>My confidence in a white Christmas may have been premature. It has warmed up considerably and is raining the snow away. There may be none left tomorrow. I’m sure this makes the street crews happy. They were out very late last night clearing off snow from the downtown area streets. We have a good highway department here. All of our services are great, in fact. Fire, police, downtown association. They keep the downtown nice and appealing with lots to do during the year. Small towns can be great, although not all of them I’ve lived in have been as great as this one.

I am watching an On Demand video of snow falling on pines with Christmas music in the background. Very nice. Hope all of my (one? two?) readers have a wonderful holiday, and a healthy new year.

>It started snowing at 2pm and has been coming down like crazy ever since. Very pretty. I don’t have to be out in it, so I am loving it. Had another good day. Up at 8:45. Got organized for the homemaker including making the shopping list. Got some extra things because next week we are supposed to get another storm, and it’s good to be prepared in case she can’t come. I’ve been keeping up with the dishes by hand, and gotten some more neatening/organizing done. I’d love this all to last, but if it doesn’t, I’m enjoying it while it’s here. It’s almost strange to feel relatively normal. It’s been such a long time since I’ve had days this good. Looking forward to Christmas, even though I have done nothing in preparation. No decorations or tree, didn’t send a card or buy a present or anything. It’s kind of late now, so I choose not to worry about it. Hey, I have a chronic, debilitating illness, right? LOL

>If I use Blogger dashboard, no link for pictures, if I go through my blog, link. Hmmmm.

So far today (today started at 1:30 am) I have had a lovely bath, spent some time trying to untangle my hair which never gets tangled but is severely tangled today, made simple syrup, made pesto with my home-grown basil and parsley, and messed about on the computer for way, way too long. I was hoping to go out, but friend Tess is not feeling well. If I get really enthusiastic, I may go to the post office. It is a lovely and warm day. Almost 60 degrees. Love it!

I am listening to that Christmas music from my previous post. I got that link from Projo Subterranean Homepage News, a blog in the Providence Journal, Projo.com. Old-fashioned music, but interesting.

>http://www.archive.org/flow/FlowPlayerLight.swf

>The new picture is of a house in the Boston area. I think it’s gorgeous, but I do love Christmas lights.

>Yesterday I went to Brookstone with my friend Tess. We tried out the massage chairs, which we had done briefly before. I was in mine for about 20 minutes or so, because the salesman came over and was showing me all the features. Oh, oh, oh, did I want to buy that chair. It was only 2500 dollars. Yes, twenty-five hundred dollars. But when I got out of that chair, I felt amazing. My muscles were loose, my neck, which had been hurting for some time and which could not turn right or left without pain, was limber and pain-free. My right arm, which has a touch of bursitis, which limits it’s movement, moved freely in all directions. My legs did not hurt. I am almost always in pain and my muscles are tight and difficult to work. Gone, all gone. More than twenty-four hours later, I am still feeling great. Oh, I want that chair. It’s a miracle worker, and would maybe make fibro that much easier to live with. But lord, that is a lot of money. But I want that chair. Really, I do. Christmas is coming. Does some anonymous reader want to give me a really great present? Yeah, I didn’t think so. Oh, well. *smile*

It’s a beautiful, warm, balmy, rainy day, as it was yesterday. Windows open all night. I love this weather.

>I bought a rotisserie chicken the other day, and I used some of it to make chicken and dumplings today, the easy version. Came out very tasty, so I was pleased. I also froze some of the chicken for another time. I’ve been having my SlimScript drink every day again, and I can really tell the difference. I have more energy and enthusiasm when I drink it regularly. It has 20 grams of protein and vitamins. So cooking is not out of the realm of possibility some day. It’s a good thing.

Another mild day with windows open. I am liking this. It’s been a great autumn so far. Lots of rain, which I love.

>Couldn’t find a good ‘feeling lonely’ clip art picture. Today has been kind of a ‘feeling lonely’ day. I’ve been cooking (yay, me), and I guess it’s just kind of sad to cook for one. I don’t know. Just been on my own for the past two weeks, except for the Homemaker person two hours on Thursdays. I really need to get a life.

I cooked turkey pie. I love ground turkey. I use it everywhere I used to use ground beef, but this is especially a ground turkey dish-with cheese, too. I love cheese. I also am baking a ricotta cheesecake. For some reason I thought it meant ‘like a pie’ so I was going to use a graham cracker crust from the store. Once I mixed it all, I realized there was no way it was going to fit into the crust. I had a Pillsbury pie crust in the frig, so I put that in a regular pie pan and was going to split the filling. It all fit into the pie crust, so the graham cracker crust went back to waiting for a filling some day. My life is sooooo interesting. LOL

>I just noticed the weather pixie shows sunny with some clouds. Where does she live? It’s gray and cold and drizzling.

>
It was darn chilly when I got up today, and I had to turn on the heat. I’m trying to keep it low or not use it at all, cause I don’t want to go bankrupt paying for it this winter. I bought heavy clear vinyl shower curtains last year and hung them in the front windows. That way I get light but keep out some of the cold. They are ready to go this year as soon as I’m sure I won’t be opening the windows again.

I’ve been watching ‘Third Rock’ on TVLand. I have been laughing all afternoon. That was a funny, funny show. My favorite is Harry. He cracks me up. Later.

>Found a new site with backgrounds for Blogger, so time to update for autumn, my favorite season. Feeling kind of ‘time to change things again’ ish, and not just the blog. I really am hoping to have enough energy to move a few things around. My teeny tiny kitchen is just too cluttered, and I need to move my shelf back to the hall and make it be my pantry. There’s just not enough room for everything in the kitchen, and this way I can easily see what food I have on hand, too. I thought it would be better to have the heavy appliances, like the mixer, on the counter instead of the shelf, and that means the dry goods jars have to go elsewhere. Thus the shelf becoming the pantry. I just need the energy to move everything.

Gertrude is still the invisible cat, but not as much as she was. She actually walked right by Tess the other day on her way from one hiding place to another. First time ever. No one but me ever sees her unless the vacuum gets too close to her hiding place. Then you see a black streak heading to under the bed. She’s trying to be bolder with sitting on my lap, but is still holding back. She will sit between me and the chair arm, but not actually ON my lap. Poor baby. I don’t know how to untimidize her except by time and patience and just being as nice as I can to her. I try not to scare her, but sometimes I move too fast or laugh or something and off she goes. She’s never going to be like my Simon, but she is sort of good company, and no work to speak of. Empty the litter box, put out the food and water. That’s about all she requires.

My friend Tess has gone on vacation for two weeks, so I am going to be pretty all alone except for the two hours on Thursdays when my homemaker comes. I’m hoping to get up enough energy and gumption to actually go out and go somewhere, like the library, on my own. Lots of extra-strength Excedrin first, of course, or the legs will not cooperate.

But whatever else is going on, it’s autumn. I love autumn. And Chuck. And Life. Two shows that make me smile when they’re about to come on. Smiling is a good thing.