I suspect you don’t want to hear about the 5200 gallons of water we are starting February with and how having two long luxurious baths and washing a load of laundry a day used almost 2000 gallons of water last month… You don’t want to hear about how snug and warm we are in our little house on the cliff. You don’t want to hear that my involvement in the island quilt is finished and you definitely don’t want to hear how terribly quiet the house is without my bunny rabbit barking at sea gulls and boats. So where does that leave us???

Years ago, when we first inherited SoHo E and I came for the month of February to see if we like to be on the island in the winter. Could we handle the cold and the isolation? One day we were pruning apple trees and lunching on the deck and the next day it was minus ten and we couldn’t burn the firewood fast enough.

Well, last week we were pruning apple trees and today our neighbours were happy houring in the sun on their deck. Tomorrow, the temperatures are supposed to drop substantially. Minus ten? I doubt it. But still we are prepared (Port, firewood) and to be honest kind of looking forward to a walk in the snow. We would really like a picture of our new house covered in snow. Maybe tomorrow?

E took Piper to town today for his haircut so we have no need to go to town if the weather turns. I was left at home today, alone. Normally, I love being alone but as I think about it, until today, I was never actually alone. I always had Sami with me. Sigh.

I read Louise Penny’s latest book yesterday. Wasn’t her best but still an enjoyable afternoon. So book finished, quilts finished what next? I’m thinking a long winter nap watching sunsets and orca or I could get back to my book research which is weighing heavily on my mind…..

I have some decisions to make on how I want to spend the year ahead. Apparently whatever I do it will be without a dog beside me. E tells me that Piper is the last dog we are going to have. But Piper is his dog. How

fair is that?