Us-As In MY Cup and I

B's a Buzzin'

My Cup and a lot of other "My"
Speaking of my shiny red coffee cup, you know the one, the ten ounce big boy that holds liquid life for me in the morning‘? Well we took a final autumn trip together still in the dark of day, had a flash of light in the kitchen from the refrigerator as I grabbed a quick splash of cream. We then padded by memory into the depths of the family room on our way to the back deck. The door opened easily and the cup and I slid silently out into the, more than, crisp air. We settled easily into my old-fashioned green metal swing, not a drop spilt from my cup, perfect, off to a good start. My toes, in heavy socks, had all worked correctly no stubbing, no popping, no curling at strange angles, so far so good.

Why am I doing this before the one little beam of light has even begun to push its way here to my backyard? I think I am reaching out for the day, at the same time I am pushing it away. This is my attempt to stave off winter that is coming as sure and as fast as a sled barreling down snow covered Spice Knobb Hill. I wrap my brown woolen Indian blanket “made in China” tightly around us, my cup resting between my collarbone and chin. The steam wafts up my nose giving relief from sinus pressure and teases my caffeine depleted senses, now is the time and I drink deeply. I like my coffee just like I like my weather, slightly hot, fresh and aromatic, just like a summer day, and I get emotional about both.

We wait, my cup and I, and soon there is a rustling in the almost leaf barren crabapple tree, Oh yea, it is the early birds my beautiful KY cardinals, the worms surely are frostbitten by now, my birds can feast while the worm are too sluggish to make a fast get-away! They began their morning hymn, and I began my praise. I truly am grateful for so much, may my gratitude ease my dread of seemingly endless winter, the very word sounds so harsh and cold and colorless, WINT-ER. “God help me see your beauty in a black and white hushed world.”

I feel more than see, a warm tinge in the sky behind me, the day is breaking, my sun is rising, my spirits are rising, my bottom is rising as we ,cup and I, make our way back into the house for a refill, and then back to the swing in a flash. I do not want to miss one second of day wakening, I can now see my breath as I exhale little ghosts of vapor and it mingles with the steam from my cup. My cup, my birds, my swing, and my day. I really could use two blankets from China, but I am facing this day fearlessly, it may be the last early outside start for me until springtime, my spring, my glorious, my beautiful word, Spring.

My cup is cooling and I am fully awake, I hear my husband stirring, soon he will seek and find me and we will grab hold of this day for all it is worth, we are learning to celebrate Time. Celebrate I will ,even though that frigid season will soon be here, I’ll celebrate inside, without a close up, of my birds, my sun, my swing, and my day but they are still there on the other side of glass just waiting for us to come back in person, my shiny red cup and I. We will become even closer as we snuggle through these frozen days ahead. and I will……learn………to…………enjoy.