Back from the Edge

It has been a long time since I’ve been in touch with you all.  My journey has been a bit ragged since my last posting.  At first I lacked the energy to write;  then I became too lazy!  It was a difficult spring, summer and early autumn with several stays at Memorial Sloan Kettering for various health issues.  I am, however, feeling really good these days thanks to the ever vigilant care given by my family and friends.  We have been through several scary patches which are over thanks to the prayers that storm heaven each day on my behalf from so many of you.   I am looking forward to an exciting year ahead – Kate and Ben’s wedding in August heads the list!

Today’s date prompted me to get back in the writing habit.   My mother always kept a record of the weather for the first twelve days of December.  Each day would equate one month in the coming year.  The weather on that day would portend the basic weather for the corresponding month, i.e., today is January;  Dec 2 is February;  Dec 3 March; etc.  You get it, right?   Anyway, today it is damp, cloudy and chilly – not a great sign for January’s weather.  At least it is not snowing or raining or sleeting here on Long Island.  So, in memory of  my mother, I will be keeping the record here for the first 12 days.  That way I can check back and see how accurate the predictions are….sort of a fake Farmer’s Almanac.

So, what’s been happening……you know about the terrible storm Sandy.  We were without power for 14 days and lost two big tree limbs.  We are also thankful that the limbs did not do any damage to the house and we did not get any flooding.  Jack has always wanted to live on the water and I have always said it would be my worst nightmare.  My heart breaks for all those who have lost so much in that storm.   We managed well with the help of great neighbors who brought soup, checked to make sure we had wood for the fireplace and kept tabs on my health in the cold.  We dressed in layers, had a small generator which kept the fridge going along with one small lamp and a radio.  I had forgotten how much pleasure I got from talk radio and rediscovered it during this adventure.  Jack says I became very attached to his Walkman (yes, Walkman) and he is right.  I would put the earplugs in and climb under the blankets and listen to talk radio until sleep came.  As  uncomfortable as it got, Jack and I spent many hours chatting by the fire and listening to the radio.  We had quite a few laughs.  Jack got up every morning and got coffee and rolls;  cooked eggs out on the bbq grill and served up breakfast!  We grazed through lunch and he either grilled or went to North Shore Farms and picked up dinner.  We have become addicted to their soup….my favorite is Butternut Squash.

Thanksgiving was wonderful at Karen and Joe’s.  Ben and Kate joined us as well as Joan and Bill and Diana and Yosie and their little girls.    Joan’s hand was in a cast as she had fallen during the power outage and broke bones in her hand as well as stitches in her eyebrow.   Just before we left our house, the phone rang and it was Roger and Yvonne from England calling to wish us a Happy Thanksgiving.  They were with us one or two Thanksgivings years and  years ago and call us every year on that day. 

There seems to be so many things I want to tell you but things will unfold as the days go on.  (Sooner or later I’ll remember what I wanted to say!)

As always, love from me to you!

Believe!