November 27, 2007 by enchantingsunshine.

There was a time when I first moved to Charlotte that I hated winter. I left a climate that was warm and sunny 365 days a year to be in a place, that at that time, was like a winter rain-forest. I didn’t own a sweater, a pair of jeans or a coat. The majority of my scraggly winter wardrobe from Baltimore was gifted to the Goodwill at some point during my time in Tampa to free up closet space. I moved here in August and within a week, I had to buy jeans because I was so cold. My house had a heat pump (on my list of things to never to do again - only gas heat for me!) and my house was never warm. With each passing month, it got colder and colder and, because of the El Nino, the rain never stopped. No more of the things I enjoyed doing in Florida, no running outside, playing tennis or bike riding, no driving along the beautiful Causeway or going to the beach. I ha-ted it here. Hated it.

It’s funny to remember that now. I still don’t like being cold, but years ago, I allowed myself to buy a Down comforter, I bought a house with gas heat, and I met a man who allows me to cuddle him, even if he is easily heated. When I am in the warmth of my house, the cold of Fall and Winter seem as much a blessing as any other season, words I never thought I would utter. This is the season for homemade soup and comfy sweat pants and snuggling under a blanket with hot chocolate or coffee.

Anyone who knew me from my first years in Charlotte can testify how unpleasant I was. (I think the word a friend of mine used was “evil.”) There were other reasons I didn’t like it here, but I’ll save that for another time as it could fill a book.

It just proves that when we sit thinking in this moment, we have no idea where life will take us. I had lunch today with a friend and former colleague. After leaving our company seven months ago, she decided to take a chance and open a bed and breakfast. Next week, she drives her car to the West Coast to have it shipped to her new home. She will be running this bed and breakfast in Hawaii. That’s right, Hawaii. Her dream is coming true. Friday will be the last day for my other colleague who is starting his own business.

Even if it isn’t happening to me, it is so inspiring and exciting to see such wonderful things happening to people I know and care about. (Honestly, I’m excited enough for myself that there are two people who read my blog.)

On a related topic, last night my husband successfully diagnosed the cause of the problems with my laptop. The soldering of the graphics processing unit (GPU) onto the motherboard has come loose. He managed to find a way to force it down so that the laptop is working. I don’t know how he does it. I think he’s having an affair with a computer God or has made a deal with the devil or something. It’s the only logical explanation.

As I sit here, cozy and happy, the cat snuggling me, in a warm house, my computer working, albeit temporarily, I know how lucky and blessed I am. Even so, I can’t help laughing with (not at) poor Mindpinball, bless his heart, who seems to have my luck with sports teams. I shake my head in pity, and yet I laugh. And I think, “Maybe some things never change. Maybe my friend was right. Maybe I am evil.”

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November 27, 2007 by enchantingsunshine.

Yesterday, I was a tad cranky about it being Monday again, but in an unprecedented show of self-restraint, I spared you my grumblings. Besides how dare I grumble when there is so much to be grateful for.

Today the weather is mild again. I wore my favorite purple down coat, but left it in the trunk of the car. It will be 62 degrees today, November 27, and I am quickly reminded of why I live in the South.

It’s a wonderful time of year to live here. Last night, driving into my subdivision, it was raining leaves. Fall is a month late. The trees were already losing leaves in September because of the drought (our beautiful, water-loving rhododendrons that I planted and nurtured for three years, have died). When October came, the leaves changed a little, but were rather dull, so I expected that we wouldn’t get our traditional brilliant Fall.

A couple of weeks ago though, the leaves turned into their bright reds and yellows that make me wish every day that I had remembered my camera, because no matter how many Falls I live through, I love each one equally. Each one is such a treasure that I’d hate to miss and I never tire of it. Each new season, I look forward to the special gifts that the season brings and am so glad to be alive to experience it.

The streets of my subdivision are lined with Bradford Pears. They’re brittle trees and we’ve lost many over the years, but the ones that remain create a beautiful symmetry that make for scenic roads, particularly in the Spring and the Fall when they all change color in harmony. Last night, a gust of wind sent the leaves running from the trees in a seemingly endless shower of falling yellow. Then another gust sent more flying through the air, carrying them to the street and toppling over my car. It was so beautiful. If only I had my camera, I could have captured wind on film, a long-time goal of mine.

My corner cube is surrounded by windows, and I find it hard to turn away from the scene outside, the wind tousling the branches of the tree an arm’s reach away, the horizon alternating a layer of clouds and a layer of blue sky. I wish I could stay in a reverie all day.

However, get back to work, I must. My boss made a snide comment yesterday implying that my colleagues and I spend too much time in the break room. Some people take smoke breaks, some people take coffee breaks. I look forward to the day when I am a pampered lotto winner and can watch the bird feeder all day or play Tetris, squandering my time however I please. Then again, I’d miss the time bonding with my colleagues. This morning I found a photocopy of this map on my desk. I knew immediately who left it, one of my British colleagues who knew it would make me laugh. It’s rather special if you think about it, that you have friends who know you so well, they know what you like, what your interests are, and make the effort to share those things with you. With that thought, I decided to be grateful for the things that life in a cubicle brings me and make the best of this day inside these same four walls I’ve visited for over nine years.

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