Ready for This??

Here is a letter I just wrote to my brothers. I figured since I was going to post the same info here as I put into the letter, I may as well just copy/paste and save my fingers some work. I didn't mention to them that I also have to catch up on some basic bills here.

Rev. Dale & Hannah are both praying for me, for Peace, Harmony, Joy and Divine Right Action in my life.

Hi Terry, & Bernie.

Yes, Bernie told me and I am grateful. Have been meaning to get back to him about it... Sorry, B... things been crazy. I do have a gift for Mom already, though not a homemade one this year. Being busy with other commitments I haven't had a chance to make anything for anyone this year. I think I will have to find a way to cut back some on what I do in the new year. Mostly I love being busy, though I have also been enjoying having some more time on my hands with Toastmasters & Camera Club done now until January. I would like to get back to doing some creative things, though don't want to give up any of the things I do now, lol.

As for the weather... I'm ready for it to be over. I wish I could just run away and hide for a month or two, and yet I can't. One of my chinchillas nearly died. She stopped eating & drinking, due to a tooth problem that the vet found. I am force feeding her several times a day with syringe and giving meds too, and she is seeming to be some better now, though still not eating or drinking other than what I force her to take. Thank God she's okay, though the vet bill was LARGE and had to go onto my Master Card. Yesterday there was no water in the house. I didn't know if it was frozen here or down the road somewhere, but in all the years I've been here, it's never frozen here tho has down the road, so I had hopes. I turned up the furnace and turned off the pellet stove as the pellet stove for some reason isn't working well, so I have to tear it apart to clean it out again. This should only have to be done once a year and I did it this fall already, so not sure why, but it's not working right. Figured having the furnace on could be a good thing anyway, since it shoots warm air underneath to where pipes are. I left the bathroom tap on and about 7:30 this morning heard the water running, so that was good. A friend later told me he'd heard on the radio that there had been frozen lines, so that was good news... or so I thought. Off and on, I would think I heard water running, but all my taps were off, then finally it dawned on me. I went out to look underneath and yup, water all over the place and running like crazy. Somehow, likely a neighborhood cat or something looking to get warm, knocked down the plug in the hole to the crawl space, so all the heat was getting out and the cold getting in. If it wasn't frozen yesterday, it was by today. Dan came down and went under but couldn't shut it off. I went under after that and nope, can't shut it off. Phoned plumbers and most are too busy to even think about coming here. The one that is willing said there is nothing he can do until the water is shut off out at the road. He said call City Yards and have someone come out. I called and only got an answering machine. I left an "urgent" message, so hoping someone gets it before Monday and comes out to shut the water off out at the road.

My parrot was sitting on top of her cage looking funny. She was crouched down with her head bent way back and her mouth open. She does this once in awhile, for just a very short time, but today she did it for a long time. I reached out and petted her, and she never lets me pet her like that. I got real scared, real fast. I was sure she was sick. Then I reached around thinking I'd pick her up and WHAM!!! she bit me. I never thought I'd be so happy to be bit!! She's just fine.

I'm trying not to worry about the plumber bill on top of the vet bill... worrying won't help pay them, and worrying can only make things worse. Somehow this will work out. SOOOO, dear brothers.... I DO want to contribute to the TV. I want it for Mom. I know it would make her so happy to see ALL of our names on the card rather than to have mine missing. That being said, I won't be able to contribute as much as I would like to. Do you have PayPal?? I do have a few dollars in my PayPal account that I could send to you that way.

The plans for Christmas day sound FABULOUS, T. I am really looking forward to seeing the kids and their kids. That is who Christmas is really for. I wanted to get all of them a gift... at least something. I think I will have to pass on that now.

Arizona sounds better and better all the time. Living out on the desert where it's warm, just camping in a travel trailer and no problems... ahhhh.

See you soon.

Love and Hugs to you and yours!!

Alice

----- Original Message -----

From: Terence

To: Alice P.

Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2008 5:06 PM

Subject: xmas

Alice,
Happy hoho, I hope the cold weather isn't affecting you too much. Looks like it'll be here for a few more days yet. I believe Bernie told you about the tv I picked up for Mom for her bdroom. As he said, you are of course welcome to contribute to the gift but it's by no means necessary. I'm sure you have some artistic gift already in mind anyway, which reminds me, we have the beautiful cloth you made for our wedding gift hung on a special display in our bdroom.
On xmas afternoon Becky and her family, Josh and Siobhan and me will be going to Mom's to open gifts so if you could make it there by 12:30 ish you'll be able to see the little gaffers open their stuff. We'll head for the lake for dinner at 3:30 or 4.
Sound good?
love,
T