January Twenty Twenty-two

 

And just like that it is the end of January, Twenty Twenty-two.   

My January consisted (in part) of leaving the tree up the entirety of the month; mostly due to not have a suitable storage tote in which to store the additional items purchased for the new tree.  This is the first tree since moving to this apartment February, 2019. And we hadn't had a tree at the old place since . . . 2014?

I think. 

Anyway, the tote has been purchased and the tree is coming down today.  

I came across an item in social media making a case for having a tree year 'round; decorating it for 

Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Cinco de Mayo, the Fourth of July,  Halloween, Fall Harvest, 

Thanksgiving, and then, back to Christmas. 

In theory, it is an interesting idea.  I suppose there are some items that would work for multiple themes but I can't even begin to wrap my head around the storage challenges.  

THAT and there is a long time between the Fourth of July and Halloween equals a no for me. So, tree comes down, Christmas (and winter) decorations are going in the tote and down to the basement storage locker until December...something...2022.  

I hope you have had a peace filled, healthy, safe, and zen kind of January.  The last few days of my January are set to be filled with snow and below freezing temps.  

Pass the hot chocolate.  

Ta Ta for now.    

**artwork in response to art group prompt: "the months--January"  a friend offered some suggestions; A.A. Milne being one so, Kanga and little Roo.  The other, well, of course all the tossed trees during the first couple of weeks of January.  

Six Seven on Saturday

                                1. Shut Up and Dance With Me!

2. Strawberry Letter 23 skating party gold.

3. Celebrating the lasting sweetness of Sugar.

4. And then I look at you . . 

5. The classics, they live on forever.

6. It isn't summer yet, but soon.

7. Dance me to the end, love.  




#sixwordsaturday

The Worst

Coughing, that is the worst. You're on the train and the fit comes over you. Best not to try to suppress, for that only makes matters worse. You hack and wheeze up a lung. Some riders try to ignore you, others stare daggers at you as though you are deliberately trying to make them sick, while still others, offer you a cough drop.

Or ten.

Coughing, that is the worst.

Or no, worst than coughing is the sneak attack sneeze. That sneeze that results in a big wad of snot shooting out your nose, and dangling down over your lips, chin. All before you were able to grab a tissue from the pack . . . you left on your desk.

Damn.

Could Be Worse

No amount of cat crack could entice either of my boys to take up the cause, but prehaps it was just as well, given the work-out factor and all. Shoveling snow first thing, as a before work activity is not my favored way to ring in the day, but it had to be done. It is, as they say, what it is.



Still, it could have been worse, they were predicted upwards closer to 12 inches, I think we wound up with half that, if that. We're not out of the woods yet, more snow is on the way as well as colder temperatures . . . nothing like the Dakotas though. Damn, that's beyond cold.

If it has to snow, I hope it does so overnight. I'd rather shovel in the morning than during the day, or later in the evening. Except of course, I'd rather it not snow over this night as 1. my shoulders are still a tad sore over this morning's shoveling and 2. I have an early morning appointment to braid some hair.

Speaking of which, I should be in bed and as soon as I finish my (one drink) wink eb, I'll be off.

Toodles.

Zip It

The zipper on my warmest parka broke.

Nothing dramatic. Dog. Poop. Squat.

Fudge.

I took it to one of the my friendly, neighborhood dry cleaner / tailor.

Mr. Liu wrote the ticket, telling me to come back in a week, on Thursday.

I paid (dearly) for my parka the next week. I wore it to work the following day.

A(nother) very cold day.

Warmest parka zipped with relative ease. After walking a bit I felt a draft. I looked down. The zipper was apart.

Double Fudge.

After work I go home, change into my other parka and return to cleaner / tailor.

Mr. Liu listens to me, inspects the parka and zipper.

Words (a flurry) are exchanged between Mr. and Mrs. Liu.

I have to hope they aren’t saying things like I’m too fat for my coat. I don't understand the exchange. The looks, though, I've seen those before. Buuuut.. I feel myself wanting to defend:


I’m doing all this walking. I feel the burn.

Mr. Liu says to me, “I fix, come back Thursday." Another seven days with the other parka.

Triple fudge.


I pick up the warmest parka the next week.The parka with another new zipper.

The warmest parka has been worn for a week. The newest zipper has held.


Mr. & Mrs. Liu's exchange was likely about the defective zipper, lack of confidence in their zipper supplier and / or about my warmest parka zipper replacement being one in a series of do-overs.

Or something like that. It had to be. Mr. & Mrs. Liu friendly they are but they don't care one whit about how fat I may or not be, just about the zipper on my warmest parka. Thanks to Mr. Liu my warmest parka is back in top form.