It’s “Hey Rene J” Today!

Ah yes…the trees are greening and budding. The hose is out watering the them, the back door is open with fresh air gracing the kitchen, and the sun is shining brightly. It’s December in Colorado!

Although I am enjoying this beautiful weather bestowed upon us, my anxiety level is high, anticipating dragging a hose around all winter ‘lest it snows at some point. Until then, I shall merrily frolic sans winter coat.

Off to switch the hose to another tree!

One favorite activity when the little angelic whirlwinds are in our charge, is digging in the dirt.

All it takes is a warm day, three plastic bowls accompanied by three large spoons, and voila! The backyard is aerated! Yesterday it was a very cute activity as the girls were wearing their lightweight baby blue Easter coats. They looked like three little fairy children playing out there. It was a beautiful glimmer in the day.

And warm it still is at 6 am on Thursday morning, by the way. The outside temp on the porch is 52 degrees this early December morning. It almost feels like a day for Spring cleaning…but I’m sure that feeling will soon pass. First things first.

Some things do rankle the ear. This one is interesting because it’s so prevalent and makes one wonder how “of” even came into the phrasing? Was it from the sound of “should’ve?” That’s my guess. So, I’m trying to hear “should have” when someone is quite possibly using the contraction.

More egregious errors? I’m trying hard to swallow and remember my own tendency to err. A resolution – and it’s not even January 1.

Don’t they just remind you of Christmas?

My daughter and I spent a day baking and decorating cookies – something we took to heart when the pandemic hit and we needed new decorating implements. I love making and adorning sugar cookies, although my daughter is the one with the steady and patient hand in making these treats look good.

Christmas trees are my favorite to bake because they’re so forgiving and easy to decorate. However, this year the whim took me to the penguin cookie cutter. Thankfully they now make edible eyes for your ease in prettifying. We had a grand day baking about 16 dozen treats.

Happy Holiday Penguins.🐧

There is an unwritten rule in my house. The spouse throws the cardboard box from his delivery on the basement stairs for me to file and find later. If I had kept all of these additions we would have gradually been nudged out of our home by now.

Yes, I wait the appropriate amount of time before stealthily recycling it all. It’s how we keep the peace. (That and he hasn’t been receiving the blog, so my confession is safe!)

Every day I receive an alert for something which is obviously a dramatic event. A recall for some outdated product, forecast for a drizzle, possible road closure. The title is always, “Emergency Email.”

We really are never going to know when there is a true emergency. This “emergency” was for the inch of snow gently drifting down this morning. (Thank you for moisture prayers answered, God! A little more would be great.) Often the dire circumstance falls into the “when-we-were-kids-and-walked-a-mile-to-school.”

I haven’t been on the roads today and I’m sure they’re slick in spots. And since in my youth I drove on ice and managed to spin the car a few times, run into a ditch another time, been hit head-on in a blinding snowstorm coming home from college, I will take kindly take the cautionary email of this morning. Not everyone has experience with Mother Nature’s whitest season and it can be brutal.

Emergency noted.

One thing I am meticulous about is marking a paint can. After painting a room or three I write the room and date on the can, thus knowing which touch-up paint to use should the need arise. Shout-out to Behr Paints!

It was the only metal-lidded can left in the stash of the basement so I figured it had to be the one I was seeking. It was also NOT marked in the usual manner. Every single paint can had a room/use on it, save this one. I have searched there three other times, and today, before caving in and deciding I’d have to paint the entire bedroom, I tried another look. There is was – lurking in the corner, unmarked. I pried the 21-year old lid open, only halfway due to deterioration. Lo and behold, the paint was still liquid and had retained its color beautifully. 21 years ago I painted that room!!! I’m still in awe, and here I was, touching up a few picture holes to freshen it.

Suffice it so say I have always loved the Behr product and am considering sending them a note. You cannot tell a difference at all from the old and new. The paint can has seen better days and cannot be saved, but it did its job in rescuing me from another lengthy remodel.

Just giving thanks a few days later…

The annual event in Pamplona, Spain came to mind as we once again endeavor to solve issues with our furnace.

Much like the running, it’s a tradition. Cold weather, the first snow, the furnace poops out. In magic marker I have written instructions on how to clean the igniter, which was a consistent problem years ago. My spouse would be traveling, the furnace wouldn’t light, I had to call the technician. After two years of this and a simple solution I decided to watch and learn, indelibly print the “fix” and just do it myself. However, today’s challenge involves moisture from that lovely “dusting” we received early morning. The remedy is more complicated, so MacGyver is on duty!

Thankfully, the sun is doing its job and the house is plenty warm, even at an outdoor temp of 21 frigid degrees. And if we get cold, we’ll just go for a run to warm up. Pre-Pamplona prep!

Just before a holiday I like to take on a project of major proportions. You know, to kind of relax?

With the recent replacement of the two doors and a window there is a need to rectify the minor imperfections associated with the project – mostly because I am changing the window covering. In my mind this requires repainting an entire wall. So, furniture has to move, the freezing cold ladder from the garage must be brought in, and the caulk warmed up. Thus, instead of Thanksgiving prep I am going for home improvement.

After that? I’m considering wallpapering the guest bedroom. My latest flight of fancy. Happy Thanksgiving!