It's been a busy last few days. My aunt died early last week and the funeral was Saturday. She'd been under hospice care and in so much pain even the nurses kept hoping she would let go. It fell to me to give the eulogy. We buried another aunt, her sister, exactly three weeks to the day, over in Central Texas, before this funeral. Now, out of 9 siblings, only one aunt remains. My Dad was the first to die many years ago.

My friend's husband, Paul, also died last week. Car wreck and heart attack on the Interstate - they aren't sure which came first. After tending to my aunt's funeral and having a family lunch with cousins, friends, neighbors, and other family, we headed about an hour northwest and made it to Paul's funeral just in time. Also had house guests last weekend.


It's been a cold wintry day today. 43 degrees isn't cold by some standards but for us, combined with rain and a slight breeze, well, it's ...a cold wintry day. Spent the morning back on the witness stand downtown in yet another trial, followed by a business meeting with one of the judges and then was able to do what I love to do best on days like this. Come home, get fire going in the fireplace and start cooking. I have little time to cook and even less motivation for just the two of us but today kitchen fever hit. Enjoyed a few hours of grocery shopping, cutting / chopping / slicing leading up to pots of chili and split pea soup. Did manage to get some work done in my home office once food was all at the simmering stage but now I think I'll call it done and go sit by the fireplace and read the paper. Yep. A very nice cold wintry day.