We’re still digging out. The snowblower is not working correctly. We think it’s a dirty carburetor, but we’re not sure. At any rate that will have to be dealt with next week. So Don had to shovel, and I, with my bad back, couldn’t help him. He got the driveway done and enough shoveled at the top of the drive so we would be able to get out if we needed to. But he was pretty darn tired and didn’t finish. And then it froze over night, as the temperatures plummeted. So he salted everything this morning and will go back out later. It’s pretty out there, but it’s a pain in the tush.
My back is getting better. It seems to be at its worst at the end of the day. I’m being very careful. I did do a bit of work on the puzzle, but only for brief periods of time.
Another tricky one, but then again, they all are.
I’m deep into Cloud Cuckoo Land now and am loving it. Anthony Doerr is such an amazing writer. The words, the ideas, the imagery – my heavens, he’s good. He won the Pulitzer Prize for All the Light We Cannot See. I’m back to reading again and it feels so good.
Pippa pointing out the fact that this dollhouse is too small for the girls.
I know, sweet Pip, I know.
Stay safe.
Happy Tuesday.
Oh no! That’s alot of snow to shovel. Poor Don. I hope you can get the snowblower fixed soon.
Pippa looks like the little sister to me. I think it’s because she doesn’t have bangs.
I’m glad your back is improving.
Take care
She does look like the youngest, but because of the body Olivia has, she is the shortest – so I think of her as the youngest!
Stay safe, Marilyn.
Pippa has a point! I’m waiting for Blythe Hill to be created!
I’m glad your back is much improved, even if not quite right yet. It’s going to be a terrific puzzle but not worth kicking you out of gear!
Kudos to Don!
He’s really exhausted. Tomorrow, I’m going to help him. I can’t watch him do all that work by himself.
Stay safe, Jeanie.
dear Claudia and Don — sorry for all that work shoveling — keep in mind, pls, that it can be dangerous in more ways than one, so be very careful. Pippa reminds me of me — except my hair was red and my eyes were green but every pix of young me has that same ‘innocent’ look that Pip has w/maybe a little anxiety as well — unknowns always were frightening for me and it showed on my face — very secluded, sheltered upbringing was not a confidence builder to say the least, ha!! hope healing will continue w/your back. pls stay safe/healthy–both of you.
We are very careful. But we have to do it.
Thanks, Linda.
Stay safe.
glad you are on the mend, but keep healing!
same for any pains don may have for shoveling so much snow.
hope the snowblower fix is quick (cheap would be nice, too, huh?) for both your sakes. and that you both take it easy!
that puzzle is looks great … you’re almost done with it! glad you are enjoying puzzles and books again.
ah, pip … please don’t worry about that house being too small. as jeanie said, maybe there will be a blythe hill cottage for you and your sisters someday. and you now have the whole of wonderful mockingbird hill cottage as your home. :)
after fourteen inches of snow last friday, a couple days of sunshine have made more of the streets passable here … just in time for temperatures near zero (starting overnight) to turn everything else into icy ruts. no fun … so i will be wearing many more layers, boots with good soles and shuffling when outside. kind of the opposite of brendab’s experience in florida, being so cold in winter makes me feel and act older than i already do/am. :l
going to read a while (starting on the “little house on the prairie” series, a Christmas gift from my family). :)
hope you have a nice night.
stay safe and warm!
kathy in iowa
kathy, have you read the Mitford books by Jan Karon? If not, I would highly recommend that you do so (in order!!). I am sure your library system has them. I think you would find great peace in their pages. The books by Miss Read are the same thing. Those are the places I go when I need some deep peace and soul healing. ♡
hej, chris. :)
i do need deep peace and soul healing (we all do, i think, in one way or another … life is beautiful but also tough!) so thank you for those book recommendations!
do you have a preference for mitford or miss read first?
and how are you and your family? doesn’t your little granddaughter turn two soon?
hope you are well, happy and stay safe!
xoprayers
kathy
kathy, yes she turns TWO in March! Time flies for sure!
I don’t think it matters which you start. Mitford is wonderful. Once you meet Father Tim and the rest of Mitford, you will love them all. I would start with At Home In Mitford, the first of the series.
Miss Read is also quite fun. The series in Fairacre begins with the book Village School. After the Fairacre books, it moves on to Thrush Green. Her books are really just peaceful and joyous. These characters, also, are quite lovely as well. You are right, books like these are what most of us do need right now to keep the madness at bay. I hope you find them as beautiful as I do!!!!
I echo Chris. I’ve read all the Mitford books and several of Miss Read’s books. They’re perfect.
Be careful out there, Kathy. We also have to deal with plunging temps and freezing snow and ice, although it’s going to reach 40 today and then single digits for several days. Up and down, up and down.
Stay safe!
I told my friends texting Florida does make us feel younger…she is in the midst of snow at home…all of northern friends have given up shoveling…the dangers at our age…most will do it cheaply and worth it…
Winter is a hard season. I know we have talked before how hard it must have been on the Pioneers as they lived in un-insulated homes, and had to chop every piece of wood to heat it, gather and grow their food, take care of the laundry, cooking, cleaning, kids, etc all in the isolation of the long winter months. Knowing myself as I do, I believe I might have gone mad.
Hope the back keeps improving. Tell Don to be careful out there. Take care.
Winter is very hard and this one – I write about it on today’s post – is getting me down. I can’t imagine how it must have been for the pioneers – when I think how hard it is for me – it must have been ten times as hard for them.
Stay safe, Chris.