Obscure Olympic Observations

Dear Diary,
It is Olympic season, the biggest international athletic event televised, and I have become the biggest couch potato in order to watch them.  While it isn't on 24/7 in my home, it is on every evening and weekends. Yes, I am even sacrificing my Downton Abby time slot to watch men and women hurtle themselves down mountains and over patches of ice.

Spending so much time as a couch blob worthy of a gold medal has stimulated a handful of obscure observations.

• Despite the cold season, most winter Olympic sports are performed in skin tight body suits or barely-there sequined costumes. My gut tells me Olympians don't have the same psychological hurdles to overcome that I have when it's time to go swimsuit shopping.
• Is it a prerequisite for female Olympic snowboarders and skiers to be radiantly beautiful and have great teeth? (I haven't noticed the men so much. Honest hubby!)
• Shaun White cleans up real nice. (OK, so I noticed one man.)

courtesy wevegotyoucovered.buzznet.com

• I have an appreciation for medal winners who are thrilled to get Bronze.
• Despite the hours of watching, I haven't seen NBC show one medal ceremony. 
• The biggest winners are also the biggest risk takers.  Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it/s disastrous, but at least they give it their all.
• Winning isn't all about skill; it is also about the mistakes of your opponent. (I learned this long ago in my high school tennis "career"-- except I wasn't on the winning side.)
• I don't care what part of the world you live in, you gotta feel a little bad this happened...and hope that the guy in charge of snowflake #3 isn't making his bed in the gulag now.

courtesy businessinsider.com

• I heard the Russians spliced the successful five-ring moment in dress rehearsal into the broadcast for their own country. Can't say that I blame them.

I know there are oodles more Olympic observations that can be made.
Anyone want to add their own?

Go USA!
LJ

For the Birds

Dear Diary,
Take a look at this winter scene outside my window.

Do you see anything wrong with this picture?  Like the fact that there are no birds at the feeder? And the fact that the feeder is (still) full?

I was too late.
I didn't remember to put the feeder out this fall. 
Being the compassionate tightwad that I am, I only feed the birds in winter when food is more scarce.

Usually I put the feeder out before December and bravely wade through the frigid air and cold white fluff to refill it every few days.  I love to watch the Nuthatches, Chickadees, Cardinals, and other birds daily.

But I was too late.
I put it out in January.
I don't have to spell out the kind of winter we are having. Apparently the birds don't want to go check out the new neighborhood rest stop in the dead of tough winters.  I don't blame them.

But I miss them.

The feeder has been out for more than a month now.  It's frustrating that all that good seed is sitting unnoticed and blowing in the wind. I have seen birds briefly hang out in the tree, little feathery puff-balls roosting on a branch. And one or two have investigated the feeder. But they did not return or go tell their birdie friends about it. 

Who knew word of mouth had such power, even among the birds?
(Perhaps the inventor of the Tweet actually knew what he/she was doing?)

So, the feeder forlornly hangs, a bleak reminder of my ineptness, my forgetfulness. 
But it's also an anticipated source of joy for me and a patient beacon for my little beaked friends to find when they are ready to look.

Keep warm and well fed!
LJ

My Top Five

Dear Diary,
Recently I came across this saying, which expresses my feelings rather well -- especially in light of the prolonged winter weather we, in the Midwest, are currently experiencing.

I do try to look at the world with rose colored glasses. So rather than pining about my current inability to live in warmer climes, I have decided to try to find five reasons to be glad I live here, in the Midwest.  Here goes:

5

Perhaps Baby Jesus didn't have a snow-covered manger (and the neon-lit palm tree probably captures the aura of his birthplace better than a tinseled evergreen), but I just think Christmas yard decor looks better with a layer of snow under it.

4

Easter eggs are less prone to spoiling in a 30-degree-wind-chill egg hunt.

3

I only have to hear people complain about the heat/humidity two months out of the year.

2

I am boosting the economy in my quest for the most healing lotions, moisturizers, saline sprays and drops.

And the #1 reason I am glad I live in the Midwest: 

Hurricane season is not one of our four.

Feelin' rosy,
LJ

Snow Day!

Dear Diary,

The kids got their wish.
The teachers got their wish.

They didn't even have to wear their pajamas inside out and backwards.
They didn't have to put a spoon under their pillow.
And they didn't have to put an ice cube in their toilet.

Somewhere, some kid did a snow dance for God.

And *poof* the superintendent of schools robocalls a few thousand households last evening to tell us school is cancelled today.  Due to the snow that was predicted, but didn't really come.

Admittedly, some of the Midwest are on their second snow day.  So there was some precedent in this system. But we didn't deserve even one day. 

So, we got three inches.  Big deal.  The roads are fine, there is no ice or high winds.
We got a gift.  We've been waiting all winter for this gift. 

Not to work on projects. 
Not to work on speeches or worksheets.
Not to attend practices.

Just to be.

I understand, some working families are put out by snow days, especially ones that, perhaps, were called prematurely.  But as for me, I say

Thank you, Mr. Superintendent.
And thank you, God!

LJ