Winter solstice

Winter solstice, finally. Last night it rained steadily, heavily at times. The cold, sloppy sound of hissing tires below permeated my dreams. The heavy, overcast skies made the darkness more complete. When I left my building just before 8 there was only the slightest hint of purple in the near-black skies. The fierce glare of halogen headlights was overly aggressive before my first coffee. It was too wet to walk. Anyway, my feet are swollen for some unknown reason, which makes walking more difficult.

There was a new bus driver this morning, a handsome younger guy who was as congenial as the many other ones I have come to know. The streets were almost empty on this holiest of days, as was the bus itself. It is usually close to full but today there were only 10 other passengers. In one way it looked a bit sad, as though we were the only ones who hadn't won a reprieve from working, but I tried to see it as a special day free of the regular crowds and pressures.

I never take annual leave during the Christmas season. There is always a heavy competition to get it and I have no special need for it. I have nowhere to go and sitting at home watching the rain in the gloom of my apartment has no special appeal. I could do more work on my tulip window but I need a break from that; my hands and back are already suffering from the long hours I've spent on it. The phones at work are quiet, the lights are bright, the atmosphere here is peaceful and everyone is in a good mood. There's no better place to be.

There is another reason for me to celebrate solstice this year. It has been 137 days since my last fall, which was on August 6th. It's the third longest stretch without a fall since I began recording my falls six years ago. To break my record, 213 days, I'd have to stay upright until the Special Winter Olympics begin in March, which would feat worthy of a gold medal in and of itself.