The Years To Remember

I seem to spend quite a few hours on this highway. Sometimes it's quite pretty. I'm back from having spent five days with my mom and visiting with my siblings. There are many transitional stages going on with family, some positive, some hard, but everyone seems to be moving forward with the changes life brings. I enjoyed seeing my sister and brother in laws' new  home renovations moving along. They haven't moved in yet, but are getting closer each week. It's a mid century modern ranch and they are keeping the renovations and furnishings in line with that theme. While it's not to my taste, it's really coming together beautifully. My fitness took an absolute nose dive this week and I'm just disgusted with myself. I'm setting myself up for February to be transformational in all my habits, starting now. I have a few cross country ski plans and I hope to ride my bike today to meet my challenge for January. The temperature should reach 43 and that is about...

Not a good travel day, but hot chocolate for sure!  Rather than wait for my preferred tire store to open on Monday, I went to a chain store (Mavis) Sunday to plug the hole and slow leak caused by the screw. I was there at 9 when they opened but had to wait until 11:20 to get it fixed. Rather than head to Corning with a freezing rain and snow in the forecast, I went shopping at Target and put off the trip until the Monday. When I was almost home, the tire pressure warning light went on again! I drove right back to Mavis where they added air, and told me my tires were old and needed replacing. Of course they did. 😏 I decided to visit my trusted tire store in the morning to get their opinion.  Well, Monday morning I awoke to 6+ inches of snow (still falling) and 3-5 inches more expected throughout the day. After shoveling all morning, it was clear I wouldn't be getting to the tire store, much less traveling to Corning. At least my  upper body weight work is done for the day...

 Late on Friday I got an email from the Pine Ridge Cross Country Ski Lodge that they were finally ready to open with 5" of new snow. I texted a few friends and only one had no plans for the next day. Saturday morning Ann Marie and I headed up the plateau, but my tire pressure warning light went on. Damn! I drove to Stewarts and filled up the tire and off we headed back up the plateau. We were both doubtful that 5" of snow would be enough to ski on, but it turns out it was plenty. All of these little trees are a part of a forest preservation project. Lack of ice in the streams indicated how relatively warm the weather has been. Ann Marie hates having her picture taken, and I respect that. But I would have taken one of her in front of this stream. I am not so camera shy. I only fell once going fast on a downhill when some leaves/roots tripped up one ski. I will feel the pain tomorrow. At the end of the afternoon we covered 3.7 miles in two and a half hours of constant motion. N...

At the outlet of the lake.  All the walking and yoga I'm doing won't counteract all the food I'm eating in these cold, wet, snowy, and bleak days of winter. I'll have to do something about that... I think I've found my next big house project though. In anticipation of the bathroom/bedroom remodel, I've decided to remove the builders grade wire shelving in my walk in closet and install a proper shelving system. I've seen nice ones at Lowe's and the Depot, and looked at the installation videos. I'm pretty sure I can handle it. Since the remodel has been pushed off to February, I decided to empty my closet, which led to emptying other closets, which led to purging. As soon as I start to organize, I'm able to stop and realize I just have too much stuff that I do not need or use. My house is not a storage facility! I'm starting with linens to make room in the linen closet. There are 3 beds in this house and I have 8 sheet sets and several comforte...

The dreaded doldrums of January have arrived and I spend too much time ruminating that I need to be productive, or moving and enjoying the outdoors, or helping my mom. I have taken a couple of days this past week to do nothing but read a good book with tea or wine for company. It's odd that I find it difficult to do that. I keep hearing my daughter's wise words "You don't need to be productive every day, Mom." I've definitely taken that to heart this week.  One thing I have done, is attend the Van Gogh Immersive Experience in Schenectady, with my friend Susan. It was quite nice, and definitely enhanced by the Sunflower cocktail that I was encouraged to bring into the exhibit.  It was a lovely way to spend an hour with a friend. I'm glad I went, but the experience didn't floor me or live up to the hype that has accompanied it.   This picture has spurred me to get my bangs back. I'm tired of my large forehead! I'm not loving the grey hair either....

 Monday 1/9/23 Today started out a bit low and aimless; I had no plans, the freezing weather didn't help, and a low mood was setting in. So I decided to sit down and figure out my tax withholding for 2023, which meant starting my taxes for 2022. I spent from 9 am to noon on the puzzle of Roth conversions and Income Limitations and finally was able to update my pension tax withholding to the correct amount for the coming year. I'll have to wait until the end of the month to see if it went through. In the meantime, my taxes are all but finished for 2022, with a small refund for me as well -yay!! Just to get out of the house I took a bag of clothes to donate at the Doors Of Hope thrift shop and couldn't believe my eyes. A Kitchen-Aid stand mixer was sitting there just waiting for me. My sister has been encouraging me to get one for ages but I don't bake enough to justify the $400 expense. I grabbed this one for $50, washed it and it's a beauty!  I also filled out an ap...

Friday I spent most of the day doing laundry and getting my house back in some semblance of order. Then it was out to dinner with my teaching friends and their spouses. I had a squash and burrata pizza with a cranberry ginger margarita. I stopped at Target on my way home to buy some Alaska Knits cuddly socks because I simply love them. Today was more house organizing, laundry,  and I took down the outdoor Christmas lights. While I was out there I noticed the temperature wasn't too bad, so before I had a chance to think too much I put the bike on the car and headed to a bike trail. I did the northern section of the Albany Hudson Electric trail since that is the only section I haven't ridden. It is not that scenic and quite hilly, so I got a good workout. During last winters challenge I determined that 50 degrees was my acceptable limit for biking, but I lowered it to 46 so I could get all my rides in. Today it was just barely 40 degrees and I really bundled up. It was actually f...