Little Things and Great Friends

bright, sunny day - gorgeous - temps minus 8

Brittle day - in every way. heavy frost, like crystals clinging to everything. In the sunshine it is just spectacular.

Had a very fun day yesterday. Susan arrived from Montreal just before noon. We had a coffee together, then she and I hopped in the car and drove to Vermont. Stopped at the Pinnacle Peddler, in Richford, for lunch - then onto Enosburg Falls and the Hannaford store. It's a huge grocery store. Because it's american, there are all sorts of brands we don't get in Canada. Very fun. Susan really loves to cook and knows food - so I just tagged along and impulse bought. (two different kinds of egg nogg! Yum)

then home. We're allowed to bring groceries across the border - we just declare it and show the receipt. The Canadian border guards read it to make sure we aren't bringing in alcohol or tobacco or guns, I guess. Thank God egg nogg isn't considered a drug - yet.

Got home by about 4:30. It was pitch black already. Wow. Makes 6pm feel like 10pm.

Michael and I had a meeting to go to last night - and Susan had already planned to cook. We got home about 7:30. Desperately cold night. How wonderful to come through the door and smell all those wonderful aromas. You can see Susan doing the last minute preparations.

We put out the Christmas plates and set the table with Christmas decorations and crackers. Exchanged gifts. Susan had baked Michael eccles cakes (his favorite and a real treat) and made me a batch of raspberry shrub drink (my favorite). We gave Susan a tacky/fun New York Christmas decoration - since she loves New York more than anyone I know, including New Yorkers. And a personally signed Ian Rankin (she also loves him).

Our propane fireplace, after working brilliantly for a month, suddenly isn't working. Very disappointing, as the cold, and Christmas, close in. What's off, besides the fact it was working so well for so long, is that the flame doesn't just go out, but the pilot light goes out too. Bob, our construction manager, is on the case with AJR Lacroix - where we bought it. Fingers crossed they can solve it soon. But still - there are far worse things! And the rest of the house is working wonderfully.

Last night was the first real test of our geothermal in winter. Got down to minus 15 overnight, but it kept plugging away - keeping us snug and warm. Such a relief!

Now we're enjoying a quiet afternoon. Susan's headed home and we're watching football. Lovely not to have, or need, an agenda. tomorrow some chores in Cowansville - then home we hope for the fireplace repair person.

Watching Denver and New England. Great game so far.