28 December …

 

For those of you who celebrate Christmas … I hope your day was spectacular.  John and our neighbor Eric were here for dinner.

For those of you celebrating Hannukah … may light and blessings be yours.

For those of you three days into Kwanzaa … may your example spread the attributes necessary for a good world and may good food and fun be yours.

And to all of us awaiting a New Year … Mazel Tov.

~~~

For this house … what a ride.

Mark and family are still in New York state, and that distance is not one I would choose.  It will be rectified by this time next year.

Last wednesday, when we got home from the radio club party (at which I drank only sparkling cider), as I was going down to the back door I took a header and wound up in a most ungraceful position …

Fortunately John was at the house, so I had two rescuers. 

My injuries were an abraded right knee with a bone bruise which made bending that knee rather difficult for several days, a hit to the little finger side of my left hand which resulted in a bit of swelling and some bruising to my pinkie and ring finger areas (which made knitting and spinning out of the question for a day or so),face-2

and an abraded forehead with a couple of impressive goose eggs as well as bilateral shiners complete with king-sized red bags under both eyes.

I’m not sure how I managed to injure my right knee, my left hand, and my forehead with just one fall. John says it is a good thing I bounced rather than broke so maybe I did bounce.

I am so grateful for the care given me by both George and John.

23-dec-2016On Christmas Day, John arrived not feeling well.  He had stomach pain and bilateral lower abdominal pain.  He had shoveled snow out of his new driveway the day before, had no nausea or fever, and no obvious point pain, so we concluded it was muscles not used to shoveling snow.  But pre-dawn on the 26th, he was in Emergency being prepped for an immediate appendectomy.  All went well and he will be out of hospital today or tomorrow.

During dinner on Christmas Day, George experienced a food block at the entrance to his stomach and was unable to move it in either direction.  It took until 0200 the 26th for it to break loose.  Neither of us got much sleep that night.

And, because of the COLD weather, there is a break in one of the water lines in the hydro-electric system out in the meadow which means we are temporarily on electricity use restriction.  As soon as things thaw, it will be repaired.

George is once again able to eat and drink without problems.

John is repaired and soon will be at home recovering.

And my face no longer resembles a Hallowe’en mask, although I still have slight shiners.

2017 will be better …

I still believe in miracles …

I do, I do, I do …

~~~

msarc-2016The holiday party at the radio club went well.  Thirteen people were there (including two wives who are not in this club picture).

The food was spectacular.

The conversations were entertaining.

And the “Who the Devil is THAT?” game was a much bigger hit than I had expected.  The remarks and sharing and laughs were well worth the time spent getting it ready. 

Not a single member identified everyone.  The most identified out of the fifteen photos was six and that was by one of the wives who is not a club member. The prizes of stemmed glasses with sparkling cider and mugs with cocoa mix went to three members, each of whom got five correct. 

Next year (if I am still responsible for planning the potluck) we will play RADIO bingo and the prizes will be rice bag bed warmers.

~~~

AC and Fluffy have taken up cohabitation in the old dog house which allows them to look in the back door to watch happenings in the kitchen and dining area.  Because of my allergy, they are not allowed in the house and I have to wash my hands thoroughly (the ABC song hummed through twice while soaping) when I come back in after petting.

Fluffy has taken to caressing one ankle while AC rubs the other.  She allows me limited petting permission (only if AC is there to protect her).  And they now share food without any growling or hissing.

~~~

24-december-2016We had snow last friday …

28-dec-2016 which is still with us …

and on Christmas Eve a car with its rear off the road at the base of our first hill nearly closed High Meadow Road.  It was a young city couple who had rented a small house up the road from us for the weekend (a couple of the “new” owners on Hammond  Ranch have their places listed on AirBnB). 

On his way here, John rescued them.  We didn’t hear from them later and the car was no longer blocking the road on sunday, so we think all went well.

~~~

P.S.  At the time I fell last week I was carrying a bag containing a pint of IPA given me by one of the radio folks and the remainder of a bottle of Cabernet which no one else would take home … and neither bottle broke !!!

~~~

Ready to start the New Year?  Maybe Ray Bradbury said it best …

 “Go to the edge of the cliff and jump off. Build your wings on the way down.”

So … ’til next year …

 

 21 December …

 

Tonight is the radio club’s annual holiday potluck. 

For entertainment, I am having them play “Who the Devil is That?”.  I gathered pictures of members taken when they were between ten and twenty for identification.  There will be red herrings.  There are only three women in the club.  That would be too easy, so there are extra female pictures.  Here is my array.  Can you choose me?wilma

Report on food and fun will be shared next week.

~~~

Weather has been doing its chaos thing … rain, snow, wind, sun, freeze.  In depth report when the dust of the season clears.

~~~

Here in the northern hemisphere, tomorrow is the Winter Solstice often called Yule … the longest night preceding the return of the Sun to the north.  I saw this picture on the Yosemite page and loved it … so am sharing it.

yosemiteBlessed Solstice … celebrate the Return of the Sun.

~~~

We are late this year with just about everything … late

including uppping the tree. 

 

That is the reason (but not the excuse) for this short blog.  So through the tension …

 

 

Remember …

 

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Life may not be the party we hoped it would be, but since we’re here we might as well dance.

 

… ’til next week … BREATHE !

 

14 December …

 

 To quote John (and his eye) on saturday last …10-dec-2016

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

~~~

The radio club has instigated a wednesday night net … i.e. a time when club members can check in with each other and/or make announcements.  George and I missed the net last week and two members contacted us to ask if we were okay.  That surprised me (although it had been snowing) while at the same time adding a layer of comfort.

We will try to not miss another net.

~~~

It has been a quiet week.  John now has a key to our mailbox so he will bring in any mail when he comes and we no longer have to make special trips out.

John and Michael are moving and moving is tiring under the best of circumstances.  They will be settled as Siskiyou County folks by the first of the year.

Then, next year will be Mark’s turn to move west with his family.

The circle is forming.

~~~

Last thursday morning there was a rather large earthquake off the coast near Ferndale.  It was a 6+ but was about a hundred miles offshore and we didn’t feel it.  There had been a smaller one a year or so ago, but it was closer to land and we felt that one.

The Cascadia is more than overdue to let go … and when it does it will most likely be a BIG one.  That would be trouble for the coast and some are saying since the Mountain is dormant (just asleep, not dead) it could be trouble around here.

Oh well … stay tuned.

~~~

Weather report … Snow began wednesday evening. 7-dec-2016 There was about an inch on the boardwalk when I went to bed.  Wind overnight left some drifts. 

8-dec-2016Thursday morning, George inspected and although the driveway was clear, the road down the hill was blocked by a drift which George was able to clear friday morning good enough for 4x4s.

Since then we’ve had soft rains, melt, and COLD temperatures with another snow storm due tonight.

~~~

Cat report … AC now sees himself as guardian and insists on helping me with whatever.  I went out to the woodshed a couple of days ago to bring in some firewood and there he was … rubbing up against my ankles, sitting on my foot, talking and purring … and when I went into the shed, he climbed the ladder so he was up at the level of my face and hands as I reached for the firewood.  He inspected each piece as if to say “This one is okay” or “Nope, not that one this time.”

ac

 

He is mine and I’m sure he thinks I am his.

 

~~~

Opera this week was one of which I’d never heard … “L’Amour de Loin”.  It wasn’t what a quick look at the title might suggest. And it definitely wasn’t to my taste.  Oh well …

Next saturday will be Strauss’ “Salome”.  That I will enjoy.  I remember when some soprano (I don’t recall which) actually did the dance of the seven veils.  I can’t remember if she did it with or without a body suit. 

Shocking …

~~~

There has been more hoopla about what to use as a greeting during the holiday season.  Some people seem to believe that you have to choose one, and only one, greeting and if you choose differently from their choice, you are wrong … or worse.

I disagree. 

A commercial on a local television station spews their choice in-your-face and boasts “Yes, we said it.”  It makes me feel I might not be welcome in their establishment since I might choose a different greeting.

As in so many situations … I choose for me and you choose for you. 

If one or another of the possible greetings (such as Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa Greetings, Blessed Solstice, Joyful Yule, Beautiful Lucia, or Happy Holidays) is your choice … use it … but I advise you use it without pushing and with kindness.  Then if anyone objects, that’s their problem. 

At the same time, allow me to use the greeting I chose.

This writer now steps down off the seasonal soap box and wishes you all a wonderful holiday season … wherever you are and whatever you celebrate.

(Cwtches to all that need one.)

So … ’til next week …

 

 

7 December …

 

A day that lives in infamy …

This morning, at 0900, we will watch “Tora Tora Tora” … again.  We recently watched the PBS specials about the Oklahoma and the Arizona.  Guess you have to have been born before 1935 or so to understand. 

Reminds me that sometimes I start talking about history and then realize that what I remember quite clearly happened before the parents of the person I’m talking with were born and isn’t considered important enough to teach in school.

Oh well …

~~~

John’s holidays are being complicated by his move to Siskiyou County.  He has been making trips since last week transferring belongings and furniture from Marysville to Dunsmuir.  However, they have a secure place to live as of 1 December with a wonderful south facing place for his plants.

He will be with us for Christmas.  I’ll be serving turkey so he will have to make do with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, salad, and vegetables.  Oh well …

I am sooooo excited to have him so close …

~~~

7-dec-2016Weather has been cold.  Mornings, just before dawn, in the 20s.  Scattered rain, ice, and snow.  The Old Farmer’s almanac, which is more often right than wrong, says we’re in for a wet, warm winter. 

We shall see …

~~~

Remember last week when I yammered about Americans and their aversion to the word “toilet”?  Well, I got this from a cousin …

toilet

 

How about potty and WC and tinkle pot and toitoi?  Got those responses as well.

 

Can you add any others? 

Intelligent, intellectual survey, right?

~~~

Cat report …

AC is integrating with the barn cats.  He still spends most of his time around the house waiting for a “people” to come out.  Lately, he is often joined by the fluffy black cat, the sleek black cat with the white “locket” on its throat, and sometimes the two grey kittens.black-trio 

And the other cats are learning from him.  I’ve been able to pet the fluffy cat twice.

~~~

Something to remember in the years to come … 

 

“As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fears, our presence automatically liberates others.”

…  Marianne Williamson

 

We are free to laugh at clowns.


So … ’til next week …