Lyme Disease, Schlyme Disease - Turn ALL the Lights On!

 Good morning to you on this Winter solstice day of December 21st, 2023!

The shortest day of the year here where I live means we have about 8 1/2 hours of daylight - almost 8 hours LESS than we have in June!

That's a lot of dark hours and I do the best I can to keep our house warm and happy with lights!  Big lights, little lights, candle lights, Christmas lights.....Indoor and outdoor lights!  The lights stay on (all of 'em) during the day to keep it, well....light!  Am I worried about the electric bill?  Hmmm, good question, but with the invention of LED bulbs, it's not such an issue anymore, so NO!  I'm not!  I'm more into keeping mental health and good spirits high!  Plus, I'm afraid of the dark, so there are also lights in the barn, on the porches and at the pumphouse!  Well!  That takes care of the material things - but I also have inner light!  Jesus is the light of the world and He lives within us at my house, so we've got LIGHT EVERYWHERE, inside and out!!!!!!

Not sure what brought that on, except I've had a wicked flu/virus for literally the last couple weeks and am FINALLY feeling like I may someday return to what is considered 'normal' for me!  Chronic Lyme Disease makes every virus a challenge that lasts much longer and harder for some of us than for 'normal' people, unlike others, who catch something, only to declare a few days later that they are now well!  What?!  Takes me much, much longer...BUT, we are fearfully and most wonderfully made and these ole immune systems, even flawed, continue to heal us up eventually!

Life on this farm is puttering along rather well, in the big picture.  I'm glad, for the moment, that my goats are dry (not milking as they rest up) as kids aren't due until the end of January or so.  I've put my VERY busy Etsy shoppe on vacation mode until after the first of 2024 (only to spend the first week so far, 'sick as a dog')  The biggest projects here are on hold while Bossman does a renovation job for someone else, so for the moment, no sawdust or tool noise!  The best thing?  My kitchen is FINISHED!  It is huge and I love it.  It is unlike anyone else's kitchen and somewhat eclectic but it was made for ME and I'm tickled red.  (I don't care for pink...)  Four and a half years after moving, we finally finished our kitchen.  It is a milestone and I appreciate it all the more, having not had it for so long!

The next project here at the 'new' place is a stairway to the attic!  It is FULL of....junque, shall we say?  I intend to divide and conquer (and have a Spring yard sale...) and then be able to set up my quilting machine & its frame up there!  Bossman has accomplished the rudimentary beginnings of a permanent staircase so the dream is real!  The junque is also real - it is the contents of our Dry Box storage units after we decided it would be lovely to NOT pay Dry Box fees and just stuff it all in the attic!!!  Sigh...

I recently rescued my GINORMOUS doll house from a rat-infested, leaky outbuilding where is has languished since THE MOVE.  At first I thought I'd have to just burn it and be done with it, but after scrubbing/removing pieces/painting with Kilz primer, it is salvaged and living in my already-too-crowded craft room!  It is one more concern crossed off my list and now I can redecorate/rebuild/rejuvenate at my leisure (whatever that is!).

I have given myself about two weeks off from my store, as I mentioned.  One week behind me devoted to illness, now forging ahead to the next week!  I'm hoping to have about 3 days of Christmas meals/celebrations/get-togethers, work on my dollhouse, imagine up several new ideas and try them for items in my Etsy shoppe, work on piecing a quilt and organize the attic!!!!!  Apparently this virus has affected my sensibilities, as well!

(Aren't these the cutest grandbabies EVER?????)

Did you know that a simple bag of white chocolate chips, melted in the microwave (or double-boiler) with pretzels added, then spread out and chilled make DELICIOUS easy Christmas treats?

Often blogging in my head, I seldom sit down and actually write.  Since I needed to sit down while recuperating, I am a captive audience, so to speak, and have told myself in no uncertain terms that I shall now write this blog and so I have (I'm quite well behaved!)

I've now come back to this after taking a break to go outside and feed my bunnies, goats & cats.  I took apples to the bunnies for treats as I'm pretty sure cage life is boring and a good crunchy apple should brighten up their day.  The goats had to settle for hay, water and a little conversation.  The cats lied.  They had already been fed but trotted up to the barn with me, talking along the way and expecting to be patted & tails pulled but when we got there the food dish was already filled.  Silly cats.  The chickens can be ignored until tomorrow as I've run out of gumption (and they've plenty of food & water until the morrow).  Back to my recliner for a bit!

Well, that's a little bit of an update from an ordinary ole December day on the farm.  Hope you are finding JOY in the holiday season and remembering that wise men STILL seek Him!

Til next time....Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and May God Bless you!