Starting the New Year Right!

The calendar has turned over and I'm doing my best to turn over with it!  Some recent doc appointments have brought about some medication changes and I'm feeling much improved! What a relief! And nothing like a pretty fruit arrangement to really make your day!

 

I've been spending a lot of time at the computer lately, looking at old photos. No, not for blogging. Not even to delete the bad ones (of which there are plenty.) It is to add my own photos to the Aura photo frame that Kevin and Molly gave me for Christmas which is high on my "best gift ever" list. (Left: Covid days/egg hunt; Right: Good times in England)

Memorable Moments of 2025 In (Mostly) Pictures

Happy New Year! 2025 was quite a year for us. We had a damaging ice storm at the lake and a tree fell down on Rick's house during a tornado in Lansing. Rick took two long bike hikes, including a month-long trip to Canada and New England. I stayed close to home or the lake! There was fun -- our Cork Poppers and other times with good friends, a good art sale and lots of art time. But I also dealt with afib issues, a cardioversion, pacemaker, tendonitis that laid me flat for a bit, and the usual MRSA, sinus and pseudomonas infections. Add to it the tension in the US and I will be glad to turn the calendar page to 2026.

Christmas -- The Merriment Continues

I think we were like many of you, who enjoyed multiple Christmases! As you saw in the last post, we had fun with the kids, decorating Rick's trees and doing the zoo walk. That was Monday. On Tuesday, it was our "Christmas Eve." I took the morning off so I could get a couple of things done at home (like sleep) and make cookies to decorate. But soon it was time for fun! (The clean-up would be later!)

 

We (I mean the collective "we") were going to build a gingerbread house. It started out well enough. 

Smile, and Keep On Tapping

The kids have moved on to their next Christmas after a good (and exhausting!) celebration. The tree is up and will be for a bit. I need the light and to be honest, have barely had time to sit with it and fully enjoy. I've had rough holidays before. This one has been overwhelming. But, as someone once said to me when I was doing theatre and we were all tired, not always sure of the steps, "Smile, and keep on tapping!" 

Friends and Fun at Holiday Time

We're closing in on Christmas and perhaps the best part is spending time with friends and doing some fun things, a bit out of the box. As I mentioned in the last post, my friend Suzanne came for a short visit and we did some Christmas shopping. The stores are looking good!

 

One spot we like offered snacks (they sell sauces and rubs and such, so it was good marketing!). It made for a nice treat on an impossibly frigid, windy day. They also had a couple of singers with an accordion come in and sing holiday songs. They were rather off key at times (but then, who isn't?) but very holly jolly and it was a nice touch.

More Hall Decking!

Things are on the upswing here as my friend Suzanne visits this weekend. But I thought I'd pop in the last of the home decorating pix. I'll start with this amaryllis from Trader Joe's. $7.95 and it has given me five huge blooms, still going after several weeks. I'd never seen a pink and white one before! Decorating and I didn't have to do a thing except put it on the table!

 

 And these flowers, sent by dear friends, are still going strong -- perfect Christmas colors!

Getting Up to Pace - and a Bit of Christmas Decorating!

Thanksgiving may be over but my personal season of gratitude extends to you. Thank you all for such kind, supportive words. I'm pleased to say the pacemaker implant surgery is over and while I'm still sore as all get out at the site, I'm back home, getting itchy to be back in holiday mode. I'm finding typing a bit challenging, between the sling and some soreness there, so if I don't visit as often or answer your comments directly (if I have contact info for you), I know you'll understand. And again, I am so grateful for you good thoughts.

 

That might take awhile to do well. Certain restrictions are for six weeks and I can't drive for at least two (or after my to-be-scheduled follow-up appointment.)The sling cramps my style! I may end up doing more shopping at the Evil Empire than I planned. I hate asking for rides to the grocery or having someone else shop for me, but I guess things like this humble us, so there you go. 

Holidays at Home: A Tale of Two Christmases!

Like so many of you, our family enjoyed more than one Christmas this year -- one at home, one at the kids' house. 

 

That was our first one and it actually began a bit earlier in the week when Rick when down to kid-sit and I followed a couple of days later. They boys are six and seven (nearly eight) so it's a fun age to be with them. They're still young enough to have some magic in them, so when we went to the bookstore we came home with the elf on the shelf. It certainly kept them occupied.

Happy Everything This Month!

Happily wishing all my blog friends a very Fun Festivus, Lovely Solstice, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Jolly Boxing Day, and good wishes for whatever else, if anything, you are celebrating at the end of this month. 

May your days be merry and bright. . . 

Holidays at Home: Holiday Fun

In the countdown till Christmas one must make time for a little fun, a little friendship.

My friend Suzanne (from Canada) came for a short visit -- partly to come to Cork Poppers, partly for Christmas shopping, partly for VERY belated birthday celebrating (my birthday is in August; we tend to do each other's about four months off. We'll do Christmas in January.)

Holidays at Home: Christmas in the House!

It's time to deck the halls. Many of you blog friends have done that long ago. I'm behind the game but can happily say I've "hauled out the holly" and "decked the halls." It's a bit more low key than usual but it's been a very rough month and I'm just glad to get the cheer back into the house. (Where it will probably stay until Valentine's Day!)

I suppose I should start with my narrow entry hall. The greeting angel stays there year round, but I have a tall, skinny tree with mostly silver, red and white ornaments to light the way.

Holidays at Home! Greens and Tea!

 I said I'd be breaking up some of our London posts for Holidays at Home -- 'Tis the season, after all! And spending time with friends is what it's all about. So when fellow Corkie Barb texted Kate and me to see if we'd love to come cut pine greens and have tea and cookies, we said, "Well, yeah!"

It was a gorgeous day -- cold but not windy and sunny so it was pleasant. Most of our snow had melted and it was an easy walk to the back forty where six white pines were waiting for us!

This England: Christmas at Selfridges

Selfridges is one of London's oldest department stores and it is a beauty. It's not always for the fiscally faint of heart but no one can deny there are some beautiful things there. This is no more obvious than at Christmas time. Even in October, they had their "Christmas Shop" open -- and it was enchanting.

I think you can imagine that when I saw these two trees flanking the entry as I was walking down the aisle, my pace quickened a bit because I knew I had to see what was inside!

Let the Merriment Continue!

Friends and family. Holiday treats. Red-nosed reindeer. For me, that's what Christmas is all about!

Our Christmas Wish for You

Whether you are young or old ....

December at the Ditch -- and Beyond

To be honest, this year there is little difference between December at the Ditch and November at the Ditch. Even the holiday ornaments that sprang up there a few years ago haven't yet appeared. I suspect everyone is as behind schedule as I am. 

On the 14th -- a Thursday -- we told the kids we would seen them in a "couple of weeks from tomorrow." The next day I looked at the calendar and realized we would see them only ONE WEEK from that day (the 22nd). In between that, there was insulation installation, a wedding I didn't know we were going to until a couple of days before that, cards to make, cards to send and not a speck of baking done.

Holiday Fun with Friends -- and Krampus!

One reason I'm behind in the holidays is that I've been having some fun. And that, my friends, is a good thing!

More Holiday Decorating!

I think the house is about as ready as it's going to be for the holidays. Time to move on to shopping, wrapping, mailing, baking and cards! Oh my!

So, here is the rest of the living room, family room and kitchen, starting with the living room. 

One Tree at a Time

Everywhere I visit on Blogland I see people's beautiful holiday decorations and lovely trees. Meanwhile, I'm still working on it!

But I thought I'd offer a bit of a progress report! I'm getting Christmas up, one tree at a time, one Santa at a time. 

To Market, To Market, To Buy a Fat Wreath!

It happens every November. On the weekend before Thanksgiving, my friend Jan and I hit the Northville Greens Market in search of the perfect wreath! (And maybe a present to two!) Then, and only then, has the official season begun.