First Thursday of 2024

On this fourth day of the new year: 

1. No resolutions did I make to break by today.

2. I figured out what the “auto sense” feature is all about on our new washing machine. The machine is sousing the clothes with water before filling up the basket. That is as high tech as this non-smart washer gets. Thank goodness.

3. Health Benefits, which is reported to be a fake insurance company, has been calling our landline at least once a day for the past couple of weeks or so. I can’t decide if the caller is a machine or a real person. Today I responded by saying nothing after the initial hello. When the voice asked, “Are you there?” I responded, “Are you there?”  Click went the other end. I did not hang up until I heard another click and a dial tone. Next time, I’ll ask the voice to verify herself.

4. I took my first dose of medicine this morning to deal with isolated systolic hypertension, which is when the top number is high while the bottom number is normal. Dr. B has been patient with me. If he had his druthers, I would’ve been on medication more than a year ago. 

5. Dried leaves. Layers of wet leaves. The scent of feral cats’ poop. I raked lots of leaves  in the front yard this morning.

6. The Husband mopped the upstairs bathroom, hurrah. That means I’ll be cleaning the downstairs bathroom tomorrow, otherwise I would be guilty of simply nagging him to clean up.

7. It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood—clear, clean blue skies after a couple of days  of delightful rain. 

8. I’ll be making red spaghetti sauce soon with ground beef, frozen tomatoes, celery, onions, garlic, and leftover seaweed salad.

9. After I wrote number eight, the iPad ran out of juice. The spaghetti sauce is simmering.

10. I’ve been daydreaming, and researching, about an Aurora Borealis adventure. The most interesting tour I’ve found is an ecotour outside of Fairbanks that includes lodging, meals, northern lights experts, dog sledding, an ice museum visit, and hiking with reindeers (friendly ones, the website states). The cost for the 8-day tour is about the cost of a cruise for the same number of days. Now, to win a lottery.

11. Now that Netflix no longer has the DVD mailing service, we borrow DVDs from our library. We watched all seven disks of the first season of “Rawhide.” Yi-haw! We liked it so much we treated ourselves to purchasing the DVDs for the second season of the show. They arrived this week. Will Rowdy continue to kiss a woman, or at least blush about one, in each episode? Will Pete get shot, hit, or sick? Will Gil Favor continue to be the kind of boss who knows and shows that the buck stops with him? 

12. We own a cork sharpener. We have no idea where it came from, and only discovered it among the bowl of used corks yesterday. The sharpener came in handy when we needed to plug a hole in the rain barrel.

13. The Husband and I decided to make a 2024 calendar together, alternating months. The Husband did January. That’s his artwork at the top of the post. So very cool.

Cheers, One and All, to our new adventure around El Sol! May it be full of hope, joy, wonder, love, and peace. 

P. S. I’m participating in Thursday 13. Come check out other bloggers with me.