Fleetingly Carol

2011 sashays in tonight! Happy New Year! How are you celebrating? Two of the revelers I'm partying with want wine! And their mother is anxiously waiting for New Kids on the Block to appear on the New Year's celebration program from New York.  What is wrong is with this picture? It makes for a fun party. I'm listening to the 2 year old insist that her mother put building blocks together, while the 5 year old is keeping Mom updated on when NKOTB will appear. And before child welfare services come to get us, I must admit that the 'wine' is actually sparkling grape juice. Ahhh, two more hours . . . Happy New Year to all of you. I hope it is full of the best blessings for you. 

Aunt Mildred has new neighbor. And she is sweet on him because he has greens growing in his garden. I just got back from visiting Aunt Mildred. She is doing well, except for her feet. Her skin is so papery thin that when she bumps her toes or shins on something, which she does on a regular basis, she breaks open a new wound. So, she stays in her house puttering around using her scooter chair. She complains about not being able to get out to the local greasy spoon to get some good old Southern Fried Catfish. Because she can't go out to eat, she turned her attention to the neighborhood, which means her new neighbor in a house just across the street. There are no other neighbors in sight. It seems the gentleman was out on his front porch one day when Aunt Mildred went to throw out some leftovers from the refrigerator to the cats that hang around her house waiting for these treats. He offered a friendly wave, which Aunt Mildred thought was very forward of him! After all, she did

This frigid weather and George II nestled in my lap, a furry ball of feline keeping me warm, reminds me of his predeccessor (but not related) and how we came to be adopted by her. We used to, when Old Man was Young Man, and the kids were little and all, live in an apartment complex that was 3 stories high, no elevater and each apartment opened out into a common stairwell. Two apartments shared each landing and the stairwell, although not heated, was closed to the elements. Which, at this time of year was good because the city in which we lived was being strangeld by a blizzard, much as the country was a day or two ago. In the middle of this frightful blizzard, I heard a child crying and it seemed to be coming from the stairwell. After checking to make sure my own children were ok, I went looking for who could possibly be making that noise, only to find a half-starved, almost frozen tabby whose meows sounded like the baby I thought I heard. I knew no one in the stairwell owned a cat

"Carol, you need to come home right away." "What's the matter, Old Man?" The quiver in his voice is spine-tingling. Old Man never quivers. "Just come home. You need to be here." I tell Aunt Mildred that something is wrong at home, I don't know what. "You all can stay here tonight. I have 2 extra bedrooms." "Thank you, Aunt Mildred," I answer, "But, I don't know what the problem is. We may have to take you up on that offer. I'll call you later tonight." I get to my car as quickly as possible, fearing the worst. As I drive up in the driveway, I see Old Man struggling with a small tarp. Now, I am thoroughly confused. I park the car so that my headlights shine on his work. "What's up?" I ask, "Why do you need the tarp right away?" Old Man looks really, really old. He looks up and tells me he's covering the windshield of his pickup to prevent ice from accumulating. You see

Now, I'm sure you know that I have always put Old Man first in my life. And his family always came after that. I never turned down an invitation, never missed a nephew or niece's wedding, was always ready, able, and willing to do whatever I could to make Old Mans' parents happy and comfortable. And so I was horrified when I almost killed Old Man, Sr. There was not enough life insurance on him for it to have occurred any other way than accidental. There was a time before seat-belt laws. I know it's hard to believe, but there was a time when I was young and stupid. Also believe it or not, there was a time before cell phones and Internet. I'm almost embarrassed to write this story. But, here goes . . . Once upon a time, I was traveling in a pickup truck with Old Man, Sr. and three small children. I drove while Old Man, Sr. rode shot gun and the three children rode between us, all of us gleefully free of any encumbrances such as silly old seat belts. About an hour