Another New Year

Happy New Year! 

While Christmas day was wonderful this year, and I will forever (at least I hope) remember sitting here with my three kiddoes and their partners talking the afternoon and evening away, I couldn't get the tree and other decorations down fast enough. I just wasn't feeling the whole keep the decorations up until New Year's this time around. So all the holiday accouterments were put away days ago, and some went into the thrift store box. I decided to do another deep cleaning, part of which is letting go of things that no longer give me joy.

Yesterday, as a challenge to myself, I left the computer off all day. I didn't check in to anything on my phone, either. Instead, I spent time on the porch with the boys, listened to a couple of podcasts that really got me thinking, and I read, finishing up another excellent book: The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne by Brian Moore. Highly recommend it if you're looking for something to read.

And today, because it started out rainy and cold and is now sleeting and cold, which is supposed to turn to snow and cold, I'm hanging out in front of the fire with the boys. We did our trek into the back field, where Murphy and Ado ran until Murphy's tongue hung out the side of his mouth, but since then we've been warm and cozy by the fireplace. I started the next book, Cassandra at the Wedding by Dorothy Baker, took a short nap, and am now feeling the need to be creative in some way. I just don't know what creative endeavor to undertake though I'm leaning towards writing. 

I didn't stay up until midnight for the new year. I rarely do anymore. Angel Baby came into the kitchen just after dinner, and together we poured shots of whiskey, said Cheers!, and he wished me a Happy New Year before disappearing back to his computer to continue playing games with his friends. Many evenings I sit here listening to him banter with his friends, sometimes getting angry over a bad move one of them makes in a game, but most often just having fun. The night before last I went to bed around 11 and could hear him singing. I kind of like that way of drifting off to sleep.

For the new year, I try to avoid making resolutions. Instead, I just decide there are things I want to do more of and things I want to do less of. The more of category for 2022 includes eating more veggies for breakfast, trying a new recipe at least three times a week if not more, and allowing myself to be creative. This morning, I started the day with a new recipe that included veggies, so I accomplished two of the things I want to do more of in one fell swoop. It's a recipe from Dr. McDougall's The Starch Solution, and I will definitely make it again. Easy and delicious and good for my health. What's not to like about that? 

The do less of category includes not being on YouTube, which sucks away a lot of time, and generally just spend less time on things that are not good for my mental and physical health. Rather than watching videos of people behaving badly, I can use the time to sit and not do anything. Like I did yesterday while sitting in my hammock swing on the front porch with the boys. Though I wasn't really doing anything, just being outside and getting fresh air is a healthy thing to do in my book. That's the kind of thing I want to do more of -- good for my mental and physical health kind of things.

Monday I return to work for the spring semester. Winter break was short this go around. Sniff sniff. But it is what it is. 

Happy New Year, friends and family! I wish you all a wonderful and happy New Year.