A year ago, I opened the sliding,
glass door walked out onto the
balcony, leaned on the railing and
said hi to neighbor Nancy who
bobbed all by herself in the pool.

Today, I look out the window and
can barely see across the street
for the snow falling strong and
steady.

A year ago, I put on my jogging
shoes, left the condo in my
shorts and jogged slowly on the
trail paralleling Rt. 51 on my
way to the underpass and Piestewa
Peak and the Phoenix Mountain
Preserve.

Today, as I continue to look out the
window I am hoping for four inches
of snow to fall because then the
snow-plower will come. If not, I
will be the snow-plower and I won’t
be wearing jogging shoes and shorts.

A year ago, I was already looking
forward to returning the next year.

Today, I’m already looking forward
to next year, leaning over the rail-
ing and saying hi to neighbor Nancy
bobbing all by herself in the pool.

What a difference a year makes.