12/31: an even-er keel
This week has had some frustrations, anxieties, and sadnesses, but today was calmer. I am grateful that I got to spend time doing some of my favorite things--walking, reading, writing, designing pamphlets--and being with some of my favorite people--Chris and the cats. I also spent some time completing my end-of-year charity donations, and that felt good.
12/28: in the air, on the ground
In the morning I went flying with Chris. The white in the photo is shining water in the furrows of fields; the blue is the reflection of the sky.
In the later afternoon we walked at Woolly Hollow, with a pause at Gold Creek as the halfway point.
12/27: spotting
...the profile of a cedar waxwing while on my walk. They visited our yard for berries last week; today they were busy in a neighbor's yard.
12/26: a greeting
As I walked on the ridge this afternoon, I passed a neighbor who was walking with her two young grandchildren. My neighbor said, "Hello, Rebecca," and then the smaller of the boys also said, "Hello, Rebecca" in such a sweet way. He doesn't know me, but it was really clear that he wanted to be friendly so he echoed his grandmother.
12/25: experimenting
...with our holiday pierogi casserole. This year we added vegetarian "bacon," sauteed the onion and "bacon" together first, and used ditalini instead of egg noodles. It turned out really well.
12/24: semi-colons
I've been reading Lawrence Weinstein's Grammar for a Full Life, and (alas) I'm mostly finding it disappointing. But today I read what he wrote in praise of semi-colons, and I share in his enthusiasm.
12/23: innovating
...on the fly by using lemon wafers (rather than vanilla ones) to make rum-balls this afternoon.
12/22: an unexpected holiday card
...from one of my parents' former students who knew me when I was little.
12/21: a lantern
Chris bought me a great LED lantern to use in my (light-less) book-storage unit in town. I've also been using it when I go outside at night since it's better (and more fun) than a flashlight. This evening I used it while walking down to the lake; I liked swinging it as I stepped.
12/18: car-care
I haven't been driving my car much at all these days (months!), but an oil-change and some other TLC was overdue, so we took it into the shop. As I was driving it home, I could immediately tell it was running more smoothly.
12/17: preparing
...envelopes and packages for holiday mailing for tomorrow. I'm a little later at putting things into the post than I wanted to be, but getting it done is good regardless.
12/16: making candy
...from scratch. Two batches came out well. One batch is a little soft but good. One batch got burned. Ah well--a learning curve. I'll try again tomorrow.
12/15: using
...a very little bag my mother made for me out of some old denim jean pockets. It's the perfect size for my phone, and this afternoon I wore it to hold my phone so that I could listen to an audiobook while I was sweeping the house.
12/14: after midnight
It's almost 3 am in the morning of 12/14--I haven't been to sleep yet. It took me much longer to do the recording of my conference presentation than I had planned. But it's done now and sent, and hopefully it'll work without issue. And--also hopefully--having stayed up late means that I won't feel pressed in the day ahead. I may still worry about the presentation itself in other ways, but it's largely out of my hands now.
12/13: holiday dinner
It's St. Lucy's feast-day, something we always celebrated in my parent's house when I was growing up. It made me happy that Chris and I had a fitting dinner for a holiday today: vegetarian "sausage"-apple stuffing and cranberry sauce. It was the first time I tried that particular stuffing recipe, and I'll be making it again. (Though not for quite some since since one recipe yielded so much--we'll have leftovers all week!)
12/12: finishing
...a full draft of my PowerPoint slides before heading to bed. It took longer than I thought, but I'm glad to not leave more assembly for tomorrow.
12/11: three
Morning: Seeing bluebirds while on my walk.
Afternoon: Revising my paper.
Evening: Having a technologically-connected game-night with my mother and two home-town friends.
12/10: scanning
...images for my conference presentation and appreciating new details that I can now add to my talk.
12/9: less busy
The grocery store was less crowded than I've seen it in months. I was grateful for the relative calm today.
12/8: taking some time
...to tinker with a wordless pamphlet idea. I need to finish my conference paper, but I was itching to do something visual and non-verbal. It was a good break, and I'm hoping that I'll return to my draft tomorrow refreshed and ready to wrap it up.
12/7: late night / early morning laughs
...as I watched all the episodes of The Other One in a bout of insomnia.
12/6: trying out
...another new-to-us walk, this time one connecting the Cobblestone Trail and Chamber Trail in Fairfield Bay.
12/5: connecting electronically
...to watch a Minnesota Center for Book Arts book-binding tutorial this morning and to play a game of Skip-Bo with my mother this afternoon.
12/4: glad for good prose
...by Wilkie Collins (I'm listening to The Woman in White as I walk each day) and by Margaret Mahy (I just started The Catalogue of the Universe). It's always great to feel like you're in the hands of an expert guide through words.
12/3: getting through
...today's chunk of paper-drafting more smoothly than anticipated. Perhaps I've been thinking about it for so long that my thoughts finally crystallized? (Here's hoping I haven't jinxed the next few days of paper-writing by feeling glad about today.)
12/1: turning down
...a professional opportunity that I wouldn't enjoy and that would stress me out. It felt good to recognize and own that I wasn't a good fit for the position.