ten minutes of yesterday
I am remembering this from yesterday:
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It's eerily quiet. The power has been off for a couple hours and the house is as still as it's ever been. I'm under a blanket on the couch, and I finish up as much of the crossword puzzle as I'm going to finish. I get up to look for something to eat. Not even bothering with a plate, I lean over the sink and eat a cold, leftover cheese and chicken quesadilla. It tastes really good. I stare out the window at the ice. It is so amazing. The icicles hang down off the trees like tinsel, off the power lines like party decorations. I cut a piece of gingerbread and eat it too. I look at the crumbs in the sink. Pouring some not-quite-cold milk, I realize there's a hum to home that disappears when the electricity goes off. I can hear the milk slosh into the glass. I can hear myself think.
I go upstairs to wake up my daughter. She's a light sleeper and usually sits straight up when I open her door. But the silence and the warmth of her down comforter has gotten the better of her. She's out. I sit on the edge of the bed for several minutes, studying the tiny veins in her closed eyelids, listening to the her rhythmic breathing. Suddenly she's a baby again. I see it in her face. I stroke her cheek and she opens her eyes and smiles. Hello, sweetheart. I carry her downstairs with her head on my shoulder and quietly get her ready to go pickup the big kids. We open the garage door and the noise and cold flood in.
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Do you ever have little bits of time like this? Everyday moments that are intensely enjoyable. Time slowed down and I could feel each second pass. We've been so busy fussing over things like auto loans, interest rates and origination fees. Power outages, food spoilage, tree limbs. Yet these few minutes of total calm were meaningful to me. I felt content.
I know you've got to be tired of seeing ice photos, but I couldn't help it. The sun came out and made everything sparkly. Yet when I lifted up the camera to capture what I saw, I couldn't! It's like taking pictures of the Grand Canyon. Sometimes you just can't get the scale and beauty of nature on film. (or cf card in this case.)
Tonight I'm making a special St. Lucia dinner- something I'm inventing as I go. We're going to eat by candlelight. The power was only out for a few hours, so candlelight has not worn out its welcome here. I hope to be able to share with you tomorrow.
Take good care.
Comments
i do have little moments like this, but not often enough. thank you for sharing.
and bring on the ice photos...they are lovely!
Posted by: ani | December 13, 2007 1:08 PM
Been thinking about all of you in the midwest. My bro is in Tulsa and S's family in OKC are all still w/o power today. Glad you all are safe and warm and you are enjoying the bits of calm and quiet.
Be well friend!
Posted by: Eren | December 13, 2007 1:29 PM
What a beautiful post Alicia. Thank you.
Posted by: Mama Urchin | December 13, 2007 1:32 PM
beautiful post!
thank you for the moments of calm - it's so nice to get some unexpected breathing space over the blog-waves!
Posted by: liz | December 13, 2007 1:48 PM
I wish moments like that were more frequent and less fleeting. It's insanely beautiful outside today. I -almost- hate to see it all melt away...
Posted by: stacy | December 13, 2007 2:04 PM
oh, yes yes yes. you know i do have moments like that. i love those times. and i love hearing about yours!
and, i see it there, the light in the sky, the glimmer in the trees. i've been awed by your ice pictures.
glad you're safe and warm and choosing candlelight for fun. enjoy your celebration tonight!
Posted by: emily | December 13, 2007 2:06 PM
I really enjoyed your ten minutes today. Just wanted to let you know.
Posted by: Ali | December 13, 2007 2:43 PM
That was so beautiful, like wrapping my heart in a warm antique quilt and passing me a mug of hot cocoa.
Posted by: Megan | December 13, 2007 2:54 PM
Hi Alicia,
I recall living in Overland Park a few years back when we had an ice storm. Growing up in Chicago, my husband and I were not used to the ice, only the snow! We were one of the few fortunate families to have power restored within 24 hours, thank goodness. But while we waited that first night, we took our daugher out to Chili's across town for dinner - I was 7 months pregnant - and oh, how eerie and beautiful at the same time was the ice. No street lights were on, and the headlights from the car shone on the branches (both in the trees and on the ground) and everything was just so still and quiet. Creepy! Afterwards, we all huddled in our bed and played shadow games with the flashlight. A night we'll never forget!
Hope you get the power on soon!
Laura in Naperville, IL
Posted by: Laura | December 13, 2007 3:13 PM
I love moments like those -- and I'm glad you were able to find one even with the power out. I think I might not have been so calm. :) I'm glad the outage was short though.
Sorry about all the repairs going on. We're having one of those months, too, as if December doesn't come with enough expenses!
Posted by: amy h | December 13, 2007 4:44 PM
beautiful words and i never tire of ice photos. just lovely alicia. xox
Posted by: shari | December 13, 2007 5:21 PM
what a beautiful post. thanks for the peek into a lovely moment.
Posted by: meg | December 13, 2007 7:58 PM
Little moments like this were reading your post today. :) We've been worrying about some similar things too and frankly it gets pretty exhausting! Thank you for a glimpse into your quietude!
Wasn't the sun today a nice awakening from the greyness over the past week?!
Posted by: hrsj | December 13, 2007 8:29 PM
oh alicia - thank you for sharing this. i relish moments like yours.
Posted by: erin | December 13, 2007 8:37 PM
Your words are so beautifully paced, like they too want to maintain the quiet and tiptoe up the stairs with you.
My family in the Boston area got socked with ice and snow yesterday, it took like 5 hours to get home from an hour away. I kinda wanted to be there... its always quiet in the snow, and so WHITE.
Posted by: mansuetude | December 14, 2007 7:23 AM
Why is it that we have to have oddities like power loss to really stop and enjoy a moment? Your lovely post pretty much summed up our last few days around here, Alicia. And funny, I have quit taking ice photos because they just weren't capturing the wonder that I could see outside.
Have a great weekend!
Posted by: Rachel | December 14, 2007 7:48 AM
Awww... that sweet post nearly choked me up.
I'm glad your outage was short enough that candle light didn't lose it's charm. We had dinner in fancy dress by candlelight the other night. Tim and I decided the kids eat better when they can't see what they are eating.
Happy Friday, my friend.
Posted by: laeroport | December 14, 2007 10:09 AM
We have a lot of snow and ice here in Northern Illinois but no power outages at our house yet...thank God.
I crave moments like this and look for them whenever and wherever I can. I appreciate them more.
Used to go to my G'ma's and she would want to sick on the front porch and just watch the cars go by. I was SO BORED! Now I would give anything to JUST SIT (especially with my g'ma).
Posted by: Lynn | December 14, 2007 11:06 AM
I found you through Heather Smith Jones' site and just wanted to say I really enjoyed this post. I love when you get a few minutes like that. I am sure we get more of them than we realize. But once we notice one, we are more aware for future ones. Thanks for reminding us! :)
Posted by: teeni | December 14, 2007 12:48 PM
Oh yes. I love moments like those. Time stops and you feel really alive. Thanks for sharing yours. Happy weekend. :)
Posted by: miss chris | December 14, 2007 1:55 PM
so good a writer are you.
and sewing friend! yay!
i once knew a girl who grew up in a commune out west somewhere and there was no electricity. when she went to college she couldn't sleep for weeks because she swore the buildings hummed.
so it's always there, we are just used to it??
nice to enjoy the utter silence.
p.s. that st. lucia bread looks scrum.
xxxx
me
Posted by: estea | December 14, 2007 8:16 PM
So glad you shared this. Even though I cannot at all picture you eating over the sink.
xoxo
Posted by: Grace | December 14, 2007 8:49 PM
Lovely post. I know those moments but there haven´t been any lately. Thanks for the reminder.
Posted by: claudia | December 20, 2007 12:56 AM
We didn't lose power with that last round of ice, but I am with you 100% on how amazing the stillness is when the electricity goes out in the winter.
Posted by: Sarah | December 20, 2007 8:28 AM
Beautiful story.
Beautiful photo. I've not seen the others but I will go and look now, I can't get enough of the icy loveliness, and yes, it's impossible to capture the enormity of the beauty when frost covers everything, but you've brought memories to mind that help fill what the camera can not.
Posted by: cally | December 31, 2007 9:12 AM