Penultimate Day of 2025

 December 30th

Parts of the driveway are almost ready to ice skate on.  I am still thankful for the ExoSpikes.  

Here are some happy things from today:

• Things went well for me at work last night.  I was able to not fall behind until the very end of the first part of the shift.  That part also ended with no warning because someone thought we had more packages to process, but we didn't.  Everything ended about 20 minutes earlier than usual. The second half of the night went alright, too.  And then I was able to stay about an hour and a half late.  
• At home (the old one) I was exhausted.  I'm pretty sure I got a cat nap before I had the energy to prepare myself some food.  I was able to find the energy to throw some ice melt on the lower part of the driveway.  I also started my edit/rewrite of the Muffin story I worked on in the month of November.  I kind of want to take a few hours and just go over the entire thing in one shot.  There are other things that take priority though, like packing.  😉
• Sunset

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Continued listening to: The Painted Penny Stamp, by Fran Smith.  

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

The Year is Almost Over

December 29th

Here are the happy things from today:

• The weather outside was freezing rain for most of the day so I didn't go anywhere. Had the weather been different it would have been nice to go for a walk with Amy and visit with Keziah. That was not to be. Instead I made a list of things to do and got most of them done.  I actually did at least some part of everything on my list in one way or another.

• The ice storm has made me very happy with past me. When I was packing some things up weeks ago, I specifically didn't pack a pair of ExoSpikes. Being able to wear those to go to the main house and clear some ice off the driveway, safely, made going outside much nicer than slip-sliding and falling.

• There was an online thing that I came across today that was called 10 Morning Habits That Will Make You Happier (Backed by Science). That link just brought me to the end of the YouTube video. I hope that was only because I watched it already and it brings you, the reader, to the beginning-if you choose to watch it. Anyhow, I'm considering slowly adding some of the suggestions to my “morning”. One of the suggestions is sunlight. That isn't naturally possible on my work days. With the New Year a few days away my mind is thinking about whether there are things I want to change about my Blog. I'm considering adding some things the YouTube video suggests and try to see how it goes.  
• With a little help from the internet, I completed the New York Times online crossword today.  I don't usually try.  That felt good.

☮

Continued listening to: The Painted Penny Stamp, by Fran Smith.  

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Moving Still

December 28th

Happy Sunday things:

• It was a morning of problems. It made me happy when all the things were fixed.
• There was a big push to get as much out of the old house as possible. Friends came by and boxes were filled and the UHaul truck was packed. I spent some time packing things up and taking apart the bed in Gideon's room. It used to be my room and I had painted all the walls to look like stone walls. One of them is shaped a bit like New Hampshire.  

I'm pretty sure we used a level when the shelf was installed.   Houses settle a lot in over 250 years!

New Hampshire!

• At the new house the truck was unpacked and we celebrated with pizza and got to visit with our friends.
• For now, I'm still at the old house in the apartment. I'm going to do my best to pack what I can over the next few days. Today we all focused on getting what we could out of the main house. We still have a long way to go.

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Continued listening to: The Painted Penny Stamp, by Fran Smith.  

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Restful Day

December 27th

Here are some happy things from my lazy day off:

• Days off are for staying in bed until noon, right?  Perhaps that was a little long, and I could come up with excuses, but all I have is that it was warm and cozy and I didn't want to get up.   🙂  It was restful, and apparently I need that once in a while.
• Eventually I got motivated enough to do some things.  One of those things was to finish some beard rings for the friend I play Cribbage with sometimes.  They came out okay, but I'm worried the laminate that is holding the cards together will break.  I told them I would make more if that happened.  

This is representative of a perfect Cribbage hand which would score 29.

• Some shoveling got done.  Bel did some (so thankful) and I did some.  It isn't finished, but a lot better.   The fresh air felt good.
• Sunset!

• In the early evening my friend came over and we played Cribbage.  They like the beard rings, but they didn't bring them the luck I was hoping for.  I won both games we played.  I love the Cribbage board they got for Christmas.

☮

Continued listening to: The Painted Penny Stamp, by Fran Smith.  

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Productivity

 December 26th

Here are some happy things from Boxing Day:

• This morning was productive.  I packed up things in my new bedroom (leaving it mostly empty) and I got more cleaning done in the kitchen before heading out.  I'm happy that I learned how to use at least some of the ‘edit’ functions in photos on my phone.  

Cleaned are green.

• Zed and I went to pick up Keziah's van from the repair people.  I will be driving that for a while since my car is not working well.  When I find the title to my car (it should be packed in the storage container), I'll most likely sell it to a scrap yard.  Until I am able to replace my current car,  I'll be borrowing from family members.
• At the old house I found that the heaters are not working well in the apartment.  I went out and bought some others.  I'm happy that I happen to have enough money to have been able to purchase new ones.

☮

Started listening to: The Painted Penny Stamp, by Fran Smith.  

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Merry Christmas

 December 25th

Merry Christmas!  Here are some happy things from today:

• Before most people were awake, I did some more cleaning.  After most people went to bed, I also did some more cleaning.   It has been so busy for everyone that only the immediately needed places have been taken care of.  Hopefully with some down time this new place will start seeming more like a home.  That said, I don't know when I'll actually be moving in officially.
• There were stockings and gifts.  It was a good day.  Corvidae made cinnamon rolls and French toast.  In the evening there were some movies.
• Here are some photo highlights from the day--

A cat wanted to join us.

This guy, Kayden, has taken to liking me. This is after I was able to get out from under him. 

Random stocking stuff.

☮

Started listening to: The Painted Penny Stamp, by Fran Smith.  

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Christmas Eve

 December 24th

Here are some happy Christmas Eve things:

• Work went well.  I work for a major company in a distribution center.  We get packages in, sort them, and get them onto vans to take to the customer.  There are times when we get packages in and run out of time to get them onto a van.  Things happen to delay the packages.  Today we didn't get everything out the doors, but we got most everything out the door.  That is a pretty good feeling before the holiday.  Especially since a pile of packages got caught in the snow and had to be repacked.
• At home I ate the food that work provided me from The Friendly Toast.  Yum.  Then I packed things up to go to the new house.  There was a stop first at Keziah’s store, DIY Craft & Thrift.  Corvidae suggested we all get together to make an ornament.   Having worked all night I was tired and had a hard time pulling out my creativity.  A little bit of time with the friend that hosts Craft Nights and that part of my brain turned on.  That was followed with time with the four year old Employee of the Month (every month).  Then I sat down and made an ornament.  It is on a broken shell and needs some kind of coating because the markers are water based and the ink ran.  It also needs a hole for a string.

I used my markers to draw on the background.

Then I glitter glued on the buttons and felt hat.

• At the new house, I went through holiday gifts, and got my ‘bed’ ready.  Tonight I am using my air mattress and sleeping bag on the floor of my new bedroom. I took a nap and was able to wake up and have dinner with the family.  We also watched A Muppet Family Christmas which is Keziah’s favorite Christmas movie.  Christmas books were received all around.

• Stockings are stuffed.  It has been a busy day.  I have a book to read.

☮

Finished listening to: Dr. Potter's Private Practice, by Fran Smith.  

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Wire Things

December 23rd

Happy day before Christmas Eve!  I'm not ready.  It was a mostly ordinary day.  Here are some happy Tuesday things:

• Work went well.  I got there on time.  I wore my jingle bell earrings.  I gave people that aren't working tomorrow well wishes for the holiday.  I worked Mobile Problem Solve (moving around the building looking for problems to solve) and cleared out all the hazardous materials.  It was a productive work day.
• At home I relaxed a bit before doing dishes.  Just when I was about to start a nice early wind down for bed routine, Keziah asked me if I could go get the Christmas gifts she hid at the studio and bring them to her store for her.  Since I've been meaning to get something at the studio anyway, I went out in the freshly falling snow.  I found some of what I was looking for, brought Keziah the bag, and went back to what is still my apartment.  I'm glad I was able to help Keziah out.  
• It helped me too.  Instead of getting ready for bed I found the jewelry making supplies in my room and used the jewelry making tools I picked up at the studio to try and make some things.  It is a beginning.  I should probably be using thinner wire because my hands hurt.  I'm happy with the outcome so far though and thinner wire might not be as strong.  Whether I will be able to finish what I want to do in time is a different question.  🤪

• Feeling hungry earlier, I went to make some popcorn.  This is not unusual, except that I was in the apartment instead of the main house.  I opened the microwave to find that at some previous time I put the corn bag in there.  I guess I heated it up and forgot it.  It was a happy thing to find on this cold snowy day.  

☮

Continued listening to: Dr. Potter's Private Practice, by Fran Smith.  

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Tree Time!

Here are some happy things from today:

• This morning I got going early, did some cleaning and then holiday shopping.  I only went to one store and spent way too much money.  There are more things I was hoping to do.  It might not happen until after work on Wednesday because there is snow coming tomorrow. 
• At the new house I did a little bit of cleaning and figured out how to use the treadmill.  There was an SD card that was running a program, once that was removed, I had control.  So I could make it go faster or slower or change the incline as I want.  I like that much better.  I'm also looking forward to walking outside there, when I am more prepared for the weather.
• We decorated the Christmas tree!  It is a little crooked so garland was used to prop it up.  It is perfect!

• Sunset.

☮

Continued listening to: Dr. Potter's Private Practice, by Fran Smith.  

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Happy Winter Solstice

 December 21st

Happy Solstice!  Here are some things from today that made me happy:

• Yesterday was a long day with very little sleep.  I got over five hours of sleep last night which is good for me.
• When I sat to eat lunch in the living room Nanni was cleaning herself next to me on one of the cat trees.  She was meticulously cleaning her paws.  It was adorable. 

• One of my goals today was to repack the Christmas decorations into a new container.  Nanni used the last ones as a scratch post before they made it back into the attic.  Hopefully that won't happen with the new box.  Anyhow, that done, Bel helped me get all the Christmas stuff out of the attic and into the cars.  Those boxes are now at the new house.  I wasn't sure whether or not we would get any holiday items displayed at the new house this year.  Keziah was off with a friend this afternoon and while she was away, some of us (mostly Bel and Corvidae) put up lights and some other decorations to surprise Keziah with. 
• Corvidae and I went online and found some trees for sale and went to get one.  The picture is us after we got the tree strapped to the roof of her car.  

• Keziah was pleasantly surprised, but she and Zed brought Nanni and Winston to the new house so she wasn't able to spend time decorating the tree.  Tomorrow I'll go back and hopefully we can all put some decorations on the tree.

• Keziah and Zed brought the cat trees to the house too.  One of them was left downstairs at the new house and our housemate's cats claimed it pretty fast.  Integration between all the pets will be interesting. 

I don't know if I spelled their names correctly. 

• The new house has a treadmill.  We moved it to make space for the tree and then I got some steps on there.  I don't like that it seems to automatically decide what the user wants to do.  Going up hill suddenly and adjusting my speed are things I prefer to do myself.  Once I find a manual online for that I'll figure out how to do my own walks on there.

☮

Started listening to: Dr. Potter's Private Practice, by Fran Smith.  

— This 👆 is the next book in the series.  It happens to take place during the Christmas season.  

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!

Stars and Lights

 December 20th

Here are some happy Saturday things:

• Leaving for work I took a little time to look at the stars.  I'm really pleased with how this picture came out with Orion and the clouds reflecting light from below.

• The entire work day for me was overtime pay today.  I worked 11 hours and 52 minutes.  I will like the paycheck next week and I am looking forward to fewer hours.
• Sunset

• After work I tried and failed to sleep a little before going to visit my friend Amy.  She had a few friends over to walk her neighborhood and look at the Christmas lights followed by movies.  It was fun to look at the displays of lights.  There was a two year old involved and that helped it be more special for me.

Embrace the blur!  😉

• The first movie was the 1966 version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas!  I fell asleep within the first five minutes.  Apparently there is a picture of me floating around somewhere, fast asleep on the recliner.  I woke up somewhere after the character development part of The Greatest Showman, I'm guessing about an hour in?  I'll have to watch that again from the beginning sometime.  😊
• That nap was enough to get me home safe and is the only reason I haven't been awake for 24 hours at this point.  I'm looking forward to a quiet night's sleep. 

☮

Finished listening to: A Thin Sharp Blade, by Fran Smith.  

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!