I am spending the day reading. I figured since I have a three-day weekend, I could dedicate one day to my Kindle.

M has wisely decided not to go with that option

Good for him!

Yay for ordinary days in the new chez mayhem!!

Susan how old is Alex now? Sorry but he will forever be 3 years old to me! Funny how time works. (And your priorities make sense to me!)

I’m up at my cabin with my sestra, her husband, their 13 yo, and her (our) brother. It’s rained all day every day and it’s been bliss. I’ve been in California now for nearly two weeks and can say that even with shingles, it’s been the best, fullest trip back home since I moved to the east coast. I’ve had trips here before that had highlights (like the time Suela and Kristin and ND joined me for a weekend here and we hiked around the Yosemite valley - that was a highlight of 2021 for sure!), but this two weeks has been restorative in a way I didn’t expect. I guess I’m really relieved to finally be homesick for California after nearly three years of feeling like I didn’t really belong anywhere (including here). I’m sure it also helps that this is the first Christmas I wasn’t completely alone since 2019.

I got to see at least one friend or family member a day on this trip, with no days being over-scheduled or over-loaded. I’m sure that has a lot to do with the success as well.

I am supposed to fly home tonight on the red eye but I’m tempted to switch my flight to tomorrow to properly ring the new year in tonight. The drawback is that I’d be a higher tier with my airline status by completing this last flight in 2022, and would face way more traffic back to SFO tomorrow. Might be worth it. Must ponder. For now I’m sitting in my bed under the quilt made of Charlie’s flannel shirts, and it’s pounding glorious rain outside. I think I’ll go open the bubbly for a mimosa.

Happy New Year, everyone!!

That’s so lovely, javachik.

I need to go wrap presents for tonight’s friendmas/NYE party and then go pick up some last minute gifts to round some things out. And am trying to write a year end reflection but everything is a bit foggy (like the weather today).

I am here to report: we had an ordinary day.

Hooray!

Between helpless concern for family/friends/co-workers and trying to stay on top of things so I'm not screwed later, this has been an exhausting week.

It turns out that when my grandmother was displaced due to the burst sprinkler pipe she also had covid and hadn't been out of the apartment for two days. My uncle got her to the doctor on Monday for meds and she is much improved. She just moved into a smaller room at the same place until they can make a 1 bdrm available and her filing cabinet (with all her genealogy stuff) was unscathed. Most of her books got soaked, but they're replacable and I just sent her the Thursday Murder Club trilogy so she has something to read now.

My brother and SIL ended up with post-Christmas flu (I'm hoping my parents escaped that) and Wednesday I had to send two of my crew (including my assistant) home sick. I've been frantically trying to complete all the office/prep work for next week in case I have to be the one on stage with the crew the entire time.

Gilda (the cat) is doing better. The Tuesday evening dose of meds ended up mostly on my hand instead of in her mouth so I figured I'd see how the night went. She's been medication free since then and things seem good.

ION, Chicago is holding a snow plow naming contest. Any ideas?

That is a lot, aurelia. May you stay unsick!

I don't think I wrote it, but, yes, ordinary day is good to hear. More of those

Your trip sounds lovely, java. Also good to read that.

My filing systems are not especially system-like, but I can almost always put my hands on what I need. I tend to scan and throw stuff on Drive as backup. Well, I guess that's a system.

Time to hit the kitchen, clean, and start some food. I remembered I can do the mashed potatoes now and heat up later. Nice. The rest is pretty low attention, too.

Susan those seem like good filing priorities to me!

One of the reasons I wanted to get home yesterday was to have today to add up all my FSA receipts, which I'd left at home, so I could spend money today! I just did, and need to spend $480. Now to go order tons and tons of random sunscreen and period supplies and anything else I can find....

Susan how old is Alex now?

18, believe it or not! He's still finishing up a couple of credits in high school he's missing mostly due to covid disruptions, but also taking classes at North Seattle College. He wants to study art, so the current plan is for him to take advantage of the two years of free community college available to graduates of Seattle Public Schools, then go on to either UW or Central Washington U to complete his bachelor's degree. Between the free two years and what we've got saved, he can graduate with little to no debt, which feels like just about the best blessing you can give a kid you're launching into the world.

Susan that is an awesome blessing/gift you can give your kid!

M and I went and sushi for a late lunch thing to celebrate New Year's and now we are... doing whatever. I haven't been in a great mood, I think it might be PMS but that seems wrong but maybe it's just hormones or whatever.

Which is disappointing for M....M's mom was like "if you put it in your name I'll pay it for you every month" but M has wisely decided not to go with that option.

Smart on M's part. You just know she'd make that a stressful thing and neither of you needs more stress.

Alex's legal name change and new birth certificate.

Good for Alex! He's 18 now? It tracks but wow. Time flies.

Between the free two years and what we've got saved, he can graduate with little to no debt, which feels like just about the best blessing you can give a kid you're launching into the world.

Quite the blessing.

Sounds like a wonderful trip, javachik! Definitely change the flight and enjoy another night.

filing cabinet (with all her genealogy stuff) was unscathed.

That's wonderful news. So much can be replaced but that cannot.

Gilda (the cat) is doing better. The Tuesday evening dose of meds ended up mostly on my hand instead of in her mouth so I figured I'd see how the night went. She's been medication free since then and things seem good.

Yay!

Today was a bit fraught. But completed everything needing to be done.