Katrina Lost

Winter is fast approaching and I am very excited. I love the cold weather, I love wearing layers of clothes just to stay warm, and I love snow. Nothing could beat the sight of a street covered in white snow, rivers frozen like crystal in the ground and trees with snowy specks. I also enjoy staying indoors during this season, sipping hot chocolate with mini marshmallow, and lying curled up in a blanket in front of the fireplace. Just the thought of it can bring a lot of pleasant and heart warming memories.

So to ensure that I will have the chance to enjoy winter as I always do every year, I need to check the fireplace and the chimney if they are still in good working condition. What I hate about this part is that I have to hire some of the amateurs in town to check it for me. I once heard of a Dallas Chimney sweep service, too bad I don’t live in Texas. Anyway, I cannot let a small glitch ruin my favorite season, so I am waiting for my friends to call because I asked them to help me ask around or to phone their relatives if they know people who could do this job. I stand corrected, people who can do an excellent job. You see, I cannot afford to screw up my winter.

I don’t know what it is about me but strange things always happen to me. I am no Nancy Drew but I do manage to always run into unusual things and situations. Like the time I discovered that my brother’s girlfriend was also going out with another boy in town or the time when I accidentally saw a missing dog tied in the backyard of my next door neighbor. And now, I discovered that the father of the baby I was baby sitting was a former political prisoner in his native country.

It was just an accident that I have known about it. I overheard my bosses, the parents of the baby, discussing the pros and cons of getting political evacuation insurance. The concept was new to me so when the woman of the house and I were alone in the living room I politely asked her what it was. She explained it to me and that was when the subject of her husband being a political prisoner surfaced. She told me how hard their life was in their home country and I feel sorry for them. I know that I could never identify with their struggle but I really admired the way they stuck with their principles and the way they stood up for what is true regardless of the consequences. I guess it was strange because I didn’t know that I already had a personal encounter with a hero.

I have been eyeing this guy in my gym for several months now. He is really cute and appears to be rather nice. We used to just exchange small talks and pleasantries whenever we bumped into each other, until yesterday. Yesterday we really had the chance to talk, while waiting for our gym instructor, and we found out that we really have a lot of things in common. Next thing you know, he was asking me out on a date; and I was accepting his invitation.

So today I am here alone in my room, excited as a kid in a carnival, carefully selecting the perfect outfit for my date tonight. I tried on this deep burgundy dress with halter top and a skirt that flows down below my knees. But when I looked in the mirror I noticed that there was something missing; a piece of stunning fashion accessory. So I took out my gorgeous Gucci gold belt and the result was pretty amazing. It is really a mystery to me how one piece of accessory could make an outfit appear to be carefully put together.

If my date will turn out to be as perfect as my look tonight, then I sure am in for a treat.

I am a neat freak. I can’t stand dirt, grime and clutter. The thought of dust, unmade beds or unorganized things can keep me awake at night. In my house everything has a place and everything is in place.

My friends used to tease me about it but lately they learned to appreciate my house because according to them they feel a sense of calmness here unlike in their respective chaotic houses. And today, instead of them teasing me, they requested that I give them tips on how to organize their things and keep their house clean. I told them to invest on materials and furniture that will help them sort and keep their things in place. Like boxes, magazine racks and my favorite “organizer” so to speak, the bench with shoe storage. I showed them this bench in our entryway and they were surprised because all the while they thought that it was just a place to sit. I might have sounded like a salesman, but I told them that for me having the storage bench was a necessity considering that it will help them organize their home and avoid clutter; not to mention that you could really sit on it.

I am a nature lover and I love spending a lot of time outdoors. I love the feeling of the warm sun in my face and the cool and gentle breeze of the wind on my skin. But although I enjoy the daytime, nothing beats the solitude of the outdoors at night. The dark sky with diamond stars; I love stargazing. I think it is such a treat for the soul.

Believe me I will feel incomplete if I don’t spend at least a few hours outside at night. That is why I used to detest wintertime. The cold weather was a hindrance to my constant search for peace and it kept me away from my stars. But that was before, before my ever reliable best friend gave his surprise Christmas gift for me in advance last year.

You see my best friend is an excellent architect and last fall he showed me several outdoor fireplace plans that he prepared. Then he asked me to choose the design I wanted; the one that he will built for me. He knew my issue with cold weather and staying indoors and he gave me the perfect solution. A fireplace outdoors! So last winter, for the first time in many years I was able to gaze at my precious stars without freezing to death. Thanks to my ever thoughtful and wonderful best friend.