The End of 2013

Here it is New Year's Eve, and we have a big night planned, eating homemade chili and watching TV.  I won't make it to midnight, around 10 I'm ready for bed, if not sooner.  Tomorrow we will take down the Christmas decorations and the tree, and I will be able to get into the cabinet where my yarn is stored.  An exciting day.

I haven't felt too well these last couple of days, but nothing I can put my finger on.  I just want to curl up under a blanket and sleep.  All day.  It's even a struggle to get dressed every day, and not hang around in my jammies until official bedtime. 

One task I did get done was clearing out the computer room.  It was so crammed with junk you couldn't even turn around in it, you had to back out.  I donated the books (around 200 of them) to a local used bookstore, and waded through the remains, ruthlessly purging all the old files, and labeling the organizing boxes that fit into a cabinet.  Looks tons better, and it is so nice to be able to walk in here again.  I have seen a few episodes of Hoarders, and they give me the creeps; still I can relate (somewhat) to not wanting to throw stuff out.  But I like to have things tidy, even if vacuuming and dusting are pretty scant.  Even the kids have complimented me on the result.

DH got a mini RC helicopter for Christmas, but it has been too windy to try it outdoors.  And there isn't much space indoors for any kind of testing, not even counting the cats who either duck and run away, or try to catch the little blighter.  Of course, in addition to being windy, the temps today remained in the 20s, with even colder weather forecast for the rest of the week.  Luckily I have no more appointments this week, and got all my meds refilled today, the last time they will be co-pay free for at least a while. 

Bumper sticker for the day:  "I'm not weird.  I'm a limited edition."

Nearly Christmas

I am done, and done in too.  All the gifts have been delivered, all of them wrapped and under the tree, Christmas food all tucked up in the fridge.  I am exhausted, although I didn't do that much by myself.  Anyway, I thought I would do a quick post here, so you won't think I fell off the face of the earth.  And really, it hasn't been that long since the last post.

The weather here has been one gloomy day after the next.  The temps have been as high as the 70s (yesterday) and yet the temp is plunging down today and tomorrow. The rain is making an awful mess outdoors, and the horses are highly incensed that they have not been able to be outside due to the slippery footing, and them being in their 20s.  The very very worst of it is that with the warmer weather, the #%!*&$ stink bugs are once again active.  Daughter found one in her purse this morning, major ICK.  Husband found three in the bedroom, and no doubt there will be more as they try to find warmish places to hibernate.  I can only imagine what spring will be like (shudder) .  When I lived in FL, many years ago, I had a horror of "palmetto bugs" which most people call roaches.  Big ones, that fly (clumsily) and are a constant battle.  When we fist lived in Memphis, the landlord would have the place sprayed regularly at the first sign of a roach.  I couldn't believe the small things were roaches, granted I didn't want them around, but to me they weren't even close to being MY idea of a roach.  Let's end this subject.

It is almost time to ship out this month's swap package on the Knitting Paradise forum (http://knittingparadise.com if you are interested ).  This month's color wheel swap is black and white, and I have found some excellent items to include (apron, tote bag, mug, notebook, pens, etc. as well as yarn of course).  The site is very informative for knitters and crocheters, as well as one section of "other crafts" where most anything might appear.  And the swaps are fun, a different partner every month.  So far I have done red, blue, green, and pink, and there have been neat items in every one of them.  Sometimes I find readers here who have come from the KP forum, so if that includes you, welcome!

Bumper sticker for the day:  "The best things in life aren't things."

All done

All is well; thank all of you for your kind thoughts.
Bumper sticker for the day:  "Does running late count as exercise?"

December at the speed of light

I can't believe it is the 8th of December already.  I won't bore you with the list of tasks undone; I will say the tree is up.  Not decorated, but the lights are on.  Progress.

I was trying to remember Christmases past, not in general, but specific ones.  The only one I can remember is the Christmas I got my first guitar.  I was 12, and I was so excited, my parents had managed to hide it completely, so even snooping around didn't reveal it.  I have different guitars now, two of them.  I still play, although my hands cramp up pretty quickly and I haven't tackled a new song in a long time.  There is something very soothing about listening to a master guitar player, like Chet Atkins or Eric Clapton (acoustic and when he isn't singing!), or Leo Kotche (jazz) or even Santana (rock and roll).  I wish I had been more consistent in taking music lessons, the last teacher I had passed away from cancer and I haven't looked any further since then.

I can't sleep tonight, I keep waking myself up snoring.  I've tried reading, and writing in my journal, and counting sheep (well, not really), but here I am at 5 am, groggy and drowsy, but wide awake as soon as I get comfortable in bed.   No doubt I'll be dropping off about the time to get up.  Isn't that always the case?

I've been struggling with rosacea and it has flared up in the last few weeks.  I look like Santa with his cheeks so rosy (and a belly that shakes like a bowl full of jelly, but let's not go there).  I went to the derm doctor last Monday, and she gave me a sample of a new drug that is a vasoconstricter, works fast and lasts twelve hours.  I have tried it twice, and have not had much success yet, but I am trying to feel when the flare-up starts and not wait until I am beet red to use it.  It would be nice to be able to use blush again.

Bumper sticker for the day:  "Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines."

Looking backward

I am fast approaching the 7th anniversary of my retirement,  Dec. 29th, 2006.  I have to mark it as one of my happiest moments.  Above is the photo taken at my retirement party of the folks I worked with for around three years.  Some of them are retired now, and others have moved on to other jobs, but they were a great bunch of people to work with.  That's me on the far left upper row, and that smile didn't leave my face the entire day.  Every Christmas season I think of how frantic it always seemed to be, doing all the necessary daily things, and somehow squeezing in shopping, cooking, baking, wrapping, and on and on.  Since retirement, that has all changed, partly due to having more time; if I get tired shopping (especially for groceries) I just stop with what I have, pay, and go home.  Plenty of time the next day.  I run into other people I worked with, or my daughter does and they ask about me, and whether I enjoy retirement.  The answer is YES I do.  Wish I could have done it sooner, but it's OK now.  I worked 25 years at the university, and 10 years in federal research labs, and 35 years of work like mine, where I was on call for all kinds of hours, really wore me down.  And once the cancer came (three years ago in February), I at least didn't have to worry about a job or family obligations, only taking care of myself with DH's help.

Hope all of you are looking forward to holiday happiness, seeing family and friends, and getting lots of great stuff to eat!

Bumper sticker for the day:  "Stay clam and proofread."