Another New Beginning

 I can't remember when I've ever skipped posting for a whole month, especially December.  It's not that it was a bad month; it's just the end of a blah year.  I'm one year out from breaking my shoulder and 3 months from breaking my wrist, and for the first time in a year I'm feeling optimistic about that right arm.  I can finally do almost everything the same with just a little weakness and some twinges here and there.  Starting off this January is 1000% better than the way 2021 started.  I asked Emily if we even had a Christmas last year, and no one really remembers.

I still have the lingering anxiety, but I have to admit that it seems to have run its course too.  I've neglected to follow up with my primary doctor, and once I do that and find out what else is wrong with me, I might change my mind!  

I don't really want to take the time to write anything right now but just kind of make a pledge to write down a few of the interesting things I want the girls to remember about our time together.  Their family has had a magic Christmas this year, and I've been caught up in some of it but not all and just sat back and enjoyed the enthusiasm and the joy.  I'm glad they made it special in spite of having the house halfway through the renovation and the what seems like month-long snowfall.  

I'm sitting here in the middle of the night listening to the drip, drip of rain melting all that snow, ice, and slush, and it sounds so good.  It's been beautiful but just soooo cold and dangerous (for me).  Every year, I get a little more confident about getting out and walking on the stuff, but I'm never sure what lies underneath.  I hear Dr. Marshall's last words in November:  You cannot fall again!  

I don't disagree.  

This was how it looked before dark yesterday, and it's rained all night.  

There were rumors of another big snowfall, but so far nothing.  We need a break!  School was closed Monday and Tuesday, and the girls had picked up Emily's sore throat and sniffles and were out today.  Hopefully, they'll get back tomorrow.

I had such a good day yesterday, and it was nothing special, just like I like it.  I got ALL the laundry done - mine and some of Elise's.  I got the clean sheets and ironed pillowcases back on the bed, and it was a good feeling all day to know I wouldn't have to fight that corner of the sheet that kept popping up last week.  After all that, I only slept four hours and am up at 11.

I cleaned and organized slowly, trying to figure out what I'm going to do with the sewing room.  It's become office, sewing, and kids' craft room and a place for Elise to keep her stuff when she is here.

I had a few nice phone calls and emails.  Tom came and put in the new part for my ice maker.  He's coming back tomorrow to check, and I think he's going to find out it doesn't work. I don't see any ice yet.  

My upstairs neighbors, Linda and Wes, are always there to help out, and I let him pull my garbage cans down to the street in hopes the waste management trucks would run.  It's been two weeks!  They didn't show up, but we read about a collection site at the Community Park, so Ryan came and got my five bags of overdue garbage and took it.  So thankful for that!  I still have a big bin of recycling, but that doesn't smell, so I don't mind waiting another week.  

After I took down the Christmas decorations, I'm really feeling good about not having so much "stuff" out on the tables.  I just like the feeling of space and clean!

I'm enjoying so much the little cabinet I put together with Ryan's help.  It takes some of the burden of storage off my little kitchen, and it looks cute, I think!

I'll keep the girls' snacks and dishes here, so they can get to them easily.  Also boxes of coffee and whatever else seems appropriate.

We'll have to see if it becomes a too-convenient place to hang out!

 

There's a little drawer just perfect for straws, trivets, napkins, and things.

This was after it was all dressed up for our little neighbor party.

It was just the best night.  Carly and her parents and baby sister came down and visited a while.  The three girls stood in the kitchen and ate way too much, and the grown-ups enjoyed a little time for getting to know each other.  No other pictures, unfortunately.

One of Carly's gifts to the girls was a little make-it-yourself terrarium, and they had a ball working on it.  It is really cute.

Graysen showing it to me on our Duo call yesterday.

Emily is in the background making pralines and sent me some to sample.  I have NO complaints and asked for her recipe.  They are better than the ones I used to make many years ago.

Katherine's latest obsession is Legos, and she was working on this treehouse when I was there on Christmas Day.

I recognized the almost finished product in the above picture of the terrarium.  It needs leaves.  Way too complicated for me!

  

I've read two books since the beginning of the year.  I kept seeing Gone Girl recommended, and although I read it years ago, I forgot what it's all about.  I downloaded a copy and listened to it and remembered parts of it.  It was good, but I still don't like the ending.  I wanted revenge!

I also just finished Extremely Loud and Excessively Close by Jonathan Foer.  I'm trying to get out of my rut in reading and explore things less familiar. I don't like writing reviews, but this is an excellent review, now that I've realized it's a movie with Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock.  https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/extremely-loud-and-incredibly-close-2012

I have to decide now whether I want to spend the $2.99 and watch it now rather than waiting for it to be free on Amazon Prime or Netflix.  

The cats have no trouble sleeping, so I'm going to give it another try.