Snow Day!

Life is full of surprises, some delightful and others disappointing. Winter weather in Minnesota can deal out both.  Some people say, "Don't get your hopes up!" That is the case when the weather man forecasts 4"-8" of snow overnight and we are all hoping for a school cancellation the next day.  But weather is anything but predictable.  Snow storms move south or stay north of us.  What looked like a dusting turns into a full-on blizzard as the wind whips up.  Then we cancel plans and stay home, only to see the sun come out and make us feel guilty for playing hooky. 
Every media outlet has been playing up this current winter storm.  They say we will experience cold like we have never before.  It will be colder than Alaska with wind chills down to -45ºF.  But we just don't know whether to believe it or not. Our school closed begrudgingly about 7:30 this morning, caving in to pressure from other school closings. That means one less day of summer holidays. It is easy to let our emotions get caught up in the ups and downs of the thermometer and living with the expectation that what was broadcast on TV might or might not happen.

Recently I took note of the words of Mma Ramotswe (from the Ladies No. 1 Detective Series).
"The world, it seemed, was full of people who made idle promises.  And one of the things about getting on a bit in life was that you came to realize that half of what people agreed to do would never be done.  Charlie was still too young to know that, but he would find out before too long.  Of course, Mma Ramotswe did not approve of cynicism - she still took people on trust, she still gave them the benefit of the doubt, but at least she had learned not to be disappointed when people failed to do what they said they would do.  She hoped that Charlie would come to understand that too, and that he would not become distrustful in his dealing with others.  He was still at that optimistic stage in life; he still believed that there was nothing that he could not do, that life would get better and better.  For most people, Mma Ramotswe thought, the discovery that this was not so happened some time after their thirtieth birthday." The Colors of All the Cattle by Alexander McCall Smith

Mma Ramotswe also says to "not put all ones eggs in one basket - especially if that basket has a hole it it." Meaning that we should not fixate on one outcome, because who are we to decide that is the best outcome?  The realization that things might not happen according to how we wish is not a case of being a grumpy Debbie Downer, but being willing to accept other outcomes as OK.
So if the snow comes, I get a day off work.  If not, I get closer to Spring and the world turning green again.  I can get to that long put off chore done at home, or start that new project I am planning for school.  I can snuggle up and watch the flakes float down, or revel in the brilliant sunshine.
The really cold weather is projected to hit us on Wednesday.  So I will  either be by the fire writing another blog, or seeing my students' excited faces tell me all about...whatever has just happened in their lives.  Either way, I'm good.

An Unexpected Landmark of a Trip

I arrange for time off work so I can fly to my mother's 90th Birthday party in London.  My brothers and sister-in-laws have been planning this event for months.  Venues were scouted, plane tickets booked, guests invited from far and wide. We were especially crafty in obtaining emails and addresses of my mother's friends without her knowing. My brother snuck some photos of her address book and emailed it all to me. Others I found through social media or friends of friends. We even managed to stage a surprise visit of her brother who flew in the day of the party from the US.
It quite something for me to be involved in making arrangements for an event miles away on another continent.

It was also a new travel experience for me.  I am used to planning holidays to tourist destinations, taking into account everyone's different wishes for accommodation and activities. Of course it is impossible to make everyone happy and things get tense.  This time we left the boys behind, used airline miles to books the tickets and traveled with my brother.  Ironically, I watched the movie "Crazy, Rich Asians" on the way over to London.  It became a reference point for my trip, as I discovered another way to travel.... with family.
Our first travel perk came with an eight hour layover in JFK airport.  We decided to splurge and use the DELTA lounge to while away the

hours.  At the entrance we were greeted with cocktails, and a choice of comfortable seating and WiFi.  It turned into a long lunch with umpteen visits to the buffet and coffee bar. Waiters continued to bring us free drinks and we were feeling quite relaxed by the time we boarded our transatlantic flight.  The next few days were spent catching up with my mother and brother in London, my brother from Brazil, and my other brother from the US.  We ate out, shopped and celebrated the new year together.
My youngest brother had suggested a quick trip together to Dublin using his airline miles...just for fun.  And it was fun to travel with my brothers!  Firstly because my brother knows how

to travel in style.  After dropping off the rental car we bypassed security at the airport by entering through British Airways first class lounge as my brother's guests.  I felt quite spoiled by the full cooked breakfast and even tried the black pudding with my eggs.  My brother ordered salmon.  Next we had to accommodate my sister-in-law who had recently broken her foot and couldn't walk.  She had a special scooter to get around, crutches and a reason to pre-board.  No waiting in long lines for us.  Instead we were welcomed aboard by name, well my brother's name, and given bulk head seats with plenty of leg room. Then we all boarded a double decker to our hotel with a top class view of the city. 

First stop in Dublin was the Hairy Lemon pub for a light lunch, then a tour of the castle and then more food in the city's popular Temple Bar district.  In our two days there we managed to visit several pubs and the historic Guinness Store House. Some of us walked, others took Uber.  Being a little late getting started in the morning, I asked my brother to find a breakfast place and we would meet him there. I shouldn't have been surprised to find my family ordering their hot chocolate and lattes in none other than the Bewley's Cafe. This place is magnificent and very old. It is a Dublin landmark that opened in 1927 and recently underwent a million-dollar restoration.  The place has a real fireplace ablaze by the doors, dark mahogany finishes and famous stained glass windows.  After googling the furnishings, I wondered briefly if we could afford this place.  But as my brother ordered salmon and eggs with decadent hot chocolate adorned with gold treats, I settled back into my padded velvet booth and enjoyed my coffee.

Before taking a taxi back to the airport I fit in a quick visit to the Cathedral and some shopping while my brother toured the Jameson Distillery.  Much of my mementos of the trip have to do with Guinness  and Dublin's pubs. So I picked up a coaster as a souvenir.  I was surprised to find that despite being here only two days, and with my sister-in-laws mobility issues, we were still able to visit all of the landmarks on the map.  In fact, it had been a trip where we were able to experience all the best of Dublin, and that was wholly due to the generosity of my brother and my siblings desire to spend some quality time together.
My eldest brother later reflected on our time together, "we will come to see this celebration as a very special time, and give thanks for all the effort and love that went into all the preparations."

This trip has been a landmark for me.  I will no longer look forward to travel purely for the sake of traveling.  Those sight-seeing trips of discovery have been spoiled for me.  I now want to go with someone I cherish and want to spend time with.  And as we travel together I let them into my life for a time, as they open up theirs to me.