snow

VSSPoem, Week 1

Once again, it is a day later than I planned, but it’s for a good reason. I’ve actually been engaged in social activities with family members for once. This is very rare for me as I am that kind of loner who sits at home in front of the computer.

However, maybe this all is a sign of things to change. Maybe I will have a bit more of an adventure from the safe walls of my home. Who knows?

anyways, this is one of those new prompts I started doing over the past little bit. I hope you enjoy these very short poems!

 

September 5th

I long to #push past

these obstacles made of doubt

that sabotage me

 

September 6th

Her #shadow cast

by the evenin’ sun

was the giant

she wished

to be.

Its footsteps larger

than the nightmares

that came to call

in the night’s

dark hours.

She tried to remind

herself of that

tucked under

her covers

but

her fears grew

until they consumed her

once more.

 

September 7th

On swift wings

#Nightfall approached

Its pitch black feathers

fell in swarming shadows

and chased the light

in a playful game

 

A girl sighed

head rested on hand

in her windowsill

At peace in the dark

she moved to her desk

and lifted her pen

to write

 

September 8th

In the cold room

he relived memories

picking them apart

for the #omens

they contained

Will-o-wisps

seemed prevalent

dancing on the edge

of his life

but never touching it

 

He could recall

deaths in vivid detail

of friends and family

until he was alone

 

In the cold room

 

September 9th

Emotion is danger

too much

too little

tips a scale

both divine

and cruel

It can fill

the cup

to the brim

or evaporate

both host

and vessel

empty

 

Let go the

anger

hate

rage

jealousy

envy

they say

it causes damage

to your mind

wears it thin

with time

 

Teach me how then

 

September 10th

Waters #follow

the bends

curves

hills

of a land

marred

scarred

defaced

by human hands

 

Soon Fires #follow

the dried

leaves

trees

rooted in ground

unloved

forgotten

forsaken

by human hands

 

Then Deaths #follow

the lack of

food

water

on a barren Earth.

 

September 11th

Good and Bad

Happens in threes

The #Attraction

Forms the link

Like dominoes

 

Positive attracts positive

Negative attracts negative

 

It’s a cycle

And it will last

Longer

Than

Time

 

I say it’s a game

But then

I’m stuck

In the cycle of Threes

 

September 12th

Walk into the

#Shallows

Walk into the

Hollows

 

of your own

Heart and Soul

Take a gander

Take a stroll

The mucks and mires

are there to console.

 

Search through

Cracks

Follow the

Tracks

 

You’ve made them

Inspired them

Colluded with them

 

Walk into the

#Shallows

 

September 13th

Leaves spin and twirl

Like dreidels in the wind

Teased and taunted

By nature’s whim

 

Crisp flakes of snow

Kiss #green grass

Burying it in warmth

As time begins to pass

 

Seasons dance as long lost friends

Sharing the same tune

Until the world’s end

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Back To My Normal, almost

Bed was comfortable this morning. I cocooned myself in the blanket, my dogs were cuddled in, but I managed to pull myself from it to start the day.

I definitely have more energy (after playing some Hyrule Warriors), and I managed to shovel our driveway. Even my neighbour (who called the cops on us about snow removal) didn’t trigger me when she came outside while I was still out there. In fact, had we made eye contact, I probably would have given her a genuine smile and wave. I do feel she was trying to get a reaction from me, but I’m proud for not letting her bug me.

To accomplish that, I have started saying “She doesn’t matter” when I walk past the windows that face her house or have a thought about her. I only started yesterday, but it seems to be working!

Anyways, I am hoping to actually revise my book a little bit more tomorrow with this newfound energy. Fingers crossed it lasts! Just have to remind myself that this emotional state is temporary (though it never feels it when you’re in it), and to do what I can. I push myself when I need to, but I try to be gentle, too.

Maybe I’ll even fold clothes later today?

 

Ex-Friend Issue

Today is essentially going to be a rant post so if you are not interested, look away!

Anyways, yesterday, I had the cops knock on my door. They asked for my husband, Andrew. He wasn’t home so they told me that we had received a complaint about our snow removal.

A COMPLAINT ABOUT OUR SNOW REMOVAL.

When I found out it came from our neighbour to the left of us, I wasn’t at all surprised. We had had a falling out with her YEARS ago, and despite a brief verbal argument in the December of 2017, have avoided her since.

We used to be close to her, drink with her, go out with her, and helped her out on occasion too. However, she chose not to be friends with us after I had a mental breakdown and called Andrew (who was having a drink with her at the time). She heard me call her a bitch (which is due to the fact that she constantly tried to hoard people), but it wasn’t truly personal, I was spiraling.

She told Andrew that she didn’t want to deal with his drama (which is kind of what friends are for, right? An outlet to vent at). That was the final straw for both of us. She verbally attacked me after I had finished mowing my lawn, and I told her she has no idea what being a friend entails. (In the past, she had ignored us, because we refused to pick up orange juice for mimosas and other such events).

We have shoveled our driveway the same way, year after year. I try to do it in a way that very little would accidentally get on her drive way. There is only one spot where that is not the case and that is beside our garage. She shovels in a way that it piles up and spills through the chainlink fence. My dog has climbed said hill in the past to escape so now I make sure it doesn’t get to that point. (It is also blocked off as effectively as we could manage though windstorms have been known to destroy those kind of fixtures in our city).

I have only shoveled that area once this season and I threw it to back onto her property, onto the hill, as best I could. I believe this is what set her off.

Anyways the cops knock on the door and tell em about the complaint, but that they haven’t managed to talk to our neigh bour about it, she isn’t home. I told them she is home, she works from her basement and there’s a client car in the driveway. They go back to talk to her after talking to me.

For anyone who complains, it is important you answer your front door when the police show up to address it. They should not have had to walk back and forth plus it makes you look bad.

She tells them I threatened to kill her December 2017. That I drove over her lawn a couple summers ago. Blah blah blah. These are allegations with no evidence (though she claims she has footage of us driving on her lawn). We never drove on her lawn (to explain further, there is a grass median that separates our driveways, half is her’s, half is our’s).

The cops aren’t really concerned, only if she keeps calling will something have to be done. However if she keeps calling the cops on us, we’ll say it is harassment, because it is.

My husband also got a chance to talk to them, because I called him after they talked to me the first time. They weren’t worried about it, and even acknowledged she seems off.

Another side note for complainers, it looks better for you if you try to address the problem like an adult by talking to your neighbours first. She had said in the past she would talk to Andrew if there were any issues and she chose not to.

The end of the day, the cops seem to view us more favourably than they view her. It is also said that cops have to get involved in these matters. Our shoveling was not endangering her or causing damage to her property. She escalated it into a complaint without even trying to resolve it with Andrew (we had agreed in the past not to talk to one another).

It is a shame she has made this petty, and I know me ranting about it is petty too. I needed to get it off my chest though. I had been thinking of seeking a resolution between us through the means of a letter. I don’t want to be her friend again, I just want to find peace.

I clearly will not be doing that as she will keep the letter and try and paint it in a bad light if she ever calls the cops again.

What a winter it has been for us.

 

Winter, Writing, and Shih Tzus

Winter is my favourite season of the year! I love shoveling and snow and snowball fights!

The only thing is, where I live, we have on and off years. For example, last year was very mild and snow did not stay for long. The year prior though we got a lot of snow, schools had snow days, and it seemed every other day brought more snow.

This year has brought the snow. December was nice and mild, but January is proving itself the winteriest month ever! It holds the champion belt, for sure.

So, I have been up since 5am (which is great despite its rarity) to do one thing and that’s shovel. I did our driveway and backyard with Andrew’s help, but it didn’t end there for me. I headed to me parents’ to see that the plow had done their street and I shoveled their driveway and backyard (cause I try to be their favourite daughter, and I’m winning, clearly!).

If, at this point, you’re wondering why we shovel our backyards, it is for a simple reason. We own shih tzus who don’t like anything higher than an inch to go outside to do their business in. I also own a beagle who needs the paths to stay a bit warmer while outside (they serve as wind breaks at their current height).

After that, I went to my brother and future sister-in-law’s house to shovel their driveway, and give them a break. They both work somewhat hectic hours, and don’t have a snowblower (as far as I know). They do have a friend with a plow end on his truck who helps them though, and that’s probably the luckiest thing for them.

Once that was done, I helped a neighbour of my parents who I babysat for years ago, and then headed home for food, drink, and a relaxing shower.

Thus, the late start to my writing for the day! I wanted to get more time in, but I am sure to feel pooched sooner than later.

Yesterday’s word count was 1,362 which equaled one chapter (editing it will come later). I was hoping to write more today, but winter seems to throw snow chunks into my gears. Fingers crossed I can do it anyways!

Hopefully none of you readers have to shovel (much, if at all), and are taking an easy on this fine yet chilly Tuesday!

 

 

Winter’s Bark

Paw prints decorate the snow,

Telling tales in winter’s glow,

Of their runs in bitter fluff,

Proving they are made of tougher stuff.

Dogs may shiver at the door,

Yet still they wish to play some more,

Chasing snowballs in the cold,

And barking, if they be so bold.

I wield my shovel to make a path,

So even tiny shih tzus,

May avoid a frozen bath.snowy.maze.jpg

Wrote this to commemorate another year of shovelling the backyard for my two dogs, Jasper the Shih Tzu and Raven the beagle. Raven freezes despite a sweater and coat, and refuses to wear any sort of bootie. Jasper will bark for days outside until we fetch him in, tired of waiting. You would think in the middle of winter, there’s not much to sniff at, but they find something or other. [Jasper on the left, Raven on the right]