31-January-23

 The end of January and we are just getting out first cold snap. It is in the -30+C each night and windchills into the -40s. We are going to get a bit of warming the end of the week. This is the time I usually get tired of winter. My mind is on gardening. I always seem to be a month or two ahead of the seasons.

Thursday is Groundhog Day here. It seems most places in Canada and a few in the US have Groundhog Day. If the creature sees his shadow, it means six more weeks of winter. It’s just a fun way to help get through winter. Winter isn’t going away no matter what he does.

It has been confirmed that brother has Alzheimers disease. We have known something was wrong for about five years. My SIL would call but he was always there so she couldn’t tell me. My daughter just came back from there and told me. I will call SIL once I know he is sleeping. At this point she is looking after him by herself six days a week and her daughter comes one day a week to give her respite. They are concerned about how I will take the news. Actually I am okay. It is a relief to know. This is the first Alzheimer’s in the family but we had two siblings with dementia.

I managed to go to the grocery store only twice during January. I was desperate for greens. I also went yesterday but will count that as my February shop. I am under budget for January. If this lot lastsFebruary, I will be under budget also.

As my daughter landed back home, she called to talk on her way home. She hit me first with the news above, then told me my youngest son was just landing in Tampa Fl and would be going on a seven day cruise. His boss is taking the whole crew. They work so hard and this is kind of swan song as my son takes over the reins at the end of this year. I knew they would be going on a trip at some point but that sneaker did not bother to tell me. Sh his brain doesn’t work that way. He knows I will eventually get the news through the family grapevine.