I’d been locked in the house for almost a week with the flu. I’d been banned to my room, shades closed, my cell phone at my bedside table next to a water bottle that I kept refilled from the bathroom sink. The only person I saw besides my ‘friends’ on T.V, was my husband, Steven who periodically came into the room to see if I was ready to eat anything. My sons kept a safe distance away, calling me on the phone a few times a day to say hi.

When I finally felt strong enough to leave my bedroom I walked into the living room, the sun was streaming in the picture window. I felt like I needed to shade my eyes, it had been so long since I’d seen daylight.

“How are you feeling?” my son Alex asked.

“Better.” I said.

“Are you still contagious?” he asked.

“Probably.” I admitted. “I’ll stay away from you. But I just want to go out on the back deck and get some air.” I said.

As I stepped outside I couldn’t believe how different the yard looked in only a few days. The daffodils were blooming, the forsythia bush in the neighbors yard had popped. Our neighborhood Cooper hawk was circling around the tree line, grabbing sticks and taking it up to his nest in the neighbor’s tree top.

That’s when Steven came outside. “When did you get up?” he asked.

“A few minutes ago.” I turned my face up to feel the warmth of the sun. “I feel like I’ve been sick for so long that I missed the season changing.” I whined. “When did their cherry blossom tree come to life?” I asked, pointed to the tree in the neighbor’s back yard.

“A few days ago.” Steven said as he leaned against the rail. “Did you see all of our daffodils?”

The dozens of daffodils that Alex and I had transplanted last spring dotted the back yard. “They’re beautiful.” I sighed. “What else is coming up?”

Steven pointed to the side fence. “The tiger lilies are just starting to peek out and your lilac bush out front has just started to show some green.”

“I feel like I’ve been hibernating.” I said as I rubbed my eyes and looked back up in the tree tops as the Cooper hawk made large gliding circles, skimming the top branches. “Do you think they’ve already laid their eggs?”

Steven shrugged his shoulders. “It’s still pretty early in the season.” he said. “I don’t think you’ve missed much.” I knew he was trying to make me feel better.

“I guess there’s still plenty of spring left for me to see.” I agreed.

“So you haven’t been watching the news, have you.” Steven asked.

“No, why?”

“There’s still plenty of winter left to see.” he said.

“What do you mean?”

“There’s going to be a snowstorm this weekend.”

I started to laugh. “Very funny.”

“I’m serious.” he said. “I’m sure it won’t stay on the ground for long, but still…we’re not done with the snow yet.”

“But spring is everywhere!” I cried looking back at all the daffodils. “I’m ready for spring!”

Steven shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe you came out of hibernation a few days too early.” he said.

I had just gotten home from work and went right to the couch to lay down.

“Are you okay?” my husband Steven asked when he walked in and saw me laying there holding my stomach.

“I don’t feel so good.” I whined.

Steven stepped back a few feet, “Are you getting that stomach bug that’s been going around?” I could tell what he really wanted to do was cover his face with a mask and get the can of Lysol to spray me down.

“No, it’s not the stomach bug.” I said unbuttoning the top button of my pants. “I just ate a whole sleeve of Do-Si-Do’s on the way home from work.” I shook my head in disgust. “I do it every time it’s Girl Scout cookie season.”

“The whole sleeve?” Steven said. “We only live ten minutes away from work! How can you eat that many?”

“What can I say?” I shrugged my shoulders. “I hit every traffic light.”

“How many boxes did you buy this year?” he asked.

I didn’t want to answer that, so I just pointed to the filled shopping bag sitting on the table.

“Are you kidding me!” he began digging through the bag. “Thin mints, Samoas, Tagalongs and more Do-Si-Do’s!” He dropped the boxes back in the bag. “How pathetic did this kid look for you to buy this many boxes!”

Now it was my turn to looked confused. “I didn’t buy them from a kid.” I said. “I haven’t seen a kid sell these in years. Unless, of course, you count the kids who hang out in front of the grocery stores. But by then I’m so sick of these cookies I just walk right by them.” I pointed to the bag. “I got these from one of my co-workers. They leave the order form on the break room table.” I shrugged my shoulders again. “I must have been hungry when I ordered.”

“You know these aren’t even very good cookies.” Steven complained.

“I know.” I tried to sit up but my stomach still hurt. “It’s because you can only get them once a year. It’s marketing genius!”

By now our son, Alex walked in the room. “What’s wrong with Mom?” he asked Steven as I laid there with my eyes closed and my hand still holding my stomach. “Is she sick?”

“I can hear you.” I said. “You can ask me directly.”

Steven decided to answer for me. “She ate too many Girl Scout cookies.”

“We have Girl Scout cookies?” Now Alex seemed interested. “Where are they?”

Steven pointed to the shopping bag. “Take your pick.” he said. “She bought enough to last the whole year.”

Alex and I started to laugh.

“You know they’ll be gone by the weekend, don’t you?” I said.

Alex opened a box of thin mints.

“Don’t eat too many.” Steven warned. “You don’t want to ruin your appetite for dinner.”

Now it was time for me to groan again. “I don’t think I’m up to cooking anytime soon.”

Alex tucked the box of cookies under his arm. “This is fine for me.” he said as he headed back to his room.

“Great now there’s not going to be any dinner?” Steven complained.

I handed him a box of Tagalongs.

It had been a long week and I had just scrubbed and put away the last pan from dinner when my son Alex came out into the kitchen and began opening cabinets.

“Are you going grocery shopping anytime soon?” he asked as he closed one cabinet and opened another.

“Maybe tomorrow.” I said as I headed for the living room to finally kick off my shoes and lay down on the couch.

“There’s nothing to eat in here.” He complained as I heard the microwave start up.

“There’s leftover chicken and rice from dinner.” I called as I grabbed the television remote and began scrolling though the listings to see what mind numbing, non-thought provoking show I was going to pretend to watch while I closed my eyes for a few minutes.

“I just ate that for dinner.” he said. “I’m looking for something else.”

“So make yourself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.” I suggested.

“We’re out of bread.”

“Make it with waffles.” I called. “You like that.”

“Maybe later.” The microwave beeped and I heard him open the door.

“So what did you make.” I asked.

“I found a frozen chicken taquito in the back of the freezer.” He walked into the living room holding his plate as he took a bite of his snack. “This doesn’t taste right.” he complained. “How long have this been in the freezer?”

“Honestly, I don’t even remember buying them.” I admitted. “Maybe your Dad picked them up on one of his shopping trips.”

Alex dropped his snack back on his plate. “So this could be months old?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “Maybe.”

I’m not eating this then.” He looked at me with sad eyes. “So, we’re back to nothing to eat in this house.”

“Do I have to remind you that we just finished dinner about ten minutes ago?” I wasn’t feeling sorry for him no matter how pathetic he tried to look.

“That was First Dinner.” He said. “You know we always have Second Dinner right after you clean the kitchen.”

Just then Steven walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. “Are you going grocery shopping soon?” he asked.

“Are you kidding me!” I cried.

Steven looked confused. “What?” He looked at Alex for help. “I was just in the kitchen and there’s nothing to eat.”

“WE JUST ATE DINNER!” I reminded them.

“And it was good.” Steven assured me. “But now it’s time for snacks and there’s nothing to eat.”

“There’s leftover chicken and rice.” I said. “Try heating that up.”

Steven looked at Alex again. Alex shrugged his shoulders. “We just ate that.” Steven said. “We want something else now.”

“I tried telling her that.” Alex said to him. “She doesn’t seem to get it.”

“Oh I get it.” I said as I adjusted the pillow under my head and looked back at the television. “You two are trying to guilt me into going grocery shopping tonight and I’m not doing it. There’s plenty to eat out there. Go find something.”

The two of them turned around and headed back into the kitchen. I smiled as I drifted off to sleep with the sound of cabinet doors opening and closing.

I was showered, dressed and ready for another hectic day at work. My lunch was packed, my car was warming up and I was just smoothing out the comforter on my bed when I patted my pillow and said, “I’m going to miss you.” I sighed as I took one last wrinkle out of the covers. “I’ll be counting the minutes until we’re together again.”

Just then Steven came out of the bathroom. “Ah.” he said. “That’s so sweet. I’m going to miss you too!”

He’d startled me. “I didn’t know you were in there.” I said.

Now Steven looked confused. “You didn’t?” He looked around the room. “Then who were you talking to when you said you were going to miss them and that you’d be counting the minutes until you were together again?” I could hear a slight annoyance in his voice.

I patted the bed. “I was talking to my side of the bed.” I smiled but I felt a little silly getting caught talking to a mattress.

“You were talking to the bed?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “What can I say…you know how much I love to sleep.”

Steven laughed. “I sure do. You can do ten hours on a weekend without a problem.”

“It’s not ten hours.” I corrected. “I might be in bed for ten hours but I’m up and down so many times during the night that I’m really only getting six or seven hours of actual sleep.”

Steven didn’t look convinced. He looked back at the bed. “I know how much you love to sleep but I didn’t know you talked to the bed like that.” He looked a bit hurt. “When you say good-by to me in the morning it’s usually with a quick kiss and you asking if I’m going to be home for dinner.”

“I’m sorry.” I said, I felt so guilty. I looked at the clock and could see I was now running late. I went over to him to give him a quick kiss. “I’m going to miss you.” I said. “I’ll be counting the minutes until we’re together again.” I smiled at him. “Does that make you feel better?”

Steven shook his head as he looked at me. “Not when I know you said it to the bed first.”

I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it up to him. “What if I stopped at the store after work and got whatever you wanted for dinner tonight?”

“Whatever I want?” Now he seemed interested.

“Sure.” I said. “You’ll beat me home so you can already be in your sweats relaxing on the couch and have full control of the channel changer when I get in.”

“That sounds nice.” he said.

“So we’re good?” I asked, as I glanced at the clock one more time. “No more hurt feelings?”

“That depends.” he said.

“Depends on what?” I asked.

“What I decide I’d like for dinner tonight.” he said. “I’m going to have to give this some thought.”

“Seriously?”

“Hey, I don’t get to choose the dinner menu very often.”

I looked at the clock one more time. “I’m going to be late.” I said grabbing my purse and heading for the door. “Text me when you decide.”

“I will.” he called as I closed and locked the front door.

As I walked to the car, thinking about the hours I’d just added to the already long day I had ahead of me, I made a very important decision. That was the very last time I was going let him catch me talking to the bed.

I was busy loading the dishwasher while Steven cleared off the table. As he handed me a pile of dirty plates it seemed to trigger a romantic thought for him.

“Is there anything special you want for Valentine’s Day this year?” he asked.

I began scraping bits of leftover pork chops into the trash. “I don’t know.” I said. “Why don’t you surprise me?”

Steven groaned. “I hate when you ask me to surprise me. You never like what I come up with.”

“That’s not true,” I argued. “I love your gifts.”

“See, that’s what I mean.” he said. “You just said gifts. So, if I took you out to dinner, you’d be disappointed because what you were really looking for was a new pair of earrings.”

“I don’t want a pair of earrings.” I said as I rinsed the plates before putting them in the dishwasher.

“That’s not what I mean and you know it.” Steven complained. “If you were looking to go out to dinner, I’d make the mistake of bringing you a box of candy. If you wanted candy this year, I’d think it could all be said in a card.”

I had to smile as I made room in the bottom rack for the serving bowls. I loved the fact that he was worried about coming up with the right gift. I closed the dishwasher door and pushed the start button. Leaning against the counter, I watched as Steven put the salad dressing away. “Whatever you come up with will be perfect.” I said.

That’s when Steven had another idea. “Why don’t you tell me your favorite Valentine’s gift I’ve given you and maybe that will help me pick something out for you this year?”

I didn’t have to think very long.

“Remember a few years back when we had a really heavy snow? You took the boys outside and after a few minutes you called me on the phone and told me to go upstairs and look out the window.” I smiled as I remembered the day. “When I looked out the window there were all of my guys standing in the front yard, pointing to the heart shapes you’d made in the snow with your boots.”

I went over and gave Steven a kiss on the cheek. “That was my favorite Valentine’s Day present.” I said.

Steven looked out the window where all the snow from last week had melted. Only a few piles of dirty snow were left. Steven turned back to me. “Okay, so what was your second favorite present?”

Steven walked by my office and stopped when he saw that I was bent over with my hands wrapped about my ankles while I unsuccessfully tired to press my head somewhere close to my knees.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“I was reading an article on how to cut back on my caffeine intake.” I wheezed. “It says that any inverted yoga pose is just as energizing as a cup of coffee or tea.” I was really hoping it was true because right at that particular moment it felt like my head was about to explode and I was pretty sure it wasn’t from the lack of caffeine in my system.

“How long do you have to do that?” he asked.

“It said only about two minutes.” I felt like my two minutes were up so I stood and quickly sat back down in my desk chair.

“How do you feel” Steven asked.

“Dizzy.” My eyes were busy following the burst of little stars as they floated around in front of me. “Maybe I got up too fast.”

“Well, as long as you’re feeling energized.” Steven laughed.

“It’s not working yet.” I complained. I gave myself a few seconds then got back down on my hands and knees, I pushed my legs up straight so that my knees were locked and my rear end was sticking up in the air. “I’m going to try some downward facing dog instead.”

“How is that going to be any different that what you just did?” he asked.

“This one involves the pose and my breathing.” I told him.

“You weren’t breathing with the last one?”

“You trying taking a deep breath while your head is smashed up against your knees.” I argued.

“I guess that’s true.” Steven took a sip of his coffee. “So how long do you have to hold this pose?”

“Can you wait a minute?” I asked. I pulled a deep breath in through my nose and slowly released it through my mouth. “I shouldn’t be talking right now. I’m supposed to be concentrating on my breathing.”

Steven leaned against the door frame to wait. After a few more deep breaths I got up from my pose and looked at Steven.

“So, did that one work?” he asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. “At least I’m not as dizzy anymore. But I’m not sure I’m feeling energized with either one of them.”

Steven held out his mug for me to see. “Have you thought about skipping the torture and just having a little caffeine?”

“I know.” I sighed. I missed the several cups of tea I’d usually be drinking throughout my day. “But it was too much. It’s time for me to find something else that’s going to wake me up in the morning.” I went to grab a towel and headed for our bathroom. “The article also said that if I end my shower with a quick burst of cold water it would perk me up and get me ready to start my day.”

Steven laughed again. “I know that’s how I’d want to start my days.” He called as he took another sip of his coffee. “Dizzy, cold and still tired.”.

I have to admit, he was beginning to get me to rethink my caffeine-free morning

I’d gone to the grocery store and I guess I was running a bit late because Steven met me at the door.

“What happened to you?” he asked.

“I got a little side-tracked by a phone call.” I replied. I handed him a few bags to put on the counter.

“Who called you?” he asked.

“No one.”

Steven looked confused so I went on to explain. “I was in the store when a woman behind me was on her cell phone and she was a cell yeller.”

We’d both had experiences with cell yellers. Those annoying people who don’t seem to know how loud they’re talking.

“This woman says, ‘I usually never do that on a first date, but I couldn’t help myself this time.’ I looked at Steven and shrugged my shoulders. “What was I supposed to do after she said that?” I asked.

Steven looked at me. “What doesn’t she do on the first date?”

“That’s what I mean! There’s no way I could walk away from that opening. So I had to follow her for three aisles before I found out it was eating spaghetti.”

“She doesn’t eat spaghetti on the first date?”

“Nope, it turns out that she thinks it’s too messy. She also can’t figure out how much to put on her fork or if she should twirl it with a spoon or shove it against a piece of bread. But for some reason she decided to go for it on this date and gave it a try.”

Steven started to laugh. “But I still don’t see how that would make you so late.”

“Are you kidding?” I opened the freezer to put the frozen food away. “By the time she got the whole story out I’d done all of her shopping with her. I was so busy pretending to shop for things I didn’t need that I didn’t get any real shopping done.

I put the oranges in the fruit bowl. “When I found out she wasn’t going to have a very interesting conversation I had to put away all of my pretend shopping and start all over again!”

I began stacking the canned goods in the pantry. “You can see how time consuming that can be.”

“So what you’re telling me is that you’re late because you were too busy pretend shopping so you could eavesdrop on someone’s conversation?”

“I was not eavesdropping!” I was insulted that he would even think that about me.

“So what do you call listening in on someone’s personal call?”

“We’ve had this discussion before. “I reminded him. I was beginning to get annoyed. “It’s not a personal call when you’re shouting for everyone to hear.”

Steven didn’t look convinced.

“Well, I wasn’t the only one following her to listen to her conversation.” I reasoned.

“How do you know that?”

“Because when I got bored and started putting back my pretend shopping there were a few other people doing the same thing.”

“But how do you know they were listening to her conversation too?” he asked.

“Because I could hear them muttering about spaghetti and first dates.”

“You could hear them muttering?”

I shrugged my shoulders, “What can I say, Steven? I have excellent hearing.”

Steven, Alex and I were sitting in our living room watching a movie. I got up from the couch and hadn’t even taken a step when both of them said in unison. “Are you getting something to eat?”

“We just finished dinner ten minutes ago!” I said as I moved over to the window to look out in our backyard. “I’m checking to see how hard it’s snowing out.” I didn’t even have to switch on the outside light to see that it was coming down. “I wonder how many inches this one’s going to be?” I asked.

Steven put the movie on pause and switched over to the weather channel. “It’s still saying over twelve inches by the end of tomorrow night.” he said before changing back to the movie.

I turned around to look at them. Both of them had their feet up on the coffee table, their heads on pillows and comforters wrapped around them. “I wasn’t talking about inches of snow.” I complained. “I’m talking about inches around my waist!”

Alex looked over at me. “You promised me you’d make brownies tomorrow.” he said. “Are you trying to back out of that?”

“No.” I sighed.

“You also promised me you’d make French toast for breakfast.” Alex added.

“I know.” I could already feel the extra inches on my hips and I hadn’t even started my-stuck-in-the-house-eating.

“You’re still making the pot of chili for tomorrow nights dinner, aren’t you?” Steven asked. “I was looking forward to that.”

“Listen to us!” I cried. “All we talk about is food!”

“What else is there to do?” Steven asked.

“I don’t know, maybe we could all take a walk in the snow?” I suggested. “Build a snowman, maybe take up a winter sport?”

Steven and Alex turned around to stare at me. “It’s going to be a blizzard.” Steven said.

“Besides.” Alex added then started to laugh. “You hate the snow!”

“I don’t hate it.” I corrected him. “I don’t mind looking at it through the window.”

“Even when the kids were little you wouldn’t go out in it.” Steven reminded me. “You’d send me out to fight the snow battles and build the snow forts.”

“Yeah, you’d wave to us from the kitchen window!” Alex said.

“I didn’t have time to go outside and play.” I argued. “I was too busy in the kitchen baking cookies and getting the hot chocolate ready for when you guys came in!”

“Oh…” Alex said. “That reminds me. Do we have any hot chocolate?”

“I’m sure there’s some in the pantry.”

“Can you make us some?” he asked. “We’ll stop the movie until you get back.”

Steven had already hit the pause button again.

“I suppose I could make some.” I said as I headed for the kitchen.

“Is there any more coffee cake left?” Alex called to me.

“Yes.” I said.

“I’ll have some of that too!” he called back.

“Me too!” Steven said.

As I loaded another try with food I was beginning to wonder if maybe I should just trade my jeans in for a pair of sweat pants…at least until the snow stops.

I’d been complaining for a very long time that I never seemed to have anything to wear, even though my closet was jammed with clothes. So…it was finally time. I opened the closet and began pulling out the unwanted, unloved, and let’s face it unwearable.

The first thing I pulled out was a maxi dress I’d loved. “I’m going to miss you.” I said as I dropped it on the floor making it my first on the give-away pile. No one had worn that style dress for a few years, but I’d been holding on because, well, it had looked good on me and I was hoping against hope that it would come back into fashion. “I’m sure you’ll find a good home somewhere else.” I assured it as I turned back to my closet.

The next item I grabbed was a beautiful black blazer. “Why haven’t I worn you?” I asked as I held it up to admire the cut. “You’re a classic!” I checked the size. “Perfect!” I was excited.

That’s when my husband Steven walked in. “What are you up to?” he asked as I held up the blazer for him to see. “This is the reason I decided it was time to clean out the closet! Look what I just found!” I cried as I slipped it off the hanger and put it on. “It’s still fits!” I said as I spun around to show him.

“Wow! I haven’t seen shoulder pads that big in years!” he said.

I turned to face the mirror to see what he was talking about. I sighed, feeling the disappointment of losing a perfectly good piece of clothing. “I look like I should be playing football.” I said as I tried pushing the shoulder pads down, somehow trying to crush them.

Steven shook his head. “There’s no way you’re going to make them any smaller.” he said.

I took it off and threw it in the pile.

Now I felt like I was on a roll. Shirts I hadn’t worn in years were thrown on the pile, no need to even try them on.

“I heard one way to check that you haven’t worn something for a while is to turn the hangers backwards. Then in six months, with just a quick glance, you can tell what you haven’t worn.” I began turning the hangers.

“You can’t just look at something and tell you haven’t worn it?” Steven asked.

“Well, yeah.” I said as I shrugged my shoulders. “But I read about this in a magazine and I thought it was worth a try.”

Steven just laughed and shook his head as he watched me throw a pair of jeans on the pile. “What’s wrong with those?” he asked.

“I don’t like them.” I said as I turned back to my closet.

Steven picked them up and looked at them. “There’s nothing wrong with these.” he said as he held them up. “Aren’t you going to try them on?”

“Nope.” I was busy pushing hangers around trying to find more that would go on the giveaway pile.

“Why not?”

I took the jeans out of him hands and dropped them back on the pile. Then I looked deep into his eyes and slowly said. “Because I don’t want to try them on.”

Steven looked confused for a moment then seemed to snap out of it. “Oh, sorry. I guess they don’t fit anymore, huh?”

We stared at each other for a moment until Steven turned to leave. “Maybe I’ll leave you alone while you finish up.” he said as he headed for the bedroom door.

“That would be a real good idea.” I said, as I sadly pulled more things out that were the wrong size.

Steven stopped in the doorway. “Would it make you feel any better if I made you a cup of tea?”

“You know, I think it would.” I had to smile.