2019 Life Logs, Day 364: Rainy Day
Date: Monday, December 30, 2019
Weather: Cold Rain; High 35, Low 33 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA

Today was a good reminder that it is winter. The sunshine and mild temperatures of the past few days abruptly ended last night when the it started raining. It didn’t get cold enough to freeze, but this morning when I first went out with Shadow, we didn’t stay out long. I came inside and got out my heaviest winter coat for the next trip outside. I continue to improve, feeling a bit better each day. But I won’t be going out on New Year’s Eve. I have launched into a few organizational projects and work stay home to work on those. If I can’t feel great for the first day of the new year, at least I can feel organized.

2019 Life Logs, Day 363: For the Love of Mangoes
Date: Sunday, December 29, 2019
Weather: Mostly Sunny, Rain Late; High 43, Low 34 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA

When Heather left for Maine, she gave me two mangoes that had come with her Misfits delivery and would go bad by the time they get home. I ate the first one the next day and felt like I had been transported to the tropics. It tasted soooooooo good. Then tonight, I cut into the second one and had a repeat performance. I honestly don’t remember tasting anything this good ever. So, thank you Heather! I do love mangoes.

My day today was more of the same. Last night I started working the 1,000 piece Vintage Christmas Cards puzzle Jonah got me for Christmas and I continued that today. It is a bit challenging with a puppy. I usually work my puzzles on my coffee table. But as I discovered this morning, I can’t leave any puzzle pieces down that low without losing them to Shadow. I thought I was being smarter than him by putting most of the puzzle pieces on a card table and putting just the pieces I am immediately working with on a piece of cardboard on the coffee table so I can move it higher when not working on it. I think my mistake was a trip to the bathroom. I didn’t put the puzzle up as I was going to be right back. But right back is just the right amount of time for a puppy to steal puzzle pieces. I fought the evidence by the front door later in the morning. And then I made the mistake of leaving the book I am reading on the couch when I made a trip to the kitchen. It was a brand new, beautiful hardback book that now has the back edge chewed nicely by Shadow. These things hadn’t happened in prior days as I wasn’t reading or working puzzles. The fact that I am now doing that is proof that I feel better, but my perfect little companion was only perfect when I gave him my full attention. I’ll have to get smarter about leaving anything within Shadow’s reach that I don’t want chewed to pieces.

As I write this log, we have two days, 1 hour, 46 minutes until 2020. My hope was to be rid of this cold by New Year’s Day, but I’m not sure that is going to happen. Yesterday and today were slightly better, but I still have to sleep sitting up to keep the coughing under control. But again today, I felt good enough to spend some time working outside in the beautiful sunshine. The weather forecast for the next week is for more of the same relatively warm days with sunshine, except for tomorrow and Friday when we will have rain. Tomorrow’s rain has already begun with sprinkles, but there is a 100 per cent chance that we will get more than sprinkles by tomorrow . . . a good day for more reading and working on that puzzle.

2019 Life Logs, Day 362: Slow and Steady
Date: Saturday, December 28, 2019
Weather: Sunny; High 47, Low 32 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA

I would love to take one giant leap back to being totally healthy, but reality dictates that I must be satisfied with slow and steady progress. I do feel a tad better today and was able to be out and about doing laundry and running errands, so for that I am very grateful. But I’m afraid my goal of being rid of this cold by New Year’s Day might be a bit too ambitious. Shadow continues to be my best buddy. He really has been the perfect companion and I am so glad that I have him. We took a nice long walk today and played in the yard during the sunniest and warmest part of the day. Then we were back on the couch together. I think he likes the slower life style this cold has imposed on us.

2019 Life Logs, Day 361: Where in the World is Windbird?
Date: Friday, December 27, 2019
Weather: Overcast, but Warm; High 52, Low 36 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA

A number of people have asked me where in the world Windbird is these days and whether or not I will be sailing with Sam and Dawn this winter. So, I’ll bring you up-to-date. Windbird spent the summer tucked away in Curacao in the southern Caribbean, while Sam and Dawn lived with friends in the Pacific Northwest during Sam’s working summer months. Their plan was to return to Curacao in November, get Windbird ready for another sailing season, and then spend time in the San Blas in Panama and slowly work their way up through the western Caribbean. I had hoped to join them, maybe in the San Blas. They planned to end the season in New York City where they planned to live aboard for a couple of years. Some of those plans changed abruptly in late October when they bought a 2.3 acre lot on an airstrip at the top of the Kitsap peninsula, 15 miles west of Seattle. “ It’s just trees & grass taxiways now, but in a few years we’ll build our Northwoods dream nest, a hangar, a shop, a yard for Piper to run around…. We’ve enjoyed our life on the water and will continue to live & cruise aboard Windbird for a few years, but in the meantime we’re also building our land & air future together!” This purchase changed the immediate plans as Sam now needs to get back to work to pay for this. So, they decided to sail Windbird from Curacao to Bonaire and then make a quick run back to Florida where they will live aboard this winter so Sam can get back to work. On December 3, they left Bonaire and arrived in Fort Pierce, Florida on December 13. Sam posted on Facebook: “We did it! Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles to Fort Pierce, Florida, 1293 nautical miles in 8 days 19 hours 30 minutes (plus a 31-hour pause for weather in Grand Bahama), a fast-for-us average of 6.11 knots. We had a couple patches of rougher seas – including last night in the Gulf Stream – but Windbird handled them with aplomb and never missed a beat. With this passage the Caribbean cruising chapter of our life ends, but other adventures await. Tomorrow we’ll arrive at our winter home of Cocoa Village Marina where we’ll stay as I finish 737 Captain training & get on the line, then we’ll move Windbird up to New York City for the summer!” That’s update on where in the world Windbird is these days.

The update from here is not so rosy. My cold is no better. I actually started the day feeling a bit better, but then I couldn’t resist spending part of the afternoon outside as it was in the 50’s. Shadow and I enjoyed our time outside, but when we came in, I started coughing and felt lousy. Other than an early morning trip to the veterinarian for Shadow’s first rabies shot, we spent the rest of the day being couch potatoes . . . again. Maybe tomorrow.

2019 Life Logs, Day 360: Boxing Day
Date: Thursday, December 26, 2019
Weather: Mostly Cloudy; High 49, Low 30 degrees
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA

I spent Boxing Day doing as little as possible, certainly no shopping. This cold is certainly the worst one I have ever had and it just keeps hanging on. So, Shadow and I spent a great deal of today just resting. I had to do a little cooking and I made a trip to Heather and Jed’s this morning to get my camera that I had forgotten last night. They were still at home trying to get ready to leave for Maine and they didn’t expect to get on the road until early afternoon. Hopefully they made it safely and will have a few days of rest and relaxation while visiting Jed’s mom. My plans are more of the same, days on the couch cuddling Shadow until this cold is gone

2019 Life Logs, Day 359: Merry Christmas
Date: Wednesday, December 25, 2019
Weather: Mostly Sunny; High 43, Low 32 degrees
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA

Jed got home from his trip to the veterinarian in Weymouth at 2 am. A decision was made to bring Zuzu home, keep him quiet and in a box separate from the other two guinea pigs for a week and then assess what should be done. It will depend on how much functionality he regains. But he isn’t in pain for now and since the vet was not able to give an absolute prognosis, it seemed best to give him time to see how he does. Ollie is handling this in his Ollie Lama way, Jonah is very sad, but Sam is having the most difficulty. Christmas morning started with Heather giving the boys the update on Zuzu. They said good morning to him and then they came downstairs to enjoy Christmas. Last year Santa granted Jonah’s wish for a snowboard. That was such a success that this year Santa brought snowboards for Sam and Ollie and Jonah got a snow tube. They will be spending three days at a ski resort at the end of the visit in Maine and will get to try out the new equipment. Heather and Jed got Sam high hat cymbals for his new drum set and I got him a cajon which is a wooden rhythm box. Jonah’s presents were soccer related from both Heather and Jed and from me and Ollie got Gravitraxs from Heather and Jed and an Ollie app-controlled robot from me. We all got a chuckle when the boys opened their gifts from Ziggy and Coco. They each got a balaclava animal mask. Sam got a fox, Ollie a Siberian Husky, and Jonah a cat. They should be a big hit on the ski trail! Jo sent me a photo of Coco with the electric ukulele I sent her, and later in the morning Justin sent a photo of Ziggy starting to assemble the Lego Millennium Falcon I sent to him. It was a wonderful Christmas and before dinner we had a Skype video call with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco and shared some of the excitement with each other.

After lighting the Menorah candles, which as they melted looked like a work of art, we enjoyed a dinner centered around individual Rock Cornish hens, asparagus, and corn-on-the-cob. We then ended our evening by watching the last half of White Christmas. We weren’t sure that we could enjoy it since it was during that movie on Christmas Eve that Zuzu jumped out of Heather’s arms and was nearly fatally injured. But for now, Zuzu is holding his own and we managed to enjoy the movie. When the movie was over, Shadow and I said our farewells and headed home. Tomorrow the Goldstones head to Maine to spend a few days with Jed’s mother and then go snowboarding for three days before heading home. The kids don’t go back to school until Monday, January 6th, so they won’t return until the weekend just prior. I will really miss them, but I have wonderful memories of our Christmas together to keep me going until they return. And I have my cuddly, new best buddy, Mr. Moonshadow.

2019 Life Logs, Day 358: Christmas Eve
Date: Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Weather: Beautiful Day; High 43, Low 20 degrees
Location: At Home with the Goldstones, East Falmouth, MA

Christmas Eve was going so beautifully. During the afternoon, we all scurried to get the last presents wrapped while Heather baked bread wreaths and we had a Skype video call with Justin, Jo, Coco, and Ziggy to hear about their Christmas preparations in Puerto Rico. Shadow and I packed up to come spend the night with the Goldstones so we would be here super early on Christmas morning. Before dinner, we opened our Christmas Eve gifts. I bought books for the boys and an Edward Gorey puzzle for Heather and Jed. I got a beautiful scallop shell ornament with the outline of Cape Cod cut out in the center. I bought a grassfed prime rib roast from a local farm and we cooked that for dinner. Our timing was off a bit and the roast was a little too rare for everyone except Sam and Jed, but Jed cut off pieces and quickly pan seared them for the rest of us and it was delicious and so tender. Jonah doesn’t eat meat, so we had a Christmas artichoke for him. After dinner, we were watching White Christmas while cuddling the guinea pigs and Shadow on the couch. Then a beautiful day went awry. Heather went to put Ollie’s guinea pig, Zuzu, back in his home when he jumped out of her hands and fell to the floor. At first he couldn’t move and Heather thought he had broken his back. She desperately tried to find a veterinarian that was open on Christmas Eve. Long story short, he had to be taken first to a vet in Bourne across the bridge and then on to Weymouth, closer to Boston. Heather and Ollie took him to Bourne and there they suggested the vet in Weymouth. Jed went to meet up with Heather and Ollie so they could come home and then he went to Weymouth. When Heather and Ollie got home, it was almost 10 pm, so we all went to bed with the hope that morning would bring better news. I didn’t get up to check the time, but sometime during the night I heard Jed return and then I heard Santa arrive just a little later. So, all is well.

2019 Life Logs, Day 357: Christmas Preparations
Date: Monday, December 22, 2019
Weather: Sunny and Warm; High 54, Low 33 degrees
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA

It was unseasonably warm today and that was very helpful as I scurried about doing holiday food shopping. Unfortunately, my cold took a turn for the worse today and that didn’t help. I took time out of the middle of the day to take a nap and then got up and kept going. At 3 pm,

?

I picked up Sam and Jonah and they came to spend a couple of hours of my house while Heather, Jed, and Ollie went to see Frozen II. Shadow loved having the boys to play with and he holds his own with the soccer ball. While they played, I fixed mushroom, cranberry, and quinoa stuffed acorn squash for dinner. It was going to be dinner time when Heather, Jed, and Ollie returned from the movie, so they were delighted with the dinner invitation. I spent some time wrapping presents tonight, caught up on a little correspondence, and will not head to bed. I have to make one more trip to town for the last food shopping trip in the morning and will then head to Heather and Jed’s to help prepare Christmas Eve dinner. Let the festivities begin!

2019 Life Logs, Day 356: Happy Hanukkah
Date: Sunday, December 22, 2019
Weather: Partly Sunny; High 48, Low 34 degrees
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA

Yesterday we celebrated solstice and this evening I celebrated the first night of Hanukkah with Heather and family. Earlier in the day, we all went Christmas shopping. The melding of cultures results in an interesting approach to the holiday season. And we seem to do it all and enjoy it. Jed drove Heather and the boys over to my house just after noon. We had a last minute change of plans as Heather and Jed had planned to leave Sam and Jonah with me and they were doing with Ollie to see Frozen II. But when they arrived, the sun was shining and all three boys wanted to spend time playing with Shadow and hanging out down on the dock. It was decided to enjoy the moment, so the movie date was put off until tomorrow afternoon. Jed headed off to do his shopping while the rest of us enjoyed some time outside with Shadow. Then I took Heather and the boys shopping in Mashpee Commons. It was a fun afternoon trying to buy things and keep it a secret from everyone else. But we managed and I think all three boys finalized their Christmas shopping. I dropped Heather and boys at home and headed to downtown Falmouth to pick up a couple of other items. By the time I got home and took Shadow out for a walk, it was time to head to Heather and Jed’s for the first night of Hanukkah festivities. Shadow and I missed the lighting of the menorah, but we ate latkes and leftovers from last night’s solstice celebration and opened the Hanukkah presents I brought. But because I brought presents, Jonah insisted that they give me an early Christmas present first. During our shopping outing, he had bought a Christmas puzzle for me and that was presented to me tonight. I knew Heather wanted a glass and metal spinning tea light holder and I decided to give it to her tonight so they can enjoy it over the next couple of days. She was truly delighted. Evidently, she had ordered the same one for herself but was not sure it was going to arrive in time for Christmas, so getting the one tonight made her very happy.

2019 Life Logs, Day 355: Welcome Yule
Date: Saturday, December 21, 2019
Weather: Mostly Cloudy; High 41, Low 30 degrees
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA

I spent my day with Jonah and Ollie baking Christmas cookies at my house while Sam stayed home with Heather and Jed. They spent their day preparing to host their solstice celebration for friends beginning at 4 pm. Sam helped Heather make her annual chocolate yule log. When I brought Ollie and Jonah home, Sam was obviously proud of helping to the make the log and Ollie and Jonah were proud of their Christmas cookie contribution for tonight’s celebration to usher out the shortest day of the year. Tonight is the longest night of the year. As winter begins, we start to gain more daylight. And that is something to celebrate. After dropping off Jonah and Ollie, I headed back home to spend some time with Shadow and then returned later in the evening. I missed Jed lighting the fire in the fireplace as friends arrived and Heather reading The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper. But what a beautiful poem and what a beautiful way to usher in winter and the new year. And I must add that as the moment of winter solstice arrived at 11:19 pm, Shadow and I were sitting here watching a Christmas favorite, It’s a Wonderful Life, with Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed. And now to bed for the longest night.

The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper

So the shortest day came, and the year died,
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive,
And when the new year’s sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, revelling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us – Listen!!
All the long echoes sing the same delight,
This shortest day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.
Welcome Yule!!