Bonne voyage, Susan. Hope the weather is kind to you.

SRS: reading on computer is what I do all day! Or so it seems and my eyes need breaks from that! I scrounged around in the myriad piles of books "there must be something here I could find interesting..." R collects books indiscriminantly. So, my while-I-am-eating and darn well tired of the computer book was a tiny 1983 paperback called Tea with the Black Dragon - light and lively. I finished last night about 1 am just as R came home for "supper".

NY day was made great by an almost 3 hour phone conversation with the wife of my #1 son (most of that time) and my "wonderful son" - her words. That should hold us for a while! The recent death of a major Canadian Quaker and how the family - each of whom is known and more or less dear to each of us - is coping and the memorial services to be held in Vancouver (I am NOT crossing the country in January!) and, later, in Toronto which, depending on when, could be possible. Only a 6 hour drive and we could visit other friends as well.

My son is working on a new CD, mostly of his own compositions. He is very very good at his Django jazz so this is something to look forward to. I "know " he is good because other people tell me so.

Each son gave me advice on TV/computer connecting. So, if R decides to clutter our lives with a new TV - not from Craigslist free - I have a clue or two.

Which reminds me I am supposed to drive to Laval today to pick up clay I ordered. With the weather at minus 9F and my car has been sitting since Saturday, I am going to de-clutter today by forgetting that until next week when it may go up close to 30F. Though it may snow again on Monday.

My arm is almost back to normal from Sunday's fall. Still needs some assistance to reach high but I can brush my hair. So I can drive - maybe tomorrow we can go to the country.

I did not need warnings to stay indoors yesterday (minus 13F). My goal in life was, and is, to stay warm - feet in oven. Finally realized the hole in the bathroom ceiling needed SOMETHING - the remaining bits of styrofoam and padded mailing envelopes and duct tape - YEP! and got the K up to 68 with the oven and two little electric heaters.

But since I did not use the hot water all day, it was not until R came home and needed to wash up - there is none! So one heater is in the cellar trying to thaw, or prevent further freezing. And the cold water is working and left on at a drip in hopes we not lose it also. That severely clutters life!

Some serious attention to the electric in this house would de-clutter my life amazingly. R is so rarely here... But he sure hated getting into the cold bed last night. Thankful for the heating pad!! Maybe after this latest crisis at work I can lobby for better heating... with some success??

The attention to the ceiling means it is almost 60 in the LR and a bit better in the K where there is now only the oven for heat. So I closed the door and am staying in the K - with feet....

I did go upstairs yesterday to see if it were warm enough to pot but not. Maybe today. I am quickly losing energy and falling into that I don't feel like doing anything morass. Have to keep warm or a sort of pre-hypothermia can set in. I did a little research on this when my neighbour in Ontario died in the other neighbours' back yard. It becomes increasingly dangerous as we get older and I had to force myself to get out of bed on cold winter mornings to stoke the wood fires before my brain did not care anymore.

There must be something useful I can do today - maybe bake something. Put on a warmer top for starters; I have gotten really cold while writing.