Early morning egg cups.
It’s dark in here because we have the blinds drawn and it’s very cold outside. We ordered more heating oil a couple of days ago, but it’s the weekend and we won’t have a delivery until Monday or Tuesday. So we’ve got the heat turned down and we’re wearing layers. It’s rather cozy!
I just made a second cup of coffee for us and that’s warming us up, as well.
Chris, are you home? I assume you are. Hope you’re enjoying being surrounded by the people and things you love.
My former student, Christine, is keeping us all updated on her battle with cancer via Caring Bridge. We’ve been praying for her this week (and always) as she and her husband were to meet with her doctor yesterday to see if the chemo has had any impact on her tumor. We waited for her post yesterday and the good news is that it has. She will now have a hysterectomy during the first week of March and then another round of chemo to treat some stray cells in her lungs and liver. As Don said about Christine: she is all love and light. And she is. (She and Jim were in the same class.) We are very thankful for this latest news.
Adrian is hospitalized, awaiting the day when he gets a new heart.
There’s a lot of praying going on here on a daily basis.
I’m next up in the queue for the new Deborah Crombie. It should be arriving at my little library branch shortly; hopefully, today. Huzzah! In the meantime, I’m reading War and Peace and Underland. I’ve urged Don to read Underland after I’ve finished. I think he’d really like it. It is absolutely fascinating. Back to War and Peace. Tolstoy was an incredible writer and storyteller. I am continuously astounded by his detailed descriptions of people, of setting, of battles. His ability to create an entire world within a scene is extraordinary. Not that I ever questioned his status as one of our greatest novelists, but I now completely understand why he is.
I’m still feeling under the weather. Just trying to hang in there and read, work on the puzzle, and take it easy.
Stay safe.
Happy Saturday.
I’ve taken a few days off work this week so I had some time to watch tv. I watched threes company, looking for Don! And I’ve been enjoying his music. You two have talents I wished I had. Sigh!
Prayers to the ones battling health issues.
Have a good!
Thanks so much, Darlene.
Stay safe.
Sending good thoughts for your friends…
It has been so cold around here it’s hard to do anything besides dress in layers and load on the blankets. Good time to read!
Take care!
Yes, indeed.
Stay safe, Barrie.
So many needs among our friends and family it seems. I’m trying to use take it all a day at a time. I watched the first episode of “The Last of Us”. It’s creepy but good. I’ll watch another episode tonight most likely. Take care and prayers for your friends. Hugs!
It’s really excellent, Linda. Enjoy.
Stay safe.
glad christine received some good news. and to chris k … i hope you are settled in among your loves and enjoying all the comforts of home. prayers continue.
glad you have layers to wear, hot beverages and good books to enjoy and more heating oil on the way. our soon-to-be-warmer weather (51 to 55 tomorrow through maybe tuesday, after a low of 6 degrees here yesterday) will hopefully reach you by the end of this week … and first melt all the ice still around here. :)
the egg cups look nice. and the cupboard that holds them was a perfect and meant-to-be find, for sure!
working on big and little projects around here. gratefully spending time with members of my family. thinking it doesn’t seem possible that next wednesday is already the first of march.
happy, safe, easy saturday to everyone!
kathy
Thank you, Kathy.
Stay safe.
I’m sorry you’re under the weather. Maybe it has something to do with the weather. And it’s so preoccupying when people dear to you are going thru a rough time. It’s good you can read fave novels and take yourself away from the worries for awhile here and there.
I found myself praying a lot yesterday. For homeless people in the intense and relentless Southern California storms with fiercest wind, rain, flooding and cold. I know of two who usually lay on the sidewalk with a blanket over them, trying to get warm in the sun. Everybody just walks around them. Where have they gone in this dangerous weather mess? Praying for rescue workers and emergency responders bailing out stupid people who aren’t on the roads due to jobs or other legit commitments but who simply want ‘to go see the snow’ (these types are being interviewed on TV news and it’s appalling ignorance and selfishness; why can’t they wait til the authorities say it’s safe to BE on the roads; the time will come soon enough!), getting themselves in jams without chains for their car tires or knowing how to drive in inclement weather (when nobody here is accustomed to it). Praying for homeless animals trying to get off the street and somewhere away from the wet and frigid-cold. For outside ‘pets’ whose neglectful owners aren’t conscientious about their comfort and safety, not even checking to see if the animals have proper, dry shelter (dogs are just ‘property’ to them, not ‘man’s best friend’; I see this at a home near where I live and the owner doesn’t even greet the dogs when he comes home from work; he ignores them, brushes them off; they’re just guard dogs to him; he gives these noble, intelligent, loyal German Shepherds zero attention and there’s not a dog house in sight).
It just hasn’t been hospitable out there weather-wise ‘for man nor beast’. And we ain’t getting out of it anytime soon; maybe a small break in the weather tomorrow, but that’s ‘it’ til Thursday. I got alerts on my phone throughout the day yesterday for flood warning, blizzard warning, wind warning (when it goes from ‘watch’ to a ‘warning’ from the weather service); our town was smack in the middle of a ‘squall’ line at one point; we didn’t know WHAT was going to happen with that ‘radar’; they (meteorologists) were worried about tornadic activity at the ocean coming ashore (I guess there’d already been water spouts).
Every heavyduty tarp we had over outdoor sheds is ripped to shreds (this gets expensive; we have four outdoor buildings) and we have no idea yet how flooded any of the sheds are (I have stuff from the house stored in them since we are in endless home improvement, as in years now; they are substantial sheds with hardwood floors, elevated off the ground, screened windows, strong entry doors and good roofs [well-built things]; just OLD and beginning to show the age, so we’re going to have to find a way to save the money and get them professionally repaired til such time that we can empty them; shoulda-woulda-coulda done it before now, obviously); unfortunately, the sheds have begun to leak in recent times. Both custom car covers, anchored securely as had been the shed tarps, are completely blown off two cars but we found the covers. Today, we get out the flashlights in this dark house (is so gray outside) and check all the ceilings for leaks as our house has an old roof. We’re well aware we’ve probably been cruis’in for a bruis’in, tending to beat ourselves up over it, as in we shall reap what we sow (it takes a long time to save money for a new house roof on fixed income). Thing is, if this is the only fallout from these storms for us, we are SO LUCKY because other people are having so much more severe issues with their homes, downed trees, flooded neighborhoods, etc.
My husband walked the dog when the rain FINALLY took a brief pause after 9am and he got glimpses of beautiful snow on the north mountains, much more than we’d had; so, there’s that. I’m hoping to get better views tomorrow when clouds hopefully part for more than a couple of minutes; and, again, we’re to get maybe a half day without rain on Sunday. We’re more fortunate than a lot of people; we’re draining well in the yards and don’t have too much standing water. Our temps are in the mid-40s at 10am; I know others around the country have it much worse right now at this hour, including you and Don! Southern Californians like me go on and on about ‘weather’ because we’re usually so boring with the same thing all the time but we haven’t had these kinds of storms in over thirty years, so it’s a kinda big deal for us.
Awaking with what they call ‘left-upper quadrant’ (abdominal) discomfort this morning (TMI!!), I refuse to get wigged out about it; I’m sure it’s just indigestion (anxiety?!!). My husband is a good cook but he uses ‘way too much oil and spice for me; so, I pay a price for his delicious recipes. He’s all about flavor when I need to be more about cautious eating! I also drank an abundance of coffee yesterday to keep warm (something I love, and it worked[!!], but normally I don’t/can’t drink coffee at this age and state of health; I started reacting to coffee adversely a few years back). My mom had a cast-iron stomach til she died at nearly age 90 and things like raw veggies, dairy, coffee, etc. never bothered her. Which was great because she had plenty-else wrong with her, so at least she didn’t have to watch what she ate!
So, it’s pouring out there again, as has become ‘usual’ (who’d have thought; this is Southern California for Pete’s sake; a place of drought). Another day of listening to hard rain and keeping watch. Just wish last month and this month that it hadn’t all come at once with a huge big bang. ‘Way too much drama; two big events rather than just spots of gently-falling rain from time to time which can be so restful and nice in brief ‘winter’ here. Nope, not THIS!
I’m so sorry, Vicki. It seems that, along with desperately needed water and moisture, you have to deal with wind and a deluge. Too much!
Thinking of you and everyone out there who is dealing with this unprecedented weather pattern.
xoxo
Claudia
You are kind to reply to my overly-long comment taking up space on your blog, Claudia; thank you.
Something strange happened; close to noon, there WAS a break in the rain we weren’t supposed to get (til tomorrow; maybe). Patches of blue sky; sun? My husband said, “Do we add to the problem and get out on the road or stay put?” Didn’t want to GO to the snow; just wanted to see it from afar (although I wasn’t feeling my greatest and very nearly just stayed at the house). Well, we didn’t have to go but a mile from home and there it was; low-low snow, even on the caps of the green foothills, not just the 4000-ft mountains; thick, white, A LOT OF IT, all along the ranges, so beautiful-beautiful-beautiful with sun shining on it like Heaven or Shangri-La. Or an alpine village in Switzerland! Our river is rushing wide, deep; muddy like the Mississippi.
And, while we were out so very briefly and sticking close to home, get this: A rainbow. A MAGNIFICENT RAINBOW. Maybe the largest rainbow I’ve ever seen in my life. Major arc, from the ground south to the ground north, arching over the river basin, the entire town and to the top of the lowest foothills where there are a few houses in ‘the heights’. Those homes were bathed in crayola colors of aqua-turquoise, glorious purple, yellow, orange; wow, wow, wow. Red, too. And green. The colors were vibrant; the thing was huge. I think I was screaming in delight. I got super-excited. Forgot all about feeling sick. My husband’s phone was dead so we couldn’t take a photo, but we’ll always have the image in our mind now. We were in sprinkles/lightest showers at that point with the sun behind us to the west; perfect moment. Wondrous. We were on the paralleling freeway (no traffic!) which is elevated above the town and river, so we were at a perfect vantage point for seeing the rainbow. It was such a ‘hopeful’ thing to see!
We’re 43 degrees at 4pm which is a bit cold for us in Southern California; ‘they’ say it feels like 40 and I agree! We got home in time before it started raining harder for my hero-husband to get new tarps on the sheds; he’s exhausted from the effort and it’s raining in earnest now. But we’re hunkered down as you said in your post title, and let’s hope both you and I feel better tomorrow, Claudia; stay warm in your cozy cottage and I’ll do the same. Thanks again for your good thoughts, especially when you’re not feeling as good as what’s ‘normal’ for you, yet you reach out to somebody else, like me!
Looking forward to Easter ahead when you also start showing us your individual egg cups; it’s a terrific collection in a terrific cabinet in a terrific place in the cottage!
PS and then I’ll shut up(!): I’m really grateful, too, that with all that sideways rain and destructive wind (my neighbor lost half of his palm tree from what I can see; one half still standing, the other half square in the middle of my hedgerow; we’ll figure it out later; stuff happens in wild weather), WE NEVER LOST POWER. We would have been really cold as our furnace is electrical ignition and we have a non-working fireplace.
Sounds spectacular, Vicki! Wow!
Stay safe.
Vicki yes the weather is crazy
My sister in law lives in ithe palisades in southern ca and she sent a picture of of icycles on the patio post
Just crazy!
Oh, dear, Claudia. I was hoping you’d feel better today. You and Don are having a hygge day, staying warm and cozy, reading and eating apple pie (I hope it’s not all gone). Prayers for all the creatures great and small out in the cold and for your friends. Nice to see your eggcups again. Take gentle care. Hugs, Elaine
Thank you, Elaine.
Stay safe.
Claudia…..can I ask for my husband to be included in any prayers that are out there. He had a heart attack six days ago…..emergency . No indication of this….but good timing and an extraordinary surgeon saved his life. I have him home with me now. I am in another room….just took aCovid test…..and it is negative.For that I am grateful. No sleep, worry and fear can knock you down. He is the strong one….now I have to be.
Maria
Yes, of course, Maria. Prayers are being sent your way. I’m so sorry that your husband is ill, but I’m glad he is now home with you. You will be strong, Maria. But try to get some rest.
Much love to you.
maria d, you definitely have my prayers …
thank you…..I appreciate your kindness.
oh, maria …
so sorry for what your husband and you have been dealing with. hopefully you can both begin to relax for him now being home and on the mend.
will definitely pray for you two.
sending a hug, too.
kathy
We just got done hunkering down. We had snow… very little, and ice, also very little, but enough to cause problems. Hope you feel better soon and stay warm.
I, too, hope Chris has found her way home and is enjoying her loves. Hi Chris!
And, sounds like healing vibes and prayers need to be sent out to many people. Consider it done. ;)
Thank you, Donna.
Stay safe.
Great news for Chris and good thoughts all around. We’re hoping the snow headed east passes us by but it’s pouring right now and probably cold enough to freeze sooner rather than later. I’m getting therapy out of the way shortly and home to huddle for the rest of the day!
All good wishes for Adrian, too.
Stay safe, Jeanie.