The other day I got to go grocery shopping without my young children, during the day, on a weekday.  I go to the same church as a lady who works in the bakery section of the grocery store I went to.  She looked surprised to see me alone.  It hardly ever happens.  I hadn't been to the grocery store in three weeks because it snowed and snowed and snowed.  We just stayed home rather than risking getting stuck out there.  It's been one of those winters where the sight of the sun is scarce and I like to see the sun.  Just now I saw pink on the snow so I ran to the other side of the house to see one of those orangey-purple sunsets over the icy landscape.  Ooh it's good to see the orange over the cruchy cold outside.  Now, back to the reason why I was alone, grocery shopping on a weekday.  This month I am on jury duty and my husband stayed at home and tried to work and take care of the kids while I went to do my service.  I got down the icy hill without too much slippy-sliding and went to the courthouse.  I was one of the lucky 14 to get in the jury box for questioning.  It was a battery case.  The judge asked some questions, then the prosecuting attorney and the defense attorney did the same.  The defense attorney, a youngish woman, smiled really big at us as she introduced herself and I smiled really big back at her.  I think maybe the prosecuting attorney saw that and decided I was on her side.  I did not get picked.  So, if you don't want to get picked for the jury try smiling really big at one attorney and not the other one.  After that I did my grocery shopping and got back home so my husband could go back to work.

The next day my son started ski lessons at the local ski resort.  It took a lot to get everyone up and ready to leave by 7:30 and then when we were about to leave my son's skis were no where to be found.  He had given them a test run a few weeks ago and then, like I said, it snowed like there was no end.  We were concerned and stressed that he had left them out beside the house and that they were buried under 3 feet of snow. We gave him an earful about being responsible. My husband finally tracked them down in our shop and we made it to the ski place in time after all.  I carried the 1 year old, boots and diaper bag and had the 3 year old tag along.  The child taking the lessons carried the skis.  It was much colder up on the mountain than down where we live and the wind was blowing.  I had images of the younger ones and I hanging out at the lodge drinking hot chocolate but that was not going to be the case.  We got to the lodge to sign in and then the three of us trekked over to the ski school sign to drop the student off.  The younger two came back to the lodge.  The three year old cried most of the time on our treks across the snow.  I got back to the lodge and realized I did not have my purse or keys.  A panicky feeling crept into my heart.  I told some ladies I knew and trusted at the lodge and they offered to look after the kids while I tried to retrace my steps.  I didn't  find the purse so I left the diaper bag and took the kids to find the security person.  We marched back out to the truck and flagged the security guy down.  He had me fill out a form that said he wasn't  responsible for any damage to the truck.  He got it open and the alarm wailed.  I turned it off and grabbed my purse.  Then we walked back to the lodge again.  When it was time to get the ski student I left the younger two again with the friends (they weren't happy) and got him.  Sometimes I ask myself why I don't just stay home.  At least the ski lesson went well.