Day: December 28, 2017

#writephoto — Saving Grace

Fandango20 Comments

The full moon shown brightly over the lake, illuminating the mountains on the opposite side.

As he gazed upon the moon’s image reflected in the calm waters of the lake, Mark reflected upon his own life. It was just over a year ago that his wife of thirty years passed away. Both of his grown kids, Grace and Jonathan, were living out of state and busy with their own families. And just four months ago, Mark got laid off.

Neither of his kids had come to visit him over the holidays; he had spent Christmas alone and lonely. It would be so easy, he thought, to just start walking into the lake, taking one step at a time until the cold water consumed him. No one would miss him, of that he was sure.

And so he removed his shoes and socks and took his first steps into the dark water, creating a series of ripples that caused the moon’s reflection to sparkle like a million little stars. He’d walked about twenty paces and the cold water was barely beyond mid-calf. But Mark knew that it wouldn’t be long before the lake waters would engulf him.

As the water reached waist level, Mark heard a frantic voice calling his name. He turned around to see a woman, arms flailing, running into the water. “Dad! Dad!” he heard her scream.

Recognizing his daughter, Mark yelled, “Wait, Grace, I’m coming to you!” He ran back through the water as fast as he could until he reached her. She threw her arms around him and held him tight to her.

“Dad, what the hell were you doing? We need to get back to the house and dry you off.” Then she pulled her cell phone from her jeans pocket and called her brother. “Jonathan, I found Dad. Get the fire going. We’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“Jonathan’s here, too?” Mark asked. “I didn’t think either of you were going to make it here.”

“Dad, of course we were going to be here for Christmas,” Grace said. “But because of the blizzard back east, our flights were delayed by two days. We tried calling, but you didn’t answer your phone.” Then she paused. “Dad, what’s going on? What were you thinking back there.”

“Grace, forgive me,” Mark said. “With your mother gone, me losing my job, and then, with Christmas and not hearing from you and Jonathan….”

“Dad, I know,” Grace said. “But we’re all here now. Everyone is waiting for us back at the house, including all of your grandchildren. We all love you and wanted to be here with you for the holidays.”

Right before they got to the back door of the house, Mark stopped, hugged his daughter, and with tears running down his cheeks and with his voice cracking, he said to her, “You literally are a saving Grace.”

Written for today’s Thursday Photo Prompt from Sue Vincent.

Keeping Your Beer Cozy

Fandango7 Comments

33CFA048-52BE-4CDC-8727-D14D07255F44“Thanks,” I said to my sister after opening up my Christmas present from her. “What is it?”

“It’s a cozy I knitted for you,” she said. “Isn’t it adorable? You put your bottle or can of cold beer in it.”

“It’s awesome. But why do they call it a cozy?” I asked. “The word cozy means snugly warm and comfortable, doesn’t it? I don’t like warm beer.”

“No, silly,” she said. “It keeps your hands warm and dry when holding a cold can or bottle of beer.  And it helps to keep the beer cold.”

Being the type of person I am, I reached for my iPhone and Googled “beer cozy.” What I learned was that the fabric or foam insulating sleeve for a bottle or can is, in fact, called a “cozy.” But it’s also called a “coozy” and a “koozy.”

According to my extensive research on this serious matter, historical records dating back to the 19th century show that people made use of items called “tea cozies” and “egg cozies.” A tea cozy is a cover for a teapot. An egg cozy sits on top of an egg like a cute little hat. Both items were made of cloth, and both items served as insulators to trap warmth. Neither was used to keep something cold.

In 1980, a Texas company, Radio Cap Corporation, registered the name “Koozie” as a trademark. In 1981, Bonnie McGough of Caldwell, Idaho, filed a patent for what she called “an insulated beverage cozy for use with cold drinking utensils.”

I also learned that the word for this kind of insulated sleeve is spelled at least a dozen different ways, including “cozy,” “cosy,” “koozy,” and “coozy.” Who knew?

“Thanks, Sis,” I said. “Would you fetch me a beer from the fridge? I’m eager to give your Christmas present a try.”

Written for today’s one-word prompt, “cozy.”

Some End of Year Observations

Fandango6 Comments

2017 has been one of the strangest and most disorienting years that this aging Baby Boomer can recall. And believe me, I’ve experienced some very bizarre years.

I think of myself as an optimist, but maintaining a positive outlook as this chaotic year draws to a close has been quite challenging for me. So much so that even my eternal optimism has given way to considerable doubt and a lot of concerns.

Our American democracy has become incredibly fractured along political, religious, cultural, and economic fronts. Everything, from abortion to gun control, and even how to conduct oneself during the playing of the national anthem at football games or how to respond to accusations of sexual misconduct, has become intensely partisan.

Listening to and trying to understand perspectives and opinions that differ from one’s own now seems to have become a lost art. Negotiation and compromise are treated like four-letter words.

Virtually everything is politicized in this winner-take-all world in which we now find ourselves. You’re either with me or you’re against me. My religious beliefs are true and yours are false. My opinion is worthwhile and yours is worthless.

Everything is either black or white; there are no shades of gray anymore. Opposing points of view are met with disdain, contempt, and outright scorn. Politics in America has devolved into blood sport.

Attributes like character, truth, and decency don’t seem to matter in Donald Trump’s America. What might happen should Donald Trump move to fire Mueller or to sabotage the Russia investigation? Will our democracy survive or will it trigger a new American civil war?

The only way to make America great again is to abide by the Constitution and to follow the rule of law. We need to end the madness that has hijacked our government and our society. In 2018 we must do whatever we can to put the country we cherish back on the right track before it’s forever gone.

Just some year-end observations from one jaded, cynical blogger who is hopping for a better, happier new year.