Wednesday Witterings . . .

 

 

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So, there is bad news on the weather front. Apparently, there is a bad rain and windstorm coming on Friday on into Saturday with possibility of power outages. This will probably adversely affect my son coming over for Christmas. We will have to wait and see. I would rather he be safe than take a chance. That is always the way with the weather at this time of year. You never know what you are going to get.  It can always go horribly wrong, and your plans can always end up pear shaped. We will just have to see what happens.  Sigh . . .

That reminds me of a Sunday, some years ago, probably 35 or so. My youngest son was not even born yet. We were living in Greenwood and mom was living in Nictaux. We used to alternate Sunday dinners. One week she would come to us and the next we would go to hers. It was our week to go to hers and it was snowing quite heavily. 

We set out to go despite the snow and I remember telling my husband that we should not take the back route (which seemed shorter) as the roads would not be ploughed. He poo-pooed me, (Nothing new there.) and we ended up on the back road. The snow was heavy on the road, and we ended up driving wham, right into a snowbank that had drifted right across the road. We were stuck. 

  

 

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That car wasn't going anywhere. He took the children and I back to a farmhouse and he proceeded to try to dig the car out.

The people at the farmhouse were very kind. It was a very interesting place. They had a fish tank which had taxidermized piranha fish in it. Very vicious looking fish to say the least, but the children were fascinated with them.

To make a long story short, a snow plough came along and dug our car out and we were able to make it on our way, following behind the plough. We made Sunday dinner after all and had the bonus of an adventure along the way, which I am sure the older four remember to this day. It's not likely you would ever forget seeing stuffed piranha fish!

The cats thought there was something very interesting underneath the bookshelf in the dining room this morning.  Cinnamon was very intent on getting it out, whatever it was, and Nutmeg was really interested in what she was doing. I am not sure what it was.  Whatever it was they have both gone their separate ways now and are onto something else. Nutmeg is sitting in the basket by the window out front and Cinnamon is prowling around the bedroom.

They are such funny little creatures. Never a dull moment with them around. In the evenings, Nutmeg always lays next to me on the sofa, cuddled right into my side, somethings snuggled right into the throw blankets I keep there.  Cinnamon visits me from time to time.  She likes to be brushed. I can remember when she was a lot smaller, she would get up onto my chest and then roll onto her back for me to scratch her tummy while she purred a little love song to me.

 

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I was thinking this morning, I have never not worked. Very few times when my children were growing up, did I work officially outside of the home, but I always worked a variety of jobs, mostly in the home, while they were growing up. I was always doing something to bring in added income.  Mostly child-minding, sometimes typing for others and for a number of years I was a night cleaner of the local school and offices on the base where we lived, plus I have cleaned PMQ's (married quarters) for people who were moving.  When you move out of one of those houses you have to have the house inspected by the housing officer before you can leave. Quite often people would employ someone to clean the house for them so that they didn't have to stick around and could leave post-haste.  It would be up to me to clean the house and face the inspection.

It was hard work and a hard job. The worst house I ever cleaned was a doctor's house. It was filthy. Another time, I almost electrocuted myself putting my damp cloth into the light socket of an oven that I thought had been unplugged.

Cleaning offices wasn't too bad, but cleaning the school was the worst.  Especially the bathrooms.  UGH! People do things in public washrooms they would never do at home. You would be surprised, or maybe you wouldn't. I could tell you stories that would make your hair curl.

Last night I was dreaming I was back cleaning houses for people who had moved out.  I woke up very tired because I was working all night! I hate it when that happens!

 

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The worst is when I dream that I am back working at the Manor and my boss is breathing down my neck about something (may she rest in peace) or I have been given a dozen tasks to do and am trying hard to get them all done, but something keeps cocking up. It's like one of those running down the hallway dreams where the hallway never ends . . . and you keep running and running and running . . .

I don't think I have ever dreamt that I was sunning myself in a chair on a beach someplace warm!  Hey! What's up with that! I'd like a sunny holiday too once in a while! LOL

 

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I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
and mild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men."

I was thinking about this poem/hymn by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow this morning. I have to confess it has never been my favorite. Written in 1863, two years after his wife was fatally burned in a fire and his son was injured in the Civil War between the states, it has always seemed rather gloomy to me. Even the music that the hymn (not the poem) is set to seems like a dirge. 

We live in a world that all too often seems to be all about the doom and the gloom.  It is very tempting to want to give up hope at times . . . especially when there is so much hatred in this world that we find ourselves living in. At times it may seem as if people have truly forgotten how to be nice to and about each other, and human civility is at an all-time low.

That last verse however  . . . God is not dead, nor doth He sleep, the wrong shall fail, the right prevail . . .

There is such hope in those words. There will be peace on earth. We can find peace on earth. There IS peace on earth. We just need to look in the right places. I know where I have found my peace and that is in the Savior and what a beautiful time of year this is when we can remind our selves of that and cling to the hope that His birth brought to the world.

We are studying the New Testament in church in this coming year.  I am so looking forward to it. This past year it has been the Old Testament and it has come to life for me in a way that I never thought that it would. I am grateful for that.  The Old Testament pointed to and prepared us for the New Testament, and I am very excited to begin it in just a few weeks now.  I never thought the Old Testament would be as exciting and interesting as I have found it to be, so I can't wait to start on the New. What things will I learn that I never knew or noticed before? It's like unwrapping a gift that you never knew you had, this studying of the scriptures.  I'm all in!

The KitKat's are now very intent on what is happening on the other side of that glass. It is telling me that it is now time for me to begin my day in earnest. I have lots to be getting on with and time is marching on. 

So, I will leave you with a thought for the day . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★

 *Time grows the seeds that

are planted, watered and fertilized.

Plant beauty, grow beauty.

Plant thorns, grow thorns.

Time will allow for either.

~Lysa TerKeurst •。★★ 。* 。

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Homemade Bits & Bites.  It wouldn't be Christmas without them!

I hope that you have a lovely day. Stay safe and warm and be happy and blessed.  Don't forget! 

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⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿

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And I do too!