Reading harold_maude's journal

Here it is, sunday evening and there are few precious hours in the night.
The silver strands of frost haven't moved off the plastic in days.
Their pretty in all the different kinds of lights that hit them.
But they remain as will the plastic on the windows until the warmer weather shows up again.

I watch the plastic move with the beating of the wind and think about how much colder it could get if the plastic wasn't there.
This house was built in 1909 and so it's not the most well built house in the world.
But it's been here almost a hundred years now and if we're still here when it turns one hundred we'll celebrate with a huge bash.

I can immagine if the walls could talk what stories they would have to tell. All the faces of the people who have passed through here. The different times that it's seen. The depression, the flu epidemic of 1919, world war II, the first man on the moon and countless tornados.

And it's still here. Doing what it's always done. Living it's life as a house.
The old wood stove is still in the basement, and so is a huge pile of mud turned dirt from when the basement wall collapsed a few years ago as they were digging the ground up for something.

The oil tank still sits in the far corner, and it still has oil in it, although I think by now it must be no longer useable.
The wood beams still remain, and one of them is the trunk of a tree, stripped down naked, and all the memories of of people marking it up still remain.
The floors upstairs are uneven and the narrow stair case leading to the second floor is a testament to how stairs used to be put in houses. Steep and narrow.
There are old slats behind plaster and about three months ago we found some old newpapers behind some of the exposed parts of the stair walls.
They were from Novemeber 1922.

It was funny to see coats for sale for 42 and 43 dollars.
Then there was the social news and there was the sports section.
There was an article about a judge who had died, and it said what a great man he was, and talked about his life. He was born when this was still just a territory, and not a state.

I add my voice to all thoes who lived here before me. And my dreams and my tears. If you added all thoes up how big would the puddle be?

Even though there are many struggle right now going on, I think I have a lot to be thankful for. I'm sleeping in a bed tonight instead of outside.
I ate today. It wasn't a lot of food. But at least I ate.
The kitten we have inside greeted me with loud purrs and lots of kitty hugs after I came home from work.
The pipe that was frozen is now thawed and we have running water again.
And we have toilet paper. That's an awesome thing. Toilet paper. It's a luxury that alot of people in the world don't have.
I don't have problems that could even begin to equal thoes of the people who got their lives distroyed by the tsumini.
And I don't have to try to go from day to day thinking about the death of my children like the woman who's children died in a house fire in a town not too far south from here just a few days ago.
She went to work. Her children who ranged in age from 17 to 3 were getting ready for another day and something went wrong and the house caught fire and they couldn't get out.
What a horrible thing to find out.
I think her heart must be shattered in a million peices. And I don't think she sleeps at night.
My heart breaks for her.

I have alot to be thankful for...and I think more than anything, I wanted to step back a bit and think about the good things of my life instead of everything else.
And on top of all the things I have to be greatful for is that I'm loved. And that's the best thing I have to be thankful for.
Maybe thinking about thoes things will help me sleep good for a change.

It only looks that way because your standing on your head.

My 'connection to the NAO' isn't working so hot right now... apparently, it is due to the new server being in Switzerland rather than Pennsylvania... some 3000 miles of underwater cable, and such... as well as the fact that my keyboard is winking on and off.

But I do not have a Trojan Horse. And for that I am tbankful. I have a freezer full of food, and skads of toilet paper and paper towels. Viva paper towels... my favorite kind!

I have enough balls of yarn to knit a sweater from here to where you are, and books galore! I have friends inviting me out to the 1860s Hardshell Cafe, but I don't want to go, because I am being a social recluse today...

I am thankful that they asked. I am thankful that you are here. And I want to give you a *virtual hug*

Thanks for being my sis. *hugs and smooches* ;)

P.S. Those newspapers from the 20s must smell really musty!

If mountain goats like living at high elevations, why do none live in high rise apartment buildings?

This post was edited by rosyxxx on Jan 10, 2005.