December 3rd

Sometime just before 10 last night, an Amazon driver dropped off a small package. Ed finds two batteries in his stash and recharges them in our handy battery recharger. By this morning, we are in business.

I have several comments to make about artificial candles: first of all, it is true what they say -- they are much improved these days. The look is there. This one, an especially adored one, has wax on the outside and yes, the flame does sway with the movement of air. Or something. It looks good, it feels good to the touch. And importantly, it does not emit particles of anything into the air -- safe for Ed, and frankly, safe for all of us. 

However.

The warmth in an artificial candle has to be all in the visuals. Not to underestimate the importance of that, but still, the flame is not warm to the touch (you'd be surprised that this matters, given that you dont actually touch a burning candle). No match lighting a wick. No care taken as you pass a jar of jam over the lighted wick. So, no heat. And no delicate whiff of spruce, or sea salt, or boreal forest... I've always known that scent triggers recollection. It turns out that it also puts us in a frame of mind and artificial candles just do not have the power to create that magic.

Still, it's warm looking and that does matter. Especially on a day like today: more light snow on the ground, destined to melt soon, until the next one, which, too will melt. And again. And again, until the temps drop so much that we will begin to see a real snow cover. Maybe toward the end of the month. But in the meantime, we have this, and it is lovely to step out into the crunch of snow as I walk to feed the animals.

And since our breakfast discussion naturally (or rather unnaturally) led us to talk about particles in the air, the subject of the induction stove -- the one we did not get because we are not wired for that level of electricity -- came up. 

I thought our air purifier was supposed to make out kitchen air safe... And yet it didn't help clear the candle particles for Ed. Shouldn't we, therefore, reconsider rewiring for induction? The safer way to cook foods? Because clearly the air purifier isn't totally picking up the stuff in the air.

This leads us to much hand wringing and internet searching and in the end, we compromise once again: we'll get one free standing induction burner (so, no rewiring needed) and two induction pots and I will try to do all, well most of my cooking that way. 

So typical: one thing leads to the next and before you know it, we're spinning into something unexpected. This is the way our days move forward!  

Having decided on this mini induction route, we spend a lot of time choosing the two perfect pots for our soon to arrive cooking unit. A lot of time.

We do go out for a walk and this one is proposed by Ed: downtown, along State Street -- up and down, from campus to Capitol... 

... and back again.  Eventually we come to an art gallery where they are displaying woven tapestries depicting activist women, accomplishing great things within the domain of water. I wasn't enthusiastic about seeing this initially, but in the end I'm glad we went. 

I only recognized one name (Carson). Reason enough to learn about the others. Ed liked the video demonstrating computerized designing of loom weaving. And because it was nearby, we walked over to the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art.

(a sheep made of scissors, a garden made of spades...)

As Ed commented afterwards -- we had a really cultured afternoon! A rarity for us!

And in the evening, the young family is here for dinner. It's Sandpiper's first look at the Christmas tree. (He is enthusiastic about taking ornaments off and... attempting to put them back on the branch.)

(The big two hit the Advent Calendars...)

Oh, does it feel like winter now! Dark outside, tree inside, specks of snow, cold wind blowing, warm sauce for seafood bubbling on the stove.... Cold season, warm comforts. 

Honestly, December feels as if it's whizzing by at top speed. I mean, it's the end of day three already? Remarkable!