Snowy Day, Inside Comfort

It snowed a little last night and has continued to sputter a few flakes all day long. And cold, my goodness yes! It hasn't gotten much over 20F all day.

So it is a good day to be indoors taking care of my patient.

He's a very good patient; he doesn't complain and I have to watch out or he'll try to do things he isn't ready to do yet. At only 2 days after sugery, he can get all over the house with his walker! I am trying to keep him busy with things he can actually do--sort his medications, read, etc. And take naps. He's done a lot of sleeping.

I've been busy taking care of the chores he usually does, along with my usual housework, writing, ebay, and so on. The only problem I have had is my hands. They get so cold. I can't wear gloves because for some weird reason my hands just get colder if I wear them. Mittens don't work either as then my thumbs freeze. The only kind of "gloves" I have found I can wear are socks. Well, today I decided I could manage without any hand covering, just pulling my hands up into my coat. Bad Idea. Very Bad. My hands got so cold I had to run cold water on them before trying warmer water. I won't be going bare-handed again, that's for sure.

Inside, I have done laundry, have venison roast in the crockpot, and have worked on ebay and a few poems on my poetry blog. I've cleaned house and chased after Larry, fixing little meals for him because his appetite is not too good yet. And I've done some small changing up in decor now that the Christmas things are put away. We have music playing and the house just feels--and smells--so good after being away for those few days at the hospital.

A quick look at some of what I've been doing while inside today:

The big table got a fresh look with the prettiest handmade tablecloth I've seen in a while--and it was only a quarter! I put vintage valentine cards in the card holder. The two teapots and the crystal plate and compote in front are for sale, but this is a safe place to keep them until they're sold.

Valentines in the living room too. I made the collage last year. The Fenton clock was a happy Goodwill find, works well except the alarm is broken. The little book is one of my favorites, and gives the meaning of the names of hundreds of flowers.

More hearts on this small side table. This table was my mothers; I repainted it several years ago.

And another favorite book on this table. I am working on a program of nature lore, with a focus on wild flowers and plants, so these two books will in use for that. I painted the two boxes on the table several years ago.

The lamp has been a work in progress for a year or more. It was such a sad, ugly thing--brown faded wood with a fake brass base that was so bent we had to remove it. I re-wired the lamp, painted and distressed it, and found a replacement dark wood base. The shade was another Goodwill find, made out of neckties! It is perfect with the ruby glass font on this lamp. I am so happy with the way it looks now.

I've had the milk glass heart dish for several years. It's for sale on ebay, but I use it for display in the meantime. It's from the Victorian era, and is over 100 years old.

In the kitchen window, ruby glass still glows. I started to change it up, but changed my mind.

Venison cooking in the crockpot. This will be tomorrow's dinner, when Larry's appetite is better. I'll made the broth into gravy and bake some potatoes to go with it. That and a salad will make a good winter meal.

I bought these books a year or more ago--maybe two years ago, come to think of it! Finally got them listed on ebay this morning. These were printed at least as long ago as 1887, and are so beautiful.

Marbled page ends,

and look at this cover. For their age they are in pretty good condition, the bindings as tight as can be.

So that's what's been happening here today. What's going on at your house?


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