Dear Michelle, you are indeed in the midst of - what to do while you hope the storm is passing. I have vaguely in mind a famous quote about peace within the storm. You do seem to find that from time to time but then another wave hits you and you fear you will founder but you find your balance and keep on until the next wave. In between, you may be anxious about when the next wave will hit; that is not helpful but it is human.

I am minded of the worst period of my environmental illness; the four years when I could do so little I decided life was not worth living. Ten years, and many changes, later I am still perking along - help came when I needed it most AND was open to it.

And you and the family are perking along. I am amazed at what you manage to get done in the midst of your storm. You just keep on rowing! ("Have faith... but keep on rowing.") In the midst of chaos, you have a firm center. And a support group that cares, that is rooting for you. D.

As for where have I been for 2 weeks and here it is almost the end of another month!

The internet at the country quit and having finally reached a, hopefully, helpful person at Bell, I am off in a bit to a Bell centre to get help. (I brought the router to the city and it does not work here either.) So I felt bereft of connect -ability for the last 3 weekends. During the week, I focussed on the wind turbines and R spent two days writing a contract. I read.

My letter to the editor was well received by our group. We met with the MNA on Fri in the midst of our worst yet snow storm. He lives two roads over from the cabin and seemed surprised, even shocked by the environmental aspects, and empathetic. He doubts it will ever happen. But we need to be vigilant and that means going to the council meeting each month and providing them with info they will accept. Neighbour Leo had copies of a provincial report; he read all 150 pages, in French!, and found lots of helpful, hopeful info. He will give a copy to the council.   The MNA thought it would be available in English and I am hoping Leo will order some in English. Amazingly, they are not only free, they were delivered by Purolator! Of course, the taxpayers pay.

Laundry is in the works; two loads today. R is off to work and I am preparing to go back to the country tomorrow, may even go to NYS to visit rehabber and take her some gloves. This is part of my "de-cluttering"! On the way back from Whidbey Island, I bought a huge bin of gloves - work gloves or various types - whole boxes of latex gloves as well as goat skin gloves good for gardening and heavy rubber gloves, good for raccoon cage cleaning. The whole bin was $20 because they were ALL small - in a man's world, a machinery company! If I give Amy a plastic bag full, I still have a banana box full to give other rehabbers and a life time supply of gardening gloves. That was a GOOD buy!

During a day on my own at the cabin, I sorted out a bunch of stuff to go out to the garage for storage but it is in the hallway waiting for warmer weather. I did check the freezer full of clay and found the light bulb out and the clay might have frozen. I replaced the bulb and will HOPE!

Excellent music Friday eve at the Cafe - Bobby Dove is GOOD! Farewell party Sat eve gave a chance to socialize without disturbing the music - it was a dinner at the restaurant next door to the cafe, with most of the regulars! Sat next to a gardener (flowers); this was a great opportunity to find out about the local garden club and talk about gardening in zone 4. Although there is little sun at the cabin, I am thinking of a moveable garden, on wheels so I can put it in the sunniest spot - in front of the garage door! - and move it when necessary. I guess I am not over my gardening addiction.

I am not having much luck de-cluttering my body. Warmer weather will bring more opps for walks in the woods, potting and gardening in the city yard. Time to order tomato plants, I guess. Since I never wrote down the ones that were best last year....

The last two Sundays, we visited with Scottish friends who have been renting a cottage near the cabin - across the road from our environmentalist friend Blad who has taken (Scottish) Leo for walks and they are to go to the gorge yet, through a foot of snow. Leo (37) is "high functioning autistic" with 4 degrees and wonderful art work. His Mom is a historian and super mom who managed to get her son the help he needed throughout his school years in England. Leo's art work is here.

And last Weds I drove down to NYS, picked up a rehabber just the other side of the border and thn we went down to Wilmington where we met Amy at Wendy's Adirondack Wildlife Center and went for a walk in the woods with a very large and beautiful wolf, on a leash!, and Steve who gave a lecture throughout the whole hour on wolves and moose and other animals and their interactions, etc. Fascinating!

Then us (4) women went to the village to a thrift shop - one lovely old fashioned, lidded thingy for maple syrup, one small bowl - then to a natural food, Gluten-free shop for lunches to take back and eat in the dining room looking out on woods and snow covered mountains. A great day! Then I drove Marcia back home and came straight on to the city. All that in only 12 hours. Next time we must plan it so R can go. He would have loved it and he is quite capable of being "one of the girls"! He would not have dominated like many men would. Amy, Wendy, R and I had a great time together at the rehab conference in November.

Sat morning as I made breakfast, neighbour Leo came and plowed the driveway so he joined us briefly for breakfast; he needed to get to the city. Great neighbour to have! Sunday, he stopped in to try to get the internet going but no dice. R agreed to help him with some electrical wiring.

And it seems as though I spend most of my time just internetting or reading.

WOW! I have black bear Jewel's Den on half the screen and it is very noisy right now! Feeding time for the twins!