Minus One Degree

Riley and his toy monkey have the right idea. Pressed up against the baseboard heat source, in front of the sunny window. Riley woke us up last night, 2 am, because some animal was in the yard, peeing by the shed. Dog, coyote or deer. Riley was all over it.

My title for today's post (you can tell how much I am procrastinating by how often I post) was Thankful but then I read the weather report. I guess I can still be thankful.

Thankful: That G has a full time job. Last night's local paper had a front page story about a young family with four kids under 8 years old who have been living in a room at the Econo Lodge since November. He lost his job in May and she only got 2 months of holiday work at LL Bean instead of the usual 4 months. They are struggling to pay their own way with no help from any social agency other than food stamps. Not as a family. Single homeless people have room at the shelter. Women with children are taken in. Families of two parents and children. No. Wasn't this the standard for the workhouses in the Dickens novels? We haven't evolved, I guess. Churches and strangers are helping them, with gas cards for one thing, so they can drive to job interviews.


And that says nearly everything on the subject of thankful doesn't it?

Thankful: My dad isn't struggling (alone) through this frigid winter. But, if he were still alive, I would be thankful he was living here with me this winter or I would be there in Ohio with him. I had decided to do one or the other when we drove to Ohio in October.

Thankful: That I lead a creative life. Always interested in learning new things, expanding on the things I already know, ready to try something new, never afraid of failure (outside of driving the car). How can we even say we are artists, if we fear failure?

Thankful: For G. He really gives me the freedom and support to be who I am. I wonder if I give enough back to him to make him thankful for me? Other than the great amusement factors I seem to possess.

What's Good Today: Too cold to walk the dog. Warm enough to read a good book. Cold enough for a pot of Tomato Basil Soup for G to eat when he gets home from work later tonight. With homemade little drop cheese dumplings. I don't know what I will make for myself, but I do have some kale to finish up and some butternut squash in the unheated bedroom upstairs that I could steam. Curried Butternut Bisque?

What are you doing today?