Frosted Christmas Tree

 There was a light sprinkling of snow as I left for work last night.  Sometimes, when it snows at night, I notice that there is more light.  I think the snow reflects the light and everything seems a little brighter.  Or it is just my imagination.  Leaving for work the Christmas tree was lit up and I noticed all the snow on the branches from the last storm.  Sometimes, it is worth being a minute late to work to take a picture.

If the tree is moveable in a week or so I am planning to move it out by the wildlife camera.  There was something going around on Facebook that suggested this.  I might string some popcorn up on it and see what it attracts.  

The tree is my big happy thing for today.  One other thing is that a manager spoke with me today at work and I might be getting trained on something new next week.  Fingers crossed.

☮

Currently listening to: The Autobiography of Santa Claus, as told to Jeff Guinn.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Merry Christmas!

 When I was a kid there were little craft kits, I think called Shrink Its, that you could paint and then put in the oven and the design would shrink up and become hard to use as a magnet or key chain.  It used to bother me that people could only do whatever design was purchased and not freestyle something.  Apparently, now you can.  For Christmas Keziah got me some beautiful earrings from a local artist.  The artist paints and then shrinks the design down.  

A female and male cardinal.

I got lots of other things too.  Other happy things from Christmas day:

• Keziah was happy to get the air fryer that I won at work.  We had been looking into getting one when we thought the toaster oven broke (it was a circuit).  She also liked the attachment I got for her Kitchenaid.  I think a general reorganizing of the kitchen will need to happen soon.  
• Zed and Gideon got drones.  The weather was icy and rainy so it was not a good day to take them outside.  They used them inside instead.

• Microspikes were worn today when anyone went outside.  The roads were icy and so were the sidewalks.  There is beauty in ice.

• There was laughter and love in the house today.  We got to talk online with distant family and friends.  It was wonderful to see Bel and Folke through the wonders of modern technology.  

My hope for you, dear reader, is that something made you happy today and every day.  😊

🎄 ☮ 🎄

Currently reading: The Middle Ages: A Graphic History, by Eleanor Janega and Neil Max Emmanuel.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Productivity

 Work was not as I expected this morning.  Things were so slow that they were letting people go home.  Since I am still not back to full health from my cold,

 I volunteered and went home.  Then I got productive.  Here are some happy things from today:

• This year I am trying to give very few gifts.  The ones that are here I wrapped this morning while the rest of the house slept.
• While everyone else slept I put away the clean dishes, loaded the dishwasher again, ran the dishwasher and washed the hand washable dishes.  By the time everyone awoke, the dishwasher had finished.
• It is my laundry day and I got my clothes into the wash before the house awoke.
• I went down to the cellar and did some plant supply organizing.  I set up a little space heater (which got repurposed after people woke up) to try to warm up the area with the plants.  
• When Aesop, the dog, woke up I gave him a short walk around the yard so that he wouldn't wake up the household.  The sun was up, but not over the hill yet.

• AFTER everyone was awake I went with Gideon and Zed's mom to do some Christmas shopping.  The few stores we went to weren't horribly busy on this Thursday morning.  
• Zed's mom has wanted an angel like is described in the Bible.  Keziah made one for her.  My daughter is very talented.

It even lights up!

It was a good and productive day.  

☮

Currently reading: The Middle Ages: A Graphic History, by Eleanor Janega and Neil Max Emmanuel.

Currently listening to: The Autobiography of Santa Claus, as told to Jeff Guinn.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Not as Sick

 After five days of not working I hope I remember how to do my job.  Seriously, though, I am not at 100% but I hope once I have slept I will feel well enough to go to work tonight.  I definitely feel that I am on the better side of this cold.  Happy things for today include:

• I did a tiny bit of straightening in my bedroom today.
• Over the last few days I have binged watched most of the first season of The Witcher on Netflix.  The second season is available now and I needed the refresher before delving too far into that with the adults in the house.  I was able to follow along with the characters and some of the subtleties this time.
• Keziah and Gideon hung a couple of Christmas decorations around the house and pulled out the stockings.  I'm not ready, but they will be!  

☮

Currently reading:  The Middle Ages: A Graphic History, by Eleanor Janega and Neil Max Emmanuel.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Too Much Sadness

 Yesterday, I learned that my best friend from high school has been struggling with cancer for the last year.  We have only rarely kept in touch with happy birthday messages and occasional phone calls.  Today TF, my best friend in Texas, found out that her son has died.  There is a lot of grief in me right now.   There is a bunch to process and I am just on the outskirts.  Holidays are hard.  Hug your loved ones, tell them you love them-often.  Message someone you haven't talked to in a while.   

Earlier today there was happiness as we set up the Christmas tree outside.  Since I am fighting a cold (I had another negative Covid test today) I kept coming inside to get out of the cold and snow.  We are expecting somewhere between four and eight inches.  I'm looking forward to the lights on the tree getting solar charged so I can get a nice nighttime picture of the tree lit up.

☮

Currently reading:  The Middle Ages: A Graphic History, by Eleanor Janega and Neil Max Emmanuel.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Organization

 The decision was made this year to not have an indoor Christmas tree.  With the two cats (we got them December 19th last year) and now a dog it just doesn't seem like a good idea.  It will be stress producing, which we don't need.  The next problem with the pets is what to do with the gifts.  Zed got his wrapping mostly done the other day (about two weeks ahead of when he is usually wrapping) and came up with what seems like a perfect spot.  There is a shelf above the stairs that the cats sometimes go on.  There isn't much room now though because of the presents.

The sled is there all the time and attached to the wall.  That is my happy thing for today.  Next for me is sleep.

☮

Currently listening to: The Autobiography of Santa Claus, as told to Jeff Guinn.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.