FUNERAL BROWNIES
A respite from the gloomy cold week of this winter was a welcome balm this past Saturday morning.
The sun was shining and the lake was still; another treat, once removed from the winds of intensity the last few evenings.
Our moods were serene, as we looked out the window at the sun sparkling on the white blanket in our back yard. Everywhere we looked was white, and it was hard to tell where the floor begin and the ceiling of the sky started. We consider our front yard the lake. The back yard was kept relatively clean with its edges enveloped by the white picket fence, the only footprints were those of the dogs.
It was definitely time to play in the snow.
Wrestling with the big dog and then the littler ones, my beloved worked on his truck, smiling every now and then as they knocked me down and I pretended to be dead.
Face down in the snow and immobile, they would stop and look at each other as if to say Oh no, now what do we do?
He laughed as he read my mind and said “They're wondering who the hell is going to feed them if you're dead.”
Nuzzling my neck as gentle as a three year old, it reminded me of my own human children when they were three and under. Rolling around on the living room floor, they would scream “more! more!” when I had to rest.
I was getting cold from laying face down in the snow, although they had no idea I was catching a quick nap. We had a date with my grown up, once clamoring three year old and her boyfriend, and I needed all the rest I could catch. The sun was shining on my back and I didn't think life could get much better than this.
“You okay?” I heard from over the fence. It was my neighbor Gary who had been watching me wrestling with the "kids" and saw me taking a longer than usual respite.
“Fine” I said, looking up now, facing him. “Just a beautiful day, isn't it?”
He nodded.
“Where’ve you been?” I asked him. He was retired and did a lot of volunteer work for the church. It seemed he was always available, be it for shoveling the walkway, monitoring the community clothes closet, or washing dishes after a dinner.
“A funeral” he said solemnly. “They buried a parishioner today, must have been 100 people or more. My hands are chapped from doing dishes”, and he smiled again.
“Got lots of left over chocolate though. Want some?”
“Oh, she won't turn down chocolate cake!” the booming voice from the garage announced, and we all laughed. How very well he knew me.
“Actually”, Gary continued, “…..they are brownies.”
Funeral Brownies I thought.
“Here” he said as he handed them over the fence to me.
“Enjoy.”
I will.
Let us always remember to enjoy each moment we are given.
Each and every brownie.
The sun was shining and the lake was still; another treat, once removed from the winds of intensity the last few evenings.
Our moods were serene, as we looked out the window at the sun sparkling on the white blanket in our back yard. Everywhere we looked was white, and it was hard to tell where the floor begin and the ceiling of the sky started. We consider our front yard the lake. The back yard was kept relatively clean with its edges enveloped by the white picket fence, the only footprints were those of the dogs.
It was definitely time to play in the snow.
Wrestling with the big dog and then the littler ones, my beloved worked on his truck, smiling every now and then as they knocked me down and I pretended to be dead.
Face down in the snow and immobile, they would stop and look at each other as if to say Oh no, now what do we do?
He laughed as he read my mind and said “They're wondering who the hell is going to feed them if you're dead.”
Nuzzling my neck as gentle as a three year old, it reminded me of my own human children when they were three and under. Rolling around on the living room floor, they would scream “more! more!” when I had to rest.
I was getting cold from laying face down in the snow, although they had no idea I was catching a quick nap. We had a date with my grown up, once clamoring three year old and her boyfriend, and I needed all the rest I could catch. The sun was shining on my back and I didn't think life could get much better than this.
“You okay?” I heard from over the fence. It was my neighbor Gary who had been watching me wrestling with the "kids" and saw me taking a longer than usual respite.
“Fine” I said, looking up now, facing him. “Just a beautiful day, isn't it?”
He nodded.
“Where’ve you been?” I asked him. He was retired and did a lot of volunteer work for the church. It seemed he was always available, be it for shoveling the walkway, monitoring the community clothes closet, or washing dishes after a dinner.
“A funeral” he said solemnly. “They buried a parishioner today, must have been 100 people or more. My hands are chapped from doing dishes”, and he smiled again.
“Got lots of left over chocolate though. Want some?”
“Oh, she won't turn down chocolate cake!” the booming voice from the garage announced, and we all laughed. How very well he knew me.
“Actually”, Gary continued, “…..they are brownies.”
Funeral Brownies I thought.
Another reminder of the blessings in my life and another chance for another wonderful day to play in the sun. Some one was buried today, their snow playing days over.
“Here” he said as he handed them over the fence to me.
“Enjoy.”
I will.
Let us always remember to enjoy each moment we are given.
Each and every brownie.
