February 1, 2025

 

A Candle to Resist the Dark

January 16, 2025

 I still don’t know when I will have cervical decompression surgery. My initial consultation at Duke Spine Clinic is on February 10. I should know more after that appointment. The waiting is nerve wracking to say the least. 

January 8, 2025 Woke up To Snow Covered Ground

 

I was so surprised.  I'm a weather junkie so I don't know how I missed the possibility of snow for this morning.  There's another Winter Weather Advisory for our area for 3-7 inches (wide variable, I know) for Friday.  And man is it cold.  The high didn't even make it past 27 deg today and with the wind chill it is really too cold for me today.  Supposed to be a low of 14 deg tonight.  I had a few more groceries delivered.  I'm ready to hunker down for the duration.

I feel so guilty that I have warm shelter and clothing, plenty of food, all the amenities, and yet so many are suffering so much deprivation all across our country, as well as across the world.  I have a hard time reconciling it all.  My heart truly goes out to all of those suffering such tragic losses in CA, as well as across the nation, and the world.  

January 5, 2025. Snow Watch

  

It looks like snow and the temperature is perfect for it. We are under a winter weather advisory. I have needed some sort of alternate heat source. There are fireplaces here but I haven't had a chimney sweep in yet to check them so not smart to use them until they've been inspected. I have no way of knowing how many years it's been since there has been a fire in them. I've had this house almost 6 years and I haven't had one yet. A friend mentioned a portable propane heater for indoor use, so I had one delivered yesterday. I'm relieved to have something as a backup. 

I have given in and started ordering groceries and having them delivered. Doesn't look like I'm going to be driving any time soon. My neighbors are wonderful to offer to bring things in but I feel better being able to order whatever whenever and have to impose on anyone. 

It's now 10:25 a.m. and it has just started snowing. A very fine snow, the kind that likes to start tiny and end up laying a deep snow.  It's 1:00 p.m. now and it looks like we are finished with the snow. We were just on the edge of it. 

January 2, 2025. The Work of Christmas

The Work of Christmas 

When the song of the angels is stilled, 

When the star in the sky is gone, 

When the kings and princes are home, 

When the shepherds are back with their flock, 

The work of Christmas begins: 

To find the lost, 

To heal the broken, 

To feed the hungry, 

To release the prisoner, 

To rebuild the nations, 

To bring peace among others, 

To make music in the heart. 

Howard Thurman

It was a beautiful sunny day today.  The bottom is supposed to drop out slowly starting tonight, and droppping into frigid temperatures.  Forecast says to last about a couple of weeks.  

January 1, 2025

I have really lazed through the day.  I spent the first half of the day wishing all of my near and far-flung dear friends and family a peaceful New Year.  And I have accomplished a couple of things that I will have to do throughout the year, such as strip my bed and wash the sheets, vacuum the litter box room, place an online order for some groceries since it looks like I won't be driving any time soon, and also some fun things that I want to carry throughout the year----knitting, slow stitching, blog reading, checking in on the people that I follow on Instagram and FB.   

I am ready to get this surgery over with (still no news on when) and then I will keep my head down and hope that the year plays out with more peace and health than I'm starting the year with.  Wishing all of you peace, health and all best wishes for the coming year.

New Year's Eve

I am eating leftover pizza (no, I should not have it because of all of the sodium, but that's what's for dinner), there's a ballgame on the TV, the cats are all sprawled around sleeping, and I'm planning to sit and knit.  On and off until the end of the last night of the sane years for a while.

Wishing everyone well in the coming days........  

December 30, 2024. New Year's Eve Eve

One evening last week the sunset set the neighbors' windows on fire.  I love catching that with the camera.

I haven't heard yet when my neck surgery will be.  I probably won't hear anything until next week, if then.  My nervousness keeps increasing.
 

These In-Between Days December 28, 2024

 Today is 3 years since my sister left us in such a sudden tragic way.  She has been on my mind on and off all day.  Well, honestly, she is every day, but today is so piercing still with the grief of her not physically being here and with missing her.  

I have unwelcome adventures coming up for me in the new year.  I have just been diagnosed with my spinal cord being compressed in my neck, and I have no choice but to have surgery as soon as possible.  I have asked for a referral to Duke in Raleigh, NC, but haven't heard anything from that yet.  

I was so ready to be as healed from the open heart procedures last year as possible, and was making really good progess in so many ways, with the exception of still being short of breath and fluid retention (which cardiology couldn't explain).  I've been told those are a result of the spinal cord compression.  I am afraid of having the procedure----and yet I want it over as soon as possible so that I can try to move forward with my life----again.

December 25, 2024. Merry Christmas

December 24, 2024 Christmas Eve