By Vicki Scott
There is something about building a fire in a fire pit as the weather cools down outside. I’m one of those rare birds that loves cold weather, and fire pits is one of the reasons why. I sit there by Fred, a plastic skeleton who sits in my spot on the two-person swing after he lost his side car spot of my husband Alan’s motorcycle. I took Alan’s spot on the swing while Alan sat at the patio table and played his genre of music.
It might be Halloween season, but Fred is a year-round friend, along with our backyard Christmas tree. It was soothing to my soul, watching the fire with Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Paul Thorne playing in the background. Sandy, our border collie that looks like a yellow lab, even calmed down. We walked her earlier in the day, so she had her fix.
Paul Thorne comes on with “Will the Circle be Unbroken,” and I think about our children and my mother. It was touching how our son Joseph sealed the last rose given to my mom in epoxy resin for me.
My mom always said not to buy her flowers, just one red rose.
Our daughter Eva framed the 23rd Psalm, a copy handwritten by my mother. My mother was a writer with a beautiful handwriting, but her dementia took so much away from it. Our son and daughter write very well. They each wrote a beautiful passage in my book, She Made a Difference, Anyway, a tribute to my mom. I miss my mom. May the circle be unbroken, except where dementia is concerned.
My mind is trying to sort everything out, but God knew I needed a break to count my blessings. I am so blessed.
With the love of family and friends, it is hard to imagine it any other way. I’m just an Alabama girl, born and raised, who loves cold weather.
Alan decided to move Fred to the patio table chair and sit in the swing with me while “Sweet Home Alabama” played on his phone. How ironic.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing, really,” I replied. “I’m just enjoying the fire.”
We sat in silence for a while and enjoyed the fire.
Stay safe, y’all!