Snow, ice, and a lonely ladybug

'Twas a nice weekend by most standards, I would say. Friday I did a little Target shopping and put up my little tree ... Saturday I went to yoga in the cold cold morning then Floating Head and I did our typical macrobiotic healthy lunch and then I went up to Central Park to meet the Chia Pet for shopping in the holiday market. Only I got there much much earlier than she did so I bought a perfect steaming hot cup of apple cider and sat on the fountain of Victory in Columbus Circle - which I just realized is slightly symbolic since Victory is Nike in Greek mythology and that's where my name comes from ... okay, so anyway - to wait for her and sipped away and felt fine. Until the cider was finished and the warmth went away... too cold for words! But hello, its December this is how it's supposed to be :-) So as I was shivering, I just happened to look down and there was a ladybug next to me, standing perfectly still. Odd, yes? Yes! You never see ladybugs in the winter since they hibernate - overwintering they call it - so I just thought it was so bizarre and I felt really bad for it - I know it was just a ladybug but it was so cold! So I put my coat bottom sort of over it and it seemed to help since I would peek at it and it started to move its wings and move around under there - I was hoping it would gather enough strength to fly away to where it needed to be - I know its strange and sort of dumb to get all caught up in a ladybug but leave it to me to get that way. I found out yesterday that to see a ladybug anytime - but particularly in winter - is a sign of good great big luck coming your way, a fantastic omen - so yay yay yay! for me - I love reading too deeply into things, it's what I do best. So bring it on, my good luck bug, I'm ready for you.

Sunday I woke up to snow and even more chilly December air and lovely lovely, you know the snow and winteriness just makes me smile. And all was perfect because it was the annual Park Avenue Tree Lighting ceremony where we all stand outside and sing Christmas carols while they light up the trees in the middle of the street and lets face it, this holiday stuff works best when it actually feels like Christmas outside so the snow and the wind and the chill and the rosy cheeks and being cutely bundled up and feeling fat as the Michelin man was much appreciated. Then we warmed up with Irish coffees and shepherd's pie and by the time I left it was raining and all the snow had melted and was icy or gone completely. Oh well. It's still cold out - really REALLY cold actually and that's enough to keep the holiday good mood sticking to me.