It’s officially Christmas!

So, I heard that song last night. If I’m completely honest, it’s not my favorite. However, the statement? Yep, one of my favorites. It is – officially – Christmas for me. I’ve now got 24 days to celebrate the holidays with no work obligations – that’s double the 12 Days of Christmas. Whoo-hoo! In trueContinue reading “It’s officially Christmas!”

Settle down!

Goodness, life spiraled out of control. As we drove through a Lake Effect snowstorm to get home from the airport the Saturday after Thanksgiving, it would become a harbinger of things to come. It ended up snowing for five of the next six days. The stress of the drive and then the physical demands ofContinue reading “Settle down!”

By the light of my desk lamp…

I didn’t exactly work late tonight – my call ended at exactly 4:03 p.m. But what happened next, made it feel later than it was. It was pitch dark by 5:24 p.m. In June, it doesn’t get dark until almost 10 p.m. But by the end of November, it gets pretty dark pretty early aroundContinue reading “By the light of my desk lamp…”

Slow roasted

So, I have one secret when it comes to cooking a beef roast, whole chicken or turkey: slow roasting. Going “low and slow” as my Mom used to say does some magical things. Typically, the chicken will debone itself as I attempt to pull it out of the pot. The flavors of homegrown garlic, onion,Continue reading “Slow roasted”

Lists and lights…

I live my life by a “to-do” list. Sometimes, my to-do lists are actually excel files with multiple sheets. Okay, let’s stop lying here: almost always my to-do lists are excel files with multiple sheets. I like my lists. They make me feel organized and in control. As I’ve been on sabbatical, my to-do listsContinue reading “Lists and lights…”

Race weekend!

I’m headed out to DC this weekend for the Marine Corps Marathon and 10K. Spoiler alert: I’m in the 10K. Years ago – 2011, to be exact – I ran the Marine Corps Marathon. These days? I haven’t really even trained for the 10K but I can run at least four miles still. I shouldContinue reading “Race weekend!”

Lost and found.

I lost my way today. I woke up after a horrible night’s sleep and all of the demons I’ve worked so hard to banish came crawling back. The feelings of being overwhelmed, too busy to be this unmotivated and desperately needing a break came crashing over me. I spent the morning reluctantly working right upContinue reading “Lost and found.”

The day I re-evaluated.

It has been a fabulous four-day weekend for me. The weather until today has been absolutely fabulous for a solid week. The garden is largely in – just direct seeding left – and I’ve managed to keep enough of a lid on home, garden and yard that we are going into tomorrow – the firstContinue reading “The day I re-evaluated.”