I’m ready for warm.
Trying to keep myself heated on top of all the other things, is just too much.

When last we chatted, I had started adhd meds.
They did not change my life.
I’ve tried two different kinds: one was a hard pass due to its crack-cocaine effects. And, the jury is still out on the second. I need focus (ironically) to observe what is a side-effect, and what is something else – the half a bag of Cadbury mini eggs I ate, for example.
I haven’t been taking them with any sort of consistency, which is why I haven’t written them off completely. My body is sensitive, and I’m hyper aware of everything that goes on in it (yes, it’s exhausting). It’s possible it all leads back to my dumpster fire of a nervous system, paired with not moving my body enough in a purposeful way. Those two are my focus at the moment, medicated or not.

My thanksgiving cactus (that my friend started from seed – that I’ve had for 4 years) bloomed for the very first time the other day. Two weeks after I bought another thanksgiving cactus the exact same color. The universe felt I needed symmetry. I was sure it was going to be the bright fuchsia color. It is not.

At least we are not at this point in winter anymore…
F that.
I really, really do not want to go through winter anymore. I want to leave after my birthday, and come back when I need to start seeds for the season – around this time – mmm, later March.

We clean up nicely.
J’s other Holiday party.

Oh! We looked at a house.

If I had some funds to burn on a complete renovation, this would have been a fun one.
I see a completely overwhelming, body depleting, project and I want to grab it tight and run into the sunset.

We do not have those funds.

I do not hate wallpaper as much as the next human.
It can be tastefully done.
This was not it, however.

This was hanging in the murder attic.

I turned 48.

It was a dark and cloudy day, mentally, and outside.

I did get my hair done, and Elisabeth made me a cherry chip cake from scratch.

I want warm on my next birthday.

I honestly didn’t know cherry chip from a box had a fancy home-made origin story.
But, here you have it.
I like having a friend whose love language is baking.

Cucumber sandwiches are not just for camping, they are also for Saturdays.

We have completed two more puzzles, but this one was the only one that got a picture…

MERICA!

Chai, and cards, and stir-craziness…

We have a great coffee shop that stays open until 8-ish. Perfect for afternoon tea.

Their chai is my second favorite. Next to my own – which is actually Alanna’s recipe, another reason to love it.
You simply cannot beat “made from scratch”.

Snowy salon – frequent look for the ol’ girl this year.

Gus is so very shih tzu. He makes me miss Wynn every time I look at him.

Peter came from Africa!
So, we ate noodles and caught up on the last 8-ish years.
Too much to get into, but he’s great! – still Peter. (For y’all just tuning in, Peter married us. He is J’s friend from his BU days. He also lived in SF while we were in Berkeley, so he got to spend a lot of time with him then.)
He is just so lovely.

We went on vacation!
45 minutes south.

It was delightful, and rejuvenating.
And, we didn’t have to get on a plane.
Flying is a necessity to go to a lot of really cool places, but we both hate it.
And winter weather causes problems.

We went to Portsmouth (NH) which we have stayed previously when we lived in Boston.

This post…

We go there a lot just for the day. It’s one of our east coast favorites.

We tried out the salt caves in Exeter.
They were warm (which you know I love) and relaxing.
I was sick by the next morning, luckily not too sick to enjoy the rest of the weekend.

I waited until I got home to get really sick.

We went from this…

To this.

Winter sux.

Tripple D. Weirdly, always on when we stay in a hotel.

This made his vacation…

When your favorite oyster bar turns into a ramen bar…

Two thumbs up.

And perfect when you feel like demons are ripping apart your fluid pathways.

Winter this year is a doozy.

Ice can be pretty, when it’s not being annoying.

Jazz brunch.

Brunch while listening to jazz.

A perfect send-off.

It’s national “Walk to Work Day”. If you are so lucky.
I get to walk to work every day.
Although is raining and cold, so my walk today will be very “Maine in Spring”.

It’s also “World Party Day” so we have that to look forward to.