Doing Nothing

 I hope Monday starts off as a good week with all the snow melted and above-freezing temperatures.  I'm so ready to catch up on my outside stuff.  I haven't been to the mailbox in a week but not expecting anything.  It will be exciting to see my new Social Security raise, but that's direct deposit later on this month.  

I have an Amazon package that's late but is promised by 9:30 tonight.  Nothing very exciting, just household things I need but not enough to go sliding all over the place to drive to get them.  Emily offers to pick up things, but I have a hard time asking for anything that's not extremely important.  

Since I'm trapped here, I have done nothing but a few housekeeping things, a little cooking, and did finish that Ishiguru book.  It gave me a lot to think about but wasn't wonderful.

My next book on the audio shelf was Where You Left Off by Katie Couric.  I wasn't absolutely certain I wanted to read another autobiography, or tell-all book.  I had read she really wrote some insulting things about people, but after all these behind-the-scenes White House horrors I've read, I was ready for a little change of pace.  At first, it was kind of boring.  I don't remember watching her much on TV.  I get what news I hear by reading and watching the occasional video.  I'm enjoying seeing how things work on a news set and how the politics of the broadcast industry work.  Couric seems a little too smug about how easily things come for her, but I know it took a lot of hard work to get where she is now in the book.  

As of this morning, I've reached the point where her husband has been diagnosed with cancer, and that's sad to read about.  She loves the notoriety of her job and having people recognize her in public, but then she has to fight the awful invasion of privacy that brings.  I'm hooked now and am interested in seeing how her career goes.  I've forgotten and won't Google it.  I do hate to hear how she tosses out embarrassing and/or private things about people just to get a laugh or to sell a book.  No excuse for that.  I guess the part about Matt Lauer will be interesting.

I might see the girls today.  I haven't heard what they're doing.  They've all been sick and at home for a week, but Emily got a negative Covid test, so that's reassuring.  

I didn't take many Christmas pictures, but I'll see what I can find on my camera just to remember.  I found way too many, but it's fine.  I probably have some duplicates too.  These don't even include the trip to Leavenworth and New Year's Eve.

This is a typical Christmas picture around here.  Ryan brought in a poinsettia that I'm trying to keep alive without repotting.  Some little houses and trees that have fascinated the girls.  And multiplication flashcards!

They are also obsessed with filling little candy or clay molds with whatever liquid we have in the house.  Here, they are using pineapple Capri Sun and vanilla soy milk to make little frozen treats.  So much better than just drinking them - and way more messy.

Christmas Eve when the snow was just a forecast.

Noreen brought over some homemade biscotti.  So good.

These cats survived over a week of snow with absolutely no problem.  I did see where one of them, probably Bowie, ventured out on the front porch briefly.  There were maybe 20 paw prints ending up on the mat coming back in.

All dressed up and enjoying the Nutcracker.  Such big girls now.

Setting up the manger and all the people and animals.  They collected angels from the tree and other places and put them in the background, calling that Heaven.

Opening Carol's (CeCe's) ornaments with money inside!

And it begins!

Santa Claus' gift this year was a Gizmo watch that makes phone calls.  I feel honored to be on the contact list.  Now we can talk any time we want to.  Mom and Dad don't need to know everything!

They loved their fairy-catching bottle.  All the fairies have names, and you can keep up to 30 in the bottle. 

I got to catch one too, a little boy fairy.

We always have a picture of Emily and Ryan slaving away in the kitchen while the rest of us play with our new toys.

 

Beautiful dinner - almost vegan, I think.  All the boxes are appliances and equipment having to do with the remodeling.  I think that's the kitchen sink behind them.

The fireplace is not in yet, so there was a little DIY going on.  Emily made the beautiful garlands, and Katherine drew a fireplace and mantel.

This is a shirt, believe it or not.  Graysen demonstrates how this little fox turns into a warm hoodie.

Christmas night fun for Layla and Bowie.  

First day of the snowstorm.

Sleepover dropoff.  No coat but great boots and a bag of homemade sourdough bread.

Letting Mama go home is hard. 

It helps a little bit when you can call and text her for a while.

It also helps to fill up more molds with Capri Sun.

Emily drove me around town to see how other places looked.  So beautiful.  My apartment doesn't look very festive with the wreath down.  I'll have to do something about that.

Driving down my street towards town.

Mount Si showing off the seahorse and Santa boot.

I'm not playing this!

It's a really old game from the 60s that Ryan found for sale.  They don't make it any more.  Still not playing it.

New Year's Eve.

Sweet gift from Debbie!  Graysen read it correctly, but Katherine chose to see "Bestest Mimi."

GO.  AWAY.

I think this is my favorite handmade Christmas ornament.  Perfectly dressed that day for being in a snow globe.