Longer, colder nights…but solstice is not far away, when days get longer again.  Fairy lights still glitter in the dark.  The snow-frozen garden greens appear to have survived somehow.  I’m already thinking gardeny thoughts and plans, which keeps me going.  Though I just want to hibernate, I try to resist my instincts and carry on, if only for others that may need me.  If other mammals can do it, so can I.  (Looking at you, raccoons and possums.)  I’m getting good at foraging for food scraps.  It won’t be dark forever.  Yep, a garden metaphor, so shoot me!

I was able to walk (more like limp with a bad knee) to Avdi’s in the melting snow, and do the usual erev preps.  By evening it had warmed up a little, under a full moon.  Just to be different, we had a braided risen garlic bread (not homemade), because the outer freezer dies whenever temps are extreme, and its contents had to be evacuated to the inner one.  It’s the spirit that counts!  The kids loved it.  I made an Italian chicken and angel hair dinner to go with it.  Y had a friend L over, who joined us.

Then we (A, K, Y, and I) hustled over to WGHS to watch short films made and starred in by K’s film club (again, supervised by Mr. Schaefer).  This huge, historical edifice/campus has been updated and offers exceptional opportunities and paths for diverse students and their families, drama and performing arts being among the priorities.  It feels like more of a community of likeminded, unconventional friends, rather than the competitive cliques in lockstep being ordered around by rigid, repressed authoritarians that I experienced in school.

The films were all fun, but K’s (not partial) was really funny.  I’m starting to recognize many of the kids now, and it’s so inspiring to see how close they all get through working together on projects they love.  There’s a lot of talent there.  The best part was seeing Y looking up to K and friends, and staying to hang out with them at the afterparty.  This is something Y really needs, to get out of himself and his isolation, and experience the possibilities ahead.  Avdi was thrilled.

As if to offset the enforced solitary incident and frozen hell, it warmed up to a balmy 39º for one day, and Avdi and I got to go out on one of our STL adventure dates.

This time, we checked out Das Bevo on Gravois, a historical landmark bierhall with a windmill.  We sat on comfy sofas by a roaring fire under cathedral ceilings with excellent local German-style lagers, and unwound a little from the week.

Next, we hung out at The Silver Ballroom down the street, a cozy ‘hood dive bar with pinball machines, Australian meat pies, and punk juke box.  We got to talking with the girl tending bar, who shared lots of interesting backstory.  I enjoyed a decent scotch, and shared Avdi’s delicious meat pie.

Finally, we drove to The Hill (old Italian area) and checked out Pop’s Blue Moon, a friendly old iconic small bar and live music venue with a DJ playing drum and bass EDM.  Avdi got to dance off some of his frustrations from the day/week/life, and I enjoyed just soaking it in.

STL is such a revelation, with so many eclectic, unexpected spaces around every corner.  The architecture alone is fascinating.  You could live here for years and never run out of new experiences, and it’s much more affordable/accessable than a major city.  People are friendly and approachable, never snobby.  It’s like a cultural cross-section of the world in a small space.  No wonder it wins high ratings for funnest US city!

(I realize I sound like a privileged white person who hasn’t lost everything in a tornado or trumpian racist persecution, yet, guilty as charged, but this is just me, an outsider, expressing appreciation for my new adopted home.)

For me, it’s like getting to stay home and travel the world at the same time.  Like, Germany, Australia, and Italy, with EDM, in one night!  Snobs with money can fly over all they want, and lose out.  Of course gratitude and credit go to Avdi graciously picking up the tab, or I’d never get to do this.

Naturally, the temps crashed again to record lows today, so I may not be getting out again, but at least I caught a glimpse of the kids yesterday, and caught up a little on the Avdi’s chores, so I don’t feel like a total lazy freeloader!  And I get to wash dishes in my sink again, yay.

After all that, Mr. Maintenance discovered he had wired the new disposal wrong, so he corrected it, and it’s fixed.  In five minutes.  About time!  Now I’m running the dishwasher for the first time ever, to bleach out all the crud.  Seems to be working.

I may get to see the Avdi’s today!

Here’s my shiny new device.

It’s been a week–literally.  Still awaiting the suspenseful climax of this stupid story.  At least it coincided with the arctic blast from frozen hell that I was not about to slog it out with.

It’s supposed to reach all of 39º today, a heat wave!  I’m considering leaving Mr. Maintenance to it, whenever he shows up, and venturing back to the Avdi’s.  I need to reassure myself reality, however challenging, is still out there.  Not the deranged insanity in the news feeds, or the disturbing war dreams I’ve been having, but regular familiar mayhem.

“But soft!  What light from yonder window breaks?  It is the East, and…” methinks forsooth it is the Sun!  It’s time I broke out, too.

I know you can’t wait to hear the next boring development in the Sewage Saga.  After I waited most of the day, the guy shows up, pokes and prods a couple of things, and announces that the brand new disposal unit he just installed is broken and must be replaced.  Tomorrow.  When he’ll undoubtedly discover another cause and drag this out to what amounts to a week!  Or have to call in an actual electrician.  The joys of “cheap” apt living.

I’ve been stuck at home for days.  Outside is a wintry mess and inside is the Sewage Saga, ongoing.  The latest episode features an added electrical circuit problem involving the (new) disposal unit and (never-used) dishwasher full of backed-up disposal water.  Still waiting for maintenance to get back to it.  I guess this is as good an excuse as any to be snowed-in.  It could be worse.

Out the window everything is gray and white, including the sky.  It’s like a B&W TV with one channel…The Twilight Zone.  I keep the shades drawn to keep it less cold in here, with the heat turned way down.  I still have a few basic provisions so I’m not starving, but also not getting the usual exercise.  I pretty much live on my laptop or phone so I’m not totally out of touch.  I “window shop” the online cyber sales for a few Chanukah gifts I can afford.  My jungle keeps me company.  I can get the sleep I need, when the Bigfoots (feet?) above me aren’t crashing and banging.  Not a bad existence while in solitary.

The weather turned to “hell-frozen-over”, and my dead disposal backed up into the never-used dishwasher and onto the floor, (maintenance is supposedly now coming today, if he ever gets the landlord to sign off on it), so just another day in paradise.  Can’t complain.  I’m fine hibernating in here for the duration.

Yesterday was S’s 11th birthday, so that was fun.  He had a friend over, and the requested “dirt cake” with a zero candle, and got his beloved “switch” for gaming, so he was in his element.  He seems a lot calmer and self-regulated than before.  He and I spent a lot of time together.

I looked outside and almost thought I’d lost it!  A white-out??!!  Well, ok, just snowing, and it was forecast, but What?!  Next it’s supposed to rain and turn into a cold mess.  I’m just staying home waiting for the maintenance guy to come fix my annoying clogged disposal which has been out of commission for TG, so I guess I’m just snowed in!  I know the kids are loving it.

Yesterday (erev) Stacey made a beautiful challah, and we had warmed-up TG leftovers, so it was easy on me.  Stacey and S and I hung out all afternoon, checking out music and talking.  It was so warm inside, S and I had to run outside in the “AC” to cool off.  There are still piles of pie (“piels?”) of every description everywhere, because E in his baking frenzy made enough pies to feed the universe i.e. all of us plus his Friendsgiving gathering.  His confections and K’s elaborate cheesecakes were a big hit of TG.  They really are talented chefs.  When we were done with erev dinner, K jumped up and started making cookies!

While I was elsewhere, the latest jigsaw puzzle got finished.  Three pieces were missing, but miraculously I found them and S inserted them, so technically we completed it!

Tonight K is supposed to have a lot of her friends over for gaming, etc. It’s so gratifying to see the kids having such a rich social life with really intelligent, like-minded friends.  Some of them have become like family.

Note the veg garden doing fine yesterday after freezing temps.  But alas, the flowers have pretty much had it.

Still. Too. Full. To. Write.  A feast with extended family to remember…and sleep off.

PS: We really do like Pie.  And cheesecakes.