I wonder if the odor that is usually so strong on Zulu is there to protect her from the cold. Then during the heat of the summer, when it is not cold, the odor is too strong on all of those who live around her. In the extremely cold weather---18 to 34 degees that we have been having--her odor is being used for its purpose and we do not smell it. Someone told me that New Foundlands secrete an oil to protect their skin and that is a characteristic of the breed. I consider remarks from this "know -it-all" person as fallderall, since he seems to have an answer for every question known to man. But, perhaps this time, he was correct. Ther is no smell at all around Zulu and she appears to have had a bath, when Michael says he has not bathed her. Her hair is so clean and luxurious and shiny and beautiful. There is no odor and she loves being out in this cold weather. At thia moment in time, she has no flaws in my eyes.....oh..except for her slobbering. Now that I ponder on that, I believe the slobbering is down dramatically too. Ah ha! She is supposed to live in the snow areas. She was bred to be a rescue dog, like the ..whatever that dog is that is always pictured with a keg around its neck. She likes the water too in the summer. She is a natural swimmer. I really do enjoy her and she really does adore me. And I mean "adore". She is always going wherever I go. I just figured it out. She can see that I am a bit awkward with my walking and she wants to be there if I fall. Not really, she loves me because I always pet her and ensure that she has clean water (when the boys are gone) and sometimes I give her a bite of the meat I am preparing for our dinners.

Michael is slowing getting over his sickness. Obviously, he did not make the trip to New Harmony. He was in the bed all day yesterday. He got up twice to lie on the huge foof chair and watch tv for a bit. Then back to bed. He appears to be getting the color back in his face and to gain more strength, although he is still needing to recuperate to get back his old self. Please continue to pray.

I am continuing to be anticipating the feelings of missing being here, I am wanting to soak up everything around me. Even the worker men. Just think. They have been working here since July and I have gotten to know them a bit. They are brothers and they are good men. 29 and 32. They work for the flim flam man. They are the ones who have decided to return here to finish this job. The flim flam man wanted them to go do other projects since he had already gotten the money out of me for this work. But these guys told him that it just wasnt right to treat us this way. Oh, and Michael sr. had a "chat" with the flim flam man. The workers are now working almost independent of the flim flam man. They have been here everyday since the week before Thanksgiving. They may not finish until Monday. It is really looking so good down there. And remember, we got the lowest bid you can imagine. Anyway, I am going to miss these worker men --Tony Mann and Jerimiah Mann--when they leave. Tony is married and has three daughters. He lives in Madison, Indiana. Jerimiah is d-i-v-o-r-c-e-d (for about three or four years) and. being fresh out of the slammer, is between residences and is staying wherever their jobs are. They have been through every incident that has occurred here this last six months. In spite of the "slammer" experience, they are good men.


May God richly bless you, my loved ones. jk