Here's my indoor landscape, with decorations hardly detectable, handmade paper artworks on the far walls, cosy Ted and knitted Dollivers, seasonal poinsettia, and the growing stack of small knitted and crocheted things.
I succeeded in getting my car started and running. Backed up a little to rest on a different part of the tires. Tire pressure is low, of course, from the sudden low overnight temps, not urgent. I like to know the car will start just in case. In case of what, don't ask me, I only live here.
I seem to have a permanent need for a functional vehicle, probably from years of urgent runs. I also don't want to be bothering Gary for help because I failed to run the motor. I can use my battery charger, but I can't get the hood up to do so. Fingertips numb, not operating that well, to fiddle with the unseen latch under the hood.
Moving on to the water sitch. For several days our water supply, usually very good tasting and definitely safe, has been smelling and tasting more like coal oil than H2O.
Many communications from the harassed water people, day and night, via text, voicemail, email, assuring everyone it still passes State and Fed drinking requirements.
They've tested for hundreds of potential contaminants, no joy, and I don't envy them. They're flushing all the hydrants in the region, advising about everything they can think of.
Handsome Son has not being receiving these endless messages because he's in a large account, covering the whole condo complex. I imagine their management is on it and proceeding with caution, not wishing to have hundreds of unit owners panicking all over and blaming them.
So I have been forwarding emails in case there's a health hazard, and he, being of the non-email generation, needs a text alert to check his email.
I noted he hadn't opened the ecard I sent for the holiday, so I texted to suggest he check email. I could hear the eye rolling from here, Moooom, I know about the water company. No, no, it's something else, just check. Ooookay, when I get a minute..
I find Christmas too pressured and emotional, usually glad when it gets past. I never feel I'm doing enough, or doing it right, even when I enjoy it. Scornful older sibs voices in my head. This too shall pass.
I do like electronic greetings, though.
And my holiday reading is an old favorite, long out of print but available suddenly in my Kindle.
It's light, funny and pointed, like all Sharp's writing. And no Amazon employee has to pick, pack, and deliver under pressure. I wish their strike well.
Happy day everyone, don't drink the water and don't breathe the air. And be aware that most of my comments on your blogs seem to be vanishing after I've seen them published. I'm not ignoring you! Thank you to the bloggers who remember to check spam and release the prisoners.
The room looks cheerful, “sunny and bright.” I’m realizing I tend to look forward to the passing of this holiday. So much pressure to be busy, happy, etc.
ReplyDeletePressure to be happy, exactly. Joy on command.
DeleteI think a sense of dissatisfaction and lack of 'success' is inevitable when an occasion is so relentlessly promoted. It's a relief when it's finished and the pressure is released.
ReplyDeleteTrue, and family memories are part of the pressure.
DeletePost email generation! Amazing but quite true.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you could put your car up on blocks to preserve the shape of the tyres, but that will prevent a quick get away.
My tenant boils water to rid it of the chlorine taste for his drinking water, but I've found if you let it stand in a container, the smell quickly disappears. Ours only really smells to me after heavy rain, and no doubt extra chlorine needs to be added.
This water taste is quite different, doesn't dissipate on standing not boiling. Mystery!
DeleteI think I need to keep the tires in place!
Shall check out the book.
ReplyDeleteI hope they get your water sorted. We have lovely water here in Swansea too. When we lived in Southampton it was horrible.
Our water is usually fine, so this is so unusual everyone's all upset.
DeleteI love Margery sharp, self directed heroines, different and fine with it, but very light all the same.
Email was once the biggest breakthrough of the internet, but now I tend to forget a I bit too. Yes, I have done messages to tell people to read their email.
ReplyDeleteIt used to be considered a fast way to communicate! People expected you to read and respond instantly. Then came texting..
DeleteYou know how I feel about Christmas. I need say no more. .
ReplyDeleteToday I HAVE to wrap presents. Really? Really? I bought wrapping paper weeks ago. It's still in my car.
Soon be past!
DeleteSure hope they get the water situation figured out in a hurry. Nothing's worse than awful-tasting water (sez I who can't stomach our local water supply straight out of the tap...we have to use a Brita filter so it's even remotely drinkable). And yes, I get the reference to having to tell our kids to check their emails because they rarely do.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I'm always glad when Christmas is over. It's not an easy time of year for a lot of us.
The water is better, nearly back to good. I wonder if we'll ever find out what it was about.
DeleteI hope they figure out and rectify whatever's going on with the water supply. I had a laugh at your expression "check spam and release the prisoners."
ReplyDeleteI see comments looking out from behind bars, waiting to be sprung. They'll fix the water but whether we ever find out what's up is another question.
DeleteThat water sounds horrid. This would be a good reason for bottled water. I enjoyed our Christmas on Saturday. The son and I both hated Christmas. My mother was a beast, she was always made and demanding and made Christmas a obligation and a burden. 4.5 years after she died we both actually had a nice time. Your living room does look cheery and bright.
ReplyDeleteMy mom was fine about Christmas though she found it a sad time, young girl giving birth in poverty. She'd btdt. It was the sisters who created my stress.
DeleteThe water was safe but ew! Much better now.
Thank you for the reminder to check my spam folder.
ReplyDeleteYour water situation sounds a bit concerning but if they are certain it's safe who are we to question?
Your living area look perfect for spending cold wintery afternoons.
I have been a bit rattled about the water situation, but we have had reliable information up to now when anything different happened, so I figured it was safe even if not fun.
DeleteI like my living room, mainly because it always has an interesting view. Sitting and looking out ftw.
Glad the water is tasting better. That would be alarming (and unpleasant) no matter what the water company says.
ReplyDeleteI've finally worked out a Christmas balance that works pretty well for me. Our decorations are about as unobtrusive as yours, and this year we'll visit friends for a low-key Christmas breakfast. Maybe for Christmas dinner the NYT cauliflower pancetta dish that Ms. Moon introduced us to, if we can find a cauliflower in the next 24 hours, and if not, we'll cobble together some soup and count our blessings. As you say, soon be over.
Chris from Boise
That sounds like a great Christmas plan. I just suddenly lost my mojo. Maybe it's the aftermath of great birthday times and attention. More snow today, just gentle falling.
DeleteYes, you almost always seem to go to spam on my blog, for some reason. But never fear, I check every day! I like your interior decor and your happy houseplants.
ReplyDeleteI tend to fly into spam on a lot of non US based blogs. It's a dastardly plot, I tell you!
DeleteYour home looks lovely and the yarnin' looks fun. Sorry to read that you'd rather it be over though I hear that time to time from folks. Here's to a better 2025 for you!!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's a low point, in many ways, a letdown after great birthdays often. I can't rev it up again so soon. Hoping for a good 2025 for you too.
Delete