Frozen...

...when I went out at about 7:30 this morning. The poor little birdies were sitting in the plum tree looking disconsolate. By the time I got back out to take a picture, the sun had come over the hill and there was just a thin skin of ice. The birds had repaired to the other side of the house where they were happily eating the newly sewn grass seeds in Janet and Paul's field.

Our afternoon appointment at the dermatologist didn't last long once we got out of the waiting room. Again, every chair was taken and there was a man leaning against the wall. One chair was taken by a woman's large handbag and phone while she steadfastly avoided all eye contact rather than put them on the floor. When she got up to go to the restroom, taking the offending items with her, I wasted no time occupying the chair.

The doctor was pleased with John's progress. His explanation was that John's skin was so seriously dry that something , probably his scratching, caused a latent eczema to go systemic and explode all over his body. It is safe to assume that the root cause was eczema since the injections of the drug used to treat it seemed to do the trick. If he stops using soap and uses a moisturizer daily he shouldn't have a repeat. If he does, another injection can be given. 

It was all good news, but I confess to being just a tad annoyed with John since I have been nagging him about these things for years while he steadfastly refused to take care of his skin. No doubt he thought it was unmanly to apply lotion to his skin, but there was nothing manly about the resulting infection either....

I dropped by Janet and Paul's when we got back to let them know that we were home and see if they needed anything. I expected to see the place full of boxes, but of course, they didn't have that much to move. I peered through the front door as I was waiting for her to answer, and could see a beautifully lit glass fronted kitchen cabinet with glassware neatly arranged inside. There wasn't a cardboard box in sight.

Nevertheless they were happy not to have to cook dinner and her sisters, who had pitched in to help with the unpacking had seen to it that the bed was made. All we had to do was give them a bar of soap! She told me she always loved the house and that neither of them had any regrets about the decision to rebuild it. Now she has the same house, only better!

Our coffee group is due to arrive soon, and I still have to stuff the mini-cream puffs with ice cream and heat up the meatballs. They will be bringing the rest....I have no idea what that will be but it always works out....