It’s hard to believe that Christmas is in thirteen days. The temperature today scratched 60 degrees. I wore only a fleece pullover all day; it was too warm for anything more.
Now, a little after 7, the temperature is beginning to drop and I am thinking of perhaps lighting a fire. When I finish writing this, I am going to watch some video and “wrap” presents, which means I put them in those oh so convenient bags, wrapped in tissue paper.
In the late afternoon, I went grocery shopping as I am having people over for dinner on Wednesday evening. Since I am getting up in the morning and going to the city until Tuesday evening, I needed to do the shopping now. Wednesday I will cook.
Young Nick was here today and we got the table all set so I don’t have to be concerned about that. I love having dinner parties; it feels like a vacation to me putting them together.
My mind rests from all the everyday noise and I am lost in the cooking and prepping.
Because it is so warm, there have been lots of climate change jokes going around.
Today, an accord about climate change was reached by 196 nations in Paris. It is monumental and there is still a great deal of work to be done.
Beijing has been on red alert for several days this month, pollution having reached a level that caused schools to close, factories to shutter, cars to get off the road and for people to stay at home.
Delhi has worse air than Beijing and is doing less about it though starting January 1st, cars will be on an even/odd system for being on the road. But the police say they will cancel it, if it becomes too inconvenient. Which it probably will…
My friend Raja lives in Delhi and has a young daughter who spends this part of the year with nebulizers and in great discomfort because of the pollution.
Yes, we need to be tackling these problems.
Oh, so many problems…
This morning I had an impossibly difficult time waking up but when I did I began to charge into action. It’s that time of year for all of us when there is absolutely more to do than we can but somehow it all comes together.
I’m getting up early tomorrow and heading down to the city. My friend, Rev. Peter Panagore, is giving a talk at Trinity Wall Street about his death experiences. He’s been dead twice. Once as a result of a hiking accident when he was young and, most recently, when he had a massive heart attack and they kept losing him in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
He has seen heaven.
I hope I do.
Tags: Beijing Red Alert, Claverack, Climate Change, Delhi, Mat Tombers, Mathew Tombers, Peter Panagore, Trinity Wall Street
Letter from the Vineyard 
December 13, 2015 at 3:52 am |
Oh my! What time is the talk at Trinity? I’d love to hear more… Praying it’s not early am- though from your post I conclude it is …
December 13, 2015 at 11:59 am |
The talk is at 1:00 this afternoon. I have to get an early start because I am coming in from upstate…