Wow, there was another class?

I had so much fun and was so proud of myself for remembering everyone in the class picture I posted last month that I sent a link to everyone's e-mail I had from high school. That, and I wanted them to have my new e-mail address.

Many stopped by to check it out and I noticed that the link had been passed to those whose e-mail address I didn't have.

One of my best friends from those days (yeah, Bear), who had been in all my classes up until the year before, sent me a copy of HIS class picture. I was ashamed to admit, even though in later years many of these kids and I would interact, there were so many faces I could not place. I hope he gets the word out to his classmantes it is up now and they can have the same sort of fun. The missing face belongs to Carol Lautensschlager. Apparently Bear and her had a thing; at least in his mind!

Oh, yes, one more thing - the teacher of this class? Mrs. Stevenson? Yep. It was Susan's mother.

The Lion Roared

There's an old saying that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Well the lion roared. Nothing major. Just under a half a foot of snow. But it snuck in. Up until about 12 hours before the snow started the forecast called for a dusting. Reminds me of a forecast I heard in central PA: "snow flurries tonight with accumulations up to three inches." Enjoy the view. It's pretty watching the wind blow the powdery snow all around in the sunlight. Unusual for us to get such a light, powdery snow this time of year. Usually it's very wet and heavy. Great for snowballs and heart attacks.

In the News -

This NPR story made me tear up on the way to work this morning. I love their StoryCorps series.

This story on Good Morning America made me sad. I'm sure Annamaria will be going crazy over this one. It involves the plans by the former owner and founder of Domino's Pizza to build a town goverened by Roman Catholic principles, including deciding what is or isn't to be available in private retail stores (banning things like condoms and porn). While I can understand the desire of some to be declare themselves pure by the stands they take, I also believe isolation is not the answer. Are we still requiring students to read The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne anymore? It was more than a Demi Moore movie, people. It has a powerful message.

I was told.

"I'm not interested "(even though you might be) "in it. So I don't want to hear about it."
Was she clear enough?

It looks like spring is very close...

I have driven to work with sunglasses on two days in a row. So that tells me the days are getting longer. And I have been feeling the energy rumbling around under our feet for a couple of weeks now. Can you feel it?
All the energy of growing and blooming and smiling nature? She's been asleep long enough. It is time to GO!
We get an early peek at it here in Dallas when the daffodils bloom in mid-February. By next week, we will be seeing pear trees all aglow in dazzling displays of white. It looks like they have fresh snow on them!
But there is one sign that I'm not sure if anyone else noticed. It is almost as apparent as seeing geese flying north, which most people miss too. This sign is confirmation that I have become almost totally citified. Such sites are not really possible in rural areas.
As a creature of habit, I am usually traveling I-35 South through Carrollton and Farmers Branch about the same time every day. Sometimes I go a different route to work to keep my truck confused, but mostly it is down the same highway. I have "time checks" along the way - certain vehicles I have seen repeatedly ("Oh no. I must be late").
But a couple of weeks ago I had something happen a few times that I enjoyed immensely. Have you ever been driving down the road at just that transitionn time between day and night? That time happened to be right when I was traveling down 35. There, lined up on either side of the freeway, stretched out before us were the tall highway lights, standing like sentinels guarding against the darkness. Their white bulbs at the top of the poles hang like flowers in that pre-dawn period. Their job is complete. They kept the night at bay one more time. And as I was driving down that busy freeway, for those three or fours day, my timing was perfect.
They clicked off in unison.
Blink.
Nothing else changed in my vista.
Cars and freeways. Buildings and billboards all looked the same.
But at 60 miles per hour, those lights winked at me.

Now they wink at someone else. And that's ok. Because, see, me and the sun have this thing going on now where I get the first ray in the corner of my left eye as I drive down the road. Just a golden glow that lets me know today is another beatuiful gift.