My daughter warned me that we would get a lot of snow up here in the ‘snow belt’ as the locals call this area. But it’s over 3 feet and rising. She also forgot that her 80 plus mother would be shoveling some of it. But never mind, I will just be careful I don’t hurt my back again. Dale has had the job of plowing with the 4×4, which he seems to enjoy.
Finding things to do is a bigger problem for me. I have been proactive and have volunteered at two different Thrift Stores in the area for a day a week Also our local YMCA – Johnson/Bentley Pool is available 7 days a week. Of course there is my art but as much as I love it, it’s a solitary thing and I crave social contact.
Dale is planning a trip down to Washington to go to his various doctors and get some of his medications. He wants to take the boat to do some fishing. This is possible by hanging up the canvas all around the boat deck and using a heater. This sounds a bit nutty to me and I am staying home but he wants to do this. His sister Pat, who came up for Christmas, and I cleaned the snow off the boat so he could take it. I will probably have to shovel to get it out as well.
One day before Christmas I was quite blue and frustrated with all the new Covid stats. I know from experience this could turn into s full blown depression at this time of the year.
(It is the anniversary of many losses : my brother whose birthday is Dec 25th died suddenly 3 weeks before Christmas. He was 18 years old. My neighbor and best friend died on New Year Eve leaving behind a husband and 3 young children.) Anyways back to the present. I am a believer in the idea that to cheer yourself up, cheer somebody else up. So I baked a big batch of Welsh Cakes (fried cookies), made some hand painted cards and put them in Christmas bags. I set out in the snow to deliver them to our neighbors. And I was right, it did make me feel better. One fellow returned the gesture with some smoked salmon. It was a win-win.
So I am sure I will keep myself busy until the spring when I can return to my gardening. Meanwhile I have my painting .
More next time…..
