We got home yesterday after spending over a month at our beach house.
So, I spent today recovering from the 900 mile drive, sulking, unpacking, and grocery shopping…. (Which was extra fun since we’re getting over a foot of snow this weekend. I wanted to wear a sign “no, I swear, I really need groceries!”)
Can you tell I’m a little cranky?
I worked out, cooked veggies for lunch and went out to dinner with dh. We went to a place we normally go for breakfast, and we both loved what we had off the dinner menu. Then we came home and finished the first season of Shrinking. This is our kind of show.
That will be me tomorrow. Mounds of laundry to do and have truly no food in the house , except the Tim tam cookies we brought back from Australia.
Oh, I LOVED Shrinking! Maybe I’ll watch the next season during the snowstorm.
Just took my dog for a walk. I also just ordered some shelves for our hall bathroom - delivery tomorrow so dh has a project to work on when we are snowed/iced in on Sunday.
I’m working today and expect to be super busy due to the impending storm.
Yesterday someone told me they got to Trader Joes not long after they opened and had to wait in line for an hour to get inside!! Reminds me of the pandemic when we had to wait outside to get in but the line actually moved quickly then! I’m glad we don’t need anything!
Starting on my laundry tonight so everything is done by tomorrow night in case our power goes out on Sunday. I don’t have much but have several delicates I need to run separately.
Oh that just reminded me to download a couple of books on my Kindle so I have options!
After driving out to help my still ailing mom yesterday, I am having friends over today for lunch and bridge.
Expecting snow on Sunday. We are good for food and more ice melt ordered from Amazon (local stores sold out) will hopefully arrive today. Thanks for the idea to download an extra book on my Kindle – I will do that as well.
Going to the International Gem and Jewelry Show in Phoenix with DH today. Merry Christmas to me! 
Some people also recommend running your dishwasher before a potential power outage so you don’t have stinky dishes sitting in it for an extended period of time.
I’m not working today. Exercised, very short pup walk (below zero windchill so it was a “strictly business” walk. Made some breakfast and headed out for some errands - I’m making myself get outside today and tomorrow before the snow starts so I don’t feel so stuck on Sunday and likely Monday!
I’m spending way too much time on genealogy, but I can’t help myself. I just got accepted into the Daughters of the Republic of Texas as a descendant of Alexander Thomson, Jr. - the Registrar told me she’s worked on 90 applications, and this was one of the most interesting she’s researched.
In this process, I found a letter written by my 23-year-old great-great-great uncle in 1843, from Mexico. He’d been captured with about 170 other Texans who were on a raiding expedition and was allowed to write his brother about what had happened.
The Mexican government decided to kill 17 of the group. They brought in a big jar of beans. 17 of them were black and the rest were white. Each Texan drew a bean to determine his fate. My ancestor drew a black bean. Interestingly, another man in the group drew a white bean, but he died soon after and his widow married Alexander Thomson, Jr. a few years later!
The reason I started this whole journey is that my grandfather was named after the boy who drew the black bean. So when I googled my grandfather’s name, I discovered this story! So wild. Every Texas schoolchild learns the story, and I had no idea one of my ancestors was involved. My mother didn’t know, either.
Then I found out that Alexander Thomson, Sr. fought in the American Revolution, so I’m going to see if I can join the Daughters of the American Revolution. 
Doing laundry today so everyone has plenty of clean clothes to get through Saturday-Monday.
Weekend will be very cold with some winds, but snow amounts have been downgraded to 6 inches or less over 2 days.
Unless there is more sleet/ice than expected, I doubt we will lose power. I do predict, however, Monday will be a snow day for the kids since a 4 degree morning temperature is awfully cold for little kids waiting for the bus.
Last night we went out to dinner, split an entree and we were still stuffed! Came home and watched Law and Order, probably one of the only things we still watch religiously and on broadcast tv. Besides sports
Today it’s below zero but the sun is shinning!
Walked on the treadmill, watching the new fixer upper on HBO. Very exciting day!
Today D has PT and H has pelvic PT. After both are done, we plan to go to Hilton for drinks and dinner and to watch fireworks at Hiton in Waikiki. Happily AmEx and Hilton will be paying for most of this with free quarterly dining credit.
Today I went to a local camera store where they were having a Cash for Cameras event. Where I learned that my decades old Pentax K1000 that had been sitting in a closet for over 20 years wasn’t working properly due to age gumming it up. Similar to me. And none of the lenses were worth anything.
More stuff I can rid of so son won’t have to.
H is back from his two weeks at our second home. I slept in till way too late, drank my coffee & did my puzzles, thereby missing what I consider my window to exercise at the Y. H actually asked if he could go along on my walk, yay! So, off we go.
The kids are all coming over to celebrate #1D and SILs birthdays this evening. #2D’s BF is starting a new job on Monday, so a triple 
. BBQ and Syrah, I think, for dinner. Can’t wait to see what #2 baked for dessert.
Walgreen’s for Hibiclens for next week.
Worked out and then met a friend for lunch. I had three lunches out this week! Today was one of my dearest friends, and I learned something new about her today. And we’ve been bffs for more than 35 years! I love that.
Dh asked me to pick up some provisions before the bad weather, and I was thrilled to get everything I wanted. Came home and took care of some business and am about to start season 2 of Shrinking with dh, I think.
Had a lovely chat with D2. She finally got around to opening a 529 account for grandchild#4 (her first/my fourth) so I made a generous contribution to GD’s account to help kick it off right.
Watched the new episode of The Pitt. Also a couple of episodes of Lucy Worsley Investigates. Discussed test results on one of my 18+ year old kitties with the vet. Kitty likely has feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and also possibly diabetes. The latter can be treated; the former cannot. Awaiting additional test results.
Cut and installed a sheet of insulation board to block off the drafty fireplace in my living room area ahead of the upcoming winter storm (it made an immediate improvement in the room’s temperature and comfort) and now I am thinking maybe I want to install a gas fireplace insert into the not-really-functional wood burning fireplace. Something to research once the weather improves.
Worked. Fed the cats and Mr. B. Now enjoying the replays of the Four Continents figure skating championships on Peacock. Surprisingly, Mr. B is not complaining as to why we are watching that. 
I trained him to eat meatless meals early in our marriage, and it appears that he is still trainable!
The International Gem and Jewelry show was a bust. I brought my naked ring finger with me but left unadorned as I didn’t see anything I really wanted. I don’t think DH was too disappointed, but I hope to make up for that at the (much bigger) Tucson Gem and Mineral show next week.
I’m going to the Simon and Garfunkle ‘concert’ at the theater. As I understand it, there is a live band on the stage and cover performers, but also a lot of clips from concerts and interviews.
Got the overseas Valentines to the Post Office.
Starting my hunkering down activities: pulled the balcony cushions in, will update my password and address files, create a tax folder for the accountant, switch to monthly donation format for my regulars so I won’t scramble to donate next December, download some Kindle books, replace the missing little stoppers on my kitchen cabinets, replace the battery in my car fob, start a packing list for the upcoming CA, exercise!
