December warm spell

Would you call 49F (9C) warm? You bet! Some twenty degrees warmer than the temps from the past several weeks. Positively Caribbean, with sunshine added.

 

 

It is, nonetheless, a morning of tedious chores. Animals. 

 (chickens, everywhere!)

 

Laundry. With the dreadful drier now half repaired, so that it works, but only if I call Ed each time to wiggle something or other to get it started. Descale the coffee machine. Because we have potent mineral deposits in our well water. Have I bored you yet?? Let me continue: aphids in my over-wintered house plant! Water needed in the sheep shed orchids and the struggling artichoke.

(the orchids spring beautiful blooms all winter long. Unfortunately, the pots are huge and I cannot keep them in the farmhouse)

 

And so on.

All this and breakfast too. (Yes, I still sometimes over-crisp the croissants!)

Eventually we get ourselves out and moving. On our bikes, over to McFarland -- the town at the other side of Lake Waubesa. 

To "our" coffee shop, where Ed orders an interesting combo sandwich of salmon and turkey meat. I take a bite. Or two. Well, maybe more.

He reads the local paper and then I read to him a long article from the Economist about Assad's English (by birth) wife. Because it's curious how this British trained and from all accounts smart and talented woman became, well, a loyal supporter of Bashar's regime of terror. And as we bike back (it's maybe 40 minutes, taking the longer way), we continue our conversation, neither of us believing that a person is born  destined for evil, or for never committing evil. I suppose only if you recognize that you yourself harbor the ability to do awful stuff, can you guard against allowing such impulses to fester and take hold (when circumstances align themselves to push you in that direction). How else can you explain the rule of despots and terrorists? It's likely that none of them see themselves as evil. Not even Assad, or his wife.

From there, I switch focus. To dinner for the young family!

(three kids, one game)

(dinner)

I tell myself that I have to switch menus with the new year. Because repetition can be boring, even if everyone finds something to love in the two Sunday menus that I repeat again and again. Will I spring something new on them? We'll see! Resolutions are made to be broken.

Late Evening? A quiet hour or two on the couch, and then sleep. Another resolution: to pay attention to sleep. Too little and you're doomed. Too much? Well, that's not my worry!

with love...