Christmas 2018 is starting early this year, and giving a much appreciated few extra days for us to enjoy the season. Family is all good and pretty healthy. We have been busy with work, family and friends this year and very fulfilled. We are also very happy empty-nesters; you must be thinking “It’s an even year, so Jordan must be in Texas…” He is, and is “bouncing between CA and TX”, looking for his footing. We are happy that his health has been much better in the last six months, and he is getting more interested in nutrition.
The garden is finally producing some cooler-weather produce. Starting to think that Dad was right about the seasons beginning to shift; he thought they all started later than they had previously, and I see that; their intensity is shifting as well, and there may be one more. Winter, Spring, Hell, Fire, and Fall is what I like to call them. Winter is an actual season and we do get frosty nights along with 50 and 60 degree days which require bundling up, even a couple of freezes, often accentuated with a week of 100 degree weather, although we are seriously mocked by most of the rest of the country for thinking that is winter. Oh well, we are mocked for so many things, this hardly measures. Spring is always beautiful and the plants are happy. Then there is Hell. It used to be called Summer, and was my favorite season; this is changing. Hell is new and not nice. We always had a “hot spell” of several days of 100+ degrees, which you could handle even without air conditioning. We still have those, and also 112, 113, 114 degree days that scorch young trees and kill the garden, not to mention causing much discomfort while trying to sleep at night, since humidity seems to join in on the fun. There is no pajama for this weather; you don’t even want to have hair. Fire follows Hell, and is devastating where it hits; it was so bad this year, as you know, and my heart hurts for all its victims. Finally, Fall is a welcome respite from hot and burning, and we are getting sprinkled on while I write this; it feels like a blessing.
Jon and I had a car accident in early July that rocked us pretty good. His right hand is still healing and I will be doing physical therapy on my shoulder for some time, but it is getting better every day. The car didn’t make it, but we are very happy we did. I was reminded again how tenuous our hold on this world is last Saturday night: Jon was out with an old friend and I was making myself some dinner at home. I grabbed my new paring knife and a flashlight to go cut some greens; the knife is so sharp I only had to show it to the plants to get what I needed, then headed back to the house. Remy was fussing at our gate at a delivery guy in the cul-de-sac, and decided the guy might try to get into our yard from some other direction, so came rushing back around the deck. Remy is 75 pounds, runs as fast as any dog I have ever seen, and doesn’t seem to feel pain. As I was stepping up to the corner of the deck we met and he collided with both of my legs and hands; he seemed to hit everything. My legs flew out and I spun around, literally hitting the deck. I laid there assessing the damage and realize that the knife was still in my hand, lying right across my solar plexus, thankfully the blade all visible and clean. This could have been some mystery – who would come in to my yard and stab me in the stomach for no apparent reason? (Maybe I watch too many murder mysteries.) It was just one second and could have been so bad, but neither the dog nor I were stabbed, and I just got a sore hip. Disaster averted, but we can be as careful as we can and still have no control over what happens to us. Next time I’m using scissors, and asking Santa for a bubble-wrap suit.
Kiss your honey and hug your family and friends – they are really all that matter. We are grateful for you in our life. Happiness, peace and love to you this season and the coming year.