2024 Project 365 – Week Fifty-one

Thanks for your lovely comments on the Christmas poem (our 33rd!). I struggled this year, which has frankly been true for a number of years. But the good news is that it’s Dr. M’s turn next year. Woo hoo! 

Sunday, December 22nd       

Feeling just a smidge overwhelmed. Yikes!

Monday, December 23rd 

I was repping my Carolina Hurricanes at work today! At least I got to leave early to go get my 2nd (and last) iron infusion. 

Tuesday, December 24th 

What I threatened to wear to our family Christmas Eve Brunch at Cracker Barrel, and what I actually wore. I posted the jammies on the interwebs and all God’s people said, “DO IT.” But it turns out that Chilly Willy was too chilly so I wore a more traditional outfit. 

I was dismayed to find out that I am (as I long suspected) an eg-no-ra-moose.

I didn’t get any other photos of family, but here are my brother & Dr. M wearing the shades Dr. M got him, and me with my favorite gift of the year (next to the one my friend Jenny gave me - a little pouch that says “I crochet so I don’t choke people - save a life, send yarn.”).

Wednesday, December 25th  

As usual we spent Christmas lunch with Dr. M’s dad. It was a lovely time - and two of his friends stopped by while we were there.

Thursday, December 26th    

Boxing Day!

Ellen Abbott had sent me some snowflakes that her sister Pam crocheted. I was internet friends with Pam too so I was very appreciative. I used three of them as gifts for my friends, and made a garland with the rest. I enjoyed crocheting the little baubles - maybe I have my crojo back!

Friday, December 27th      

Went back to work today. It was Hair Wash day which is a Trial and a Tribulation. I was checking to see if the little bun looked ok. 

Meanwhile, Dr. M was solving a mystery with his Pop: New pants, new shirt, same memory struggles. This afternoon, he told me that some people had visited him earlier and brought him something, but at some point Pop had forgotten what they brought him and now he couldn’t find it. I couldn’t see anything new around the house, but I could tell he was upset with himself, feeling like he had messed up. Finally he remembered that it had been his former coworker who had visited, along with his wife. I asked if they had delivered his meal, which they do once or twice a month, and he practically shouted “that’s what they gave me…my meal! After they left, I ate it. That’s why I couldn’t find it.” He was relieved that he had solved the mystery. So it goes.

Saturday, December 28th      

It was our annual gathering! We think we’ve been doing this for 40 years which frankly does not compute. 

Can I just complain a minute about all the people who are posting about the “liminal” time between Christmas and New Year’s? The Lost Days? The advice to not try to do anything very strenuous? Because Sister has to work every day next week except for New Year’s Day, and while it should be a bit quiet, I still have new hire orientation and data entry to do. Liminal my (slowly diminishing) butt. What would you like to complain about?

Merry Christmas!

 

Housecleaning

I’m supposed to be cleaning my house.

Those shelves won’t dust themselves! 

And I’m kind of afraid to look in the crisper drawer. 

Is this what the Kindom of God is like?

Rooms full of who knows what

that has been accumulating for

who knows how long?

Is this the world that Sweet Baby Jesus

was born to save? Dust. Something

growing in the corner. A woman

writing what purports to be a Christmas poem.

You do know that God loves all the corners, right?

Under the rug. Under the bed. Under the bath mat.

If you lift the corner you can see Sweet Baby Jesus

handing soup to a child sitting in the rubble. 

Go ahead. Lift the corner.

Have some soup.

Dana and Mike Rhyne

Christmas 2024

2024 Project 365 – Week Fifty

 A couple of days have extra photos and I’m not even going to apologize. 

Sunday, December 15th       

It was our anniversary! One of our ministers, my Uncle Frank, passed away last week and it sent me down memory lane. So please indulge me with some a lot of new photos that I don’t think I’ve shared on my blog before (note, yes, I was a scrap booker & was ruthless with the scissors). 

Monday, December 16th 

I had an iron infusion today. There was a basket of crochet caps in the lobby - maybe I should contribute some to it.

I had done a bit of googling before the infusion:

Meanwhile, this is the extent of our holiday decorating this year. It’s a bit of a silly house.

Tuesday, December 17th 

On Sunday I had the bright idea to make a hat for our Dirty Santa at work on Thursday. Here I am doing a fit check.

Wednesday, December 18th  

Today I felt SO MUCH BETTER!!! Most of my random pain was gone, and I had a lot more energy. Maybe the low iron really was the cause of most of my pain. This picture has nothing to do with that, but it’s noteworthy because Dr. M texted it to me while I was driving and when I asked my car to read the text to me it said, “photo of a gray cat on a trashcan” & that blew my mind.

Finished the hat. When I went to take a photo I didn’t remember that I was on selfie mode so I was shocked to see my face. Ha!

Thursday, December 19th    

No photo.

Friday, December 20th      

Dr. M got me flowers! He used the vase that my cousin the potter made. Made me smile.  

Saturday, December 21st      

Random Saturday good things: the orange lily from my bouquet opened up, and Dr. M saw nekkid sheep on his way home from his dad’s. 

Christmas is next week! How did that happen so fast? I think I’m mostly ready - I have to wrap some presents, but that’s it. I do have to work on Monday and Friday, but I have three days off to spend galavanting around and eating with family. I also have another iron infusion on Monday. I’ll probably be insufferable after that. Something for all of us to look forward to!

2024 Project 365 – Week Forty-nine

It’s our anniversary! I stayed home from church today because we decided to work on our Christmas cards as our anniversary activity. 

Sunday, December 8th       

If you recall, last week I felt terrible on Saturday, but Sunday morning I was back to my usual self. 

Monday, December 9th 

I was completing an online questionnaire for physical therapy (for my shoulder) & was impressed at how “woke” they are. And then I went to my appointment and the person who worked with me starting talking about how terrible vaccines are. You win some, you lose some. (To be fair, my doctor was also concerned that I got both my flu and COVID vaccines at the same time & she thinks my greatly increased muscle/joint pain might be due to that.)

Tuesday, December 10th 

It was a rainy evening in Plateau. 

Wednesday, December 11th  

I have been STRUGGLING with my pants. I know I should just get rid of these and get some that fit, but for now I’m using one of these to at least keep them from dragging on the floor. 

Thursday, December 12th    

Dr.  M says that it’s Daisy’s fault that he eats so many fries - she has a built in frenchfry holder!

Meanwhile we had our service awards luncheon at work. I hit my 5 year mark in April, but we just do these once per year. The Nothing Bundt Cake bundtlet was delicious!

Friday, December 13th      

No photo. 

Saturday, December 14th     

It was my friend Jenny’s annual ornament swap at her church. I had a nice time! Also, I continue to be very short. It's a mystery to me.

I’m having an iron infusion tomorrow which I fully expect to solve all of my problems. I’ll suddenly be pain free, my leg swelling will disappear, I’ll sleep through the night, and I’ll be able to solve work conundrums with ease. If that’s not how it works I do NOT want to hear about it. Ha! What do you have going on this week?

2024 Project 365 – Week Forty-eight

NC decided that it was winter this week and I was not prepared. But to be fair, when am I ever prepared for winter?

Sunday, December 1st       

Soup & Snoop!

Monday, December 2nd 

My BeReal for the day.

Tuesday, December 3rd 

Dr. M had an appointment to check out some issues with his ear canals. I don’t know why, but apparently he would like to be able to hear me better. 

Wednesday, November 4th  

Baby baby it’s rude outside!

I’ll tell you what - Dr. M’s new cast iron obsession is to my utter benefit - these pork chops were delicious!

Thursday, December 5th    

I had a doctor’s appointment yesterday & got my blood test results back this morning. This seems…not great? Dr. M has been worried that I’m not eating enough protein. I am VERY ANNOYED that he’s right. 

Friday, December 6th      

At my home away from home picking up a prescription.

Saturday, December 7th     

Started off the day feeling pretty terrible so I just left my Christmas jammies on and added Christmas toppers. (I’m feeling better now.)

Remember back a few weeks ago when I said I was going to inventory the Christmas presents I’ve bought? Hahahaha! In my brain I only have one more gift to pick out, but who knows? It’s Christmas roulette over here. After a lot of dithering, I HAVE finished the annual Christmas poem. It kind of sucks, but it’s done! (Actually, it made me cry when I wrote it, which is my litmus test for whether or not it works, but it’s still possibly terrible - another mystery!)