The First Full Week of January

 I came up with my words for 2026 "Calm and Patience".  I think these are appropriate for me as I work on them constantly but have never really focused on them.  I have found that my mantra for when I need them is "calm and patience, Ellen, calm and patience".

All of the Christmas decor has come down and been put away for another year.  Anything that I no longer want, I have put in the donation bag.  Perhaps someone else will enjoy using them.

B and I found a new local grocery store where food prices are more reasonable.  We are always looking for ways to save money, so this is a good find.

Since retiring, B and I have leased our car instead of buying one.  We do not put a lot of miles on the car as we don't go back and forth with work everyday and we limit any long trips to once or twice a year.  We have been driving a 2022 Equinox which we really like.  This year our lease is up in February and we were all set to lease another Equinox.  However, we found out that the new Equinox has the shifter on the steering wheel instead of the floor.  B prefers the shifter on the floor.  The saleswoman showed us a Chevy Trail Blazer which has the shifter on the floor and all the extras that the Equinox had that we liked.  It is smaller than an Equinox but that is okay as there is just the two of us using the car.  The added bonus to the new car lease is that the monthly payment is down $50 monthly from previous lease.  We were so pleased about everything that we did all the paperwork and brought the new car home on Thursday.

This past weekend, the weather was terrible.  Another winter storm which gave us rain, ice and about 1 foot of snow.  A number of trees came down in the woods behind our house but nothing too close.  Thank goodness.

We stayed inside this weekend and watched US figure skating.  I was happy to see Chock and Bates win a 7th US title in ice dancing and Amber Glenn won for women's single.  B and I are looking forward to February when the Olympics start.  We enjoy watching the competitions.

Now What...

 

And December Goes On...

Sunday the 7th, my back started to act up and by Monday the 8th, I was in full blown pain.  I have osteoporosis of the spine and every now and then I forget and twist or bend or help put up a Christmas tree or something stupid like that and then I am in pain for days.  There is not a lot I can do to relieve the pain...hot showers and hot compresses, Aleve and my regular medication for the osteoporosis.  Usually it takes close to a week for it to become manageable but until then, sitting for long periods of time or sleeping at night, is difficult and painful.  Tuesday and Wednesday I got absolutely nothing done between the intense back pain and the weather.  I do not like being so idle this time of year.  I have so much I want to do.

Last week we got snow, snow and more snow.  Not a storm by UP standards but the usual winter weather here in the UP.  It continued until Thursday morning.  At least it is was not below zero temperatures.  I can deal with snow but I despise the frigid cold. And on that note, the snow was supposed to taper off by Friday and then the weekend temps went down to frigid.  I am NOT a winter person.

On the up side of last week, I have all my Christmas shopping done and spent the weekend wrapping (my back decided to cooperate) the house is decorated and the tree is up and decorated.  All my grocery shopping for holiday meals is done and I will be starting to bake this week.  Also, the upside of a very painful back is that I can sit and watch holiday movies without guilt as the cheerful holiday movies make my back feel a bit better (B smiles at that statement cause he knows its bs).

This week I am determined to get the rest of my Christmas To Do list done, back pain or not.


 

First Week of December

 

The kids gave me their Christmas lists.  I usually pick one or two things from their lists.  Children's "toys" get more expensive as they get older.  However, my kids are pretty good at choosing things that are not too expensive for retired mom and dad. So I have all my Christmas shopping done. 

Wednesday was grocery shopping for the holidays.  It wasn't too bad as I already have most of my baking ingredients as well as turkeys and hams in our freezer.  I am also making a shrimp fettucine casserole as one of my dils is a vegetarian. I am only cooking Christmas Day as my youngest son and dil are providing Christmas Eve dinner.

Thursday afternoon, I went and got my monthly B12 shot.  Then B and I went to our local pet supply store.  We picked up a new kitty litter box and bed for our cat, Al.  We also picked up a few things for our local animal shelter as a Christmas donation.  The nice thing about that is if you tell them its a donation, they will bag it and take along with other donations to the shelter for you.  A lot more convenient than running it over ourselves.  They were also giving away free cute pets 2026 calendars.  I couldn't resist...pet pictures and free....I'm in.

Thursday night, B and I went with my son and dil and her parents to the local Christmas tree farm to pick out our trees.  A lot of people have suggested we get artificial but B says as long as we can, we will get real.  We had a great time at the farm.  There was hot chocolate, a firepit with chairs around it, music piped in throughout the farm and homemade treats and crafts as well.  There was even a sleigh and a decorated truck for picture taking. Afterwards, my son helped get the tree in the living room and then the 6 of us went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse.  Good food and not as expensive as I thought it would be. They are leaving Friday morning to go to Duluth, MN for the Christmas Lights Festival.  The weather for driving should be okay just very cold.

Today, B and I are going to decorate the tree and put the wreath on the front window.  Then this evening we are going to watch a favorite Christmas movie on TV, "The Bishop's Wife".  We lead such a whirlwind life :) .

Saturday, B has Christmas shopping to finish.  I am staying home to finish putting up my Christmas village and possibly start some baking (if the spirit moves me).

So on my "Still Left To Do" list...

             *Baking

             *Gift Wrapping

             *Holiday dishes washed and set aside for the big day

My family finds it terribly amusing how organized I have become but, to me, with organization comes a stress free holiday.  And a stress free holiday means more time to enjoy Christmas movies, Christmas music and time spent with the most important people in my life...my family.



        



         

The Last Weekend of November

The Friday after Thanksgiving is usually a day of shopping in the middle of crazy crowds, endless lines at the checkouts and items on sale that mysteriously run out within an hour of the store opening.  For others, it is a day of rest and relaxation to recuperate from Thanksgiving dinner and an extremely poor showing by your football team.  However for us in the upper peninsula, it will also be a day of snow shoveling, snow blowing and cleaning up from the blizzard we had over Thanksgiving. 

 Normally for me, the day after Thanksgiving has always been the start of the Christmas season.  Up until now, I have refrained from listening to Christmas music, looking at Christmas decorations on store shelves since September and watching Christmas movies playing every night on the tv.  It is irritating to me that the holidays seem to start earlier and earlier every year. I refuse to celebrate Christmas before Halloween and Thanksgiving.

As I said, today is the start of Christmas for me. Today I will begin decorating the house and listening to Christmas music while B does clean up outside from the blizzard.  Saturday we were supposed to be going to a large Christmas craft show we attend every year.  It is wonderful to walk thru and see all the crafts made by very talented people (not me).  We also find a number of items for ourselves as well as family.  However, this year that trip is canceled for us because of the continued snowy weather and the distance we would have to travel over snow covered roads. Since I do 90% of my shopping online, I am finished with that.  The coming days will include baking for the holidays, getting the Christmas tree (a real one) and a wreath for the front picture window.  I will wrap gifts and write holiday letters to friends near and far.  I will watch a variety of Christmas movies and specials on the tv.

This Sunday is the beginning of Advent in the Catholic faith and I will begin making my Advent offering. Each year I get an item for each of the 24 days of Advent to donate to my local pet shelter.  I will also be praying a rosary every day, which is my personal Advent gift, asking that God instill in the people of the world the gifts of kindness, love, patience, and generosity in order to move away from the violence, hatred, meanness and lack of humanity we seem to be experiencing now.

Christmas is the season of peace and love.  I hope that all of you experience that at this time of year.  Don't let the pressures of the holiday overwhelm you.  Remember everything you need to celebrate is right in front of you.  You only need to really focus and you will see it. 


 

Merry Christmas!

 

Catching Up

My Christmas shopping is finally complete.  I still have wrapping to do but not as much as in previous years.  Previously I have waited to wrap when all the shopping is done but this year I tried to wrap as soon as I could so as not to have to do so much last minute.

From my shopping excursions, I saved plastic bags for kitty litter scooping and paper bags for the local thrift store.

I made appointments for B and my annual Medicare physicals for January.

We received a Christmas card from the new pastor at our church.  First time in the 50 years we have been members there that we have gotten one.

Dinner menus for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day done. For Christmas Eve, we are doing a seafood supper in honor of our dil who is vegetarian.  She offered to bring dessert which I am happy about.  One less thing for me to make.  Christmas Day we will have a turkey breast (everyone is partial to white meat) with all the trimmings and our dil is bringing her baked ziti which has no meat in it.  She brought it last Christmas and it was very good.  It is also great as leftovers the next day.  She says she is slowly introducing us to vegetarian eating.  I also got all the holiday dishware washed and set aside for both days.

Baking is done.  I made 3 dozen snowball cookies, 4 dozen different kinds of sugar cookies, and peanut butter cookies (B's favorite).

My family finds it terribly amusing how organized I have become but, to me, with organization comes a stress free holiday.  A stress free holiday means more time to enjoy Christmas movies, Christmas music and time spent with the most important people in my life...my family.

Catching Up...

Note to Maebeme:  I read your blog regularly and although I can't comment (my computer won't let me), I want you to know how much I enjoy reading it.

B & I went Christmas tree and wreath shopping with my son and dil.  It was so strange because there was very little snow on the ground at the tree farm.  A former student of mine works there and he said that this year was the first time he didn't have to get the snowplow out to make paths to the trees through the snow.  The picture is of my son and dil by the tree farm truck. We also took time from our shopping to have some hot apple cider by the fire pit.  It is a wonderful tradition we enjoy every year.

After the kids took the Christmas decorations they wanted, We donated the rest to various organizations around town.

We finished decorating the house both inside and out and it looks lovely.  I am starting to get into the holiday spirit.

 

 

 

 

 

We received winter tax bill this week and was surprised to see it went up almost $200. Good things it is not due till the end of February so we will have caught up with Christmas bills by then.

Speaking of February, 2024 is a leap year!  How awesome!

Catching Up...

B and I went to a couple of Christmas Craft Shows.  I am always so impressed with how talented people are and am a bit envious that I do not share their talents.  We picked up some gifts for the kids as well as some fun ornaments for our tree.

Thanksgiving was quiet as usual this year.  It was just B and I and football on tv.  My youngest son and dil go to her parents for Thanksgiving and then spend the Christmas holiday with us.  My oldest son and dil live across the country and trying to fly home for Thanksgiving is too expensive and crazy.

We got the Christmas decorations out over Thanksgiving and started to decorate the house.  I used to go hog wild with decorations but for the last few years, I have pared down quite a bit.  So I decided this year to purge some of the decorations I have.  The kids have taken the decorations they wanted and I will be donating the rest to St. Vincent de Paul and another thrift store in town.  No point in having them sit in boxes when they can be enjoyed again by someone else.

The kids gave me their Christmas lists.  I usually pick one or two things from their lists.  Children's "toys" get more expensive as they get older.  However, my kids are pretty good at choosing things that are not too expensive for retired mom and dad.

This week is grocery shopping for the holidays.  It shouldn't be too bad as I already have most of my baking ingredients as well as turkeys and hams in our freezer.  I still have to figure out some more vegetarian dishes.  My dil is a vegetarian so those are recipes I do not have a lot of.  I  would love some suggestions if anyone has some.

Saturday, B and I will be going with my son and dil to the local Christmas tree farm to pick out our trees.  A lot of people have suggested we get artificial but B says as long as we can, we will get real.  We have a great time with the kids at the farm.  There is hot chocolate, a firepit with chairs around it, music piped in throughout the farm and homemade treats and crafts as well.  There is even a sleigh and a decorated truck for picture taking.


       

Merry Christmas!

 I want to wish all of you a Merry Christmas!  I cherish you all so much and hope the holidays and new year bring you all good blessings.

It's Officially the Christmas Season for me

The Friday after Thanksgiving is usually a day of shopping in the middle of crazy crowds, endless lines at the checkouts and items on sale that mysteriously run out within an hour of the store opening.  For others, it is a day of rest and relaxation to recuperate from Thanksgiving dinner and an extremely poor showing by your football team.  For me, the day after Thanksgiving has always been the start of the Christmas season.  Up until now, I have refrained from listening to Christmas music, looking at Christmas decorations on store shelves since September and watching Christmas movies playing every night on the tv.  It is irritating to me that the holidays seem to start earlier and earlier every year. I refuse to celebrate Christmas before Halloween and Thanksgiving.

As I said, today is the start of Christmas for me. Today I will begin decorating the house and listening to Christmas music. Since I do 90% of my shopping online, I am finished with that.  The coming days will include baking for the holidays, getting the Christmas tree (a real one) and a wreath for the front picture window.  I will wrap gifts and write holiday letters to friends near and far.  I will watch a variety of Christmas movies and specials on the tv.

This Sunday is the beginning of Advent in the Catholic faith and I will begin making my Advent offering. Each year I get an item for each of the 24 days of Advent to donate to my local pet shelter.  I will also be praying a rosary a day, which is my personal Advent gift, asking that God instill in the people of the world the gifts of kindness, love, patience, and generosity in order to move away from the violence, hatred, meanness and lack of humanity we seem to be experiencing now.

Christmas is the season of peace and love.  I hope that all of you experience that at this time of year.  Don't let the pressures of the holiday overwhelm you.  Remember everything you need to celebrate is right in front of you.  You only need to really focus and you will see it.

We Need A Little Christmas!

Haul out the holly
Put up the tree before my spirit falls again
Fill up the stocking
I may be rushing things, but deck the halls again now

For we need a little Christmas
Right this very minute
Candles in the window
Carols at the spinet
Yes, we need a little Christmas
Right this very minute
Hasn't snowed a single flurry, but Santa dear we're in a hurry

Climb down the chimney
Turn on the brightest string of lights I've ever seen
Slice up the fruit cake
It's time we've hung some tinsel on the evergreen bough

For I've grown a little leaner
Grown a little colder
Grown a little sadder
Grown a little older
And I need a little angel
Sitting on my shoulder
Need a little Christmas now

For we need a little music
Need a little laughter
Need a little singing, ringing through the rafter
And we need a little snappy
Happy ever after
Need a little Christmas now