Made It!

Strong north winds yesterday and again today.  The chill factor when the thermometer is at 34 drops to the 20s.  Let me be perfectly clear: we're cold!  (And I don't wish comparison with Fargo, please.)  The goats are always pleased when the wind comes from the north and blows oak leaves into their pen.  The girls will forgo alfalfa in their search for oak leaves, considering them the next best thing to M&Ms or potato chips.  Tessie waddled along the fence line searching for munchies and spraddle-legged with a full udder, was at least easy to catch yesterday while her attention was elsewhere.  Up on the stand, the slightest first touch turned her spigots on full blast; very little squeezing needed.  Mission accomplished.

Winds from the north set the wind chimes jangling and whip around the house, blowing mountains of leaves onto the porch.  An overly optimistic weatherman had promised just the one day of strong wind and so I put off pulling more firewood to the house, not wishing to get beaten by the tarp.  Yes, well, the wind still howls this morning.  We made it through with only a few power blips.  Others were not so lucky with trees going down like tenpins across the  hills. 

When I'm on the move and there is no lap available, Ralph and Celeste become snuggle bunnies to keep each other warm.  I dare not sit down until I'm ready to stay in the chair for awhile because Bessie Anne immediately claims her spot.  If she's in the other chair, instead of getting down and asking to join me, she now takes a shortcut across the intervening table, knocking telephone, books, reading glasses, etc., aside and plops into my lap.  A fifty-pound dog plops!  Celeste jumps up and claims whatever space is left, leaving Ralph, poor dear, to curl up alone wherever he can.

Tomorrow is, as Scarlett said, another day; the beginning of a new year.  New Year's Eve is a time of reflection, time to look back on another year of joys and losses, excitement and the blahs.  Writing this journal of sorts is of great benefit for me.  It causes me to look at every day, every event, with an eye to what is important in my life and to see the natural beauty with which I am surrounded.  My family, my animals, and my friends are always uppermost on a long, long list of that for which I am grateful.  Another year gone by.  Made it!