Is it Saturday Yet?

  

I ask this because according to The Weather Channel, it is supposed to start warming up on Saturday.  I’ll be able to turn on the water for real.  Not need to wear three shirts, socks, and heavy flannel pants and still be cold.  And, we’ll have some “normal” winter for a few days until Summer arrives.

Yesterday was Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Carneval, Saturnalia or Lupercalia, Karneval, Fastnacht or Fasching, Fastevlan, or whatever you call it, wherever you are.  I’ve been to Mardi Gras in New Orleans several times in my life both as a child and an adult.  It’s unabashed fun with just a bit of craziness. 

I’ve watched the Flambeaux carriers dance through the French Quarters.

 

Seen amazing floats.

and, people in unique costumes.

Several long years ago, in an effort to increase tourism, Galveston started celebrating Mardi Gras with parades, costumes and its own brand of crazy fun.

Today it is supposed to warm up to a balmy 35°.  However, it is also raining today.  Ugh!  My weather station seems to think it may also sleet.  Joy.

Is it Saturday yet?

No, well days like this are good for staying inside and reading or listening to a good story. 

The Iron Winter and the Raggedy Old Man.

The Russian winter of 1910 was the severest in memory. It was so cold that it was known as the ‘Iron Winter’.

 Because of its location, a prosperous and popular hotel some twenty kilometers from Moscow, suffered particular loss of business. No one had stayed there for weeks and the owner had laid off most of his staff.

One evening, he was surprised to hear a knock on his front door. Upon opening it, he was confronted by a grey bearded, raggedy old man. The old man said that he had been out in the snow for several days. He was freezing cold and starving hungry. Could the hotelier give him a meal and a bed for the night?

“I can certainly do that”, said the hotelier, “For one night’s accommodation plus a meal, the charge is three rubles. Can you pay?” The old man confessed that he had no money, but if he was sent away, he would surely die in the cold.

The hotelier felt sorry for the old man and told him to come inside. He took him to the kitchen where, bubbling away on the stove was a pot of borsch (beetroot soup). The hotelier ladled out a large portion of the borsch, added a twist of sour cream and for good measure, gave his visitor half a loaf of rye bread. The raggedy old man was obviously very hungry and soon disposed of the bread and the soup. The hotelier laughed to see a great beetroot stain along the bottom of the old man’s moustache

The raggedy old man thanked the hotelier for the food and said, “You won’t see the going of me in the morning, but although I have no money now, I will pay you the three rubles when I have it”. The hotelier said nothing but did not expect to see either the three rubles or the old man ever again.

The snow eventually cleared and business began to pick up. In fact the hotel became busier than it had ever been.

In the spring, being a devoutly religious man, the hotelier decided to go to the great cathedral in the city to give thanks to God for the hotel’s recovery and continued success.

Upon arrival in the capital, he made straight for the cathedral. Once inside, he gazed around the interior of the ancient church. His eyes fell upon the many icons that adorned the walls. He was drawn in particular to one image in a far corner.

It was painted in the likeness of an old man with a grey beard and seemed vaguely familiar. As he drew closer, he noticed a dark, beetroot like stain upon the moustache. He looked at the name inscribed beneath the image. It read, “Saint Nicholas”

He reached for a candle to place in front of the icon and as he moved the loose earth into which he would fix the candle, his hand touched something small and hard. It was a coin, a ruble. Beside it were two more. He picked them up and looked again at the icon.

The beetroot stain was gone and the face was smiling.

I chose this story because it appears we are also having an "Iron Winter", not just here but all over.  So, remember this story if there's a knock on your door . . . .

 

17 February 2021