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12:01 AM - 28.12.04
Deprivation Studies
Not a lot to say today. No word about my cousin who is workig in Southeast Asia. Talked with my Dad about it. He felt the same way I did - no news is good news, at least for our family. There was a fairly strong quake on December 23 just south of Tasmania and north of Antarctica. If one follows the line on the tectonic plates in that region one can see the connection. But that's hindsight too. In other news I thought this man's actions in Denver were pretty amazing Homeless while the news for our east coast was downright Cold. There was a similar storm in our sister city to the north last week. The winds were so powerful that they caused part of the roof - shaped like a pyramid - at their city hall to implode. Around this area the daily cyclical fluctuations of temperature from nearly -30 C to +10 C, or -20 F to +50F is wreaking havoc with skin and hair that is exposed to the elements. Sucking all the moisture out of them. Hardly major when compared to the effects of weather elsewhere, but when one's skin starts to crack open and bleed then some effort to address the problem has to be undertaken. My solution this time was to spread heated olive oil on both skin and my hair, then let it soak its way in for about an hour before washing it off. The cats thought it was an invitation to dine however. Chewed away on my ankles, calves and anywhere else they could reach trying to figure out what their Mom was up to this time.

Spent the wee hour of the morning and then into noon helping birth a new batch of kittens. Sigh, I know. Ms Pasha was the culprit this time. With no funds for basics none of the cats can be fixed any time soon either. Pasha'a labour was long and quite painful for her. One of the kittens - the largest, of course - was breech. Until it was born the process was very slow. It was touch and go with that little one for a bit and it could have had a very different outcome if she had panickd or fought against the contractions. The rest of the babies came in sequence very quickly after that. Pasha seemed glad of the company and curled up in my arms doing a very fine imitation of LaMaze breathing during the whole of the labour. Guess watching animals is a good way to learn the most efficient means of dealing with Mother Nature.

After the midwifery stint I went back to being the house drudge. Dishes, laundry, floors, but just watching that birthing and recalling the births of my sons made me appreciate all over again how special the gift of life is - especially when juxtapositioned against the tragedy unfolding in the countries around the Indian Ocean.

Talked with my sister's sister in law today. She thanked me for sending that book her way, even though she hadn't yet received it. Given the topic, I would guess there are two or three suspects in our family who might fit the profile of wanting to read it through before passing it on. Good. The more educated electors are the better. She had read some of the other material I had suggested to do with Canadian social issues and the balance of the discussion centered around exploring the implication a bit more.

That's all the thinking I am capable of today. I can't do the no sleep for two days thing all that well anymore. So dear diary - forgive the babbling from my sleep starved brain, I promise to do better tomorrow. Good Night.

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