An Eighth Shot of Espresso: Coffee and Creativity on Mum's Third Shift

The greatest lie the weakest promise is not made lightly. At the altar on the deathbed some words are just empty. Turning over a new leaf when the clock ticks over to midnight A resolution never changes the base character. I'll lose weight be more open do kind acts take charge of my life stop drinking I promise, I'll change.

Don't get me things just give me time. Years, months days, hours, minutes to spend with the ones who really matter. Don't get me riches give me love respect, humor sweet memories to cherish and remember for the rest of my life. Don't lecture me give me encouragement kind words, hard truths to motivate me to do better and be the best I can be. Don't repeat the past give me the present to rebuild, restart make a firm foundation to take into the futur e.

The sky is grey and the heavens open up and starts to weep and weep and weep for days on end after the holiday thrill is fading, fading at least for another year. A switch in the sky has been suddenly flipped the sun's brilliance muted behind the clouds and a colorless chill arrives for a little while at least until the thermometer decides to sort itself out as to which season it truly is and not according to the calendar. When will the warmth and the birdsong return?

Cookies, candy, cake popcorn, marshmallows gingerbread and fruit Toys and games pillows and blankets fluffy robes and slippers shoes and sweaters candles and ornaments gift cards and music Post Christmas the hype has died down for another year some feel disappointed others breathe a sigh of relief The lights are still up the mistletoe hangs limp from the ceiling. It's that nebulous time between the old year and the new one. The long night is past and now we march towards the dawn of spring light. But still a time of quiet uncertainty.

No matter where we roam when the Christmas decorations are put away again and the presents are all unwrapped The food all savored the hymns are all sung the church bells all rung the small talk all spoken. Family obligations all done for the year There is something to be said for the sight of your own driveway and your own place even as the rain falls and the sky is grey overhead: For so ever it be humble there's no place like home.

Too much to do too little time loads of laundry clean out the van wrap gifts last minute shopping hotel arrangements Always the one traveling year after year No one returns the favor too far too busy too much of a hassle we can do it so they don't have to. Grin and bear it only to be ignored at family outings my kids too disruptive because they are different but she wants to see her cousins so we do it anyway. I need a vacation from my 'vacation' preferably someplace warm and tropical without dealing with family who really don't give a damn.

The ice is thawing where does this unexpected warmth come from? Years of the winter of chilly detente four hundred miles away. Last year the holidays all strained smiles and polite words, the brittle gestures of pained goodwill. And suddenly calls asking for clothing sizes for the children. And looking forward to the one visit per year. Not unpleasant but completely out of the blue. I suppose Christmas miracles do happen from time to time.