January 4

Took not one picture today but checked one nagging thing off my to-do list.  I had ordered some stock-up things from Target to get some $10 gift cards, but they had to be picked up instead of shipped.  Elise drove me today and is such a good driver.  I'm pretty much confident I can tackle the interstate now, even with the new construction, as long as it's not early morning work traffic or after dark.

We took our time and walked around and tried to figure out if we needed anything, and we pretty much didn't, but that didn't keep us from buying things!  We almost made it through without buying one kid-related item, but I did pick up some Annie's mac and cheese and fruit snacks for the girls.

She even cornered a big guy to walk to the car with us to unload all that cat litter and detergent from the cart to the car.  Now it's sitting there in the car waiting for us to corner Ryan and have him bring it upstairs.

Nice sleepy night again.  I'm trying to read.  Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple, a Seattle native.  It's funny and quirky, and I've recommended it to Emily if she ever has time to read a book.  I feel like it's one of those I'll finish in two days.  And then I'll be without a good book.

I had nice emails from Barbara and Sherry today, and it was nice to hear how they spent their holidays, one on a cruise and the other visting famly in Jacksonville.  No pictures of grandchildren yet, but this is the best picture ever of Nicholas after his latest grooming.  What a regal guy!  I'm glad he's my friend and hope he remembers me if I see him again.

Layla and Bowie seem to have bonded a little in the past few days.  They walk around the house together and watch each other eat, but B can't stay out from under the bed for long.  He's still a little ways from trusting people, but we think he'll come around if we just leave him alone.

Emily sent me a video of a sweet kitty from Petsmart today.  I'm not sure why they were in there unless it was killing some time while Graysen was at a birthday party.  They would really like a cat but aren't sure about where to put litter box and food right now, besides having new furniture!   A dog or cat will happen pretty soon, I think, but it will have to be the right time.

The time has come to keep a promise.  I told Graysen that when she was 7, I would get her a sewing machine and teach her to use it.  It seemed so far in the future, but she'll be 7 in about a month.  Suddenly, I'm a little nervous about it.  I'm doing some research on the best machines to learn on - not a toy but not a complicated one either.  I'm first going to read all I can about how to teach someone - how to keep fingers well away from the needle and how to concentrate on what she's doing.  I know her, and she's going to want to "make something" immediately.  I've let her watch me thread my machine and watch me sew but never to control things or touch the machine.  Hopefully, this will give me the incentive to clean out the clutter in the sewing room and make room for an extra chair.  I have a few books ready for pickup at the library on beginning sewing, and I'll buy her one if it seems helpful.

I'm looking forward to the coming week, really the first REAL week of 2020.  The girls will be in school, and I have a couple of mah-jongg games scheduled and maybe even cards at the Y if I decide to do it.  There's more than a 97% chance of rain every day but one, so I know how to dress already - but luckily still none of those pesky snowflake icons in sight.