It’s A Matter of Degrees

The weekend’s weather made me think about happenings in a matter of degrees. For example we went from cold, driving snow, snarling traffic and continued walk shoveling on Friday and Saturday; to a cold wet rain melting snowmen and erasing much of the effects of our first snow of the season. This morning I walked out of the house to a bone chilling 14 degrees and saw the weather tomorrow will bounce back up to the 40’s.

Am I a weather person? NO
Is this post really about the weather? NO
So what degrees am I really posting about? Degrees of past and present

While my life may not be 180 degrees from where it was, the events of this weekend highlighted just how many degrees its changed.

So here it goes….
Friday my mother in-law was helping out, watching my son Jake. She became snow bound with us, making her way home yesterday after the weather warmed.

I felt like I was watching Norman Rockwell scenes throughout the weekend…

Friday – My wife, Adele, and I returned home happy to see my Mother In-Law had been out playing with my son Jake in the snow. She had even managed to make a snow man, a feat for someone with a 2 year old that is usually intent on knocking things down as soon as they’re up. That night my daughter, Candice, joined us and they all began to make holiday cookies. Jake looked very cute in his Home Depot apron, standing on a chair to help mom mix the dough. Too many cooks in the kitchen aren’t good so I became the official sampler as opposed to a cook.

Saturday – I spent much of the day keeping up with the snow and getting the driveway cleaned out, while Adele, Jake and Candice finished getting the tree decorated. Upon Candice’s return from work efforts began to create a Pellicane gingerbread house. Again no small feat with a 2 year old. From the dining room I kept hearing…Stop Jake….are you kidding. Eventually Jake made his way to me with icing on his nose, cheeks, shirt – you get the picture.

Sunday – The weather broke and after breakfast my Mother-Law braved her way home. We continued on with the day, me waiting in anticipation of the Giants game – yea Giants, the others working to finish the gingerbread house and final decorations on the holiday cookies. Last night As Jake, headed off to bed with his mom’s help and Candice headed out for the night, I spoke with my brother Tony who lives in San Francisco. We talked about a few things, one being the church we each attend. Our call was interrupted by Jake’s I don’t want to go to bed routine, so I quickly ended the call going off to help Adele. The weekend closed with an unbelievable Giants win… did I say Yea Giants!

While I know I have had many memorable holiday moments. These three days had me thinking how many degrees I am, from where I was a few years ago. Not at the core, I’m still the same person but I could clearly see where I’ve gotten to in my life.

To use the words, snowman, cookies, gingerbread house and church all in the same description of my weekend is not something I could have foresaw a few years back. My brother and I chuckled as we talked about finding our paths to spirituality since our form experience with religion ended some 30+ years ago when we were kids. But here’s where I am and I’m very happy to be here.

Whew what a weekend…
Tom Pellicane – Publisher