MamaBlogger365 - February Slips Away by Veronica Hosking

Here it is, the Monday morning before my scheduled blog post, and I have nothing written. It seems strange to have the February blues in sunny Arizona. Many people are looking forward to spring while my whole winter is spring-like. On February 2nd, do you think, six more weeks of winter? Or are you more optimistic and think, six more weeks 'til spring? This year I was happy to have all the paperwork I was busy filling out in January behind me. For most of this month I sat around reading books, cleaning house and helping with homework. There was little writing accomplished.

February 2nd not only marks Groundhog's day, it is also my mother's birthday. She turned 70 this month. I wrote her a letter and sent off the card at the end of January - no writing on the actual day. I told her Rachael has been accepted to AAEC. We have a very excited daughter, who is waiting on pins and needles for the actual confirmation letter. Then on February 14th, Valentine's Day, Shawn and I had our traditional dinner. We send the girls to their rooms early and have a quiet dinner for two. This year Shawn decided to go Greek. I think even he is feeling winter doldrums or his approaching midlife birthday, because he bought a lot of prepared foods he didn't have to cook.

As we were enjoying our souvlaki, olives, artichokes, cheese and wine, Shawn asked me what happened to his poetry. A few years ago he gave me a blank journal and added some borrowed poetry to it. Throughout the year, I added original pieces of poetry and gave it back to him the next Valentine's Day. This year the journal was in his possession. I asked him where my poetry was? And he pulled up his haiku app and composed a few haiku for me. "There's an app for that" really isn't romantic. How hard is it to count syllables? Hard - since I found out Shawn thought "Shawn" was two syllables.

February slips away. Three days after this blog posts, Shawn will celebrate his 40th birthday. For the past few years, he has been growing his hair. He keeps telling me it will fall out on its own soon enough and he wants to remember what it was like to have hair. Back over winter break, the girls and I went for haircuts. Now the only man in the house has longer hair than all the women. Years ago Shawn grew his hair long ewww... but one day he came to my house with a nice new haircut. I keep waiting for this day a second time. I really thought he would go before he had to get his new license photo, but no. If he is going to be bald, his license will make people do a double take. All is not lost though, I came up with a great dig for his birthday.

Forty is a fickle friend
Only trying to pretend
Ripe with hair
Turning bare
Youth has reached its bitter end

Veronica Hosking
http://hosking.gather.com

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Photo credit: seemann | MorgueFile