My goal was not to be sick on Christmas, and I wasn’t. But most of us had strep throat this week. I guess it’s better than a cold or flu since once you get the meds it goes away. I resent having to pay $135 to urgent care so far. (But grateful for urgent care on holidays and weekends! You rock!)
We managed to have a pleasant New Year’s Eve, but it was all downhill after that.
When I really felt sick, I rested and finished watching Stranger Things (sob!) and also Citizen Kane.
I worked Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday, NYE day, I spent some time scheduling appointments, loading up both my paper calendar and Google calendar for 2026. We started steam cleaning the ottoman and couch. I did some grocery shopping and I put away a lot of Christmas stuff. New Year’s Day, I took the crispy tree down (while watching ST) and T and I managed to get it outside (unloosing a tide of needles in the process).
I wasn’t quite ready to let go of the tree though, so I brought our little fake one inside.
Small wins:
- Got free Apple Music and Apple TV trials from buying gifts
- My mom cleaned out her pantry and gifted me a whole bunch of useful items
- Found some coin wrappers and wrapped and deposited the change from my kitchen jar: $31
- Saved $4 at CVS with Extra Bucks
Meals this week:
I baked bread for the first time in forever!
Monday: Everyone went to see Grandmom M., but I had to work. I had leftover potato soup and watched Stranger Things.
Tuesday: McDonald’s
Wednesday: Jersey Kebab (local joint)
Thursday: homemade fried chicken sandwiches
Friday: Feeling quite sick and craving soup, I took a can of cream of chicken soup and added sauteed carrots, leftover rice from Jersey Kebab, some spices, and canned chicken from my mom. It was perfect!
Everyone else had to fend for themselves.
Saturday: takeout from Holy City Publick House
I console myself with the thought that we didn’t go on vacation this year, so we are allowed to eat out on this winter vacation.
Plan for tonight: Tilapia and roasted potatoes with P-R and Gruyere (potatoes courtesy of mom), also carrots and corn.
This morning, at F’s request, I made homemade chocolate chip waffles. I used white whole wheat flour and there were no complaints. It made two big waffles so there is one in the freezer now.
So, thoughts on 2025. It feels like it flew by. It was exciting in some ways: my oldest graduating high school and making a successful transition to college. That was the big focus. Otherwise, I baked a lot of bread. I lost a little weight. I gardened successfully and on the cheap. I started revamping this blog and my Instagram and have learned quite a bit about how various platforms work. I spent time with friends. Tom and I celebrated 20 years of marriage, which is nuts. I bought a car. I hosted two parties here. Perhaps most significantly for our day-to-day quality of life, we have gotten the dog to walk better and generally follow more commands (though more to do!). We also said goodbye to several loved ones.
Goals for 2026:
- Spend smarter on groceries, utilizing Costco more.
- Don’t have groceries delivered.
- Cook more from scratch and avoid processed foods.
- Support small businesses.
- Learn more about local birds and get my feeder up and going.
- Expand the garden.
- Add more helpful gardening info to this blog and probably spring for a professional remodel of it.
- Celebrate my parents’ 50th anniversary!
- Travel somewhere! I’ve got the itch again. California, the Great Lakes, Montana?
As I have learned at work during review time, it’s allegedly easier to fulfill a stated goal if you attach some deadlines and specific steps to it. But that will have to wait til the next post!
Garden State of Mind 
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