for all of the things that money cannot buy

I made the decision to not let it screw up my afternoon about 15 minutes after it happened yesterday.  In retrospect, I had it coming any way and probably you could say it was at least 40 years over due in the first place.  And that was THAT.

I was heading home after running errands yesterday noon time, a car filled with freshly done laundry.  Heading east on Main Street towards our home on Locust Road, my mind was filled with a thousand things that needed to be done this weekend.  Unfortunately for me, one of those "things" on my mind was not the speed at which I was driving.  About the time I got to my favorite McDonald's here in Montrose, I saw a city police car make a wonderfully quick turn and come up right behind me.  Any of you know the feeling?  Yeah, I figured at least one of you might.

Long story short, I was going 40 in a 25.  The officer was nice and respectful to me as a driver and although I was hoping to get one of those magical "warnings" that I hear so many other lucky speeders  have received, I did not.  $110 in fines, 1 hour later (ok, ok it was really only about 7 minutes), and 2 points off of my driver's license, I was free to go.  Geesch, why hadn't I paid attention to my driving?

As I unloaded the clean clothes from the car, I made a quick call to Mike and confessed my driving sins to the man I have come to call "Leadfoot" Renfro.  I didn't get off as lucky as he has in the past for his driving infractions but it really doesn't matter any way.  I was driving too fast and I got caught and I deserved it.  My only other speeding ticket in my over 40 years of driving experience came way back in the good old days of 1976 when I was clocked at 73 in a 65 mph zone on Yoder Road, just south of Hutchinson.  So, before doing anything further yesterday afternoon I sat down at the table with my checkbook in hand and wrote out a check to the Montrose Municipal Court and it was over.  End of that story.

But you know what?  I learned an important lesson yesterday afternoon and aside from the obvious one which was DON'T SPEED, there was actually a far greater one being taught to me.  The lesson was that getting a speeding ticket didn't have to ruin what I had already hoped would turn out to be a pretty good day.  I haven't always taken that attitude in life and consequently have wasted a lot of precious and non-redeemable time that could have been spent doing things that were meaningful and important to me.  I could have sat in the house for the remainder of the day, sulking and depressed over what had happened (and trust me that I am good at that) OR I could get my behind outdoors and do the fun activity that Mike and I already had planned.  I chose the latter.

We made a memory yesterday in our front yard.  It had been on my "Colorado Bucket List" to create a snowman out of Colorado snow and yesterday was the day to make it happen.  I'm not sure what we must have looked like out there and to anyone passing by they might have wondered what those two middle-aged folks were doing.  And yes, from the outside we were the "late 50" people that our birth certificates proclaim us to be  but on the inside, in all reality, it was a couple of 9-year olds who were actually having a good time.  It didn't take us all that long to make a snowman and we only had a couple of architectural issues to deal with.  Shoot, I think it took me longer to find all of my cold weather gear to wear outside than it did to actually get started.  It was a beautiful day here along the Western Slopes and although the temperature registered at around the 30 degree mark, both Mike and I found ourselves shedding our outerwear simply because it was just too warm out.  40 minutes later we were done and believe it or not, only a small amount of snow ball throwing happened between us.  We were pleased with the end results.

                                                      Our creation, Eleanore II

I just thought of something as I was typing this blog post.  As a teacher, I've witnessed kids over the years who have made good decisions when bad things happened to them at school.  How nice it is to see kids arguing with one another and then on their own to find a way to make amends between themselves.  It's heartwarming to witness a student admit to a wrong doing and with a sincere heart say they are sorry and then to ask the question of you, " How can I make it right?"  I always give them the same response, "Young man/lady, you have just grown up 6 inches taller right before my very eyes!"  When they hear that from me, that know they have done the right thing.  Yesterday, I kept a good attitude when something not so fun happened to me.  In my mind, I too just grew six inches taller and WOW wouldn't that be great if that really had happened?  You would then have a friend who was 5'6" instead of a plain old 5' one.  But hey, you get the idea.

No matter what should happen to you dear ones, please have faith that although some things seem horrible at the time, in the whole scheme of life they are really just a small part of the overall part of the plan of your being.  Some things are worse than others but really, life is pretty dang good.  God bless you guys all out there.  Stay safe and warm, be at peace with who you are.  I'm thinking of you and I hold you close to my heart.

Having fun yesterday didn't cost a dime.  You know me, I hate winter and snow and cold weather but on the first day of February, I called a "truce" with my lifelong nemesis and got myself outdoors and had some fun.  You can't buy that in an online catalogue or on the shelves of any high dollar store.  It's where the saying "Priceless" came from.

She is ME and yesterday she came to play in the snow at our house and that little girl  was happy.