Thursday 29 January

I am hot after our walk. It must be in the 20s, a major change. Feels like summer. I never snapped my coat on the way out and soon shed hat and mittens. It is also strenuous walking with the new coat of snow and crusty ice. Then I shoveled out the path at the end of my drive. When I got home yesterday, it was blocked in by about 4 feet of plowed stuff, icy chunks and dirty snow. I closed work at 4, as it had snowed all day and changed to freezing rain and sleet by mid-afternoon. Then it changed back to snow sometime after dark.

I almost can't believe I sit here wiping sweat from my face.

We weren't able to go very far, what with me constantly breaking through the crust. But I did get into a rhythm and it wasn't so bad then. Bella was delirious with delight when we turned back towards home tho. The only time Fergus pulled me really hard was when he wanted to greet a young man standing by the side of the road, waiting for a ride.

I had a financial scare yesterday when I realized that Nat'l Grid had been charging me twice each month. I had to call the bank, then Nat'l Grid, then the bank again to get it all figured out and straightened out and all I can say is it is a small miracle I did not have any checks bounce. And I suppose it isn't a bad thing that I am currently all paid up with them, and have a $20 credit besides. It took me until late in the afternoon to finally get my check book balanced -- I am not a fast thinker when it comes to numbers. But I think it is right now.

When I got home, the mountain lion fetish I had bought me for my birthday had arrived. It is beyond beautiful. The artist captured the essence and spirit of the cat -- it looks like it is about to stalk, that moment of poise just before they go into the crouch. It is by far the finest fetish I have and really the only one that shows the spirit of the animal like that. All the rest are beautiful shapes and forms, but this one has so much more. (Tho I did realize upon looking at them all last night that the one bear that looks like Fergus has more to it than just mere form, it has a whiff of spirit too, but in a whimsical way, lighter, not quite the same as what has been captured in the turquoise cat.)

And so it is Thursday and I wobble along. I am sincerely doing the best I can with what I have. I almost collapsed in anxiety and frustration over that financial stuff yesterday, and surrendered in prayer, and felt God's love enfold me like a soft blanket. And then an oddball song ("Come Fly With Me', Michael Buble) came on the shuffle play and that just left me awash in silliness, as if a true friend had come to help lighten me up and make me laugh. The line "Weather-wise, it's such a lovely day" made me dissolve in laughter and grateful tear as I looked out at the heavy snowfall.

God is good to me.

I bought more apple suet after work and when I put it in the cage, it seemed to me that it was actually the berry they liked better, but maybe it is just the position of the cake in the cage? Time will tell.