Today Is Thankgiving

Last night seemed to be bitterly cold, the wind was howling and the cold seemed to penetrate everything. The furnace ran and ran, but it never seemed to warm up. I have forced hot air, when it is running it feels opressively hot, then it shuts off and the biting cold is back. That's the way it seemed. I had spend all that I had to prepare for our Thanksgiving. The money had run out for the kerosene heater, but their was enough oil to get us through till I got my big check. Still the cold was ever present.

This morning when I awoke, the snow was just starting, The air was quiet and still. When it snows, you go outside and you can feel the quietness of the falling snow. It seems so quiet still, almost like a sacred quietness. Inside the air was still chilly. I thought, we need to get some kerosene, the cold will never end without it. The kerosene heater is a raidant heater, like the warmth of a firepace or woodstove the heat is radiated and penetrates all that is in the room.

When Ginny woke up we decided to go get some kerosene, which we did through the fallen 4 inches of snow. The snow was done for the day.

At home, the stove needed little coaxing to respond. It did not take long for the heat to penetrate all that was in the room. I set about cleanning off the table that had set in disuse for many months. When all was done, I poured myself a rum eggnog. Ginny had insisted on buying the eggnog. I on the otherhand had decided not to have the eggnog for Thanksgiving. But with it in the house, all bets were off.

Having the table cleaned and ready, I decided a movie was in order, Muppets Take Manhattan sounded like a good choice. I poured myself another rum eggnog and settled into the movie. God, they 're getting married in the movie. Not what I had planned.

About 3:30, Ginny shows up and we need to get cooking. So we progress with stuffing of the shells and all. We also open a bottle of my Mead, it is like a rare jewel. it has been aging for at least 2 years and is delicately sweet, but strong like all home made brews.

The shells come out of the oven, they look perfectly done. So we are ready to sit down and eat. I am here on this computer only to find Ginny is already eating. So I make my plate ready and also set down to eat.

So, this is our Thanksgiving.

Day 28

Well, it is almost 4 weeks! It will be 4 weeks Monday night at Midnight. Actually this has not been bad at all. I have not had any of the gum in almost 3 weeks. I was determined not to replace my cigarette addiction with a nicotine gum addiction. It would be like not quitting at all.

I think the hardest part will be not going outside in the freezing cold to have a smoke with my friends and associates. I keep running into people who have quit for several months and then have gone back to smoking, this I think will be hard for the next several months. But I think I can be successful at this too.

My friend Jess has been cheating on her cigs, but I am hoping she will stick with it and quit. You know the cigarette companies do not play fair, they use any means they can, legal or otherwise to get people hooked on cigarettes and to keep them there.

To quit smoking is like fighting Big Tobacco and that's what you are doing, fighting all their little tricks and hoopla to keep you on their poison sticks.

Do I Dare Do This

Sometimes you have to take chances, I think that's maybe what Inga did. Well, anyways she is my Russki penpal, as she would like to put it.

I think we are finding a lot in common, whether this is good or bad, time will tell. This blog is a personal one and very few knew it existed, but I did share it with Inga, so am sure monday morning she will also know about this posting.

There's Something Out There

When the early morning fog is heavy and damp, the kind of dampness that can penetrate the soul, you just might see an image of something lurking in the dark cold waters. Could it be the Loch Ness Monster transformed to this body of water. Or is it just another one of those mysterious creates that you can only catch a fleeting glimpse of.


But, alas, he has been caught by the lens of this camera. Look closely and you will see the head of this mysterious beast and ripples in the tranquil waters. I lay these before you as evidence that the beast so exists. Now one must contemplate, the rest of him, is it that of a common beast or might he be part of something greater.

Just One More Day

The above picture was taken a few days ago, when the far lagoon was iced over and the field across the river looked covered with snow. This was not really snow, but a heavy frost and I was out with the dogs to brave the hint of Winter.

The picture is a composite of 4 pictures put together to give a panoramic view of my backyard. In the foreground is the Suncook River, a somewhat smallish river that flows eternally by my house.

Does one ever stop to think about the river that flows seemingly forever and never ceasing to flow. From where does all that water come from and where is it all going. Maybe just down the river to the ocean. It's just one of those things that makes you stop and think of the nature of all that is and no matter what we do, that river will never stop flowing and for whatever purpose the river has, it is good that the river flows past my house.

Today Is Day 22

Today is the 22nd day since I had a cigarette. In a way, I am getting used to this, in another way, I don't think I will ever get used to it. I want 1 cigarette, but not to go back to doing cigarettes all the time. So, I can't do even one. That is the bummer. Not 1 cigarette can be allowed.

A guy came into Sears today, he had quit smoking for 1.5 months and he went back to smoking yesterday. What a bummer. The girl I work with in shoes, had to go outside because she was coughing so much. Why, she had a cold, but we know the real resaon was the cigarettes.
I've done this many times, coughed and choked just for that next cigarette. Smoked the cigarette to kill the cough. Had one more to make sure everything was numbed and had no feeling.

The other's in shoes want to quit, Marie is not going to bother to quit, but Molly is going to try. I hope she does it, I know how hard this is to do. You always have to be on your guard and never let it down. It's a tough job, but it can be done.