Oh boy. It’s friggin’ cold here this morning. I am currently wearing a wool cap, a shawl is draped around my shoulders and a quilt is draped around my lap. Yikes. Don threatened to take a picture of me in this get-up for my readers, but I squelched that idea. Our furnace/oil guy, Gino, gave us two space heaters to use and they are helping enormously but I’ve realized what a difference it makes when you have no heat coming up from the basement. Somehow the temperature in here seems much colder than yesterday morning when we still had some residual heat rising from the basement. The new boiler will be put in later today. It cannot come soon enough. It went down to 27° last night.
But even though this is a pain in the tush, it is nothing compared to what those who lost power during Sandy are going through. I just saw an update from one of my former students who lives in NJ with his wife and children. They are on their 11th day without power. 11 days. So I will shut my mouth now and cease complaining.
This was the view out my kitchen door last night. I was so intrigued by the cloud that is low on the horizon. Doesn’t it look like an angel’s wing? It was so beautiful. Far more beautiful than my camera could capture. I love sunsets. Winter sunsets seem to be even more extravagant in their beauty. Perhaps Mother Nature knows she needs to step up the color?
My favorite subject. Scout was in a playful mood here as we wrestled a bit on the living room rug. Oh that girl has such lively eyes. She will be 14 in January. How can that be? The other night, as it was snowing, I let her outside. I came back a few minutes later to see her frolicking in the snow: running around, pouncing, smiling. Thank goodness she still has a lot of puppy in her! I am totally besotted by her and always have been.
I’m missing Riley a lot lately. It’s been almost 3 months since we said goodbye to our boy. Remember the stories about Scout and Riley barking together? Scout would bark, then Riley would bark, then Scout would bark? Don and I would howl along with them. When I was playing with Scout the day this photo was taken, I started to howl. I hadn’t done that since Riley left us. She stopped her barking, gave me a surprised look and came over and licked me on the lips. When I did it again, she did the same thing. She knew. She misses her brother. So do I.
There’s a new scarf in the Etsy shop:
This one is in the softest wool and acrylic – really, it is so soft that even I (sensitive to wool) can wear it. Update: Sold Out. I’m starting another one later today.
I’ll be back later today – at 8:00 EST – for A Favorite Thing.
Happy Friday.
I hope when we hear from you this afternoon that your house is heated! Still praying for those who’ve lost everything in that storm, too. I wondered if Scout missed her buddy, I know you all do. Our furry friends are members of the family, seriously. Hugs ~ Mary
Boiler is in and we are nice and toasty.
Good morning, Claudia. We had a beautiful sunset here last night too, but I was driving as the sunset was occurring, so no pics! I’m sure that Scout misses Riley…I truly believe that animals mourn, too. Well, I’m off to get my hair cut so I hope by the next time we hear from you, that you are warm and cozy and not having to wear a cap and a shawl!
Claudia – Brrrrrrrrr…..Hope by evening you are all warm and toasty. Does Scout stay snuggled up with you? I laughed when you talked about Scout and Riley howling. Bella does that when a firetruck or ambulance siren goes off. We howl with her too!!! Now Laynee has gotten to where she howls when Bella howls. It sounds stupid I know, but to us, it is fun.
Have a great, warm weekend!
Judy
Ohhhweee, that is cold. Bundle up, and stay warm! My girlfriend lives in Basking Ridge, where there has been no power since Sandy. They are running their home on generator, with gas that has been very hard to get.
Love your scarves. Love the story about the barking doggins.
Hugs,
Kris
Those poor people who still do not have power! My goodness, it must be so, so difficult to remain positive.
That Scout has such spirit as well as being a real beauty! Talk about a poster girl for aging well.
If only I was aging as well.
Wow Claudia, That was The perfect analogy o f “Bitter Sweet”. I liked your post but it also brought a few tears at the end.! You do good work! -Judy A-
Thanks, Judy.
I just bought the blue Obsession Scarf ~ wanted to contribute to The Heater Cause (:
Well, thank you, Susy, I appreciate that, but I hope you want to wear it, as well!
Love that story of you and Scout. So glad you have each other. Hope you get warm soon.
Claudia when we were without power for 12 days several years ago due to 3 hurricanes I can’t tell you how it lifted our spirits to be out and about and see power company trucks from other states helping out. The day we finally saw one on the street in front of our house I stood at the front door and cried. I’ll never forget that feeling. It was August in Florida and we had enough power from a generator to run our fridge, a fan, and our water pump. But it was so hot the only way we could get cool was to get under a cool shower. My heart goes out to those folks who have lost power and are having such cold weather. Hope they get your furnace in with no problem and you get to enjoy the “warmth of home” real soon.
We are all set now. The temps were warmer here today and last night it stayed above freezing – maybe a little bit of a break for those who are still suffering.
Hi Claudia. If you don’t mind or if it’s not top secret, could you tell me what yarn you used for the obsession scarf? It sounds yummy. I don’t sell these, just make them for my family (but I’m much, much slower than you.) The yarn sounds wonderful. Thanks! Mona
Love your Scout and Riley stories and Miss Scout certainly is a good example for us all. Can’t say I’m ready to ‘frolic’ in the snow… shovelling twice yesterday was enough of a frolic for me. Stay warm. Maybe you need to grow some toe fur like Scouts! :)
The midwest has seen our share of power outages over the years. I remember my parents once being without power for over 2 weeks after an ice storm. Its a tough situation indeed. It makes me appreciate even more how our forefathers, pioneers – and even our own grandparents/parents through the early 1900s and depression years – ever made it. They were/are all a tough lot indeed. Hopefully we can learn lessons from them. It underscores the importance of doing our best to always be prepared and to truly count our blessings for the things we often just take for granted.
My parents, too, were without power for over two weeks after an ice storm. I wasn’t living at home then, but it was really hard for them and they didn’t have a generator.
I truly hope your heat gets up and running before tonight…I usually keep pretty warm with my constant hot flashes but the cold has set in here, too! I love how positive you are though, finding such joy in your sweet pup Scout and remembering the good times with Riley. My daughter keeps worrying that our babies are getting old but it seems they are living quite a bit longer these days…maybe with all that good love!
Your sunset picture is just beautiful, let’s believe you have an angel watching over you while you wait for that heat1
xo,
jANE
I hope so! I could use an angel right about now, Jane. I went through the hot flash thing, so I understand. They are no longer a problem but they were a pain in the tush for a while there!
I’m sure the boiler can’t come soon enough! And, I’m sure Scout does miss Riley, too. Beautiful sunset…hope there are many more! ;)
Oh doggie kisses make me tear up! I know you miss your boy! Love the scarf! Hugs, Linda
Hope you are warming up. Scoutie your Aunt Mere misses you and your crazy personality. I wish we were snuggling right now.
Mere
Scoutie wishes you would come visit her and snuggle. She loves her Aunt Meredith.
I love your sunset and how you love your dog. I posted a neat sunset on my blog this morning, I invite you to come over and see it. It’s over the Columbia River Gorge, last evening. I’m off to swim for an hour now. Good luck on getting your furnace going! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
I’d probably have Scout under that blanket with me until the heat is back in order! Nothing like a warm, dear doggy friend :-)
That was so sweet about Scout and the howling. Get her under your quilt and you’ll warm up in no time!
UGH so sorry about your boiler :(
Been many a time I’ve been cold from this or that power outage over the years and I know it is awful!!!! :(
So glad to know that the new boiler is on it’s way. Scout looks as though she is really enjoying the cold. Bentley really perks up too and races around outside. It will be cold here tonight as well. Winter is really on it’s way. See you later tonight!
Big Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
My dogs don’t know how to howl. I’ve tried to teach them. My dogs before these howled. Oh well. Three months is not long in the stages of grief in my book. The scarf is gorgeous.
Brenda
No, I know. Grief has no time limit, as far as I’m concerned.
As I read this tonight, I hope you are nice and warm again. My heart is going out to all of those who continue to be affected so negatively from Sandy. I pray things get better for them soon.
Hugs,
Laura
Me, too, Laura. The one positive thing is that it didn’t go down below freezing last night and will be even warmer tonight. Some small comfort.
It does look like an angel wing! I seen a beautiful sunset tonight too. The sun was one big orange ball as we headed west on I-70. It had been blinding us when we first headed out but the further along and the later it became it turned into an explosion of red, pink and orange melting lava on the horizon, Scout does indeed have the most beautiful eyes! So youthful for a dog of his maturity. The temps are suppose to be very comfortable this weekend here in Ohio. Kind of nice for November! ~Hugs, Patti
Glad to hear that you are enjoying the happy care-free puppy spirit in Scout. She doesn’t look or act 14. She is a gorgeous sweet girl. I miss Riley too. I got to know him by reading all the stories you shared. Your stories were moving and deeply touched my soul, especially the story about how he came into your life and the lessons you learned from him. I really, really miss him too and can only imagine how you, Don and Scout miss him. His sweet memories will stay with you and your readers for years to come. I have been deeply touched by all of the animals that come into my life. This summer a big red dog showed up in the meadow behind my home. He was lost for over 3 weeks and Dave and I helped to get him home. It was such a beautiful experience. I need to call his mom and ask if she can bring him over for a visit. I believe there is a deep spiritual bond between humans and animals.
When I first stumbled upon your blog, you were writing about the robin who chose to nest and raise her young at your house. I was so moved. I could also relate to the obsessive worry about how mama and the babies were doing. I get very attached to all the animals near my house and Mother Nature can be brutal at times. Enjoy the weekend. Hope your new furnace keeps you toasty during the cold days ahead.
Isn’t it wonderful when you can reunite a dog or cat with its family? I’ve done that before and it is so rewarding. Good for you two!
Yes, it is wonderful! It’s the best feeling to see how happy it makes the dog as well as the owner. Haven’t been able to reunite any cats but we’ve had quite a few cats show up this summer and spend the night on my comfy porch.
I hope you weren’t without heat for very long, Claudia. I’m very, very lucky to have a fireplace and I use it sometimes in the autumn when I really can’t justify putting the heat on that early in the season… and it’s just enough to take the chill off. I’m glad you were given the space heaters. Pets *do* know our hearts, don’t they? They are such empaths. How anyone could think they don’t have souls is beyond me. Your scarf is beautiful, as always. Take care.