All Saints

Oh man, it’s getting to be cold!  It was a HIGH of 0C today!  That’s as warm as it got; when I first woke up this morning it was -3.  😌 Winter lasts too long in this country.  And it just keeps hanging around for years at a time!  Well, it feels like that, anyway.  Jerry is a happy puppy tonight, and is running around eating and tossing his toy.  The alarm got replaced and upgraded this morning, happily, and the repair guy was here for all of 5 minutes to pull out the old one and install the new one.  Since the beeping has stopped, Jerry has stopped shaking and trying to burrow under us, which is lovely, and even better, he’s eating and drinking normally.  He wasn’t eating much with the noise; it really caused distress.  We’ll see how he is tonight at bedtime… Poor Don didn’t sleep at all last night, although we’re not totally sure why.  He’s blaming the alarm, I think it’s pain that he’s covering, but either way, he was up all night and finally slept today.  He’ll be tired again tonight, I’m sure.

I had a broken night because of Jerry, and I’m hoping for a better one tonight.  I’ve got another early day tomorrow; the building is running a mandated test for lead and asbestos (it’s been done before, but they’ll run it again) at 8am, then I have a medical appointment at noon.  I’m planning to get as much sleep as I can manage.  I’m happy to report that I have perhaps one serving of soup for later this week, and I’m still trying to think of my next meal…I was talking with my siblings last night, and I seem to be craving Chinese from a particular restaurant near my home in Trinidad.  So I’m out of luck on that… as I explained, their food is like crack cocaine, and there isn’t anywhere else that’s like it!  One friend has offered me a selection of frozen meals, which will cover a few days (many thanks!!) so I should be covered for at least the weekend.

“Lord save your people from sudden and unprovoked death, from all sin, from the snares of the devil, from anger, hatred and ill-will…”. This is part of the Litany of the Saints, which is sung during Mass today as we celebrate all the holy saints, those people who stand in the presence of God.  Tomorrow we remember all those who have died and gone before us.  The Church makes a distinction between saints — who are those who are already in heaven, and we may not know all their names, but we do know many of them — and all souls, who may still be in purgatory to cleanse themselves from the last vestiges of their sins.  But it’s one of the acts of mercy to pray for the souls of those who have gone before.  I’ve always associated November with death because of these 2 feasts, and that association has grown since I moved to Canada because the weather is so dismal and grey.  It’s really depressing, as the dark grows — it’s dark when you wake, dark in the afternoon from about 4:30 — and cold.  It’s no wonder that there are so many festivals celebrating the triumph of light over dark at this time of year.  Next up is Diwali, and I admit that I miss the displays of deyas in many beautiful arrangements lighting up the night.

I’m going to get supper now, and then take my meds before heading in under my blankets… am I ridiculous that I like being warm and cozy in my bed, wrapped in my fuzzy faux-fur blanket and with pillows piled on me?  Preferably with the dog curled behind my knees instead of burrowed under my back!  Good night!