Today began with sunshine, albeit kind of thin and cold, any warmth it may have offered stripped out by the steady breeze that rattled the artichoke stalks at the foot of the garden. The ground was frozen and hard underfoot when I took out the bird feeders, and a few flakes of snow danced and whirled in the air, not seeming to land, but just dancing.
By early afternoon, however, the few fitful snow flurries that had come and gone during the morning had turned into snow that seemed to have a more serious intent. The sky clouded over entirely and the day grew dark, dark enough to warrant having lights on inside the house. The snow grew heavier; distant hills and mountains grew pale and gray and finally disappeared, and snow landed and whitened the ground, catching in cups of dry leaves and in the crevices of tree bark.
It is a quiet day now, though the morning was less so. It is the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and a strange holiday it was for us this year. Mom is in the hospital, and has undergone two major surgeries in the last 11 days. The last two weeks have been a steady strain of worry, punctuated with spells of sickening fear, breathtaking relief, happiness, and (for me) periods when I am simply too tired to feel much of anything - just emotionless, blank exhaustion.
We had expected Mom to be either home or in a convalescent center by Thanksgiving, but an infection warranted emergency surgery on Monday evening, and this set her back at least a week, but she seems to be recovering quite well, all things considered. Sitting up this morning, eating some solid food, chatting with the nurses. She'll be in a convalescent center soon (knock on wood) and hopefully home before long.
We were rather thin of company over Thanksgiving, only seating five for the celebratory meal. Last year we had eight, but this year Lucy was away, Ber's husband had a relentless cold that kept him home, and Mom, of course, was in the hospital. We made a good meal; Mary and Ber cooked the turkey while Dad, Justin and I went up to Lebanon to see Mom, and when we got back the turkey was done and the potatoes were boiling, and though we ate later than we wanted, we had a delicious dinner, raising our glasses to the health of our absent kinfolk.
Ber went home yesterday, while I was at work (Black Friday, of course). Mary and Justin went home today, but Mary will be back in two days. Ken is scheduled for back surgery at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Med Center on Monday, the same hospital where Mom is, and Mary will be staying here while he is hospitalized, as it is a much easier drive from here than from her home.
I look out the window now, and the snow has nearly stopped, and the clouds are breaking, patches of pale yellow glowing through the blue-gray. Across the way, the pines and spruces on the opposite sidehill are dusted with a powdering of snow, and flakes still dance and whirl in the air. The house is quiet; the mantel-clock ticktocks to itself, and Dad's stirring around in the kitchen, making banana bread. I can smell the fragrance of the stock I have simmering, the last of the turkey carcass bubbling gently with vegetables, ready to be made into soup.
I am so tired.... maybe I will nap this afternoon.
