Monday, January 04, 2010

Cold ... and warmth

Everyone is complaining about the cold. I've decided that I'm going to just play along and do the same thing. I don't intend to rebel against the norm or try to make up some kind of namby-pamby pollyanna reason why we should be positive about this. I'm right there with you all - whining and complaining about the cold.

The thing is, I complain even more strongly about extreme heat. If the outside temperature approaches 95 degrees for more than one or two days in a row, I'm annoyed.

So, I'll just admit it. I'm an old lady who likes temperate climates. Neither the equator nor the Arctic Circle would be a top pick for my place of residence.

With all of this cold weather around me, I've been inside. Reading books, studying texts, writing blogs. It's what makes me happy anyway!

Last Wednesday evening I had dinner with friends that I'd never met before. Well, out of eight other people, I'd met one. The man who lives up here by our cabin is a wonderful guy. He's a pilot and he and his wife own a flying service. They invited me to dinner along with 3 other couples, 2 of whom are neighbors in the area. They wanted me to get a chance to meet people around here. What a wonderful evening!

It is so wonderful to be with people who love this area as much as I do, who are passionate about their lives our here, even when it's a frozen tundra, and who watch out for each other and care about what is happening in each others lives.

The funniest thing for me was the amount of hunting conversation. I just smiled and nodded. They take this seriously! Of course they do. I walked into my friend's home and saw three huge deer heads mounted above the fireplace (it is an immense room with a 26' vaulted ceiling). I knew right away that I was in a group of people that spent much of the winter in the woods with their guns.

Conversation prior to the meal with fun, with everyone gathered in the living room. But I got a chance to laugh again (to myself) after the meal, when the women moved to the living room and the men moved to a sitting room. What the...? Where ... ? Ok...

You see, I remember that happening when I was a kid and we'd gather with groups of my parent's friends for dinner, but since I had grown up and made my own friends, we'd become much more comfortable staying in mixed groups - the conversation always seems to be more interesting that way.

There are a lot of subtle differences between living in the city and living in a small community. Many of these I just absorbed as I became comfortable living in Omaha. But, more and more, as I move in and out of the rural communities around the cabin and into city life in Omaha, I'm discovering them.

I will process on some of these - some are so subtle that they're difficult to describe - like the manner in which people eat. Not their manners, but the way the approach a meal. It's different. It seems to be so much more comfortable and fulfilling here. Fewer worries about what they're eating and how they're eating. Maybe it was just the home I was in, but since there were at least 4 different homes represented there, I'm not so sure.

I still can't get past the fact that though making a living is a top priority for them, making money isn't. I woudn't be able to find someone to plow our driveway at home without ensuring that we would pay good money for it, but when I said thank you to them for taking care of my lane, I was assured that they had so much fun with their skid loader, they just wanted to have more places to play!

This is fun for me, watching the differences occur around me. I need to be better about writing them down so it can be fun for everyone!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just reading the delightful blog entry warmed me up:)

Anonymous said...

Diane,
I'm so curious. When you write this particular blog, is it for you? or do you think of any specific audience? I'm just wondering because the topics you write about so often resonate with me. Even though the word resonate is probably overused these days, it is really what happens to me when I read this blog. First, the description goes into my heart (more than my mind), bangs around the edges, and then settles, where I find myself (positively) dwelling on what you say and then smiling and going about my way. So, today, I feel the kindness and hospitality of new friends along with the excitement of meeting someone I've never met before. Thank you, Diane! Sincerely, Sarah

Diane Muir said...

Thank YOU, Sarah. It's funny. I actually write my blog like I'm talking to some of my friends. And on any given day, it's written to one of them or to several of them. Sometimes I write to friends I don't know yet (I know that sounds crazy, but it's what I do).

I have several friends that tell me they read this because we don't have time to get together, so I'm telling them what's happening in my world. Other friends read this because they like to laugh at my silliness, so I write to make them laugh. Sometimes friends tell me that they are inspired, so if I'm writing that, I write to them.

It's not just for me, it's actually a conversation I have with friends, whether I know them or not, I guess.

(and I say conversation, because I actually do imagine the responses that some of my blogs will bring! :))

tlksimpson said...

I love how your blogs are like we are having a conversation. Our neighbor that takes care of our drive (who we gladly THROW money at) does it because he loves to play on his 4-wheeler! I'm sure he doesn't love it at 6 am as much as he says...but we are appreciative. His girlfriend's daughter is always welcome to join in what we do...so it's a wonderful give and take relationship!

Also...one of my close female friends is a huntress. She is a little woman who bow and gun hunts (I'm probably sayin that wrong) and dresses and eats ALL of her own kill...using every bit of it. She has greatly made me alter and respect hunting. I so appreciate an opportunity to learn!

Anonymous said...

Good fill someone in on and this fill someone in on helped me alot in my college assignement. Thanks you as your information.