Winter

Happy Friday!  Why are weeks that start with a Monday holiday the longest?  

Today winter is really here in Philadelphia.  Cold with serious wind chill factors.  

I know most people go through the stages above, but as you know, I am very fond of winter.  So although I spend most of it dressed like the "Acceptance" guy, I am not sad about it.  

Most people I know do not like winter at all.  They are 100% Team Summer, so they find nothing redeemable about the wintertime.  The other day I came across this blog post, and I have to say, I thought it was lovely, whether or not you are a fan of this time of year.  So I'm sharing it, hoping that especially for those of you who are miserable, you might be able to appreciate winter a bit more, even if you know you'll never love it.

Have a good weekend.  If you are somewhere cold, stay warm and cozy!  We have no specific plans for this coming weekend, so there will be lots of tea, kitty and doggie snuggling, and embracing all of the cozy.  I can't wait.

 

(Not my house. But *just* like it ... yeah, no.)

Three Happy Things

 It's been a bit since I participated in Three on Thursday, so I decided that today I would share Three Happy Things with you.

(Image source)

SNOW!  This is the first time for years that we have actually had a true snowstorm in Philadelphia.  In the city, we got 8 inches, and it was just wonderful.  Just enough to make it *real* and not so much that people couldn't shovel out and get around.  

This basket of happy, which contains my WIP Advent Throw (pattern is the Habitation Throw by Helen Stewart), and the other minis from my yarny Advent calendar that will be knit into it.  I just love seeing the happy, bright colors sitting altogether!

This ridiculously sweet face!  The Tim took this photo the other day, when he was busy doing something on the first floor, and Hamlet was keeping him company, but also getting in some rest at the same time.  Hammy is such a sweet pea, and loves nothing more than just being wherever we are, ready to cuddle at any moment.

I hope you find some happy things for your day as well.  Finding things that make you happy helps to keep so much bad stuff at bay!

Furball Friday

When it's a very cold Friday, and you are a small, one-eyed kitty, sometimes curling up for a nap is the best idea.

It also works well if you are a large, 80-pound Golden Retriever.

Here's hoping your weekend will be cozy and relaxing!

Relaxation With No Regrets

Here are some of the things I've been doing the past few days.

Starting

Finishing

Reading

Writing

Pampering

Baking

Celebrating

And then Monday morning my cold kicked in, so now I'm also

Medicating

At least I didn't have to take a sick day, even though I felt lousy.  And it just meant I had to just relax some more, and I was OK with that, you know?

Today, though - back to the real world.  But at least it's a four-day work week!  Let's hope it's a good one for all of us.  :-)

Extra Long Long Weekend

Oh the wonderfulness of being at home!  And I have been since Thursday!

I usually take Valentine's Day as a day off, if I can.  Because it's Jetsam and Pip's birthdays, and it's Valentine's Day.  Unlike most other people, I actually like Valentine's Day.  I think of it as a day when you let people know that you are thinking of them and love them, as opposed to a day only for romantic love.  Growing up, we always got a card on Valentine's Day, and usually some little gift - often candy, maybe a book, a pair of earrings, something.  And yes, I do agree that you should let people know that they are special/that you love them every day, but so what?   Should I skip my birthday because other people may have also been born that day?  (As Basil Fawlty would say, "Not bloody likely.")

So, I had planned the day off on Friday, and then it turns out that Monday is President's Day, which is a holiday where I work.  A nice four-day weekend.  Then it snowed big-time on Wednesday, so we actually had a snow day on Thursday - that hardly ever happens!  But it did mean I ended up with a five-day weekend - YAY!!

Granted, I have not felt great, as I think I am getting a cold - sore throat, congestion, aches - but the fact is that I AM NOT AT WORK.  And I'm loving every single minute.  I'm getting things done, but also enjoying lots of down time, cuddles with the kitties and Dug, and time with The Tim when he is home.  My time is my own, for real.

A lot of people might think that I should use this time to do as much as possible.  But I am trying to: a) avoid getting really sick, so taking it easy, and b) making an effort to tell myself that every waking minute does not have to be "useful" to be worthwhile.

Plus, I get to be at home!  As much as I enjoy traveling and exploring, home is truly where my heart is.  and there are two WHOLE days left!

Sometimes, life is good.  :-)

Our front gate

Another Reason Some People Think I'm Weird ...

I like wintertime.  I have always liked wintertime.  I'm not a skier, or an ice skater, nor do I participate in any winter sports.  I hate ice and ice storms, which are one aspect of the season I would never ever miss if it never happened.  I used to work with a person who said that people fell into two categories:  Palm Trees or Pine Trees.  I'm definitely a Pine Tree.

So I am more than happy to participate in Ten on Tuesday this week, where Carole has asked us to list 10 Things You Like About Winter.

1.  It's cold.  Or at least it should be cold.  I do not like hot weather, I do not like humidity.  At a certain point when it's hot, I simply cannot get cool.  But I can always find a way to warm up, even if I end up with many layers of clothing, a blanket, and a cup of tea.  Yes, it can be too cold outside, and I don't wish anyone to suffer from those conditions.  But I like cold vs. hot, as far as the weather is concerned.

2.  Snow.  The past few winters have been almost completely snow-less in this area.  I realize that some people have had snow in dangerous amounts, and I certainly don't wish that on anyone, but a reasonably snowy winter makes me happy.

3.  Coziness.  In the cold weather, there are many ways to feel cozy.  In hot weather, being cozy is the last way I want to feel.

4.  Knits.  I am a knitter.  I like it when I can wear the things I've knit, and there are not than many summer things that I knit, clothing-wise especially.

5.  Soup.  I love soup.  Except for gazpacho, I don't even want to think of soup in hot weather.  During winter, soup is the best!

6.  Snow days when work is cancelled.  Granted, where I work this is a rare occurrence.  But they are even better then, when they do happen.

7.  Christmastime.  I am sure it wouldn't feel like Christmas to me if I were in a tropical climate.  I'm sure if that is where I had grown up, it would, but Christmastime with me happens during winter.

8.  NO MOSQUITOS.  If you have  proper winter, you can go wherever you like, whenever you like, and not be eaten alive.

9.  My birthday is during the winter.  I really like my birthday!

10.  Sitting on the couch, cozy with warm clothes, a blanket, and a book, or knitting, or an old killer movie and a cup of tea.

Tuesday Tidbits

Hello there - I hope everyone had a happy Passover, Easter, or that you were able to enjoy a spring weekend recently!  We had a nice Easter, though it was very different than usual.  We headed to my niece's in Baltimore, to stay with her and her husband for the weekend.  Usually they come up here, but it was fun to see everyone there, and it had been a long time since we had headed south.

I have no particular reason for posting today, just felt like it.  So I decided to share some of my recent mind ramblings.  You may or may not find them worth reading.

Winter was stupid.  So many places got too much snow, and we barely got 1.5 inches all winter.  It was chilly a lot of the time, but mostly felt colder than it was due to the excessive amounts of rain we had instead of snow.  I was beginning to think I lived in Venice.

I really hope we have a nice, leisurely spring.  Sometimes we have what seems like two days of spring and then BAM! - summer heat.

I think having a gun is stupid.

Morally righteous and politically correct people bug me.

I have no desire to ever read any of the Twilight books, nor do I ever care to read Fifty Shades of Grey.

I'm tired of people redefining feminism to fit their needs, when they clearly have no idea what feminism is in the first place.

I'm really really really really really tired of the F word.

I'm really tired of people then using it in excess when they learn that about me. Ha ha.  Not.

I have been making a concerted effort to continue to practice my One Little Word, "kindness," since I couldn't agree with myself about a new word for this year.  However, I still need to remember to be kind a lot of the time, so though I am making progress, I still have some way to go.

I love animals.  I am suspicious of anyone who doesn't like them.  I am disgusted by people who mistreat them, and think they should receive harsher punishments than they usually do.

I have never, ever lived someplace (until I moved here) where so many vehicles regularly seem to run into houses and other buildings.

I am thrilled that baseball season has started.  I would like the Phillies and the Pirates to do well, as well as the Orioles, since my little great-nephew is a big fan.

I just got new glasses, and even though I have had trifocals forever, they are harder than usual to get used to wearing.  I am pleased with how they look, though.

I have some knitting FOs to share, as soon as I get some pictures taken - all completed in February and March!  After January was a lost cause from being sick.

"Game of Thrones" started last night, and we recorded it.  I am surprised at myself that I like it, since it is completely made up of things that usually annoy me.  Next Sunday the new season of "Mad Men" begins, and I'm looking forward to that as well.  Even though most of the characters are not that likable, I really enjoy the show.  The Tim and I have figured out that Sally Draper (my favorite character) is approximately if not exactly the age we were during the corresponding times.  Of course, neither of us had similar lives to hers, just the same events going on around us.

Having said all of that, my favorite show ever is still "Mr. Ed."  :-)

Old Photo Friday

My sisters and I at Bear Mountain, probably 1960.

(standing in the back, Mary Ellen; sitting to her left, Nancy; 

in front with the white boots, ME!)

The first place I consciously remember living is Teaneck, New Jersey.  We used to go to Bear Mountain pretty frequently, and I remember loving it, but not much else about it.  I hope to go back sometime, to see if anything at all looks even remotely familiar.  I do, however, remember the hooded jacket I'm wearing here, and there are several pictures where I'm sporting it.  As I recall, it was dark green and white, large plaid.  I was a fashion plate even then ...

Have a warm and cozy weekend!