Saturday, December 20, 2025

No weight as we are in central Massachusetts.

Yesterday did not go exactly as planned. We did get packed, left on time and the rain/wind wasn't as bad as we expected. We had a nice lunch out with DSD and her husband, leaving Justice with his 2 cousins including the newest member, a 4 pound 4 month old Shih Tzu named Josie. Later in the afternoon, DH and I went to the hotel to check in and there was NO POWER. But it was still light out and warm, so we did check in and DH took a nap expecting the power to be back on shortly. When he woke up it was quickly getting dark and the power still wasn't on. So we left our stuff there and went to DSD's home. The other DSD and grandchildren didn't come last night because the granddaughter had a migraine but they are hopefully arriving early today. So the 4 of us went out for a casual dinner again. Afterwards we went back to the hotel and there was still NO POWER. We grabbed our stuff and came back to DSD's to stay the night.

Justice has been getting used to little Josie who is a real feisty little thing. She stood her ground when he growled at her and got him to back off and come hide in my lap. LOL!

This morning we will go back to the hotel to clean up if there is power. Back here by late morning when the rest of the family is supposed to arrive, over to my SIL and BIL's nearby home for a bit in early afternoon, then back here for the rest of the afternoon and evening festivities. This is their day to celebrate Christmas as a family.

Have a Santa Claus Saturday!

Oh man Liz, no power at the hotel! I hope you were able to get a refund! Is Justice getting used to all the furry friends?

120.6 today. It?s odd, when I say my daily weight in my head, it is almost always 2 hundred something. Like today it would have been 206. I have not been over 200 since VSG, not sure why that is where my brain goes. Thankfully that isn?t my reality anymore!

Water aerobics this morning and a DH walk this afternoon in the heat of the day! I?m still cooling off from that one and will hit the shower soon.

Hello Fresh chicken enchiladas for dinner tonight. Yum! Tomorrow will be church and packing for the WI trip.

DSD wants to have every second planned ?doing something fun? and I just want to relax with family. She always feels we need to go out and do something (Christmas lights, go ice skating, go skiing, go out to eat, go to a comedy club) and always at our expense! She also wants DH and I to spend part of Christmas Day with his first wife?s side of the family. I?m not leaving my boys on Christmas Day to do that. DH said he would go for an hour or 2 to appease her. Not super happy about that but it is what it is. DS2 is having his significant other attend our Christmas Day activities (we have not met him yet) so that is another reason I don?t want to leave! Hi, nice to meet you, see ya later! Lol! We do have some activities planned, decorating Christmas cookies and games. That should be enough in my not so humble opinion!

Beautiful 80 degree day here! I definitely could get used to this! I have to admit that it does not feel very Christmasy but I don?t really mind.

Greetings all

Overcast day and they keep saying the atmospheric river is on the way. Not here yet. I have to work at the gallery this afternoon and it will likely be slow and boring. I am still sniffling but this cold has not yet turned into a nightmare one. Just popped a cold pill from a blister pack that might be prehistoric.

Yikes Liz no power at hotel? Hope that it is now restored. Hope it is not a high rise. Good that you had some place to go. Tee hee I am imagining Justice and Josie.

Well Paula I hope the family stuff works out. Blending must be difficult. Nix on doing too many things. You indeed need to meet the singicant other of DS2 more than you need to go ice skating. We spend Christmas with no family so it's kind of nice to avoid the usual issues. Plus after two hours we go home.

Not much else. We still have chili to eat. Yesterday I did not feel like going out so we watched "Women Talking". It is a decent movie but a little disjointed.

Studio buddy wanted to come watch football but with gallery duty and sniffles I decided it was not a good idea.

How soon is Brazil DD?

Time for me to get going, I don't want to get fired!

Diane S

201.7 - up a little, but really, basically the same. I'll take it.

Okay, my NUT therapist got all choked up yesterday talking about how far I've come since we've been working together. Made me feel good, but it was also sort of humbling. I know I work hard at this stuff, but I guess I don't realize most of the time how much tenacity I have.

I do not have the school rituals that have prepared me for the Christmas season. Therefore, Christmas feels like it has snuck up on me a bit. (I truly had to look at the calendar yesterday to double check what day Christmas fell next week.) I missed doing winter music with my students and I really missed doing the holiday art projects I used to do with the kids. There is something about being around children that magnifies the "magic" of Christmas and winter. I am honestly missing that joy right now.

I have an appointment at Costco for my hearing aids again today. The woman who made my first appointment didn't tell me to I needed to bring my charging port. Without the charging port they were unable to reset the hearing aids. So, back I go today with the charging port in hand. No big deal. I'm retired. Another perk of retirement - my schedule is flexible.

Not much going on today. Had a client this morning. No gym today, unless the spirit moves me to go and do some cardio. But my body needs a break from lifting. I suppose I could do a little clean up and work on the regional club newsletter, but I'm not feeling it!

We are experiencing the atmospheric creek-lette, much like Diane S. So much for the so-called atmospheric river arriving and pelting us with rain. Just enough drizzle to keep everything wet and paws muddy, but no real rain.

Brother will arrive later this afternoon. He'll want to go out for dinner. Not sure what he will choose. My vote is always for protein.

Happy Family Christmas, Liz. Paula, I don't blame you. No fun going to deceased first wife's family gathering. I get why your DH needs to go, though. It's important to maintain those connections for his daughter's sake, if not his own. Will look forward to hearing about DS2's new beau. I'm glad he's so comfortable with who he is. Shows what a great supportive upbringing you gave your boys! Diamond D, I hope you are managing the brutal cold with continued good spirits and attitude. Ceci, happy preparations for Michigan. I do not envy you Christmas travel though.

Have a Santa Saturday!

The weather forecast for Michigan keeps dancing around. Yesterday it said it will be in the 40s and cloudy. Today it said 30s and cloudy. This is messing with my ability to plan footwear. As a product of California and the Sout west, my winter shoe game is not strong. I feel like winter boots when it's in the 40s and no precipitation or snow/ice on the ground is overkill. I wouldn't wear boots here if it were in the 40s. Anyway, today I went to a little shoe store in town and got a couple of pairs of sneakers that I can fly in. I can decide at the last minute if I need to take boots. After the shoe store, I figured why not buy some more things for myself! Ha ha. I went to Tlaquepaque, our shopping center, and bought two cute, small crossbody purses because I couldn't decide which color I wanted. I can't be bothered to hold purse handles anymore, and they just seem to slide off my shoulder. So crossbody it is! And then I went to Walgreens and got some gift bags to take with me to wrap stuff in Michigan. I could have gone once I got there, but I'm there for such a short time, I didn't want to spend my time at the store. The shopping center had professional musicians playing in different spots and careers. It was very festive.

Tomorrow I have lunch with a friend, a play date for Kirby with the crazy neighbor's dog, and holiday drink drinks at a different neighbors house. busy busy.

We are supposed to eventually get the rain that allegedly is going to hit DianeS and Peps, but I will miss it. The current forecast says 3.8", but I'll believe it when I see it. The media loves to play up a potential bad weather story, and then they're silent when it never materializes!

Anyway, take care of everyone!

*carolers, not careers!