TheCapeBlog

Don’t know how snow showers differ from flurries, but we’ve had them off and on today and expected to continue tomorrow. It’s all quite lovely and Victorian.

Got a fine letter from my last living aunt who enjoyed our holiday greetings, which I so much appreciate.

Dropped off checks to Town Hall for the water/sewer and transfer station drop-off fee, returned Conclave to the library, then did yet another grocery shop.

Very, very, very lazy these days. I fell asleep watching The Bulwark. We turned off the tellie after PBS Newshour.

I decided not to continue reading All the Light… I think it’s not good for me right now. I’ll try powering through James.

Restarted my computer this evening. Hope the popup messages stop.

Was thinking about going to the Store at Five Corners to hear a singing group tonight but changed my mind.

Made two trips to the transfer station yesterday, one with the tree and the other with the grasses we cut down earlier in the week.

Ron got us a bottle of Prosecco. I brought home a salad, coffee and mozzarella sticks.

We went to bed early.

Have had good luck with the little coffee maker from the Wild Soul River donation shelf, even though the carafe is a mismatch.

The Check Engine light in the truck has been off since the exhaust system work was done and I cleared the codes, knock on wood.

Big snowstorm predicted for Vermont and North Berkshire County. Hope it misses us.

Baked packaged cinnamon rolls and roasted squash, carrots, potatoes and beets.

The little holiday tree has given us a lot of joy, and I was short of breath for a few seconds yesterday thinking about taking it down.

I believe that comes from a fear that in other hands, it won’t be loved as it deserves.

Gee, wonder where that comes from.

It makes me sad but I have to return the three marvelous, helpful tools borrowed from the library last week.

We used all of them: the Philips lint remover, FLIR thermal camera and Cuisinart waffle maker. They all worked well and I was sorry to pack them up to go back to the library.

We changed the sheets. With the help of the FLIR, I plugged gaps (weather stripped) a portion of the window facing the stairs in Ron’s room.

It’s warm today, same as yesterday. It was pure pleasure to be outside yesterday. I cut down most of the big decorative grass in front of the house. Probably should dig up at least half of it, it’s overgrown and gets unsightly.

This afternoon I talked Ron into going outside to cut down another big grass, one by the driveway. He was weird and disoriented; I had to tell him several times which grass I wanted to cut.

We met one of our new neighbors, seems a nice person. Brian stopped by to say hello.

Ron was cool and distant as we watched tv last evening. Mumbled something about not achieving his potential. I told him with his history, survival alone should be enough to make him proud of himself, but that didn’t sink in.

Yesterday Ron was still not feeling well and spent the afternoon watching football. I’ve been following Landman on ParamountPlus. The romance between the son and the young widow makes me furious. I figured the scriptwriter must be a middle aged man and bingo: Taylor Sheridan is 54 years old.

The news is full of Jimmy Carter stories following his passing yesterday. George Will is sour, the rest are gushing. I heard Carter speak once and something he said stuck with me. I thought he made some bad mistakes, like the 1980 Moscow Olympics boycott, but was underrated otherwise.

The little guy next door turned seven today but was too sick to celebrate. We saw him in their yard only long enough to give him his present.

I had a productive day. Retrieved Ron’s shoe shine kit, picked up a book on hold at the library and redeemed a pile of cans and bottles, $4.35 worth.

Made a casserole with spinach, rotini, mushroom soup, cheese and herbs.

The tree is very pretty. We added lights, garland, the topper and eight silver and white bulbs plus a cardboard Williamstown Historical Museum ornament.

Heard from Robert, Cindy and Cathy! Robert sent a photo; we’ve been asking for one for months.

I did a small grocery shop for essentials: ice cream, grapefruit juice, crackers and neufchatel.

Dropped off the trash at the transfer station. Did a power wash of the Corolla. It’s back in the garage, supposed to rain tonight.

We finally have a tree, and it cost us nothing. It’s a real tree and quite a pretty one. Got it at Carr’s.

After some difficulty, Ron and I got it set up in an old tree stand that has a reservoir.

I bought and wrapped Bell’s birthday present.

Made a horrible casserole of baked breaded zucchini, black beans, roasted vegetables and bitter, nasty spaghetti sauce. Maybe I can doctor up the leftovers.

I made waffles with a wafflemaker borrowed from the library.

The first batch was from a donated mix that was terrible; had expired last year. Just about every store is closed, so I made a fresh batch from scratch. That turned out well.

Sky was pretty when I got up but by now, a little after 11, it’s cloudy.

I shoveled the driveway yesterday but it probably won’t melt down for a couple of days.

Ron unwrapped our gifts from Jan. One, a mounted postcard of a group of buffaloes is gorgeous. The other, “lovebirds”, is a sinister-looking Danforth pewter piece: looks like the bird in the front has been strangled. I think I’ve watched too many murder mysteries. It did cause me to laugh off and on all day, much to Ron’s chagrin.

My “gift” from Ron was a membership in a legal insurance plan. I’d been looking for an acknowledgement and found the correspondence today in a pile of mail. Can’t register until January 1.

We did see a good two-part documentary yesterday about the people who cracked the Japanese military’s code in World War II. Also the Tyler Perry film “Six Triple Eight” about the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the first and only all-Black women’s unit of the Women’s Army Corps to serve overseas during World War II.

I worked for a good part of today, prepping veggies and folding laundry. Ron did the wash and is cleaning up. Boring but very healthy Christmas meal of roasted veggies and not much else.

We watched two football games.

Ron was stuffy and sneezing yesterday and went to bed early.

He did summon the energy to drive us to Bennington and back for homemade cookies and a stop at the Vermont liquor store in Pownal.

I enjoyed the Winter Solstice festivities at Wild Soul River last evening.

I made a vegetable stew from beets, potatoes, carrots, celery, mushrooms, parsnip.

We watched two football games, saw the Patriots lose to Buffalo but first half was encouraging for next season.

I transferred holiday money to Em this morning and mailed the boys their checks yesterday.

Dropped off a letter for the lad who loves science, also yesterday.

This morning, stuffed, stamped and mailed holiday greetings to our shortened 20-address list.

Brought goodies to the writing group this past Wednesday.

Gave Ron his presents: the chart of human civilizations and nicely repaired clothing, including a long sleeved shirt, a jeans shirt-jack and a gorgeous Pendleton Black Watch plaid robe.

I don’t want to do any more for pagan winter worship ripoff holidays.

I started to feel tired late morning and slept until 12:15. Felt vaguely ill so cancelled and rescheduled the follow-up appointment with my doctor that was supposed to happen at 1. Felt better after Ron made soup and grilled cheese half sandwiches for us and after a couple more hours of rest.

No word yet from Greylock about their incomprehensible request to be first payee on…something.

Holiday cards drifting in one or two at a time.