Personal Summer Days

It's not what you think. My personal summer moments just began recently. They quite snuck up on me. I thought it was a fever! I thought, "oh no! I'm getting sick!" "oh my! It sure is hot at my son's house! Why do they keep the heat that high?" Welcome to the middle world of menopause and the hot flash. You can be all wrapped up in your snuggly butterfleece overalls and oversized sweatshirt, or wearing that great 100% wool sweater from your favorite manufacturer and basking in it's warmth against the cold bitter January air (oh yes, that gust of wind that comes swirling in when you finally let the cat in) and suddenly all you want to do is run out into that January wind because it takes too much effort to strip down and you already know you aren't going to get relief that way. They leave as quickly as they come, and the butterfleece once again does its trick to warm you up. And anywhere from 30 minutes to 6 hours later it happens again...but it's a wonderful life anyway (excuse me, the cat wants in...)

"Rituals"

Ritual or routine? Wake up (mostly to a cat staring in your face, nudging you, trying to BITE you so you will get up and let him out). Shuffle downstairs hanging for dear life onto the railing because ONCE you fell. Let/put/throw cat out. Prepare coffee in the stovetop espresso pot and here is the ritual...the water goes in, the beans are ground and you turn the stove burner on to #9 and wait for the whistle, and then when it stops, its done and one of the finest cups of coffee you'll ever experience! Life revolves around that moment when you pour your espresso into the yellow San Francisco very very now chipped cup that your good friend Valerie gave you (it's the ONLY cup it really tastes best served in) and the very first sip. Ahhh!