at Demetri's in Homewood (a very good barbecue place). I remember it like it was yesterday.

I was wearing a white blouse and light blue pants. I ordered a barbecue plate (not a sandwich), and I started cutting the strips of meat with my knife. Somehow my fork slipped and a whole slice of barbecue meat ended up in my lap on my light blue pants. Huge stain. I sort of laughed and said, "I guess I'll be carrying file folders in front of me for the rest of the day." Being with a new person who might be your new best friend made me a little nervous, and about two minutes after the first "meat in the lap" fiasco, I did the same exact thing... except this time it bounced off my white blouse before hitting my pants.

"Wow. I haven't been this dirty since I was two," I said trying to get control of a situation that was already way OUT OF CONTROL. Robin, to her credit, didn't laugh or look away. She just said when we got back to the office, we'd try to rinse it out as best we could.

Now, not only was I a stained mess, but I was nervous and getting really hot. I picked up my drink and raised it to my mouth for a sip... absolutely forgetting it had a straw. The straw went all the way up my nose. When I say "all the way," I mean it was pushing into my brain. The pain was incredible, and with the straw actually touching my brain, I was not thinking very clearly. Robin was no help as she was sitting across from me with her mouth open in shock wondering what kind of idiot she had agreed to share a meal with. I decided to slowly put my drink down, thinking (with what was left of my brain matter) the straw would go down with the glass. Not so.

The straw was jammed so far up my nasal cavity when I put the drink down, the straw stayed in my nose with about an inch showing. (It was a very long straw.)

At this point, I had one of two options. (1) I could pull the straw out while still sitting with Robin (which I was pretty sure was socially unacceptable), and hope my brain didn't spill out all over the table; or (2) I could walk to the bathroom and remove the straw, but I would have to walk past hundreds of people to get there since it was the busy time of the day. (Okay, dozens of people, but that's a lot of people just the same).

Pain dictated my decision, and I slowly pulled the straw out of my nose then and there. Luckily, the straw was all that came out... no brain matter.

To her credit, Robin didn't laugh... she didn't say anything. We finished eating (or pretending to eat), and we left. "I would really appreciate you not mentioning any of the stuff that happened today to anyone at the office."

"I don't even know how I would begin to tell anyone," she said quietly.

And on that very rocky note, I began a friendship with Robin that lasted well over two decades. She kept her promise, too. I eventually told the story many years later... when I was finally able to laugh about it, and she looked at me and said, "I've never told anyone that story. I did just like you asked me to. I never forgot it... but I never repeated it." WOW! I don't know if I would have been able to keep that one to myself. I hope I would have, but I probably would have told Mikie at some point. It's a silly thing really, but a powerful thing, too. To keep a confidence (even a ridiculous one) for that long... to be a trustworthy and faithful friend in a world where those character traits aren't appreciated enough... to be a friend in all situations, not just the convenient times or the fun times.

I'm calling Robin today. She moved far away several years ago, and with some of the things that have been going on in my own life the last four years or so, I've let her slip away. Do you have a friend like that? Someone you could pick up the phone and talk to and it would be like no time had ever passed. Call someone today. Just one person. It doesn't have to take an hour out of your day. It may be a day when they need a phone call. You never know.

Now get your coat, gloves and scarves ready for our Seasonal Tradition!

Winter Picnic

Pack a breakfast or a lunch to have in the woods on a cold winter's day. Make your winter picnic complete by gathering the family around a cozy campfire where they can happily warm their fingers and toes. Cook up a few tasty treats: Try hickory-smoked bacon and scrambled eggs for breakfast or grill hot dogs for a lunch that everyone will love. You can fill the frosty winter air with a cozy scent as you simmer spicy whole cloves and cinnamon sticks in a kettle of fresh apple cider. No one can resist the chocolate goodness of a steaming cup of cocoa topped with marshmallows. Have plenty of blankets handy, too.

This idea came from 101 Ideas for Making Family Memories.

I have a couple of variations in case you live somewhere like Canada or a place colder than Alabama.

Fun Variation #1 - Set up a picnic in front of your fireplace with blanket, basket, food and sticks to roast marshmallows in the fireplace.

Fun Variation #2 - If you have a portable fire pit (I got one for a Christmas gift -- I've been wanting one for a year now), you can have the picnic around the fire pit and still be close to the warmth of the house.

Fun Variation #3 - If you live near a state park, use one of their picnic tables and grills to cook out and build a fire in one of their fire pits.

Just because it's cold outside, doesn't mean you have to spend the entire winter cooped up. There is still a lot of fun to be had in the great outdoors. And chances are the surprise of having a "winter" picnic will make it all the more fun for your guys.

Remember, put the time, energy, effort and commitment in doing some of these things with your family this year. Time spent with your family is never time wasted!

I have a date that costs a little bit for tomorrow. (However, on the up-side, this date actually takes place inside, so you may be willing to spend a little to stay warm!) Have a great Wednesday, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.