Saturday at 8:00 a.m. and it is minus 26 degrees celsius. Another really cold weekend but still pretty much normal weather this time of year. I remember the first January I spent here and I never had experienced such cold day after day. The secret of course is having the appropriate clothes to go out in such weather with children. Once gained; I never looked back although I do find this cold these days with my osteoarthritis in my knees and most other joints I suspect but those have been x-rayed and shown to be osteoarthritic. My fourty five minute walk in the morning helps that a lot actually. Then my calisthenics in the afternoon and running 5 kilometres at night is most helpful but always being careful not to strain those knees. I keep thinking I am 77 but actually I am 76 headed towards 77 in the fall. No idea on why I think I am 77. Strange really or maybe not I am getting older and probably one year here or there in my memory is not a big deal!
Today I should work on the Siderfin book and H11 Newsletter compilation. Probably if I break that up into roughly 45 minute sections I will find it more conducive to good constructive work. I used to work for three or four hours at a stretch but I find it more helpful to get up and walk around for 15 minutes every hour. Better for the knees likely and overall better just to take the breaks.
Other than that this is just another interesting sunny day in mid winter. When one reaches the middle of January I tend to start thinking about spring. Not that I want to hasten winter away I actually enjoy these long dark cold days with more than twelve hours of darkness. Edward did not he wanted spring to come as soon as possible and he would be thinking about his garden about now. Talking about what he wanted to plant or re-organize. But also working away on his genealogy. Of all of his pursuits the genealogical adventures that we took probably meant the most to him outside of being a scientist turned librarian of necessity - one must put food on the table as he said. Those genealogical adventures started very early in our marriage pretty much as soon as we bought a car. He worked with Ed Phelps at UWO mostly because we were at so many farm auctions and found really interesting artifacts that interested Edward initially in case he found something to help him with his Kipp family but then if not giving the material/item to Ed Phelps. I can scarcely remember him but then I did not generally go with him when they had discussions/chats. I was more into astronomy and the RASC in London which Edward also enjoyed. Plus I sewed a lot and knitted. What a changed person I am. In my late 50s I planned my retirement around sewing and knitting and relearning smocking as I had not done any for years. But my cousin George Dekay needed a profile for my Pincombe family and he managed to persuade me to do that and so I left behind all those enjoyable hobbies that I had and joined the path to finding one's ancestors in 2003. Funny really when I look back that I changed so suddenly and it is like an addiction once one is immersed in all of this genealogy you just keep finding items that interest you and follow them up. In my case it brought back my interest in my family names - Blake and Pincombe and so my one-name studies were born and still pretty much dominate my life.
Will I ever sew/knit/smock again? No ideas on that my fingers keep pretty active typing but those hobbies are excellent for arthritic fingers. My grandmothers and my mother did a lot of knitting and sewing and other needlework and in the case of my mother into her 80s.
Off to breakfast - hot oatmeal with flax, cranberries and raisins and when cooked adding wheat germ, wheat bran and blueberries. I suppose I should grow bored after so many years of eating the same breakfast but I still enjoy it very much.
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