Oh my, January is rolling along at top speed in spite of all the cold and snow.
My birth family, now consisting of my sisters and myself, enjoyed a day with some of the kids and grandchildren last Saturday, finally having Christmas together. So our Christmas season lasted longer than usual, which was fine with everyone.
The nephew who got married on Thanksgiving hosted our Christmas party. That is great hospitality for a new bride, I think. He maintained that she was so eager to meet everyone and have everyone meet her and her children. We all had a jolly time together with much good food and lots of laughter and visiting of course.
Their area of the U.P. has had over 150 inches of snow, and with the polar vortex, there hasn't been much melting. I was amazed by the height of the snowbanks on the back streets. In main travel areas the plows and graders have taken the banks down or away completely, but trees have great snow clots stuck in the branches, and the roofs are laden with snow. Watch out for that mischief maker, Mayhem! (I hope that actor isn't stuck forever with that identity from the State Farm ads.)
Now that I have written that, I hope they're State Farm ads.
In other news, we've decided that it will be a nice break to spend a week in warmer weather. I have friends who are in transit to spend months in Florida or Texas. I can't be gone that long because of the Cat Family Members, but I'm getting to wish that we could do that.
As much as I love our cats, I wish cats were more adaptable and could travel. Taking them someplace would mean putting up with days of yowling from the cat carriers. I couldn't stand that, and neither could Good Guy!
While at home, I'm fretting about the ice dam on the eaves on the north side of our house. I'm trying a new product called Roof Melt in hopes that it will remedy the problem. Somebody remind me to tell you if it works!
Good luck to the teams that will be playing today. Once my team is out of it, I don't have much loyalty to anyone. Good Guy likes the Patriots though. (Tom Brady was a quarterback at U of M.) That's all it takes.
Stay warm, my friends, if you're in the Northern Hemisphere. There's still lots of winter ahead.
I sure know how to cheer folks up, don't I?
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Friday, January 10, 2014
AT&T, We Love You
One of the reminders I made for myself for habits in the new year was to spend less time in front of screens. This includes television and game playing along with the internet.
It is working out even better than I would have hoped, thanks to lack of service for 48 hours. It is odd to pick up the land line and have no sound there at all, and no internet. Of course it isn't just odd, it's maddening. Even when you have cellular service and can phone and text if you want to.
It is akin to not having electricity or water in that I can't seem to think of anything to do that doesn't require the service of whatever isn't working at the moment. And I automatically use the light switches or the faucets even as I'm thinking about the fact that something isn't working. How much of our behavior is robotic???
Which, in turn, reminds me of how important it is to incorporate any good changes into daily habits. I get up early and make sure that by the time 7:00 AM shows on my clock I have breakfast and take my meds----so I don't forget about them completely.
By cutting down on screen time, I spend more time in front of the sewing machine and have pieced all the squares for a baby quilt and I'm sewing the rows together this morning. I'll post a photograph over the weekend sometime.
After days and days of numbing cold, we have warmer temperatures today. I expect to see some fool out there in shorts. I guess temperature is relative too.
I just finished reading Brain On Fire, by Susannah Cahalan. It's like an episode of House, except that her medical team seemed like normal human beings. They solved a tricky medical mystery, though.
Bye for now. I'm off to sew.
It is working out even better than I would have hoped, thanks to lack of service for 48 hours. It is odd to pick up the land line and have no sound there at all, and no internet. Of course it isn't just odd, it's maddening. Even when you have cellular service and can phone and text if you want to.
It is akin to not having electricity or water in that I can't seem to think of anything to do that doesn't require the service of whatever isn't working at the moment. And I automatically use the light switches or the faucets even as I'm thinking about the fact that something isn't working. How much of our behavior is robotic???
Which, in turn, reminds me of how important it is to incorporate any good changes into daily habits. I get up early and make sure that by the time 7:00 AM shows on my clock I have breakfast and take my meds----so I don't forget about them completely.
By cutting down on screen time, I spend more time in front of the sewing machine and have pieced all the squares for a baby quilt and I'm sewing the rows together this morning. I'll post a photograph over the weekend sometime.
After days and days of numbing cold, we have warmer temperatures today. I expect to see some fool out there in shorts. I guess temperature is relative too.
I just finished reading Brain On Fire, by Susannah Cahalan. It's like an episode of House, except that her medical team seemed like normal human beings. They solved a tricky medical mystery, though.
Bye for now. I'm off to sew.
Saturday, January 4, 2014
End it with a Four!
Does anybody else write checks anymore?
I believe I have, at least temporarily, solved the 2013/2014 problem. My sister once advised me to write in the year for a few checks into the new year, when I'm likely to automatically fill in the old year. It always seems to me that it would be wise to keep my wits about me while I'm writing a check and not have my brain go on a little mini-vacation with my money. But I digress....
But this year I'm keeping my journal in a big spiral bound notebook which is blank. Therefore, I need to fill in the dates myself. So far I have written 2014 for January, February, March, April, and May. I think I'm getting the hang of 2014. By about the September dating, I'll feel confident.
You may notice the change in the header, from Tahquamenon Falls to a quilt top. I like it. I sewed some darker borders around the edges, which makes it too large to fit on the backing I have for it. So the borders will come off again and I'll use them for a dark binding on the edges.
I need to learn to plan so the tops fit nicely onto a 44 inch flannel back. What is the saying that the Amish say. So soon old, so late smart? That's so true.
My friends have picked a words to guide them into the new year. One picked Focus, one picked Order, one picked Simplicity. (All good words. I'm partial to Chocolate, myself.) I'm choosing Generous. I need a reminder against stinginess.
The coldness of our winter seems to make the nightly news on a regular basis. It is a reason to be thankful that we have working utilities and a reliable furnace. Doing anything outdoors becomes a chore to be avoided, so I bundle up to feed the birds and rearrange the snow a bit and then dash back indoors to bundle up and drink something hot.
Even in this weather, when I envy folks in warm places, I remember how much I hate hot weather. I can function in the cold, but not in the heat. I pity the fans and players who will be at Lambeau Field tomorrow. It will be brutal!
Excuse me now while I un-sew my borders. I'll be back soon.
I believe I have, at least temporarily, solved the 2013/2014 problem. My sister once advised me to write in the year for a few checks into the new year, when I'm likely to automatically fill in the old year. It always seems to me that it would be wise to keep my wits about me while I'm writing a check and not have my brain go on a little mini-vacation with my money. But I digress....
But this year I'm keeping my journal in a big spiral bound notebook which is blank. Therefore, I need to fill in the dates myself. So far I have written 2014 for January, February, March, April, and May. I think I'm getting the hang of 2014. By about the September dating, I'll feel confident.
You may notice the change in the header, from Tahquamenon Falls to a quilt top. I like it. I sewed some darker borders around the edges, which makes it too large to fit on the backing I have for it. So the borders will come off again and I'll use them for a dark binding on the edges.
I need to learn to plan so the tops fit nicely onto a 44 inch flannel back. What is the saying that the Amish say. So soon old, so late smart? That's so true.
My friends have picked a words to guide them into the new year. One picked Focus, one picked Order, one picked Simplicity. (All good words. I'm partial to Chocolate, myself.) I'm choosing Generous. I need a reminder against stinginess.
The coldness of our winter seems to make the nightly news on a regular basis. It is a reason to be thankful that we have working utilities and a reliable furnace. Doing anything outdoors becomes a chore to be avoided, so I bundle up to feed the birds and rearrange the snow a bit and then dash back indoors to bundle up and drink something hot.
Even in this weather, when I envy folks in warm places, I remember how much I hate hot weather. I can function in the cold, but not in the heat. I pity the fans and players who will be at Lambeau Field tomorrow. It will be brutal!
Excuse me now while I un-sew my borders. I'll be back soon.
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