Last Weekend of the Year

Yesterday, Jeff and I had three friends, including a Westie, over for wine and cheese. Basically, we hung out and caught up on what we've been doing over the holiday. The big hit was a baked ricotta with candied fruit and chocolate from Trader Joe's. It tasted like a cheesecake.

I had way too much leftover food: especially cheese. Luckily, we like cheese. Today we finished a Tillamook strawberry cream cheese with bagels. Later we ate some Boursin cheese with crackers and stuffed clams casino. We finished the beef tenderloin from Christmas Eve with baked sweet potatoes and salad for dinner tonight. 

I did a few chores today. Tomorrow I have errands to run. Then another holiday. 

Lots to think about.

Christmas 2024

The attack on Jace certainly screwed up our Christmas spirit. But he is resilient and strong, and doing well.

Jim came over for Christmas Eve dinner. On Christmas Day, Jeff and I ate some delicious leftovers (beef tenderloin) and watched Christmas movies (It's A Wonderful Live, Christmas in Connecticut, The Man Who Came to Dinner, even National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.) The last one won't remain in the Christmas rotation. 

It's been a cold few days, warming up to a few rainy days starting tomorrow. I've been happy to be a homebody.

Poor Jace

Monday afternoon after a quick lunch, I took Jace for a walk. I had planned to run some errands, afterwards, including picking up our Christmas Eve dinner from Balducci's  (beef tenderloin, fingerling potatoes, green beans, and salad.)

Unfortunately, on that walk, a dog attacked Jace. Actually there were two loose dogs and two men. It took both men to get the attacking dog to release its hold on Jace's ear. It was horrible; I was helpless. 

Jace just wanted to get home as quickly as possible. I cleaned off his ear and called the vet. We spent the afternoon in the Pet ER. After we heard Jace would be okay, I ran a few errands (at the doctor's suggestion) while he had the recommended blood work. 

Today I went back to the house where the attack occurred, and met the couple who live there. I was relieved that the attacking dog did not live there, because we walk by that house often. At the time of the attack, the dog was in a car, but the owner had left the door open. The owner claimed the dog had never attacked anyone before.

Apparently the couple and the dog owner had been expecting me to come by earlier. I left Jace's vet bill and am hoping for the best. 

Every time I look at Jace and see the scratches and bite marks and the cone, I feel horrible. I hadn't protected him when he needed me. . 

To Spike

As I was writing my Festivus post, I realized that yesterday was the ninth anniversary of Spike's death, and I didn't think of it yesterday.

I feel guilty about that. On the other hand, it's more important to remember Spike's life than his death. It's not like we forgot about him. 

We will always love and miss him. 

Happy Festivus!

It's for the rest of us. This holiday is based on a family's tradition and was immortalized in a Seinfeld episode. Here's our own Festivus pole; it's now part of our holiday decorations. 

Winter is Here

The winter solstice was yesterday: the beginning of winter, and it snowed. Actually, it started snowing on Friday. Today was the coldest day of the season to date. I don't like winter. I don't think I minded it that much before. But now I worry about falling and breaking a bone--thank you old age.

Let's look at the bright side. It's going to warm up over the next few days. It's almost Christmas. Each day will become lighter. Yesterday, my neighbor's boyfriend cleared the snow off my car.

Think of the positive.

Time Management and Prioritizing

I used to think I was good at time management. Either I lost that skill or I was delusional about it. I know I'm not good at time management now. Just one example, I intended to write this post over a week ago. Instead of seizing the day, I'm just living the day passively, letting it pass me by.

This is nothing new--I should have addressed it by now. There's been a few positive steps. I'm getting up earlier. I'm avoiding my phone: i.e. my New York Times word games first thing in the morning. Instead, I've been journaling.

I know it's not nearly enough, but it's something.

Book 27: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

I've heard of this book and the movie, but nothing I heard made much of an impression on me. In the past year or so, I read a comment on a blog about the book. Later I saw it at a book sale, but bypassed it. Last month at another book sale, I bought it.

It took me a while to get into the book, but I enjoyed it. I'm glad I didn't know more about the plot. I didn't know where the story would take me, but I never doubted that Francie would survive and thrive. 

Smith writes in incredible detail that gives a complete picture of Francie's life in the Brooklyn slums in the early 20th century. Here are a few examples: Francie and her brother Neeley, as well as the other neighborhood children collect rags, paper, metal, and rubber for a trip to the junkie, who pays them pennies, adding another if a girl submits to a pinch on the cheek. Francie and Neeley put a half of any money they earn into the family's tin can bank nailed to the floor of a dark corner of their closet.

I especially related to Francie because of her love of reading and her desire to become a writer.

Unseasonably Warm

We've had several unseasonably cold days since Thanksgiving. Yesterday was unseasonably warm--a welcome change. Temperatures flirted with 60 degrees. 

I took Jace to the Wilton branch of the Norwalk River Valley Trail (NRVT)--the east side of Route 7. We walked from the parking lot on Autumn Ridge Road to the current end of the trail on Skunk Lane.

We live about two blocks from part of the NRVT here in Norwalk. We walk part of the trail several times each week. But I wanted to give Jace a special walk for a change.  It's been a long time, and it's always good for him to see a new place (or a place he hasn't been for a while) and enjoy new scents. 

We both enjoyed our walk. 

A Wet Wednesday

I'm glad for the rain today because we're still in a drought. I have to admit, however, that it complicates my dog walking schedule. This morning Jace and I got in a 45 minute walk during a break in the rain. I attempted to do that at midday, relying on the weather forecast on my phone. I wore my raincoat and still got soaked. Poor Jace. I didn't put his raincoat on, and felt like the worst mom ever. Even if Jace doesn't seem to like his raincoat, he is much more agreeable to a coat than Spike ever was.

I originally planned to go to the gym today, but decided to go tomorrow and Friday instead. I thought today would be a good opportunity to get some things done around the house. Well, that didn't happen. I mostly vegged. I guess we all need that kind of day sometime.

Two weeks until Christmas. 

I ordered a dinner from Balducci's (beef tenderloin, salad, fingerling potatoes, and green beans) for Christmas Eve. Jim is coming over. On Christmas Day, it's just Jeff and me (and Jace of course.) Maybe we'll have leftovers. I decided a few years ago that it was too much to prep two fancy dinners in a row (even though I'm just reheating, not cooking, on Christmas Eve.) Part of me misses the big family Christmases. Another part of me relishes the quieter holidays. Another example of my Gemini nature. 

Book 26: Educated by Tara Westover

Educated is a memoir about a young woman--Tara--who grew up in a survivalist Mormon family in the Idaho mountains. Tara's father is so extreme, his fellow Mormons discount his beliefs, such as that milk is sinful. He was also convinced the world would end with the beginning of the year 2000. Tara's father mistrusts public education and modern medicine, and does his best to keep his family isolated on the mountain where he grew up.

With assistance from her brother Tyler, Tara teaches herself enough math, grammar, and science to take the ACT. She begins her education at Brigham Young University and later attends Cambridge and Harvard. 

In addition to her formal education, which includes a PhD, Tara learns to break away from the toxic members of her family who attempt to gaslight her to achieve her own selfhood.

Westover is a gifted writer: her descriptions are rich and vivid. Her writing helped me understand a life so different from my own. Maybe that's a description of a gifted writer.

Three Days Without a TV, a Land Line, and a PC

The condominium had new smoke detectors and alarms installed on Tuesday. We learned today that the installer cut our wire for our Internet and land line. A technician came yesterday afternoon. He figured out the problem but couldn't resolve it. He returned today with two other workers. They made a temporary repair but apparently the entire floor will need to be rewired. Apparently, we're in the middle of a conflict between our Internet company and its contractor. Oh, joy.

It's not like we were completely cut off from the outside world--our cellphones had intermittent Internet access. We also have a radio, and, of course, could have gone to the library or a cafe for Internet access.  

It was weird to be without television and consistent Internet. We've had power outages in the past, but none lasted three days. As I said to Jeff, I guess we're addicted. 

I did a lot of reading over the past three days. I had already been in a reading mode over Thanksgiving weekend, so it was easy to continue. Waiting for the technician yesterday, I put up our Christmas decorations, except for the tree. 

As for tonight, we're catching up of our recordings: The Daily Show and What We Do in the Shadows. 

Book 25: The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

The Red Queen is Margaret Beaufort, mother to Henry VII. A bride at 12, a mother and widow at 13, Margaret devoted the rest of her life to her son, doing whatever she could to advance his claim to the English throne. In this novel, that included ordering the murders of two innocent boys (the princes in the tower.)

Gregory portrays Margaret as a religious hypocrite: constantly asserting that her ambition is God's will--including the dubious interpretation that since there was no sign, it must be God's will to kill the two princes. 

I'd be interested in reading a more scholarly approach to Margaret Beaufort's life.

I've actually read seven of Gregory's Plantagenet and Tudor Novels. I read The White Queen is about Queen Elizabeth Woodville, the mother of Elizabeth of York, several years ago. In a suggested reading order and historical timeline, I should have read The Red Queen before The While Princess. Too late to remedy that now.

I won't seek out Gregory's novels, but I would like to read more about Anne Neville, The Kingmaker's Daughter.