Sanitize...

Okay, so I have a runny nose. I guess it could be called a "cold". I'm taking appropriate OTC meds. Eating oranges. Drinking chicken soup. Consuming Vitamin C drops.
So, how do I prevent my significant other from sharing in this irritation?
I'm trying to wipe off my fingerprints from commonly-used areas, like water faucets and light switches. I have antiseptic soap, wipes, spray. But how do I, the food-preparer, not share my germs? I don't have any plastic gloves.
Guess I just have to "prepare" boxed meals and use potholders.
Sounds like a plan to me!

The Day After

How inglorious! Simply "the day after". No personality more than that. Even though it's a Saturday, it is "the day after". People clog the arteries of the malls and cities and check-out lines, only to "return", "replace", or "remove". Of course, the first-time purchases are also rife, fueled by "50% off" signs. Now you can get the Chia Christmas tree you coveted before the 25th. It's, like, 60% off. Any money left in your wallet beats a hasty retreat at the thought of your very own Chia tree. Go, Consumer, Go!!

Comfortable

The "good feelings" of Christmas are, for me, "comfortable". No trying to impress anyone. Just being together with family, eating, opening gifts, playing games, enjoying each other.
That being said, we have had our official "Christmas". Daughter and son-in-law and two grand-dogs came over the weekend. We did all of the above activities, as well as attending the church cantata and tapering off by consuming Jreck subs. Husband and sil also got to shoot some guns, while daughter and I discussed my mom's wedding rings and what I might like to do with them.
On the 25th, we will host a Christmas dinner for some "not relatives" folks from church and the community. I'm hoping it will be almost as fun, just different.
To all you readers (and there are thousands, I'm sure), Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Old Barn

Our old barn is getting some new doors. I know, you're not supposed to put new cloth on an old garment, or new wine in old bottles. Let's hope this additition doesn't have the same effect. It was decided by the gentleman farmer that the sliding doors were too far gone to be repaired, so we will be getting an overhead door to replace them. However, when the overhead door guys came, it was found that the underpinnings are rotted, so now the project involves building (laminating) some new beams to support the barn and the door. It is mid-December in Northern New York, so of course weather needs to be figured into the mix. Some of the "charm" may be lacking, but hopefully before the end of the month we'll have a new entrance that will function for many decades into the future.

...click...

Nothing personal here, but if you dial/punch my phone number and it rings and I answer it on the second or third ring, would you please have the courtesy to at least speak to me? Several times this week we've had people hang up on us. And, no, it's not just "if a female answers, hang up", because my husband has been rejected, too.
We have several theories about this. It could be someone trying to see if we're home so they can come and burglarize the place. Well, duh...we're hoooome!
Or, it could be people selling stuff over the phone and they're just checking to see if this is a viable line. We DID just get a call from some charity or other.
IF it's someone who has the wrong number....guess what. If you keep dialing the same (wrong) number, you'll keep getting the same (wrong) number. So chill!

"For the Love of....

How would you finish the phrase above? Pete? Mike? Rudolph? Miranda? The question was inspired by a friend's blog about "The Roots of Money". So, I guess I would finish the above by "..money is the root of all evil." You'll noice it's not the money, just the love of it. Too many people give too much power to mere, physical lucre. It wouldn't have all that influence in our lives if we'd just get our priorities in order. "Set your affections on things in heaven, not on things on the earth."

24 Days....

And counting!
I went shopping with my daughter on "Black Friday", so she's well-gifted. I have been collecting stuff all year for others on my list. Of course, my husband will get nothing since he asks for nothing. Well, I'll frantically run out at the eleventh hour and buy him ANOTHER shirt. He hates "soft" presents. But, what's a helpmeet to do? He DOES need them periodically...and they're practical.
As long as we remember the Greatest Gift that was given to mankind, we'll be good to go. I will begin putting up my decorations that point to the CHRIST of the CHRISTmas season. All the rest is playing with the human desire to have a "holiday".