Here it is January 4, 2018 and I have gotten off to a slow start. The decorations are still up because we had this gigantic cold front blow through and then stay. It’s the one that has buried folks in the northern and northeastern states in many feet of snow. It was just too cold to be running back and forth to the garage with boxes. And way too cold to take down the lights. Even Charley’s walks have been shortened. Most days I’ve worn long-johns when we walk. Charley has had to wear a sweater in the house!
The New Year’s Eve morning walk was one trip through the back yard. That was it. We had ice and unless it’s an emergency, I don’t get out in the ice. It wasn’t as bad as some ice storms, but our lakeside windows were frozen over, and we couldn’t see out. Very strange situation. I think that contributed to us sitting around and reading all New Year’s Eve Day–very surreal. 
New Year’s Day the ice on the window dried up. (Not melted. The humidity dropped, and the ice just went away.) We still have some around the lake.
Most of the week, we’ve had our youngest granddaughter with us (me) at the lake. That means, “Let the games begin!” She’s a major game-player, which works out fine for me, because I love to play games.
When was the last time you played Life, Checkers, Chinese Checkers, or Pic-Up Sticks? Connect Four & UNO are mainstays with Sarah, but now we’ve added these others. So fun getting to teach her how to use the black stick to flip a stick without moving the other sticks. She’s a fast learner. I hate to admit, I have trouble beating her at Connect Four. LOL 
The other thing I got off to a slow start on was the Whole 30, which I planned to begin on January 1. Didn’t even make my regular queso for the football bowl games, just bought a small jar of Doritos queso. I was ready to go with pork steaks, mustard greens, and black-eyed peas when my daughter, who got me, into this thing reminded me that black-eyed peas are legumes, and I can’t eat those on the Whole Thirty. She hadn’t planned to start until Jan. 2 because of them. She told me to enjoy the queso and start fresh on Tuesday. So that’s what I did. Enjoyed my wine for another day, too. LOL
Left overs from New Year’s Eve. Small plate. 🙂
So Tuesday was the first day, and I don’t feel I have much to share at this point. By next Thursday, I’ll have a better handle on how this will work. I have already figured I’ve got a lot of dirty dishes & pots in my future.
It was fun getting New Year’s greetings from so many of you on FB. I love beginnings and write about them often. It’s the second chances thing—or the umpteenth chance to do better, improve, make a difference. I hope you will find everything you need to be healthy, wealthy, and wise in 2018.
We stayed in New Year’s Eve with our youngest granddaughter and began this marathon night of game playing. How did you spend the evening? Love to hear from you.
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We keep our decorations up a lot longer than you. Bill and I have a disagreement about how long to keep the Christmas lights on outside. I’d keep them on all year. We are having company next week for several days. They’ll see our Christmas tree.
I haven’t played the games you mentioned, but over Christmas I played Settlers of Catan three times and lost twice. One son said we are no challenge.
On New Year’s Eve we made a nice meal, enjoyed a bottle of sparkling wine, watched movies and the Bee Gees special. I hadn’t thought about the Bee Gees for years. Every song they sang, I thought was great.
It’s -10 degrees at 9 a.m. today. How is your diet going? I’ve lost two pounds so far. I haven’t had a piece of Bill’s bread or baked goods yet. 🙂
Happy New Year, Marsha!
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Hey, Susan. Wow! YOu do leave the lights up a long time. I have lights on the lakeside up all year, but they’re white. You’ve never played pick-up sticks? Interesting. Must be the age difference. I’ve never heard of the game you mentioned. This morning after Sarah beat me 4 games in a row of Connect 4, she suggested we play something else. Apparently, I wasn’t a big enough challenge. I’ll right more about the Whole 30 next week after I’ve done it for more than a week. Good for you for resisting Bill’s bread and baked goods. That has to be really difficult. Not sure I could resist fresh home-made bread. Gosh my mouth is watering. LOL Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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Marsha, when I was a kid I played pick-up-sticks.I don’t think we are too far apart in age. I finished my day of writing…Chapter 3 of my first draft. It was incredibly fun…the things I wrote while laughing. Makes it worthwhile, even just the enjoyment for myself.
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Iced over windows would make me a bit crazy! LOL although the couple of days of fog we’ve just had makes for zero visibility outside the windows, so really not much different. Good Luck with your lifestyle/diet challenge!
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Hey., Kathryn. It was really odd. One of the things we like most about our lake cottage is all the windows and the view. Very similar to fog. We see it roll in from across the lake–just an eerie feeling. I’m excited by this new food challenge. It helps I’m doing it with one of my daughters. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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Wow, that does look really cold, Marsha. I didn’t know your temperatures could drop like that. I thought Texas would be mild in winter. We had a similar cold snap here before Christmas. My husband leaves early to get the train to work. He texted me to tell me to be careful of black ice. I stepped out of our back gate – and yep, proceeded to fall flat on my back! The ice was thick and clear, and treacherous.
Our Christmas decorations are coming down this weekend 😦
Hope the weather warms up soon for you. Roll on spring!
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Hey, Helena. Oh, yes. we do get this kind of cold, and it’s usually January and February. We escaped a major ice storm because the moisture just went away. But two days inside being safe and warm. I feel sorry for those who have to get out in this kind of rough weather. So sorry you fell, Helena. I hope you didn’t have serious damage. Several years ago, I fell in snow going down a hill and had a bruised thigh for a year! Be safe. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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