Thinking today

It's just past midnight. It's Thinking Day. I'm thinking. I've just been out with the dog. Tonight saw the third of the Swedish competition rounds of the Eurovision song contest (don't ask me to explain, it's too complicated!!!) weekends. My best friend and I have had a lovely night in front of the telly, after a lovely dinner, and a not so lovely clear up of the house. My husband is coming home tomorrow, and she phoned me yesterday, saying that she was coming over to help me clean the house. That's very thoughtful.

I think that I have been coping very well for 5 weeks, being a single parent, as the Hubbie has been in Tanzania doing his last work experience on his course to become a nurse, but some things have been left "'til tomorrow". I have been thinking a lot about all the single parents out there, who have to manage on their own all the time, coping with kids, school, economy, cleaning and all the everyday tasks that won't wait. It's very hard to make ends meet, even if you are on your own for just a short while. I'm greatful for being reminded of that.

Mother Nature is chucking down snow tonight. We rarely get a lot of snow, and it rarely last for very long, but Febuary is a very likely month for snow. House owners are obliged to tend to their paths. We live in a house, a bungalow, in a nice area, very close to the centre of the little town. There is a row of flats to our left, a family much like ours diagonally across the street, oposite and to the right couples in their 70ies. The man living on our right is the former police comissioner, and still a very strong man, and if we're away, he'd clear our driveway too, just so the house looks lived in, and if we get up first we'd clear the pavement outside their house too. We're not close: We don't borrow eggs or invite eachother over for coffee. But we care.

When my best friend left tonight, it was half past 11. I walked her a bit of the way. There was already about 8 cm (2.5 inches) of snow, so she couldn't cycle. All the sounds are muffled, it's so lovely. Only a few cars were out, mainly taxies. I had the dog off the lead. The neighbour had done my pavement too. I couldn't tell who did the oposite neighbours' pavement, but he looked much younger - parhaps their son-in-law, the baker, on his way to work?

When I walked back down the street, I realised that the widow 'round the corner would wake up tomorrow to a stretch of very heavy snow. When I got back to the house, I took out the shovel and did the paths up to my door and a little bit on the drive. As I felt I had the energy (and perhaps a few calories of nice dinner to work off) I walked round the corner to do her pavement too. The dog came with me. He's not a fan of snow shovels and brushes and usually attacs them, but he very seriously kept a watch for aproaching cars as I shoveled away. I hope she will be pleased in the morning! (And it's so much fun, knowing that she won't know who did it!)

This morning we'll meet at the pool, to have fun together, and to collect for the scout charity funds. We'll think about all the people, less fortunate than ourselves, but also about all our scouting friends out there.

Thinking Day used to be a holiday for Girl Guides around the world, but as the Swedish Scout Federation is a member of both WAGGS and WOSM our group have made an effort to celebrate Thinking Day as much as St George, but put different focus on the days. This year we will collect money for charity on Thinking Day, and repeat last year's success and do a Book Crossing Wild Release for St George, as it coincides with World Literature Day.