4:37 pm

A morning and early afternoon under the effects of the neck thing, finally vanquished by a Zomig tablet around 2 o’clock. Then a bath reading W.P. Kinsella in an old Western People magazine, a new red t-shirt, and a half-hour at the kitchen sink. Half the dishes are washed and dripping dry. The other half are neatly re-stacked, awaiting their turn, while I let the wrinkles dry out of my hands and sit down to catch up on my journal.

Sweetiepie was talking about going to my sister’s to put the finishing touches on her new countertop after making a trip into town. But first, he said, he had to do some stuff with the cattle. So I’m ready, but he hasn’t come back into the house.

I’ve stuck a blade roast into the oven and will cook Jill’s spanakopita-type thingies to go with it. I took them out of the deep freeze last night to thaw for later in the evening, after we’d returned with Jack and Dawna from a late supper; but never got around to the cooking.

I called the boys yesterday and they are having a good time out in Alberta, though it will seem a short holiday to them when we meet again on Saturday. Yesterday they were going to go see The Cat in the Hat.

Barney took a kitten from here to give his dad, who’d told Jill to find a black one for him. She hadn’t managed it, so we took one of our barn cats. Barney was thrilled. Dave didn’t seem so thrilled, but I told him he could send it back with Barney if he didn’t want it and he said “oh no, it’ll be fine” and was petting and talking to it immediately.

He gave me a hug and wished me a Merry Christmas and, when we met outside our vehicles at the hotel parking lot halfway between here and Edmonton, was wearing a new green corduroy shirt. I thought “new girlfriend must have given him that.” Don, on the phone, said “Poppa’s friend Denise came over.” I have my fingers crossed that Dave picks a good one.

Grandma just phoned. There is nothing going on in the old home town. There is no one driving past her house. She went for the mail and there were no vehicles around. She went to the Co-op store and no one was in there. Things have been quiet.

Now that my hair has mostly dried, and before the sky completely darkens, I’m off out to feed Chester and the cats.