As of today, we are halfway through this interminable month. Is it really true that January has only 31 days? The holidays blurred by, a fever of activity, then a kind of wintry quiet set in, chilly and dark. I confess that I’m ignoring the clutter, not wanting to put away the warmth and glow of the season just yet. And although I see that evening light inches forward each day, when early darkness descends it brings a shiver with it. January is a very long month.
Still, January is a month of beginnings. The Finns call it Tammikuu, turning month. The earth ever so slowly tilts toward the sun. I tack up my brand new calendar and think of possibilities, making an effort to write my reminders legibly in the little squares. Our walking routine is temporarily on hold due to a heavy dumping of snow, so we make our way to the gym at last, feeling quite self righteous after a few minutes on the treadmill. I plod through “Pride and Prejudice” for the next book club meeting, which just might be the social highlight of the month. My oven comes on, a new recipe for chocolate chip cookies piquing my curiosity. It calls for potato chips, among other things. It does not disappoint, and the results are shared with the boys across the street. In between, I take time to chat with faraway friends and rellies.
Maybe I’ll just wait for Valentines Day to put away Christmas. Someone will have chocolate by then, and chocolate is a great pain reliever.