Reader

Up past my bedtime...the past six months I seem to not be able to get myself to sleep by my "bedtime"...but I digress.

Up past midnight, finally going to bed...I hear the russle... and find the girl quickly trying to put the big book away before I catch her.

It's the weekend, although she does have piano lesson in the morning...how can I deny my youthful doppelganger one last chapter.

So I leave her, reminding her to finish and go to bed soon!  As I am reminded of those man nights of my youth spent in similar respite.


*her poison, Stephen King's "It".

2019 review....

Well, 2019 had its ups and downs.  rough patches and more rough patches.  The good and the bad:

• Chewy got an emergency appendectomy to start the year!  (and I owe him a sailors jig, as I thought that happened in February last year, but no, that was in January last year)
• We had a pretty good Total Con, although Michael had Uber driver mishap and was dropped off at wrong location
• Chewy started the months long battle with his foot/toe.  He ended up having to be off it/in a boot for 4 months or so
• Michael got his driver's license!  He spent a lot of time chauffeuring dad around and now takes the car out every so often.  Still needs more confidence with highway driving.
• Willow started Middle School...she had a very shaky start and we are still working through some issues, but she is doing better.
• Teen Years Willow can be very trying
• Teen Years Willow can also be very considerate, kind and thoughtful
• Michael goes back and forth from being a jerk and being quietly respectful and kind
• My job is going well personally, however there is more drama at the place than I would prefer
• We enjoyed Cape Cod despite adversity
• We had several different appliances fail us and set us back some cash
• the car.  the car.
• Health issues/scares, but still able to get through it to the end of the year
• Because of various limitations, we did not get to do some of the things we love to do every year, but we still generally had a good time.

Here's hoping for a more successful, healthy year!

Pictures from throughout 2019 of the kids:

2020!

As I open my eyes and try to struggle out of my nice warm snuggly bed on this day off in the middle of a work week.  I realize I have a headache.  It's not because I over indulged last night...although I did a bit.  It's more because...well...I am old.   :)

50 years old to be exact!  

So...I open my eyes, take the breathe strip off my nose, put my glasses on...put colorful slipper socks on (Michael doesn't like bare feet, so this has become an essential in the house)...and what comes to my mind...a Simpsons episode where Atomic man keeps saying his catch phrase in a bad Arnold Schwarzenegger accent: "up and Atom!"

Ok...trying to write more and use this space more this year...here's some pictures:

Avocado toast!