Welcome August

I'm glad that July is over. 

Let's start with our nation's 250th birthday. It was bittersweet because Trump has been trying to undermine our  constitutional freedoms. 

July brought two heat waves with temperatures in the 100s. In one heat wave, we also had bad air days from Canadian wildfires (which Trump used as an excuse to impose new tariffs on Canada. Ugh.)

I had another bout of colitis. It lasted a few weeks; it's enervating, frustrating, and uncomfortable at best.

The worst of the month is that I was almost scammed. I was vulnerable because we had issues with our anti-virus protection on our computers. I don't want to write much about it; it's embarrassing and infuriating. I made mistakes and missed some red flags. The bottom line, I didn't send them any money, and they didn't gain access to my bank accounts or credit cards. 

On a more positive note, we got grab bars installed in our bathrooms and I got hearing aids. Annette took me up to Havre de Grace for an afternoon. We went on a perfect summer day, went to shops, an artist collective, and antique mall before we enjoyed lunch on the water. I hired a high school neighbor to walk Jace, so I didn't have to worry about him. It was relaxing and fun.

Heat Dome Holiday

The temperatures hit 100 degrees on the past two days. It was 95 as Jace and I went out for our evening walk last night. We've got two more days of this weather. Most of the country is dealing with the same heat dome.

I'm happy to be a homebody. I bought fruit and veggies on Tuesday and picked up some prepared dinners from Lovejoy's on Wednesday. Yesterday, I got wine. We're all set. 

Midsummer, Summer Solstice, and Father's Day

Summer officially begins today in the Northern Hemisphere with the Summer Solstice --the lightest day of the year. I prefer to say the lightest and darkest rather than the longest or shortest day of  the year. 

This year it's also Father's Day. We decided to go to Pooles Island for some beer. We considered Key Brewing, but knew we could go inside at Pooles, so that decided it. Pooles also has a good selection. 

There was a crab focused food truck. This was better than the limited kitchen it previously had onsite or the short list of restaurants that would deliver. Jace was a hit, though today it was with guys, except for a mother-daughter duo just before we left. 

I can't think of Midsummer without thinking of Cassandra.

Lola's Anniversary, National Beagle Day, and Earth Day

All good holidays to celebrate. 

Ten years ago we picked up Lola from DAWS. It's hard to believe it's been that long. She was a good girl, and I'm happy we got to live with her, take care of her, and love her.

How appropriate was it to adopt a beagle on National Beagle Day? I doubt we knew that at the time. It was just just serendipity or synchronicity or something. 

As for Earth Day, I'm discouraged; surprised Trump didn't issue an executive order banning it. There has been so much damage to environmental initiatives and programs. It makes me sad. We have really fucked up.

Happy Saint Patrick's and Half-Way Day

 

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! A friend recently said I was proud of being Irish. But, it's not so much that I feel proud, but that I feel part of a larger group. My father was more aware of his Irish roots than others; he and my sister even researched our family in Donegal. 

Dad always loved to sing. I can hear him singing, "If You're Irish (Come into the Parlour." It's a welcoming song with lyrics like, "whoever you are, you are one of us" and "this is the place for you." 

Two years ago, I wrote about my DNA results from Ancestry. My results indicated 50% Scottish and only 19% Irish. I felt adrift, as if what I thought I knew about myself wasn't true at all. 

But that wasn't the final analysis. Ancestry added additional records. 

The July 2024 update listed 25% Scottish and 24% Irish (followed by Germanic Europe, England and Northwestern Europe, Wales, Spain, and Iceland.)

When I logged into Ancestry over the weekend, the analysis didn't break out the Scottish from the Irish. 

Current results:

Celtic and Gaelic

31% Central Scotland and Northern Ireland

22% Donegal, Ireland

7% Southern Wales

4% Connacht, Ireland

England

20% Southeastern England & Northwestern Europe

15% North East England

Southeastern Europe 

1% Slovenia

So, Gaelic and Celtic it is with 64%. 

 

Today is also Jeff's and my half-way-day: we've been married 37.5 years. Happy anniversary Jeff.

Pies for Pi Day

Today did not go as I planned and hoped. But I still managed to eat pie. 

We got a pizza pie as a back up dinner plan. Since I hadn't planned on pizza, I got two half-pies earlier today from Geresbeck's (though I hate going to the grocery store on the weekend.) The lemon and peach pies were terrific. 

Happy Pi Day!

On To 2026!

The holidays are officially over. Jeff and I had the quiet Christmas I didn't know I needed. Quiet times continued through the week between, what Jezebel once called slug week. We celebrated New Year's Eve with our friends Annette and George with Annette's old fashions, sushi, cake, and champagne.

As far as I'm concerned, 2026 really starts tomorrow. 

In the morning I'm headed to the our new primary care doctor. Jeff's already seen him, and we both liked him. I've got other medical referrals that I have to prioritize this month. Jeff will probably start outpatient physical therapy this week. 

I want to get back to furniture shopping. Then I can unpack and put away more things. I need to organize the closets and change a few things in the kitchen. 

Hold on: one step at a time. First, I need to pack up the Christmas decorations. I started by washing the holiday napkins and towels and gathering Jace's Christmas toys. 

I'm going to give myself daily to-do lists--three things should do it. A list will keep me less easily distracted. At least I hope so. 

One thing I want to put on the list--hmm, maybe there should be four items--is exercise. A few weeks ago I did a few stretches and I was really stiff. I realized that I haven't been to a gym since August. It's been so cold lately that I'm not walking as long as usual with Jace. 

I started daily exercise: yoga, stretches, balancing exercises. I work with my body ball and small weights (we only have two and five pounds.) I already feel that it's making a difference. I want to get back to a gym routine, but want to avoid the January rush. That reminds me: we saw several gym commercials on TV on New Year's Eve, but no diet commercials. It must be because everyone's on Ozempic.

Christmas Movies 2025

We mixed things up a bit with our holiday films this year. 

First, I only caught parts of It's a Wonderful Like and The Man Who Came to Dinner. I may watch them over the weekend--it's still Christmas week. We did see all of Christmas in Connecticut.

We watched The Bishop's Wife for the first time. I wasn't impressed, though I can't explain exactly why. Something was just missing for me. 

We rewatched Die Hard and Home Alone. Both hold up well. It's been years since I've seen Home Alone--I forgot the initial set-up with Joe Pesci as a crooked cop.

Maybe I'll get around to White Christmas and Holiday Inn some day.

Our First Christmas in Essex

Another quiet Christmas at home, but it's our new home. After Christmas breakfast, fruit, and champagne, we opened gifts in the living room in front of the fireplace--not the greatest picture, but I'm too lazy to take another. 

Now, we're watching Christmas in Connecticut--a favorite screwball Christmas comedy. I'm happy to be home; glad that I don't have to go anywhere. 

Happy Festivus to All!

I wonder if the Seinfeld cast and crew had any idea how many people would embrace Festivus and make it a part of their lives. 

Even if it is just us crazy people.

Catch-up Post: Snow, Celebrations, and Holiday Prep

We had our first measurable snowfall last Saturday night--two to three inches. Previously we had only experienced flurries. Funny, my friend insisted it doesn't snow here. Well, this has been the coldest December in 20 years.

Our building had a bite and sip holiday party last Friday. My salmon spread was a big hit. Jeff and I enjoyed ourselves. After about an hour, we brought Jace downstairs to join us. Talk about a big hit--he was quite charming. 

On Monday, I went to a celebration of life for my cousin's husband. There were many people there--I only knew two beside my cousins. It was very cold, but Sunday's snowstorm didn't cause any problems. I was happy I could attend. It truly was a celebration of Tom's life. 

As I mentioned in an earlier post, we didn't do much in the way of Christmas decorating, but I can still see Christmas things I love around the living room. 

I'm going to cook this Christmas. I wasn't happy with the Whole Foods Thanksgiving meal and catering options for two or four are limited. I'm making filet mignon for Christmas Eve with scalloped potatoes, sauteed spinach, baby bella mushrooms, and crescent rolls. Jeff bought a Christmas pudding for dessert. I also have cheese with cranberries as an appetizer as well as soups. 

I'll make Christmas breakfast on Christmas Day. I haven't decided on dinner yet, but I want something easy. 

Two Months in Essex

Last Wednesday was the two-month anniversary of our moving day. 

We've done a lot of things in those two months.

• We bought new furniture: kitchen table and chairs, living room couch and chairs, bedside tables, Sleep Number bed. 
• We found a primary care physician and other doctors. 
• I got my Maryland driver's license and registration, including a Maryland Safety Inspection.
• We got a new TV and cellphones when old ones broke.

We did that even with a five day break to return to Connecticut and five days for Jeff in the hospital when I did virtually nothing.

Of course, there's a lot more to do. I am trying my best not to get overwhelmed. I need to focus and stick to my plans.

I underestimated  how long it would take me to acclimate myself to a new area. I'm still using GPS to get around, but less often. I've been frustrated with the various grocery stores. It's been hard to find things/brands I like. It's getting easier; having kandykakes readily available helps. 

We were here at Halloween and the neighborhood is into decorating. Even a part of the trail/boardwalk was decorated. Unfortunately, Jeff was in the hospital, so we weren't up for celebrating. 

Christmas decorations are pretty big too. I did our Christmas decorating on Sunday. It's pretty sparse. We decided not to buy a tree this year. In January, we trashed our old shedding artificial tree and don't want to deal with getting a new one. Hey, we need furniture. But if there are good post-Christmas sales, we'll keep our options open. 

Looking ahead to ringing in the New Year in our new home.

Mother's Day Musings

I may not be a mother of humans, but I'm a dog mom. I'll take that as a reason to celebrate. 

Today I celebrated by not cooking. Generally, I enjoy cooking, especially compared to other household chores like laundry or cleaning. But, again generally, you have to cook everyday, and it gets time consuming. Especially because I chop veggies and lettuce most days. The planning also gets to me. Sometimes I wake up and my first thought is "What are we going to have for dinner?" Ugh.

It's been a beautiful weekend--the first without rain in awhile. Jace and I are taking longer walks. Today we walked an hour and a quarter, going to Oyster Shell Park. I went there often with Lola, because for many years, she was afraid to walk in the neighborhood. But Jace enjoys our neighborhood walks. 

After coffee and a protein drink, I went to the gym for about 40 minutes. It was the first time this year, I went four times in a week. On the way home, I picked up bagels I had previously gotten smoked salmon and cream cheese. Later we got take out sushi for dinner. 

Couldn't watch the Mets because the game was on Roku. It always annoys me when games appear on some unusual channel or service. We already have SNY for the Mets games. At least the Mets won. It's been a great season so far.

On To February

I'll be happy to see February, not because I like February, but because it gets me closer to spring. I'm seeing more light later in the afternoon. 

Some snow remains from from the 20th because it's stayed cold for the most part. We have clear areas, snow patches, and piles of plowed snow. At least we're one third through winter. Actually, a little more than a third now. Yay.

Why isn't Groundhog Day on my calendar? It's not a real holiday but deserves a spot. I've already heard a news story that Staten Island Phil aka Charles J. Hogg  is the most accurate groundhog. I wonder if he has a PR person.

I've had a good January. I've been to the gym 13 times (I think--too lazy to check.) I've exercised at least a half hour when I didn't go to the gym. Of course, I'm also walking with Jace. Our walks have been less frequent and shorter

I've written every day since the second. I often get distracted from the actual writing by checking facts or going off on what may be tangents. One day it was how to learn the Morse code; another day it was women's fashions of the 1840s. I've enjoyed following where the story took me. Even if I don't end up using those pieces.

Valentine's Day is in two weeks. A local distillery is offering a welcome cocktail, whiskey tasting, and chocolates for $44 per person. Just out of curiosity, I checked out Valentine's Day menus of a few restaurants: $150 per person. That's just crazy. 

We haven't made our plans. Sometimes I cook, sometimes we get takeout. Time enough to decide. 

Sundry Sunday Thoughts

I'm glad it's Sunday. More specifically, I'm glad tomorrow's Monday. I figure I won't have to remind myself what day it is several times a day. It's only been a week-and-a-half since Christmas; it feels like a month. New Year's Day feels like weeks ago.

We removed Jace's cone on New Year's Day. The vet's instructions gave a range of 10 to 14 days for him to wear it. New Year's Day was the tenth. Another reason to celebrate. He's recovering well.

I took down the Christmas tree and finished packing up the decorations. I decided that was enough for today. Plus I made waffles earlier. I got Jeff a mini-waffle maker as an impulse gift. I used a Bisquick mix, and they were pretty good, if a bit of a pain to make.

I've been wanting to take Jace to Cove Island or Sherwood Island, but that hasn't worked out so well. We haven't had good weather since the day of our NRVT walk. Of course, there were those ten days in the cone.

Now, we're in a cold spell. It's not worth driving to Stamford or Westport when I'll only be able to stand the cold for about 20 minutes. Oh well, it won't be cold forever.

It will just seem that way.

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.

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. 

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. 

Wet Thanksgiving and Bleak Black Friday

I'm thankful for yesterday's rain (any rain recently) though it can complicate my walks with Jace. 

I'm thankful that I could have Thanksgiving here and not have to travel anywhere.

I'm thankful for the Whole Foods Turkey Breast Dinners. They're good, and reheating is much easier than cooking.

I'm thankful for our Thanksgiving with my brother Jim and our friend Cynthia.

I'm thankful for my health.

I'm thankful for Jeff and Jace.

***

Today was a lazy day. I woke up early. After I walked Jace, I journaled over coffee and played The New York Times games, and read. I had left all the dishes from yesterday, and cleaned them in stages over the day. (I still have some of the crystal to wash.)

Jeff and I grazed, then ate a late lunch of turkey leftovers on toasted cranberry English muffins. More turkey with salad later. 

A quiet day I didn't realize I needed.