January Miscellany

I have to admit, I just wanted to use that word: miscellany. I probably don't have that many things to share, but there you have it. 

This month has disappeared in the blink of an eye, yet I find myself saying, "is it only the 19th of the month by now?" I realized I haven't posted since the third day of the month, and here are a few of the reasons why (the miscellany):

1. I've been sick. I was hit hard a couple of days before the New Year, and I'm still not 100%. Mostly a miserable head cold, and exhaustion. I spent several days getting up in the morning and planning all the things I would do that day while I ate breakfast. Then I promptly went back to bed and slept. Although I'm still dragging, and I am only fighting some slight congestion, I'm much improved. The poor air quality we're experiencing here does not help. 

I love the month of January and its potential for new beginnings. I've set some fun goals and resolutions, and I must say I'm a bit dismayed at my delay in being able to carry them out. But I still have the rest of the year to go, and if I don't take it easy now and fully recover, I'll miss out on more time to do the fun things I have planned. 

I haven't even done any reading to speak of, that's how tired I've been.

2. Now that I am feeling some better, I have been working like crazy on a project that I don't want to reveal until it has been given. I had optimistically hoped to have it done by Christmas. Ha! Then I thought by the middle of January. Ha! again. Realistically I am in the final stages now and hope to have it completed by its "due date." Hopefully a post to come on that by the end of the month. (And hopefully no Ha! for that goal.) At least I am full of hope!

3. Long story coming in this item. The short version, if you'd like to hurry to the next item, is this: we had a pipe burst this week. 

Long version: We've had record cold temperatures this month. At times I wonder if I will ever be warm again. Wouldn't I have been a terrible pioneer? Back to the story. Last Tuesday evening I was sewing downstairs. It gets very cold down there in the evening and usually I head upstairs to the warmer climate before dinner. I was in the middle of something and didn't want to stop, so I decided to stay down there a little longer. I had the TV on, and heard a funny noise outside. Almost like the crashing sound of a big pile of snow falling. It was dark and I couldn't see anything obvious, so I kept working. Ray came down to ask me a question. I turned down the TV, and just as I started to say "I hear running water", Ray said, "I just stepped in water!" He looked down and water was pouring out from our wall onto the floor. It was warm water, so Mr. Handy immediately turned off the hot water. Meanwhile I was grabbing all the towels downstairs. We figured out what it was - a single water line that only feeds one thing. We were able to turn that off, and won't have to fix it until Spring. Here are the miracles and blessings that happened in the process:

a. We were right there when it happened. So easily we could have been upstairs for the night just to come down in the morning to a drenched and flooded. downstairs. No thank you to that option!

b. The water only went on the tile, no rug or carpet was affected.

c. Ray solved the problem quickly, and in less than an hour it was all cleaned up and fixed for now.

c. No real damage to the wall or floor.

d. I was reminded again how wonderful it is to be married to a man who stays calm in any situation, and how nice it is to work so well together. He keeps me grounded and sane while I constantly test his ability to stay sane.

Finishing the mopping up.

Everything moved out of the way of the water, into my office area. Most of it is back to normal now.

4. That is really the end of my list for now, but I couldn't resist ending with this quote. I don't know the source--my daughter sent it to me--I look at it when I need a chuckle. I don't know why it's so funny to me, but it is certainly is true.