I made myself a cocoon of blankets and pillows last night and slept deeply until this morning when I woke up on my own at 9:43 a.m. I'd been planning on making french toast for the Saturday morning breakfast meal, so I padded out to the livingroom, which felt like an inferno (my bedroom was a glacier) and got started almost right away (does it go without saying that I put coffee on first?). Since I am still without a microwave (and with the exception of a few times here and there when it would have been more convenient for reheating, I find that I don't miss it), I heated the syrup up in a sauce pan, and added butter to it. The toast itself I made with more vanilla extract than necessary so the flavour would really come through.

The Northeast is uncommonly cold these days, even for this time of year, so as I munched on my food and watched the Top 20 Vh1 video countdown, I started dreading having to go to the bank to deposit a check in the amount of 10.70 from JC Penney (I'd overpaid my bill--Ironically Christmas shopping rendered that credit moot, but whatever).

Just after I got out of the shower my sister called me and asked me if I felt like talking. Of course I did, so we chatted happily about everything and nothing for about an hour. In addition to going off to school next week (Yay St. Mary's!), she's also had some other drama (relational) come down the pike in the last couple of weeks. It is way too involved and confusing to go into here (it is also not my story to tell). I will say this, however. Nothing that is done in secret won't be brought out into the open. No lie will endure forever. Things are okay, they are working out in her favour, and for that, I'm happy.

I checked the mail on my way to the bank and saw Devika's letter waiting for me, and I felt so blessed before I even read it. That is how her letters always make me feel. I put it in the pocket of my barn/field coat and cut a path through wind so thick and sharp it made my head hurt. So now I am $10.70 richer. I can buy an overpriced lunch at Wholefoods or something :). As soon as I got back into the lobby of my building I opened the envelope as quickly and carefully as I could and started reading before the elevator door opened. I started forming a reply in my head as I pored over the paragraphs. I found myself wishing she was right here so I could just tell her everything I wanted to say in response. I can't wait to craft my next letter, which will not take me two months to send this time.

I'm supposed to hang out with a friend tonight who's been less than responsible lately now that there's a man in her life. This is our third attempt to get together of late. I'm not feeling like it will happen, I'll be honest. I've made myself a promise, though. If she calls me to reschedule once more, I'm not going to buy into the madness. I'll say "Don't call me; I'll call you." I have a basic rule about things like this. When it starts being too difficult to schedule things with people, and it's more of an obligation than anything else, that's life trying to tell you something. I know the word 'organic' is quicly losing its meaning due to overuse (I'm as guilty as anyone else), but when seeing people is not organic anymore, leave it alone...

Okay, Top 3 Reasons I know I am Getting Older...

1. I look forward to religious programming on Sunday evenings
2. I like to eat dinner before 6 p.m. every night now
3. I forget things I just discussed a few seconds ago, and when a topic is reintroduced, I have no idea what anyone is talking about