Tag Archives: Whatnot

Whatnot – Week 4

Reading at the Park

Hello!! I hope this week’s “Whatnot” post finds you well. As you can see from the photo above, I have been spending much of my time outside. Our cold, windy weather turned into early summer weather with temps between 75-82 degrees. It’s been glorious.

My daughter and I pack lunches and head to the park. Different parks depending on mood. I pack Pride and Prejudice and she packs her acting books or her laptop if she needs to review scenes/music for an audition. I love to read at the park. Sure, there are kids making all those happy sounds and lots of pups that distract me but the fresh air has done wonders for my mood.

On the way back from the park yesterday, I stopped at the market to get a rib roast. Since my son is not coming home for Christmas, I was having trouble finding just the right size. The butcher, who resembled Pete Davidson from Saturday Night Live motioned to me to follow him behind the counter. It all felt very secretive but he produced for me the most beautiful standing rib roast, cut just perfectly for three people. It was a Christmas miracle! Haha. Nice guy. Told him so. You know you are old when you get excited about a rib roast.

For the meal, since people like to meal plan, we will be having a standing rib roast with rosemary, garlic, peppercorn crust, brown sugared carrots, cream of spinach, garlic mashed potatoes and rolls. I am going to make a pie for dessert. We still don’t know when we will eat this meal. Either Christmas Eve or Christmas. Depends on whether we try to see my son on Christmas day or not.

My house is feeling a little cluttered lately so I may throw a movie on and just sift through junk drawers and organize a bit. There is nothing more relaxing to me than organizing things and we can’t really do much else with the COVID numbers as high as they are so might as well tidy up a bit.

Are you doing okay? I know some of you are already seeing snow but please go outside to get some fresh air. I know many who are struggling with being cooped up inside. It’s so important for your mental health to get fresh air and sunlight (if possible).

In case we do not connect again this week, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and all that. Take care of yourselves!!

 

 

Whatnot – Week 3

Chloe in her Christmas sweater.
The Otter Pup stole that wrap from Rudolph in case you recognize it.

Look who’s here to bring you a little Christmas cheer! The Otter Pup!! Many of you know we call her that because when she was rescued as a puppy, she spent so much time on her back begging for belly rubs that she resembled an otter. Her formal name is Chloe. You can find her on Instagram!

Chloe isn’t too happy with me at the moment because she had to get her shots yesterday. She is a little sore and I think she thought she was going to the park when I took her which she quickly realized was not the case. Dogs are so smart. We tried a new vet because her old vet suddenly wants to charge for an exam when one is not needed. We walked into a place and got her shots done in five minutes but even though the place is new she STILL knew it was a doctor’s office.

It’s midweek and I finally feel like the stress and anxiety I’ve been carrying around is beginning to wane. I find that I do not tolerate minor irritants all that well now. My threshold was much higher before but now one or two things go south and I am ready to stick my head in a hole like an ostrich. Anyone else feel like that?

We watched A Charlie Brown Christmas the other night and I guess I never paid attention to the details before but what Charlie Brown says about Christmas really hits home this year. Applies to 2020 perfectly!

I have a work Zoom party tonight, a Zoom Happy Hour for book club on Thursday, dental appointments and then I hope we can visit a new park this weekend. My city has a plethora of parks and we decided a couple of weeks ago that we’d pile the pup into the car and visit each one. Some have been really quite nice with walking trails and the like.  I wasn’t much of an outdoorsy person before COVID but I am now. I have to be outside each day. The pup does not complain!

Well, I’ve gone on too much. I hope you are finding some happiness in the little things because it’s too easy these days to slip down into depression. Plus, it’s getting colder now. Just be good to yourself and give yourself permission to do things differently this year. I am using 2020 as a free pass to get out of a lot of things that I am just not up to doing and that’s okay.

Keep reading. Light a nice fire or a favorite candle and stay cozy.