New Year's Eve - December 31, 2025

I played with air-dry clay most of the day yesterday.  Sat down at the kitchen table around 6 a.m., watched a few more how-to videos, cleared a spot on the table, then went to sculptin'.   Really, I just mostly did "clay patties," cutting out simple shapes to experiment with paint. 

While I was fooling with the clay, how-to videos were running in the background, one after the other.  I eventually went "ear blind" to them until the algorithm fed me a Crafsman video, and I heard his voice.

"Has anyone figured out your true identity?" and more QUESTIONS ANSWERED!

He has some good how-to videos on his channel.

(And Craftsman, if you've googled yourself and have run across this post . . . can I be in your tribe?)  :)

Anyway, I'm going to spend today trying to figure out UV resin.  I have the basic materials.  I just poured some clear resin into a jewelry pendant mold and have set in the sun on the back porch to cure.  It's cold outside (39 degrees); I don't know if that will delay curing time or have no effect at all.  I have a UV lamp, and I'd prefer to use it outside, too, for my next pour (which will be resin colored with alcohol inks).  

Last night, I did a tiny watercolor landscape painting on an un-coated 2" round disk of air-dry clay.  I'm curious to see if it will show through the resin pendant.  

The thing I'm most anxious/excited about it playing with colors.  I only have one little bottle of resin, so I can't go buck wild with experiments if I want to have any left for a "keeper" piece.  

I just went out to check the clear resin pendant that was on the porch.  Earlier, I noticed that the sun had moved, and so I took the mold out to the yard and set it on top of my cold frame.  I'd noticed some little bubbles as I was pouring, and I tried to pop them, but just made them worse.  But since this pour is only a test, I didn't worry about the tiny bubbles.  Since I moved the mold, a MONSTROUS bubble has developed.  Good thing this is just a practice piece!  I'd better go back to the how-to videos, and pay attention this time.

Santa Claus brought me a big easel.  Earlier this morning, while I was rummaging around in the cabinet looking for some markers, I found two cheap house-painting-type brushes (I'd bought them for use on the magnificent oil landscape I'm going to do one of these days 😉).  It seemed that there was no better place for them than in the tray on the easel.  When I approached the easel with the brushes in my hand, I had an urge to whack them against leg of the easel, a la Bob Ross, just for sport.  But I didn't.  

Old Snot - December 30, 2025

Y'all.

(Don't eat while you read this.  It's disgusting.)

My nose has been running thin, clear snot since . . . I don't know when, but I know it was happening this spring while I was trying to work in the vegetable garden, because I had to keep my pockets full of tissue so I could work.  This continued all year.  I blamed it on allergies. 

Last week, when I went to the doctor for my yearly physical, he prescribed antibiotics for a sinus infection.  I've been taking them for a week. 

This morning, I got up, poured some coffee, made some toast, and sat down to resume a video that I'd abandoned last night before bed.  Pretty soon, I began to hear noises - cracking, popping, squeaking noises - coming from INSIDE my head.  I blew my nose, and what came out looked like (and had the consistency of) well-chewed, yellow-green bubble gum.  It must be vintage snot, breaking loose from deep recesses.  It probably has spring pollen in it.

I guess the antibiotics are working.  

* * * * * * * 

Yesterday, despite temps in the '20s, I went out shopping for groceries and craft supplies.  Not long after I got home, the mailman delivered craft supplies I'd ordered the day after Christmas.  

This week's crafts focus on air-dry clay and UV resin.  In the past, I've played with polymer clay and two-part resin but did not produce anything noteworthy with either medium.  I threw them away a couple of years ago during The Big Purge - I did not like the toxic fumes - but I still have all the tools and molds.  

I'd never worked with air-dry clay until yesterday.  All I did was form some small shapes and set them out to dry.  I want to paint on the clay.  The plan is to try different kinds of paints, see what I can come up with.  

My BFF is gearing up to play with the same craft materials.  I wish we lived in the same state.

Better - December 28, 2025

The day after Christmas, I spent most of the day sitting either in my recliner or on the back porch (it was at least 70 degrees).  I felt terrible.  Around noon, I went to the drug store to get my prescriptions, some OTC cold medicine, and some softer tissues for my poor, raw nose.  That night, I went to bed at 8 p.m. and actually managed to sleep until almost 7 a.m.  I woke up feeling much better.  We had enough assorted food left over from Christmas to see us through the day.

I am still pretty snotty today and would not even consider doing anything very physical, but I am getting better.

The Husband has gone to Cousin David's house for a few days, to drive him to/from day surgery and sit with him for a day or so afterward.  I sent the rest of the German chocolate cake that Nanny brought here Christmas eve, for it does not need to stay here, tempting me.

The summer-like weather we had last week is disappearing today; it's supposed to be in the low 20s tomorrow morning.  I hate cold weather, but if the weatherman is correct, we'll be back in the 40s-50s near the end of the week.  

Tomorrow, a load of craft stuff will be delivered to my doorstep.  I'm stoked.  With The Husband away, there'll be no cooking, so I can craft to my heart's content without interruption.  

Today, I'll be watching how-to videos as well as taking inventory of the craft stuff already on hand.  

The Day After - December 26, 2025

Our Christmas Eve get-together for the folks on the hill was a fairly quiet affair.  There was no particular start time, no sit-down meal.  People just showed up when they felt like it or could get here, which was fine with me.  By 9 p.m., everyone had gone home. 

I woke up at 6 yesterday morning and started baking biscuits and warming the country ham to take to Nanny's.  We were supposed to be at her house by 8 to help her get the family breakfast on the table.  I woke The Husband up around 7, we exchanged our gifts and then began loading the first round of presents to take to Nanny's.

After breakfast, we had Christmas with The Grandson at our house.  When he went home, we loaded up the gifts to take to Son #2's house across the road.  We spent about an hour there, then came home and loaded up the gifts to take to Son #1's house.  (While we were loading that last batch, The Husband said, "Next year, we need to make everybody come here if they want their gifts!"  It's not a bad idea, though we'll need to have Christmas on some day other than Christmas Day.)  Son #1 has the same sinus crud that I've got - he felt so crappy that for the first time in his life he missed breakfast at Nanny's - and he was in bed when we arrived at his house.  We unloaded the loot, hung around a few minutes, then came home and crashed.  Our daughter-in-law had cooked Christmas Dinner but had cancelled the sit-down meal since #1 was feeling so poorly.  She sent dinner home with us in take-out boxes.  We were grateful for it.  

I feel like sh*t today.  I am exhausted, and my nose is so sore from blowing it that I have taken to coating it with chap-stick.  The drug store STILL hasn't filled the prescriptions that my doctor sent Tuesday morning.  My face may explode before I get any medicine.

One rather funny thing happened.  One of The Husband's gifts to me was a rechargeable engraving pen.  I already had the very same engraving pen, which I'd bought for myself several years ago but had seldom used.  Later, when we got into our truck after breakfast at Nanny's, there was a gift on the console from "Santa" to me.  It was another identical engraving pen.  

Christmas Crud - December 24, 2025

My annual holiday cold came early this year.  Normally, after enjoying time with the family at Christmas, in crowded rooms, I come down with a cold a few days later.  Well, it's here, already, on Christmas Eve, when folks will be coming here hungry.

At yesterday's annual physical, the doctor gave me prescriptions for a sinus infection.  Twenty-four hours later, they are still not ready.  I need a new pharmacy.  Pickin's are slim in small towns.

I cooked almost all day yesterday, prepping for today and tomorrow.  Went to bed early, slept fitfully.  At 5, I got up, drank some coffee, ate some toast, and went back to bed until 8.  Got up grumpy.  Slammed things around.  Pissed The Husband off right away.

At noon, I'm going to start a crockpot full of chili.  Half-a-dozen baking sheets are lined up on the kitchen table, ready for hors d'oeuvres assembly.  I should get busy doing that.

Y'all, pray for me today.  By the time the "fun" starts, I may be worthless.

I've been driving the Wrangler for the past couple of weeks, having loaned my "daily driver" car to Son #2 while his car was in the shop.  Friday morning on my way to my optometrist appointment, the Wrangler quit on a country backroad. This had happened once before, a couple of weeks ago.  Both The Husband and I had driven the Wrangler without incident in the interim.  I don't know what's wrong with it.  I was driving along at speed, when all of a sudden . . . RRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr . . . .  It just quit and coasted to a stop.  I cranked and cranked and cranked, and just when I was about to give up and call for help, it fired off and didn't give me any more problems for the rest of my outing.  After Christmas, we'll have to have it looked at, for The Husband has decided that he wants to drive it to a Jeep rally in Florida this spring.  I will make sure our AAA account is paid up.  

This is the last "idle" day before the Christmas cooking begins.  The presents are wrapped.  The grocery shopping is done.  Tomorrow morning, I have an appointment for my yearly physical, and after that, let the cooking begin, and it won't stop until about noon on Christmas day.  I will be making the same old stuff I always make, but it's stuff that everybody likes, so . . . . 

I have been pondering how I will occupy myself between Christmas and the spring gardening season.  (To be honest, after this year's gardening failures, I am not 100% sure that I will even raise a garden next year, but we'll cross that bridge later.)  My BFF suggested we try air dry clay together, so I ordered some.  It should be here in the next couple of days, but I won't have time to fool with it until after Christmas.  

Shopping, Part 2 - December 19, 2025

Yesterday's shopping outing was unusually successful, considering that my shopping list consisted mostly of gift certificates.  My first stop was at a nail salon, which was next door to a "relics" shop that I had never visited.  After buying the DIL's gift certificate, I decided to poke my head in the relics shop, just to see what kind of stuff it was selling, thinking I might go back after Christmas to investigate more closely.  But on a rack, right in the front of the store, there were stacks of metal signs featuring funny messages, some of which were "man cave" signs with sayings that were perfect for Son #1's new garage.  I got two.  Next door to that was an "overstock" store (which I'd also never visited) running serious pre-Christmas discounts.  There I found a big space heater for #1's unheated man cave/garage.  Score!

The one non-gift-certificate item on my list was a pair of shoes for Nanny.  The shoe store had two - count 'em, TWO - pairs of shoes to fit Nanny's toddler-sized feet.  One of the two was black, shot through with gold threads; the other was solid black.  I almost got the black/gold ones.  Nanny's got a sneaky quirky side, and there's a possibility that she might have worn the glittery shoes with panache, but . . . .  I bought the boring ones and headed home.

Halfway home, I realized that I'd forgotten something, so I turned around and went back to town.  While I was in the store, waiting in line to buy more gift certificates, rain started to pour down.  I thought, "Oh, great . . . ," but by the time I'd paid up and was ready to leave, the storm had calmed to a sprinkle.  

I drove home feeling highly satisfied for having accomplished all of my missions.

There was more gift-wrapping to do - mostly stuff I'd put off the previous day.  I got busy and finished wrapping all of the presents that were here (there's a few more on the way).

This morning, Son #1 finally told me what he'd like to have for Christmas.  The elves said they'd try to get it here by Christmas, but they ain't promising,  

Today, I've got an appointment with my optometrist, after which I need to do just a tad more shopping and then pick up the grocery order. On my way home, I'll stop at a locally-owned grocery store for a country ham for Christmas breakfast at Nanny's.  With that done, we should be good to go for Christmas.

Shopping - December 18, 2025

Have I mentioned how much I hate shopping?  Doesn't matter what it is - gifts, food, anything.  

In a little while, I will be making the next-to-last shopping trip for this Christmas season.  Being a completely uninspired gift-giver, there will be several gift certificates/cards under our tree again this year.  The rest of the shopping was done online.  I just hope everything gets here by Christmas day.

We haven't even put up a Christmas tree.  For the past few years, we've used a pre-lit table-top tree, but we may not even do that this year.  Neither of us has been in the mood to climb into the attic to forage for it.

Yesterday, I did manage to wrap most of the gifts that have already arrived.  Happily, I found enough wrapping paper left over from last year to do the job, plus enough to wrap what hasn't been delivered yet.  

Tomorrow I will pick up the grocery ingredients for our traditional Christmas Eve gathering of relatives on the hill.  Same old uninspired dishes we serve every year, but at least they're something everyone likes.

 

B*tch Day - December 17, 2025

I was a bitch yesterday.

Shocking, I know.

The day started out okay.  Mid-morning, my aunt came over.  We had a nice visit.  

After she left, I tidied up the sewing room.  My daughter-in-law has been using the sewing room a lot in the past month, making Christmas presents.  She's mostly used the t-shirt press and the cutting machine.  The t-shirt press weighs a TON and must be moved to the cutting table for use.  It's been sitting on the cutting table for about a month.  Believing that the DIL was finished with it, and needing the cutting table for wrapping Christmas presents, I lugged the t-shirt press back to its storage spot.  One hour later, the DIL texted me to ask if she could come over to use the press.  I said yes, but you'll have to move it to the cutting table and move it back when you're finished because I need the table.  (Something's wrong with my shoulder; lifting heavy things makes it worse.)

She came over to do her shirt.  When she pre-heated the t-shirt press, she caught the power cord under the heating unit and melted the cord.  Her project didn't get done, after all.  I sent an old computer power cord home with her to ask Son #1 if we could use it on the t-shirt press.  I did not make her move the press pending an answer about the power cord.

Lately, she has been in the habit of bringing their dog, a big, energetic pit bull, when she comes over to craft.  He's a pretty good dog, but I am just not crazy about animals in my house unless it's necessary.  Right off the bat, I heard him drinking out of the toilet, which disgusted me because he licks me and sneezes on me.  I ran him out of the bathroom and closed all of the doors, then I went out to run an errand.  They (she and the dog) went home not long after I returned.

I spent the afternoon cooking.  The Husband needed an appetizer to take to work today, and we needed something for dinner.  

When The Husband came home from work, he said, "What dog has been here today?"  

I said, "The pit bull.  What did he do?"

"He left something here.  Come look."

I followed him back to our bathroom.  There, in the doorway, was the biggest dog turd I have ever seen in my life.     

I don't do dog poop.  Or vomit.  The Husband knows this.  He took care of the turd.

I snapped a picture and sent it to the DIL.  "The dog left us a surprise.  I did not know it was possible for a dog to poop that big.  He is fired."

I didn't get any presents wrapped yesterday.  The t-shirt press is still on the table.

Back home - December 15, 2025

We made it home in one piece after a long drive on Thursday.  We took the long route home to avoid the interstate, so it took us nearly 12 hours to get home, with a couple of stops for meal breaks and potty breaks.  

It's COLD.  This morning, it was about 15 degrees when I got up.  Before the day is over, we'll be in the 40s, and by Thursday we'll be in the 60s.  Crazy - but normal - mid-south weather.  

The Husband has gone back to work today, and I'm trying to come up with something useful to do.  The Christmas shopping is not done, but it ain't happening until the weather warms up later this week.  A few minutes ago, The Grandson texted to ask if I would be home today (yes), and if I would like a "social call."  Of course, I would!  He didn't say what time he's coming, but I expect it won't be long.  I'm wondering why he's not at work, so I'll be pumping him for info once he gets here.

Granddaughter #1 has come home from college for the Christmas break.  She'll be home for almost a month.  Two more semesters and she'll be a college graduate.  I suppose she'll soon be applying for veterinary school.  Fingers crossed that she gets in.

Granddaughter #2 was inducted into the National Honor Society last week.  I am extremely proud of her.  She has made good grades since kindergarten.  If this keeps up, she ought to be offered some good scholarships.  Fingers crossed for that, too!

Grandson's here.  TTYL.

On the road again - December 9, 2025

Greetings from Asheville, NC.

We headed out Sunday morning, planning to stop for the night somewhere along the way.  As evening approached, The Husband was getting tired of driving, so I looked ahead on the map to choose a place to spend the night.  There's a motel that we've used a few times that is situated in the same parking lot with a pretty good Mexican restaurant.  I called ahead to make sure a room was available and told the lady on the phone that we'd see her in about 20 minutes.  We pulled off the interstate at the next town.  Unfortunately, the motel I'd called was in the PREVIOUS town; we'd driven 30+ miles too far.

Whatever.  We found another motel with a Mexican restaurant within sight.  As soon as we hauled our stuff to the room, we went out for dinner and a margarita.

Monday morning, checking the map app on our phones, we discovered that our planned route had lane closures and delays.  So did our alternate route.  At some point, our map apps took over and sent us down a one-car-wide backroad that made us fear for our lives.  But we made it here on time and in one piece.  

Sunday and Monday were gray, drizzly days (it snowed on us yesterday), but today is bright and sunny, though cold.  I can't decide whether to go out sight-seeing or stay in the hotel, where it's nice and warm.  

Betwixt and Between - December 5, 2025

Once again, I am in that most abhorred place, "betwixt and between."  Stymied.  Idle.

I mailed a stack of Christmas cards to friends and relatives early this week.  Yesterday, when I was moving things around in the studio, I found a whole 'nother stack of Christmas cards I painted last year, already in envelopes, with cute little motifs (to match the cards) on the envelopes - better art than I've been slapping out for the past month.  Oh, well.  <Shrug> 

We're going out of town next week.  There's not much time between now and then to tackle a new project.   I've already done all the laundry.  Stacked up some clothes for the suitcase.  What to do today?

I could vacuum.

Nah.

Chauffeuring Nanny - December 4, 2025

Nanny's doctor appointment was set for 1 p.m. yesterday in the big city.  All of her biological children were at work, so I volunteered to drive her to her appointment.  Not knowing how long the doctor visit would take, I took my e-reader and some mini-Snickers left over from Halloween.  My plan was to read and snack in the waiting room while Nanny did her business with the doctor.  

I should have known better.

Long story short, I wound up in the exam room with Nanny, which turned out to be a good thing.  We had driven nearly 40 miles for routine bloodwork and a 3-minute visit with the doctor, who proclaimed that all was well, come back in 3 months for another test.  I asked if Nanny's GP doc (10 minutes from home) could do the vein stick and forward the results.  We worked it out.  

It's hard to have a conversation with Nanny.  I guess it's because she spends a lot of time alone, with no one to talk to, but she won't let you get a word in once she gets going.  

 

I hate cars - December 3, 2025

Since Son #2's car died Monday night, I loaned him my "daily driver," intending to drive my old Wrangler until Son's car is fixed.  I had not driven the Wrangler in weeks, so before The Husband left for work yesterday morning, I went out to make sure it would start.  It cranked right up.

At 11:25, I cranked it again to let it warm up before heading out for my noon lunch date with my former boss.  At 11:30, when I proceeded to back out of the driveway, the engine quit.  I cranked and cranked and cranked until I feared that I'd run the battery down.  I was about to call my boss to tell her I couldn't make lunch, but I tried to crank the Wrangler one more time, and it fired right off.  

Dilemma:  do I go on with my lunch plans and risk getting stranded in town, or do I call off the lunch?  

I decided to go on to town.  Over the years, we've owned so many P.o.S. vehicles that I am on a first-name basis with the tow truck.  If the Wrangler wouldn't crank after lunch, I could get home.

After lunch, the Wrangler cranked on the first try.

Instead of coming straight home, I went to the auto parts store to buy new wiper blades for the Wrangler.  When I prepared to leave the store, the Wrangler would not crank.  I cranked and cranked and cranked.  Eventually, it started.  I hurried home.

Later, I had to make a run to the dollar store up the road.  I intended to leave the Jeep running while I was in the store, but I turned it off out of habit.  It did the same crap when I came out of the store.  Crank, crank, crank.  Almost give up.  Then finally start.

This weekend, I'm going to ask Son #1 to get to the bottom of this problem.

Meanwhile, I am supposed to drive Nanny to a doctor appointment this afternoon.  My original plan was to drive the Wrangler, but we probably ought to go in her old mini-van, instead.

It's gonna be a long day.

For the Birds - December 2, 2025

Birds invade our back porch when it gets cold.  We can't figure out how they get in, and they can't figure out how to get out.  It wouldn't bother me for them to be on the porch except that they POOP on stuff.  This morning, I found two big white splatters on my worktable (which I am not currently using because it's too cold to stay on the porch for long).   Disgusting.

This week has been tough, already.  Recall that The Husband and I are trying to give up cigarettes and have bought vape gizmos to help us do it.  We're not snapping at each other . . . yet.

(I am convinced that the nicotine is only a tiny fraction of my addiction.  If I'm busy, I don't think about cigarettes.  But there are triggers.  Driving is one: get in the car, crank up, buckle up, back up, go forward, hit a long stretch of road, light a cigarette.  Might not puff it three times before I put it out.  Crazy, I know.

So I may have to give up driving in order to quit smoking.  ;) )

Last night, just as we were about to sit down to supper, our daughter-in-law called to ask us to come get the granddaughters.  Son #2's car croaked when he cranked it up after work (he thinks it's the transmission); she needed to go pick him up and didn't want to take the girls.  So The Husband went to get them.  

After everybody had been fed, The Husband began the task of putting together the Hot Wheels racetrack I'd bought for the Little Rotten Baby (who is now almost 5).  We have no good toys in this house - nothing that hasn't already been through four grandchildren and is "old hat."  All the dolls are naked and have crazy hair.  The one toy that engages the LRB for a little while is Thomas the Train, left over from The Grandson's tender years (he's 18 now).   She mostly enjoys putting the track together, figuring out the right curves to get the ends to meet.  Once that's done, she typically moves on to something else, leaving The Husband playing with the trains.  I figure they'd both have better fun with the racetrack.

But just about the time The Husband got it together - it was a maze of loop-de-loops - the DIL called to say that they were on their way home and that the girls should go home and start their baths.  It was raining, so I took them home in the car.  When I got back and tried to move the racetrack, it fell apart.  Just as well.  It seems to be the assembly that engages.  

Today I'm having lunch with my former boss.  This is not our usual lunch day, but I will be out of town on our regular lunch day.  I need to go a little early and shop for a present for her.

I will want a cigarette while I drive.  :-\

December 1, 2025

Thanksgiving Day was a l-o-n-g day.

Dinner at my brother's house was set for 1:00, an "aspirational" target in the words of my brother.  We arrived about 12:15. Dinner was served about 2:30.

The dinner at Son #1's house was set at 4:00.  We arrived at 4:05, still stuffed from the first dinner.  We ate a few bites and headed to Son #2's house about 6:00.  Son #2 had plenty leftovers, but we declined them and just visited.

Friday, we were slugs.

Saturday, The Husband suggested that we go to a vape store and buy stuff to help us stop smoking.  We did that.  Neither of us is a heavy smoker, and although we bought reduced nicotine "juice," mine is still too strong.  I may be getting more nicotine from this than from cigarettes.

It's cold this morning, below freezing.  Later today, it's supposed to rain.  I need to go to the grocery store before that happens.