Sunday 14 December

The power came back on yesterday morning around 10, which was a great and wondrous thing. I had just used up all the hot water soaking my chilly, stiff body in the bath. What a relief to have the power come back on. I was very tired and very hungry. I kind of still am. I just got back from cleaning and I am beat. It has been intensely cold -- got up to around 10F yesterday and was in the single digits last night. It is supposed to warm up and rain. We shall see. The sun is shining today and it is still a glittering world of ice. My phone is dead this morning, and so my Internet is also out. Truly -- one damn thing after another.

I walked down to the market yesterday and was beat by the time I got back. It is icy and treacherous walking -- with it so cold, nothing melts or softens.

As it was yesterday, I spent a lot of the time cooking myself food and resting. It is exhausting to be in the cold and dark all that time. The worry makes it tiring too. Last night I found myself cringing inwardly at the encroaching dark, and turning on as many lights as I could.

This phone thing just annoys me, but does not surprise me what with all the ice on the wires and trees yet.

I was tempted to skip church as it is the children's Christmas pageant today, but I really could use a ride down to the market and back home again so that I can get some heavier stuff that I need.

I am looking forward to getting truly cleaned up today -- a radical change of clothing and to wash my hair. I have worn it braided and under a hat since last Friday and I don't even want to look at it!

I feel like I am on the verge of getting sick -- but won't. An uneasy stomach thing, and this heavy fatigue. I think really it is just an added level of exhaustion.

A couple of the fish are recovering slowly from the time of cold. Macchu and Pearl aren't bouncing back like the other 2 have. Macchu is older and has tumors on her side and Pearl is simply a wreck anyway. Little Joy and Picchu are fine. I will clean their tanks today -- that should help. I also would like to decorate for Christmas -- especially if the phone remains out and I can't go online. Which I am guessing will be the case all day, knowing how these things go --

One damn thing after another. It's a wonder I don't simply go out of my fucking mind.

I am eating my usual Sunday mandarin oranges, but I did not pilfer from the pantry, I actually bought these at the market yesterday. I got bean soup mix from the pantry today. :-)