Thick fog today

Thick fog today and I am glad that I raked yesterday for sure although I must admit that the yard is huge and it took most of my energy for the day to do that. Just a small amount left in the front to do. Raking and cutting down and putting up the winter fence. It is nice to be somewhat ready for winter. I am very ready in terms of being able to get a lot of work done that isn't yard work! But we are going to take breaks cross country skiing this year. It will be fun although I will wrap up well as my arthritis doesn't enjoy the cold that much but my lungs will enjoy the fresh air of winter. 

Completed the Kipp Family Newsletter yesterday as well. It is 23 pages this time but that is mostly the images that I found on the back-up drive. Jacobus Hendricksen Kip was a very interesting person and was believed to be, by my husband, his ancestral line back to the original immigrant Hendrick Hendricksen Kip to New Amsterdam in the latter part of the 1630s or the early 1640s. His actual date of arrival still shrouded in the mystery of time. However, as records emerge from the deep dark areas where they are stored one never knows what might now become available in terms of understanding the migration of Europeans to the North American continent. Definitely the population was booming in those times and the desire to be one's own master very strong. That continues today really especially when you see the title of the book that King Charles III's second son Harry has chosen - Spare. Interestingly until the 20th century all males in English upper class families (and likely around the world but I am not an expert) were considered in that manner - the heir and the spare in case anything happened to the heir. That was the way that the world flowed in the upper class and it just happens that Royal Lines continue that process as one does need a process to determine the next King or Queen of a country. Resentment does amaze me actually.

I suspect that I see it differently because I was the fourth child of seven in a family. I wouldn't have traded that spot really for the first spot. After all being younger one had a chance to view how life flowed for one as one grew up through childhood - what was expected of one etc etc. Being first is not the most enviable position and there is comfort in being fourth for sure in a large family especially as you are not the baby of that family either. The first child has no choices basically; they are the eldest and the role is defined for them but a second or further down the line child has choices and gets to choose what they will do with their life. If we could ask King George VI what he would have liked to do with his life I think he enjoyed being the Spare actually but when duty called he rose to that position and did it well. Will I read the book; not sure that I will actually as I tend not to find whining to be very interesting. It was sad that his mother was killed in a car crash but why wasn't she wearing a seat belt - she had two lovely young children but she chose not to wear a seat belt - no one chose that for her. Her first thought should always have been to take care of herself because she had two children who needed her. If Harry throws blame around he should look first to the woman who should have protected herself 100% so that she would be there for her sons. 

Through the fog I can see the glow of the morning sun; what will the day be like once the fog has lifted; that remains a mystery for me and the temperature today is -1 degree celsius. Winter you are always welcomed.  But the day promises a high of 16 degrees celsius and sunny. 

But the best part is that it is Sunday once again and Church on You-Tube.