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December's Golden Hours

Not counting my eyes, which are now doing very well (yay) and hopefully will be in good shape into the future, December sped by with a few bumps in the normal rhythms.  Golden Hours.

Go to the bottom of the post to click on the video-lovely music-  and then come back up here to continue reading.

While I was living on tenderhooks thinking about surgery and possible outcomes the furnace broke- it was repaired the same day, but boy is it cold to wake up to a house with no heat in the middle of a cold December.  One thin wire, about 14 inches in length was the culprit.

Lucy needed extra care and attention for a painful ear infection- her ear is all better now, unfortunately I found out she has cataracts in both eyes.  They're small, but it wasn't news I wanted to hear.  Anyone know if there are any foods or lifestyle choices to help Lucy's cataracts grow very slowly? She just had her 11th birthday on December 15th.

Yarn Wreath was Coca Cola showered and broke into three pieces. A little soda goes a long way when it's airborne.  You can picture that, soda all over the walls and floor, what a mess.  Thank goodness I was out of the direct hit on that one. lol  Scrubbed 3x- stains still there.  Wall painting next week for someone...  

I didn't see this one coming:  with the new healthcare bill, our prescriptions are going up in price by 300%, that's right, a whopping 3 times more than 2012.   Then, to add insult to injury, the cable company sends its annual, "your rate is going up" letter, this time they blamed it on Congress.  What?!

But the mother of all breakdowns was the refrigerator on Christmas night.  With a freezer full of uncooked food, bags of veg and assorted other foods- well you can imagine.  I spent most of the 26th cooking and baking what had thawed.   One recipe I came up with was a chicken and hot sausage stew/gumbo with spinach, carrots, and potatoes.  That was nice and hot after shovelling snow.

The bright side is that it has been so frigid and snowy that we haven't lost any food.  It's out on the deck and we have to go back and forth in the cold, but that's better than the alternative; it could've been summer and we'd have bags of ice to buy and pour off the melt; plus me worrying about the insects, chipmunks, and squirrels coming through the doggie door and finding the food.  This is as close to camping as I ever want to be!

The repairman made it here on the 27th, we had a snowstorm on the 26th so no one was going to come that day.  He said the compressor would cost more to replace than to buy a new fridge which should be delivered on the 2nd.

(It was delivered and we are now back to normal fridge wise.)

If that's the worse to handle for a while, I'm very grateful, either way, I'm thankful.  I hope that the beginning of January and the new year will bring hope, comfort, and relief  to everyone dealing with hardships, especially Sandy Hook families, Superstorm Sandy survivors, and  people needing encouragement and help.

I'll leave you with the poem, "The Flower" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson:

Once in a golden hour
I cast to earth a seed.
Up there came a flower,
The people said, a weed.

To and fro they went
Thro' my garden-bower,
And muttering discontent
Cursed me and my flower.

Then it grew so tall
It wore a crown of light,
But thieves from o'er the wall
Stole the seed by night.

Sow'd it far and wide
By every town and tower,
Till all the people cried
'Splendid is the flower.'

Read my little fable:
He that runs may read.
Most can raise the flowers now,
For all have got the seed.

And some are pretty enough,
And some are poor indeed;
And now again the people
Call it but a weed.







9 comments :

Miss Val's Creations said...

Yikes Gloria! When it rains it pours! I hope Lucy will adjust ok to her cataracts :( The fridge could not have failed at a better time. Winter can be a good thing! I am glad to hear your eyes are doing well. :) I love the Tennyson poem. Weeds can be the prettiest flower. My yard has some beauties (that unfortunately get mowed).

mail4rosey said...

Glad you got all that rotten stuff out of the way so you can enjoy the good things now!

Little City Farm said...

Oh wow Gloria, you certainly have endured enough just in December. I really don't relish December myself, but seriously, I didn't have to contend with that host of challenges.

The new year is here, however, so let's hope it brings you joy and peace (instead of food on the porch, lol).

Little City Farm said...

Oh wow Gloria, you certainly have endured enough just in December. I really don't relish December myself, but seriously, I didn't have to contend with that host of challenges.

The new year is here, however, so let's hope it brings you joy and peace (instead of food on the porch, lol).

AntiquityTravelers said...

oh boy ... it's time for you to get some good things coming your way!! But I was so happy to hear that your eye sight is not just good, but doing very well! yea for you!! that must be such an amazing experience my friend

Lucy said...

The music was beautiful. I am so sorry to hear your December was loaded with mishaps, I hate when that happens and I really am hoping your January is faring much better. Both our dogs are fighting cataracts I know how you feel.
I am glad that your sight is on the mend!!

Christine Altmiller said...

Too much to deal with all at once. I think You are in for a carefree spring!

Craftymoose Crafts said...

You have certainly had more than your fair share of things the past few months. The best news is of course the improvement in your eyesight! Anything else is minor compare to that.

Magic Love Crow said...

Gloria, I am sorry for all the "crap", you've went through!! Why when something happens, everything seems to follow? I am sorry for your puppy! I hope Lucy is ok ;o) The main thing is, your eyes are doing very well ;o) Yeppee and you will be getting a new painting soon ;o) I am sending you big hugs and many blessing for 2013 ;o)