Oh, Mon, is it too early for a drink?

I rubbed my eyes, it can’t be time to get up, yet.  What the hell, dear bladder?  It’s only 3:48 am and here I am on my way to the bathroom (the first trip of the day).  I glanced at the window and saw white.  A glimmer of white.  Again.  White.  NOOOOOOOO!

Oh, Mon, it can’t be.

Yes, it is.

Even though I knew it was likely to happen, I wasn’t tickled to see white again.  I’m done with snow for this winter.  I was tempted to go back to bed, probably should’ve done so.  But I was up, and so were the pets.  So I put on my writing shoes, threw my sweatshirt on over my writing jammies to keep warm, and headed to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee.

First stop, I had to let Copper out.  I turned on the lights to see, that I couldn’t see out.

Oh, Mon, it can’t be.  Nice.

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More white.  Looks like about 3 inches so far, and still coming down.  Not so nice.

I pulled the door open to let Copper out, he flinched and backed up.  I shut the door, told him, “Sorry, pup, the Mr. isn’t up yet, but you’re gonna have to take a leap of faith and just go out and pee.”  I opened the door again, and out he jumped, attempted a circle, paused mid-way to pee, and came right back in.

Oh, Mon.  At least it wasn’t on the floor.  I don’t blame him, I wouldn’t want to pee outside either.

Before I left the room, I glanced at the wall and saw the signs from Jamaica.  I smiled.

Great memories to warm my sick-of-winter soul.

Oh, Mon, what I wouldn’t give to be there right now.   I’d stick my toes in the sand and let the surf splash over them.  Again, and again, I never get tired of that feeling.

I shut off the light, went upstairs to begin the feeding fest for the pets.  But first a cup of coffee, for me, mon.  You cats can wait.

I glanced at the fridge and saw our magnets from Jamaica.  Since I had my camera ready, (who doesn’t have it ready at 4:00 am?)  I placed them strategically for the photo shoot.  I was standing there anyhow, waiting for my coffee to finish in the microwave.  I’m a multi-tasker don’t ya know?

I chuckled at the shadow.  I have rasta-like hair going on this morning.  Nice.

Oh Mon, good thing it was just me and the pets.

Ah, yes, 2009, the first time we took the kids to Jamaica.  We bought a couple of magnets to commemorate the trip.  We had a great family trip, met some special friends and learned a little Jamaican Patwah.  Our favorite saying – “Irie Mon”.  Means “no worries man.”

Irie Mon – we even danced on the stage with our new friends.

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I still feel bad that we obeyed the rules and didn’t tip our friend who spent so much time keeping our kids involved and entertained.  Even up to the day we left, he was there.

We had the kids write him a thank you note before we left so we could hand it to him when we met him to say goodbye.  He even gave us a gift when we left.  3 ladies dancing, I still have the picture hanging in my office.

Oh, Mon…I wonder what the temperature is like in Jamaica right now?  I checked my phone ap – clear and 76 degrees.  Nice.  Well, that wouldn’t suck, now would it?

We loved that trip so much, we went back in 2012.  And our friend that we made in 2009 came back to the resort to say “Hi, Irie Mon.”

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We also found the guy who painted our first magnets.  He was there again.  His hair had gotten a bit longer, but he said he remembered us.  We’re tourists, of course, we believed him and grabbed a photo.

That year I surprised the kids by bringing along buckets and shovels so they could build sand castles.  They looked at me and said, “Oh Mon, Mom…”  and then they got busy building with them.

We left them there on the beach so the next kid could have fun with them.  He was creative, too.

We got the itch to go back again in 2015.  We looked for our magnet painting friend, he wasn’t there.  But this singing guy was there again.

Instead of magnets, we bought the signs we have hanging in our bar to remember that trip, and the day I got to relax, and put my feet up while being serenaded on the beach.

Nice.

I also packed buckets for the girls in 2015.  Who by that time were old enough to join us for cocktails and bring their own friends along on the trip.  Oh, Mon, yep, we’re okay with that.

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Even in Jamaica, they know we drink Wisconsinbly.

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The buckets came in handy for saving chairs in the early morning hours.

Oh, Mon…early morning hours…on the beach…I’m delusional now.  I got lost in time while looking back at the pictures.  I looked outside, now that there is more daylight, and yep, it’s still snowing.  Still blowing.  Nice.

Is it too, early for a drink?

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Nah, maybe later.  But I can dream, I can imagine myself on a warm beach, soaking up the sun from sun up to sun down.

Oh, Mon…that would be NICE.

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My cup of coffee is depleted, it’s time to end this post and go grab a shovel.  Old Mon Winter is keeping us cozy inside, yet again.

Post inspired by Linda Hills’ Stream of Consciousness Saturday:  Mon