domestications

The wind is howling something fierce outside.  I can't decide if the air is assaulting me at high velocity and pushing any remaining warmth out of me, or if it's pulling it out of me at the same time as it's making my hair go horizontal.  The dogs are insisting on being let in, and the horses are obsessed with their feed, and prancing with anticipation when it's feeding time.  If you met my horses on a day like today, you would find them less than charming (especially Sadie, the big Mama).  They seem somewhat greedy and rude, but it's only the windy cold weather that's making them grouchy.

I wish I could say that I retreated indoors today, to polish silver (mostly silver plate, my dears), but alas I did not.  Of all household tasks it's one of my favourites (that and loading the washing machine-not unloading it, or folding laundry, those are less hope-filled activities, don't you find?).  I love the quiet ritual of polishing tarnished silver and bringing it back to a lively sparkle.  No, today was one of those days when I try to tie up loose ends, and tick off necessary but uninspired tasks from my to-do list....and aren't most days like that?

I did have time to take a few snaps of a silver tea (and coffee) service which sits in my dining room.  I don't use it,  except, of course to polish it twice a year (hopefully) and to wonder, when I pass by it, who did use it, when, and wasn't it awfully heavy to carry around when the pots were all filled?