What happened to January?

Yes, here it is February.  Where was January?  Lost in a fog? Sleepy after Christmas?  I have no excuse. I just didn’t make it here for the entire month of January.  I didn’t read hardly anything, didn’t write, didn’t do much of anything, I don’t think !   Things right now just seem so busy, and I am not getting done the things I need to do.  I do spend too much time unfocused, too much time worrying about things, and not enough time getting things done.  I am starting slowly to get myself more focused and with more lists made, more done, hopefully. This TTOT will include things from the last month.  It will be short and (hopefully) sweet, but it WILL get done.  It is sort of like not exercising.  I haven’t done that for awhile either, and need to start up.  I know I am not where I was, and I need to get going, but it will be slow at first.

1. Oh yes. Isn’t the weather always something that has such a great effect on us.  We have had our share of rain, and that is good.  However, the news reports are that for our area of the country, our supply is now full and they are having to dump some water. So enough is enough and I am happy to see the sun shining this morning,     and a little warmer temperatures.  Always makes you feel better.

2. I had a friend show up in January.  She is someone I met online, through a mutual health issue we deal with.  She lives in Oregon, but came to California to deal with an ill relative.  She was busy, and I was busy, but we managed to take a little walk on the beach.  It is one of those reminders that I could manage to fit in a little more fun like that once in awhile, but I don’t.  I need to do that, but I will be thankful for the nice day we had.

3.  We went to the car show.  I can’t afford the new cars, but it is fun to look.  They have everything there from old restored cars to brand new.  They even have cars that have been in movies, such as the scooby-do car and the Herbie the lovebug car. They are fun to see.  You can also drive all kinds of cars.  The longest lines naturally are the ones with the big engines. It was fun to try some out.  I even got to try out having the car parallel park all by itself.  I pride myself on my ability to parallel park, however this was truly amazing. With cars starting to drive themselves, I hope this will be helpful to people that need transportation, but really cannot drive anymore.

 

4.  My new vice.  Oh, it is not good for me.  It is caramel kettle corn. There is a new guy at the farmer’s market selling it.  I buy it on Sat., and it lasts until Monday night. But it is so addicting. And so so good.

5.Well, here is a strange ttot.  I wrote a note about this last week.  I have been after my husband to fix the patio cover.  Now you have to understand that in my part of the country, most people have patio covers that are simply little slats that filter out the light.  A few years back, my husband built a new one.  It was so nice, but had somewhat clear panels that let the light in and kept out the rain.  It had become broken and needed fixing. I have been on him to repair it forever.  He had continually told me it wasn’t that easy. Finally, he got around to it, with some really nice clear panels.  We knew there would be a major rain storm coming, and I was so glad the patio furniture would not get wet.   Well, the rains not only came, but they did much damage to our town. Trees all over town were blown over.  One person in her car, was killed by a falling tree.  The wind came along and ripped the new cover off of the patio.  Now, who knows how long it will be for my husband to get around to fixing it again.  I am very thankful no one was injured it the blowing down of the patio cover.  It was pretty amazing though.  I was sitting here and with one quick whoosh, it was up and off.  Nature is pretty darn amazing.

6. When my husband was working, he did a lot of traveling.  He piled up “points” on cards, but we haven’t used them.  The company was threatening to eliminate them, if we didn’t use them.  My husband has scheduled us to take a last minute cruise using some of these points.  Now, I am not at all excited about this.  I have a complete negative attitude about it all.  I figure my husband will be seasick.  I don’t know why he wants to do this, as he gets seasick easily, but I am sure it is because so many people have told him this is wonderful and he should do it.  We don’t drink alcohol and I have been dieting and trying to keep my weight down for the last few years, so I am not looking forward to tons of temptations.  I ask people what they do on a cruise and mostly it seems they go to drink and eat.  I am not sure what we will do.  I am worried about leaving my parents who are not doing well, and yes, I know they have not been doing well for a long time, and they will probably be not doing well for a long time more, but it doesn’t seem like a good time to leave.  I am trying to be thankful for this trip, but it isn’t easy.  What a “first world” problem that is to have.  With starving people in the world, and illness, I am terrible for not wanting to take this trip.  I know I over think the problems, and don’t look forward to things and then later, I am glad we did them, but right now the thankfulness is hard to think about….I am working on it. Oh yes, and the “free” trip is now costing more than I wanted to spend. Seems like we could only use so many points, then there was a little charge here and there.  It has all added up to quite a lot.  Wow, how is that for unthankful thankfulness !

7.  The one trip I am looking forward to, will come in April.  I am excited about this one.  It is on land, and I could fly back in an instant if needed.  We are planning on going up to see my granddaughter and daughter and my mother-in-law.  Now that is a trip I can be thankful for. It hasn’t happened yet, but just thinking about it makes me happy.  I wish I could inundate you all with baby videos.  She is adorable.

8. And speaking of that adorable baby.  I am so very thankful for Skype. I am sure I have mentioned that before, but since I got to see the baby starting to crawl, I think I get to use it again!

9.  My son that has had so many problems in his life, continues to do well at his new job. He is getting along with the people at the business and for that I am so thankful.  I really appreciate that they are training him to do this work.  For so long, companies would insist you have years of experience.  Now they are a little more willing to take someone without experience and train them and accept they might make mistakes. I feel a little like someone with PTSD, waiting for a terrible thing to happen, and for him to get fired. So far so good.  Now if I could just relax and assume things will be fine.

10. I just got back from a visit with mom and dad.  Dad was agitated and constantly picking at his blankets.  It was exhausting.  I am thankful I can leave and come home. I am so thankful we have the money for this place.  It certainly is not as wonderful as I would like it to be, but dad is not what I would like him to be either.  It is what it is. But at least I don’t have to do it 24 hours a day.