Home Alone

When I was doing the Riverkeeper show in Bucks County, Pa., my friend, Martha, the basket maker, asked if I should be more careful about saying I was home alone on this journal. She has that common conception of upstate New York as the wild and dangerous frontier. Yes, I'm home alone most of the time, but never alone. I have Thor, Finn and Knut to tell me when anyone, animal or human, approaches the barn, and so many other faces to keep me company I never get lonely. I'm sitting on the sofa, covered with warm bodies, wondering what I should do first on this day off from school - thank you public education. I have yesterday's voluminous Sunday NY Times I haven't touched yet, a new Selvedge, Spin-Off and Haute Handbags, a quarterly book of hand-made art bags. The satellite TV provides me with all kinds of programs and music. I have plenty of food for humans and animals, electricity, and heat, along with candles and wood if the power goes out. I have more fiber to spin and yarn to knit than I could possibly hope for. The Christmas lights on our little tree light up the whole apartment. Maybe I'll play with my baby bunnies, who are growing like weeds. I've just spent an hour dipping Annie's biscotti into my French Roast and reading Spin-Off articles. I have to get out into the barn to check for new lambs. Matt checked for me before he went to work, but it's getting real cold again and I need to inspect the far end of the barn where a ewe might have gone for privacy. I have some sewing to do for Mia, and, while the kitchen table is cleared off I should start cutting out bags. I want to drive over to Hamilton to visit Candace at Hamilton Whole Foods one day this week and have lunch there. So much to consider this holiday week...but first, I think I'll take a hot bubble bath with the luxurious Japanese Cherry Blossom Bubble Bath Gretchen gave me for Christmas. It came in a package with her hand-made lip gloss, tie-dyed socks and home-made plum jam. That girl really knows how to put together a gift basket!