2024 in review

1. One word to describe the year: lovely
2. Best thing I did for someone else this year: coaxed Peter back into driving and encouraged him with books and music, trusted him to grow; also: organized a trip for 5 to Italy and got them all through two weeks; birthday cards to friends
3. Favorite movie of the year: Not sure about favorite… but Will & Harper is one I keep thinking about. Saw so many “old” movies with Peter which has been a blast.
4. Favorite show of the year: Really liked Lady Jane. Always love Great British Bake Off. Shrinking and Hacks were good. Finally catching up on Bones.
5. Most embarrassing moment of the year: screwing up my enrolled agent status? Allowing my backpack to get stolen? Discovering I never filed our 2021 tax return? at least top three choices
6. Time you laughed the hardest this year: probably Thanksgiving, playing Bohnanza with Laurie and Maureen, Nora & Jon, and Sean
7. Something you learned to do/had never done before: eat anchovies, glass fuse (ok 2nd time but it’d been 15 years), blogging (again, a re-learn)
8. Most news worthy event? For our family, Nora got engaged and finished her masters degree. But for me? Going to Italy again FINALLY and speaking Italian.
9. Biggest lesson learned: I can speak Italian and I love it
10. favorite place you visited this year? So much traveling. I have to say Venice with Capri a close second.
    
11. Most memorable day of year? So many to choose, but I’ll say the one day visit to Capri will live with me forever
12. best advice received this year? Reading about depression from Matt Haig, helps me understand Peter better. Also everything in the book No Mud, No Lotus by Thict Naht Hanh. I must reread it.
13. An achievement you’re proud of this year? Speaking Italian
14. One great compliment you got this year? Well, can’t remember just one, but I felt so loved by the numerous people who came to my birthday party to celebrate me making it to 57
15. What or whom are you thankful for this year? So many including Barbara, Stacy, Nora, Laurie, but it’s has to be Sean always. He makes my life better every day in big and small ways. All the above wouldn’t happen without him.

Food memories 2024

I had the best Caesar salad of my life at a local restaurant. Including with anchovies and giant cheese crisps instead of croutons. They’ve since taken it off the menu and I have complained!

I had an ube custard bun at a local Vietnamese restaurant this year. I want more ube in my life!

I had an insanely good filet with Gorgonzola sauce in a little cafe near the Uffizi palace in Florence Italy.

I also had a very memorable basic Tuscan chicken with pesto sandwich on a croissant at Napoleon House in NOLA. No photo of it, but I did take a pic of the gin cocktail I had with it.

I also had a phenomenal meal at a cafe in Sorrento Italy. Sean was being a dick and left early, and I was exhausted from stuff. And it wasn’t until part way through we realized how amazing this food was. Olive oil ice cream starter, zucchini risotto and a magical lemon lava cake.

plus so much salmon sushi… I think I qualify as a Grizzly Bear.

Small Joys — happy stitch

Day 63

Random number: 227

Work on an embroidery

Conveniently I have my new Work In Progress bag, with an embroidery project ready to go. Starting with this simple one that isn’t a favorite to get back in habit, remember stitches. Happily I’ve been able to thread the needle 3 times. Hoorah to good glasses and good lighting!

Saw something stupid, had to look up the truth

Saw a dumb meme saying Kamala Harris grew up in a palatial home in Montreal. The truth makes way more sense: Kamala Harris did not grow up in palatial home

Museums to go to this summer

 Art Gallery of Nova Scotia

Museum of Fine Arts Boston and Isabel Gardener museum

North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh

Smithsonian museum of American Art in DC

Portland Museum of Art  

LOOKED UP: bike plans for summer 2025

bicycling in Acadia National Park

Washington Secondary Bike Path -- near Warwick RI

Biking near Philly  -- especially want to go to Valley Forge park

Raleigh -- check out Neuse River Greenway

First, Best bike paths IN Portland and best bike paths near Portland: Eastern Trail map 

And yes, we can bike in Washington DC

Small Joys — tidy up gift box

Day 62

Random number: 380

Go through gifts box — assign, weed out, buy for

I forgot to go through this box for stocking stuffers! Well, I’m good for next year. And found a couple gifts for mom & Mary.

LOOKED UP: cooking and freezing squashes

Got a big bag of squash from the Belchers — need to use it to. Here’s how to freeze it.

dinner on Monday: squash and bacon frittata

Project idea: embroidery

Be not inhospitable to strangers lest they be angels in disguise. — attributed to WB Yeats but actually a variation in a bible passage, Hebrews 13:2

End-of-year make-life-better list

here are a few things I can do this weekend to make our lives a scootch better:

1. Order new thick bathroom rugs and new shower heads. ✔️ Replace and toss out old.
2. Tidy, weed out pantry and refrigerator.
3. Plan meals to freeze for tax season.
4. Make appointment with new hairstylist
5. Put away all laundry and new clothes ✔️

edited to add: getting to pantry and meal planning on 1/1, fridge on 1/2 because it needs a repair. Doing shower head repair and hair appt in 1/5. Close enough!

Since I couldn’t do fridge, I ended up tidying the living room shelves, and top of cabjncer and top of fridge. Less cluttered, more easily accessed stuff. So also made our lives a scootch better.

Make To Do list smaller

Last week, I put DO LESS as a permanent daily item on my digital To Do list. I check it off as done if I spent part of the day moving other items from To Do list to later days or outright deleting them.

Also I’m moving my movies to watch & books to read lists to the notes app where they belong, instead of the To Do List. These are *suggestions*. I don’t need more shit cluttering up the To Do lists.

Small Joys — see beauty

Day 61

Random number: 372.

Notice 3 things that are beautiful in the world around you

1. Fake Calder mobile — lovely unusual art in optometrist office
2. My new work-in-progress bag — it’s beautiful and effective!
3. My son sleeping. I found Peter napping in my bed after lunch, with thecat and dog curled up with him. I had some writing to do, so I got in the one unoccupied spot of bed, and enjoyed a peaceful 15 minutes with three creatures I love, all breathing deeply and contentedly.

LOOKED UP: cattywampus

Definition and etymology of cattywampus

Small Joys — write book reviews

Day 60

Random number 345

Write reviews of 5 books on Goodreads

Done. Nice to share book opinions for others.

Reviewed the book I started yesterday and finished this morning.

LOOKED UP: ear lobe repair

May look into getting my ear lobes repaired.

Friday wins — catch up

I haven’t participated as much. Partially Hoarse and Mary aren’t asking as often and I’m not on as often so don’t see them. This is a win!

But here are three recent gratitude posts:

Word for 2025: FOCUS

Plans for 2025

1. Less sugar
2. Less multitasking
3. less social media
4. less phone
5. more meditation
6. more reading
7. more art
8. more being present
9. more sleep

FOCUS on health. FOCUS at work. FOCUS on a project to do it completely and correctly. FOCUS on being present. .

Small Joy — give yourself a break

Day 59

Random number 82

Give yourself a break

didn’t do a specific thing; just allowed myself not to feel stressed or panicked. Had a lot to do in morning, got it all done, though I was late to party Barbara and I were co-hosting. Though now I’m feeling bad I didn’t help clean up. Guess I need to give myself a break on that too.

LOOKED UP: What is myrrh

Myth is a resin from tree bark. Don’t eat it.

LOOKED UP: Elvis Costello concerts

2025 goal: see Elvis Costello

2025 tour dates — Miami in July!

Small Joys — love in the mail

Day 58

Random number: 271

mail out a hug

Doesn’t seem possible, but I understood the assignment (since I assigned it! 😆). Picked out my friend Annette who’s a tough cookie but has had a rough year. I’d made these foldable felt “hugs” a few years ago, never sent them all out. Came across one recently. So wrote Annette a note in a cute card and folded in a hug. I feel joy and I hope she will too.

Travel List

Places I visited in 2024

1. italy: Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome, Naples, Sorrento, Capri
2. Vatican City
3. Orlando
4. New York City
5. Tampa
6. New Orleans
7. Miami
8. Chicago
9. Sebring FL
10. Williamsburg VA
11. St Augustine
12. Stuart FL
13. Great Cypress National Preserve
14. Venice FL
15. Savannah GA
16. Manning SC

Travel plans for 2025:

1. NewYork City
2. Las Vegas
3. Raleigh NC
4. Philadelphia
5. Washington DC
6. Boston
7. Portland ME
8. Halifax
9. Stockbridge MA
10. Lake George NY
11. Albany NY
12. Tampa
13. Miami
14. Great Cypress National Preserve
15. Venice FL
16. Gainesville FL
17. Orlando
18. either: Atlanta and Asheville NC OR Milan & Bologna Italy

Countries I have visited in my lifetime:

1. Canada
2. Italy
3. Vatican City
4. Portugal
5. United Kingdom
6. Jersey
7. Panama
8. Colombia
9. Jamaica
10. Virgin Islands
11. St Kitts
12. St Barts
13. Mexico
14. Switzerland
15. Germany
16. France
17. Netherlands

Small Joys — food science

Day 57

Random number: 233

Read up on one part of how baking works

i own plenty of books in the topic. About time I cracked one. Or even two. Read a few pages of each:

LOOKED UP: games

Forgot how many dice are used in Bunko. Looked it up. It’s three per table.

who created Cribbage: Sir John Suckling in 1600s.

Small Joy — let’s visit more art museums!

Day 56

Random number: 363

Review what art museums I can go to with my Norton membership

I found the reciprocal museum list! And there are tons of museums I can go to for free in Florida. Have to remember to look at other states when we travel.

Small Joy — it’s Wicked!

Day 55

Random number: 398

Listen to cast album of a musical

Original Wicked of course. Delightful as I ran errands in crowded holiday traffic.

LOOKED UP: recipes for Xmas Eve

Bacon cheese dates

Butternut squash soup

LOOKED UP: how to use sealing wax

Bought a wax seal kit in Venice with a beautiful glass handle made in Murano. The wax doesn’t seem to have a wick… so this will be tricky. Sending a letter to my daughter whose idea this was.

looked up how to do the wax but my wax doesn’t have a wick.

i should have practiced! LOL But it’s done now. First letter of many.

Small Joy — looking for stars

Day 54

Random number is 286

Research a place in Florida to go stargazing

I think I put this on the list before we went to Big Cypress Park for stargazing last year. So I know where to go. Today, I sent a message to Barbara, Jerry and Sean to coordinate a new trip in February. So it’s on the calendar. Planning adventures gives me joy.

Day 55

Random number 398

Listen to cash album of a musical

I chose the original cast album for Wicked, Delightful as I ran holiday errands.

LOOKED UP — store WIP crafts

How to store works in progress — I have plenty of things to do this already

Small Joy — anticipatory sunrise

Day 53

Number randomizer says: 16

Make a date to go to the beach

Done, by 8 am! Sean and I agreed to go to the beach for sunrise on Saturday morning.

i guess I’ll post photos on Saturday.

EDITED TO ADD: too cold this weekend! We’ve put it off a week.

EDITED TO ADD: We put it off 3 1/2 months! But we went this morning, April 5.

Small Joys — slow down

Day 52

Random number is 264

Rest

To be honest, I deleted a few Small Joys that didn’t look like fun after all or are things already started so no longer needed on list. And I replaced the 4 I deleted with just the word REST.

Then lo and behold that was Tuesday’s Small Joy. So I got in bed at 8 pm. Watched a bunch of Bones. Did a lot of Christmas shopping online. Got a busy but also fun day planned for tomorrow. Yeah… I was still productive while in bed. And I’m still awake after midnight. But I did rest. Wasn’t on computer. Didn’t tidy. Or have a meltdown about anything. Getting all that shopping done, and an organized list of Xmas holiday tasks for tomorrow (er, later today) is restful — by reducing my anxiety.

Small Joys — catching up: delicious and dicey

Day 51

Random number is 371

Do something delicious

I’ve really fallen off on doing these Small Joys and writing about them. Yikes.

Well, on Sunday, the day of this Small Joy, I baked delicious peppernut cookies and oatmeal walnut cookies. And ate a fantastic chicken quesadilla at a nice Tex-mex place near the Parker Playhouse in Ft Lauderdale. I did make sure to appreciate the deliciousness of my food since the Small Joy made me aware. The show we saw was a delicious feast. And Sean is as always my delicious husband.

Process update: I’ve been picking Small Joys but then getting busy with other more urgent and necessary stuff. And the Small Stuff gets lost in the shuffle. I’m okay with it not being daily, but I do want to journal and have fun and get creative … not just *be productive*. So I want to try to focus on it again.

Day 51.5

Random number 214

put dice into hexagon terrarium

I did this one in mid December and forgot to document it. So glad to finally put this glass hexagon to use — and it looks so pretty.

Cookie List 2024

Peanut butter cookies with Reese’s cups — done 12/14

oatmeal with walnuts — done 12/16

Peppernuts — dine 12/15

gingerbread twigs -- done 12/20

Gingersnap cut outs —dough made 12/21, started cut outs 12/22

Pina colada (edited to add: baking these in January for tax season)

UPDATE:

12/17: brought in two plates of oatmeal walnut and peanut butter Reese’s to work. They were a big hit.

12/21: bringing some cookies to Stacy birthday party, and mailing a tin to Laurie in Iowa. Planning on a tin for Nora & Jon to take to his parents.

12/22 — took some to Dawn’s house for cribbage day

List/musings — not dead yet

I didn’t die from pneumonia in winter of 1973.

I didn’t die on a snowy overpass between NM and CO in Dec 1989.

I didn’t die from staph infection in May 2015.

I didn’t have a stroke in Mar 2017. Nor in Nov 2019.

I survived congestive heart failure in early 2020.

I fixed the broken wheel bearing just in time in Nov 2024.

Probably other stroke opportunities and near misses in the car that have faded from memory.

#LifeIsGood

Musings — feeling blue

Feeling blue because:

1. Peter is depressed again
2. fucking RFK potentially in charge of health
3. Republicans caving and slobbering Uber DT
4. Democrats doing nothing worthwhile
5. Achey feet, tired legs, general tiredness of a too busy month

Things that cheer me up;

1. Making a sand dollar garland out of felt and beads
2. limoncello cream
3. hanging out with Sean
4. losing myself in a novel
5. Art museums
6. staying off social media
7. baking cookies
8. riding my bike
9. a nap
10. tidying my bedroom
11. a hot shower

Small Joys — I felt that!

Day 50

random number 135

Make a holiday decoration

To be honest, the Small Joy that came up was “plan a map art”, and I was excited because I love maps. Went to Pinterest where I’d saved a bunch of ideas (which probably inspired putting the idea on the list). Ideas I’d never looked at closely. They were all stupid or impossible.

But! I did remember I have a bunch of felt and had wanted to make stuff with it. So I changed the Small Joy! Which I can do, because it’s my game.

I already had a bunch of circles cut out: and I know I have a bunch of buttons, so I have these organized to become 4 ornaments to give as gifts.

I also started an elf-boot-shaped one for Stacy because she’s having a murder mystery party, and I’m an elf, and her tree crashed so I figure she’d like an unbreakable felt ornament.

And I’d started some tan & white sand dollars; probably intending them as coasters, but instead I’ll make a garland with the wood beads I have. That’ll be fun and personal to me and Sean.

Photos to come when finished….

Check in

Breakfast report: half a banana, half a Pepsi, rosemary bread toasted, 1/3 of a documentary on the Mitford sisters

Clothes report: black pants, orange t-shirt with gnome. It’s what was closest and comfiest.

Weather report: cold by Florida standards. Wire winter coat when walking dog, but also wore sandals and cropped pants

Medical report: heart no trouble, decent nights sleep though only 6 hours, right big toe hurts from arthritis, bowels working fine, skin looks ok and is now moisturized

Musing about art

Admire/appreciate but not love: modern art

Musings: freaking merc retrograde

How do I know we’re in mercury retrograde?

Because I’m losing my mind due to numerous dumb little details frustrating me on projects I just.cant.finish. When a couple days becomes a never-ending litany of miscommunications, mislaid items, “bad luck,” just weird occurrences, interruptions, and I’m just riled up by the ceaseless annoying details of modern life… And the thought then pops in my head: When does this freaking merc retrograde end?

I’m generally not a woo woo, supernatural, superstitious person. But GOOD LORD, mercury retrograde is a thing. I don’t check my horoscope or pay attention to Merc Retrograde dates — ‘cause I don’t want to be *expecting it* and make it be a thing unconsciously.

Every single time I have this thought — When does this freaking merc retrograde end? — and I look it up, … yep, it’s ending in a few days. I can sense it when the growing snowball of merc retro fuckery is at its worst.

Like right now, we’re in merc retro, and it ends Dec 15. And it cannot come soon enough. I’m trying to get shit done, damnit.

Maybe I’ll just go to bed until Monday.

*deep breaths*

Anyway, the earrings I made a big deal about on FB yesterday? I already lost one yesterday. Looked all around my desk at work. I was so sad. Wasn’t going to post about it since I’d so publicly thanked AnnaMaria for her help. Then today, there’s the earring right at my feet at my desk. WTF? Yay, but also could we have skipped this drama?

And the passport I just posted my long story about? I’ve got the form filled out, printed & signed, the envelope addressed, have the photos that I got at Walgreens last month ready to staple in form… and then I see the detail: no glasses allowed in photo. So I have to go back to Walgreens AGAIN to send off this passport. @%#*@$&

ALSO: got a letter from IRS. Short version: IRS is notoriously inefficient and the Covid years are even worse. Spent a lot of time on nothing to confirm that what they think is a problem, isn’t. 🙄

ALSO: Rescheduled Peter’s eye doc appt to a later week. Then an hour later, his dentist called and they needed to reschedule. It’s like, argh, rescheduling medical appts over and over. Well, thank god they called, ‘cause I’d just scheduled that eye appt at same time as dentist appt! WTH? 😆😆😆

More stories about cable guys breaking our sprinkler pipes, things mistakenly thrown out, photos not working… blah blah blah.

I’ve got other projects to work on. I’m seriously moving everything on my To Do list to Tuesday. Ive got books to read, and a cat and husband to cuddle. Whew. Thank you, universe, for a sign I need a break.

Small Joys — good night!

Day 49

Random number is 296

Go to bed earlier

I love this one. I was in my bedroom by 8:15 pm. I put a fireplace video on the TV. I’ve refilled a month worth of pills, put away a few clothes, moisturized.

Now it’s 9 pm. All electronics going away, all lights but one, and I’ll read another chapter in The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford. I may wake up at 3 am… or maybe I’ll get 8 hours of sleep. Who knows! This is also a terrific kind of adventure!

LOOKED UP: not Aristotle

No, Aristotle did not ramble on about the beauty of snowflakes.

LOOKED UP: NYC art exhibitions 2025 and other NYC things

 Caspar David Friedrich and Sargent at the Met this spring. Sargent opens the week I want to go.

How to get tickets to Colbert show -- one month ahead of time

NY Transit museum -- near the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway where I can ride a bike.

Small Joys — Agony of Da Feet

Day 48

Random number is 386

Tidy, inventory shoes; buy new pair of shoes

Timely as we had to clean up front door area. I had 12 pairs of shoes there. I threw out one pair, and took 5 others upstairs si de they aren’t worn often.

Upstairs, I tossed a pair of heels that I LOVE… but are falling apart and I hardly wear.

Also timely as I’m starting to — again — have foot pain. Need to see a doc about the Hallux Litmus. Refound my old Birkenstocks. May need to wear these more often.

New shoes? Do I get party shoes or new Birkenstocks?! Comfy may win out.

shoes from downstairs shoe rack:

Small Joy — beloved art

Day 47

Random number; 400

Buy Escher print for house

We so loved the Escher exhibit at the Vero Beach Art Museum in 2023, and the museum gift shop had nothing related to the exhibit for sale (decision by Escher estate they said). So I thought we should finally get something. I looked on Amazon. A few options, mostly his most famous works. I did out a jigsaw puzzle in my cart.

But then I thought, the Escher Foundation (or whoever is in charge of the estate) might have more choices, and would reward his family more directly. And yes, it had many more choices! It was hard to pick only one, but we settled on Puddle. Who knows how long it will take to get here. And then I have to have it framed. But it feels right buying directly from them, shipped from The Netherlands. Even if shipping was 2x the cost of the poster!

Small joys — nice to meet you

Day 46

Random number is 166.

Ask someone new about themselves

Went to company Christmas lunch. I MEANT to talk to new co-workers from my PBG office. But ended up talking to Aaron and Katie from Stuart, and a little bit with Sarah from Audit. But I did get to hear about my new coworkers — Suzi, Vicky, Christine, Holly and Kelly — in their intros to the company. I’ll get to know them more next week.

Monthly Goals -- December off to a slow start

 I did not really accomplish the October and November goals. So I am wary about putting up December goals. But here we go. A lot of it is just finishing up stuff that has been lingering:

1. Apply for passport renewal
2. Submit EA paperwork (again!)
3. Tidy up laundry room -- cleaners and party supplies
4. Finish those 2024 birthday cards -- only a few weeks left
5. Mediate every day
6. Moisturize every day
7. Finish grout project

Update: December 4

6. I have been moisturizing every day! I love it!

Small Joy -- digital housekeeping

 Day 45

Random number is 66

Clean out old Keep posts. 

Well, this was useful and productive, but not very exciting for a blog post. Found some ancient To Do lists. Random saved tweets. Old wish lists. Not sure if I made much of a dent, but still a good practice.

Fell off the blogging wagon -- but I am back baby! Friendship and Small Joys

 Been exhausted from two weeks of travel. It was all good -- other then the almost dying from a broken wheel. See post about wheel bearings.

I have not been keeping up with my Small Joys -- doing them or blogging about them. Time for another break. Clearly it is not meant to be a daily thing. *adjusting rules of game I made for myself*

Today, I had lunch with Barbara. She asked me to lunch, which made my heart sing. I always fret that friends don't actually like me. Which is silly after 15 years, and she calls me her best friend. But anxiety does that.

So we had lunch at 1:00, and then sat there until nearly 4. We had SO much catching up to do. We had gone to Orlando together, but didn't really chat at length. Caught up on the kids, and disappointments, and achievements. And holiday anxiety. And planning a birthday surprise for a friend.

I had mentioned hosting an Open House at the holidays. Or maybe I didn't. Maybe she mentioned doing an Open House, and then I said I am too. I forget if she already knew this. So of course, we decided to combine! And now i am so excited. I am going to make stuffed figs, and cookies, and a peppermint cake, and a soup, and the Japanese sweet potatoes I mentioned here recently.

We also cemented some plans for Vegas, and bought tickets to a Cirque show. We are going to have so much fun.

LOOKED UP: Toe Pain

Well it looks like I may have a bunion — maybe? — on my right big toe which has been hurting since Orlando.

and I’ve learned about Hallux Limitus. I need better fitting shoes, more orthotics. I think I’ll try finding a podiatrist.

Small Joy — memories!

Day 44

Number randomizer says 185!

Write down a memory

I already did write about when George Carlin died and about my first TV. Plan to write longer post about my dad and driving to Virginia, specifically through SC. Will add that later.

Recipe to try

Pumpkin bread