45875 County Road 1
Lake City CA 96115
U S A
2 February 2013
My Very Dear Chillins, Friends and Family,
A month into the near year already and I’m only a year or so behind with writing to you….
Its still cold and gloomy here, but there’s a definite sense of Spring in the air. People in the Valley are talking about going to Death Valley to see the flowers, Canada Geese are passing through with the help of the cow’s feed lines in the fields. We’ve seen a huge herd of antelope moving East on the far side of the Causeway and I am SURE the cranes will be home any day now.
Everything is much the same, we’re older, not much wiser, well and happy. It is that scary time of year when income and work is a tad sweaty, but it will certainly improve any minute now. Got a coupla cottage bookings, made a heap of knitted goods for the Shop and a boxful of Barbie clothes for Morgan.
The new bathroom and studio in the attic certainly work well. I’ve enjoyed both not enough. Have made a huge effort to get back into making rugs, I do love to do that. And I have no doubt that I will get better at it, in time.
Major events for 2013 – so far. One new baby in Johannesburg, Jasmine Modise. One in Portland, Hudson Rivas. A wedding in Pakistan, an appendix operation in Pinetown, a new job in Pietermaritzburg, one more chance to get it right in Durban, a grandson with a broken leg (I REALLY dislike trampolines near small children) another new baby any time now in England and a continued fight against the Big C by several friends. We continue to pray for their success.
Russ has ripped up the carpets in the living room and painted the floor, we’ve organized new shelves for books and cd’s in the office and I am the proud owner of a new RussMade cabinet for my cast iron ware next to the cookstove in the kitchen.
Next week I have to springclean the Cottage top to bottom and give all the kitchen things (cottage’s) a thorough wash.
I have applied for permission to sell my jams and chutneys and whatever else comes to mind – apparently the California laws on Cottage industry has changed this year. Good News! It wll mean more work, and also more opportunity to swell the old income. Yes, please.
We’ll go to Yellowstone for a week at the end of April and then in June, my best friend Pamela will be here for a whole two months! What a time it will be.
The Inauguration of President Obama was just marvelous. I watched all day – would you believe they stopped tv coverage the minute the really good stuff was about to happen. The Balls, the dresses, the guest entertainers. Never has a TV set in this house come closer to being demolished!
I’m writing this on such a cunning device. Its called an Alphasmart. Developed for children who don’t have laptops, to answer exam questions on and type projects, Its very sturdy, a little larger than a keyboard, runs on a battery which recharges when you plug it into your computer to download your stuff. It doesn’t get hot, either and wouldn’t mind if you dropped it now and then. I was sold on it, firstly because its SCAAAAAADS cheaper than a laptop and secondly because I read reviews from journalists who were particularly pleased with it because its so tough and because it has no cords or wires and you can use it absolutely anywhere, even the middle of a warzone without any trouble.
Sad thing, apparently the trapper shot 100 cyotes in the space of three or four ranches and one of our little fox friends was run over by a car. All is not lost, though. We still have one fox and I heard coyotes really close to the house last night.
As soon as it stops freezing I will have to paint the porches of both houses and stain both decks. Maybe Pam will enjoy playing with a paintbrush while she’s here? Inbetween all the gallivanting I plan to do.
Our grandchildren all seem to be OK, aside from Ocean’s little broken leg. Mitchell visited South Africa in December and since his return to the UK I have had two whole words from him. “Hey hey”. My cup runneth over.
We attended a delicious concert in Eagleville last Wednesday. Corb Lund and the Hurtin’ Albertans. It was my first real Cowboy hoedown foot stompin rootin tootin dance in the Valley and you’ll be proud to know I took to it like a duck to water. AND my feet didn’t hurt a bit the next day. Russ looked a little worse for wear, but he was just fine too. SUCH fun.
Oh, Almost forgot, daughter in law Amber (she of the appendix scare) was offered a job by the school Damon attends. Thrilled for her. Teaching is what she WANTS to do with her life. Lucky Damon, to have Mommy close by. And Laurel and Shaun have finally taken wing with their business. Apparently orders from all over the world are coming in.
Isn’t it amazing how small the world has become? This letter will go to New Zealand, , South Africa, New York, Detroit, Namibia and Costa Rica. My parents would’ve blanched at the thought of crossing the Limpopo.
I found a step relative in Sierra Leone the other day! Go figure.
And now, I think my writing obligations may have been discharged, for now.
My love and good wishes come with this to all of you. Have a great 2013!
Jan
