Maine is having winter… I love seasons, but in most of the places I’ve lived, winter gets old very quickly.
I started this on one snow day, and now here I am trying to finish on another snow day.

I turned 47 at the end of January. I’m still trying to get to that sweet spot where I’m happy to be alive, and also over the feeling my body is completely falling apart.
I was an epic moron in my teens and twenty’s. I drank, I smoked, I did drugs. I was all-in for whatever came my way.
My good decisions were accidents.
I oscillate between being grateful for my path, and wholly disappointed and horrified with it.
“You deserve this, you did it to yourself…”
What a shit show.
Gross… a pity post.

Enough of that!
So, I don’t feel guilty about being a big, fat wet blanket, here are 47 things I’m grateful for…
-My (semi) warm apartment with big windows where I can lay and watch the snow come down.
-My dog who adores the winter, and snow.
-I have a job I’m excited to go to, and takes me less than five minutes to get to by foot.
-My ENTIRE clientele is lovely.
-I walk everyday.
-I have lived in some very cool places and met some very cool people.
-I get to travel home every year to see my Montana family.
-Canada is less than 6 hours by car.
-My husband is still one of my best friends.
-Grocery shopping.
-Holy shit 47 is a lot.
-All the people I consider friends.
-Carbonated water.
-Christmas lights
-Friday nights with the Ducketts
-I adore my siblings.
-Paint sample cards
-Apple picking
-Carrots right out of the dirt.
-Nature
-Crafting.
-Feeling inspired, when it actually happens.
-Lemon Bars.
-I can still touch my toes.
-Homemade sourdough bread, that I am so close to perfecting.
-Key Lime Pie
-Symmetry.
-Thrift stores.
-Beautiful light.
-Overalls.
-Car rides to nowhere in particular.
-Tea.
-Knowing how to take the picture I see in my mind.
-Boundaries.
-16 years with Wynn. (Although no amount of time was ever going to be enough with her.)
-Scarves.
-The ability to change.
-Open-mindedness.
-Cheese.
-Living within minutes of the ocean.
-I possess skills that make me desirable in the apocalypse.
-I now communicate my feelings even if it makes me feel uncomfortable.
-Drag Queens.
-I still see glimmers of hope everywhere, even when I feel hopeless.
-I get to wear whatever I want to work.
-Meaningful conversations.
-Lamps.
-Having a place to share my thoughts and photographs.


A few oldies from Christmas…
For the last two years we have spent Christmas with Andee and Rudy down in Northern Mass. It’s a relatively short trip that we can schedule around traffic. We cook very good food while watching a pre-determined selection of Christmas movies.
Simple and laid back is generally all I want for Christmas.

I do love games. Visiting while having something to do with my hands…

Ramen and Christmas lights.

I’ll be back in a minute. I want to do a quick post with some summery stuff.
I need summery stuff.