Hookin' Away My Saturday

As soon as I woke up and was about to get up, hubby says, "You might as well stay in bed. We're at war." Say what?!

My first thought was "What did he do know?" and my second thought, as someone who avoids all news as much as possible, was "Did we know this was coming?"

No matter the answer to either, I knew I needed a day of distractions. I did watch a little news but then headed into town to Lighthouse to get a few papers for upcoming Camp Crop-a-Lot in 7 weeks since I picked up more photos yesterday and am jumpin' to go!

Then I cleaned my office "aka Oh My God Room" a bit before I earned my chance to relax.

Can't do too much cleaning on a weekend when there are projects waiting in the wings.

I have a wedding shower coming up in the same time frame as camp. The couple has many "sage" colored things on their list so I am making them a blanket that is mostly sage with a strip of white, then multi color for a wide strip, then white again close to the top – and the rest sage. 

I'm liking it. And today I realized I could close my eyes and do a whole row without looking, just feeling. I am a Jedi Crochet Master, I guess! That also means I can head back to the livingroom now and watch a Hallmark movie AND multi-task without even blinking.

Well, I better pay a little attention. This is a gift after all!

And oh yeah, it snowed again today. Stay warm and safe, everyone!

Back in the Game – Sort Of

 

It was a tough re-entry into the workforce today after a week away from my desk. Mainly because I'm still feeling a bit under the weather with no energy but also because we had to learn a lot of new things before break and I don't know if I remember them all!

Then, with false confidence after work, I thought I could tackle a drive to Stevens Point to take pictures of the Pacelli Co-op Hockey game which includes some Assumption kids. 

Excited to be back with my friend Mr. Zamboni but... I barely lasted through the first period. Just was too weak from this fun ick-ness this week. Felt too hot in a cold hockey rink so that tells you something. Still, I got pictures of 17 minutes of play and will have to make it back.

On the plus side, hubby and I are sneezing / coughing / blowing our noses less. Just need a little more time to shove this gift of "cold" away and embrace the new year. I know several loved ones struggling with similar health issues right now. Maybe the rest of the year is all upward and onward from here!

We can hope!

A Fresh Start

Happy New Year! As it happens, I had the privilege of providing the column for my church's January newsletter. So I get to start off the year in a lazy mode and just share what I've already written!

A Fresh Start

Happy New Year! And happy new YOU – if that is your desire.

January often arrives quietly, especially when it brings new snow. Overnight, the world can be transformed—yesterday’s footprints softened, tire tracks smoothed away, familiar paths made new again. A clean slate stretches before us, inviting us to begin again.

We talk a lot about “fresh starts” at the beginning of a new year. Resolutions are made, calendars are empty, and hope feels a little closer to the surface. Yet as Christians, we should know that God’s gift of new beginnings is not limited to January 1. God is in the business of renewal every single day.

Martin Luther reminded the church that baptism is not a one-time event locked in the past, but a daily reality. Each day, we die to sin and rise to new life. Each night, we come before God honestly, carrying the marks of the day—our worries, our regrets, our sharp words, and missed chances. 

And each night, Jesus meets us not with condemnation, but with grace. Forgiveness falls gently, like fresh snow, covering what was and preparing the ground for what can be.

This is good news for those of us who didn’t end last year the way we hoped. It’s good news for anyone who already feels behind on resolutions or burdened by habits that won’t disappear overnight. God’s mercy does not depend on our willpower or our ability to “do better this time.” It depends on Christ alone.

As we step into this new year, may we notice the small signs of grace around us: a quiet snowfall, a kind word, a moment of peace at the end of a long day. May we trust that God is always offering us a clean slate—not just once a year, but again and again.

Whatever tracks you carry into this January, know this: God’s grace is deeper, wider, and more enduring. In Christ, every day begins with mercy, and every morning invites us to start anew.

Amen.

Goodbye 2025 – No Hard Feelings

The only festive things about this New Year's Eve is this graphic. Yesterday and today were just two old people hanging close to home – sneezing, coughing, and blowing our noses. And blowing snow. Must it snow every day?

As I mentioned, I'm a few days' behind hubby on this "fun" so he's finally improving and I am hoping to turn the corner tomorrow. Before returning to work Friday. Ugh.

I want to give some inspiring reflection on the past year (Can it end already? No hard feelings!), but I'm not feeling it. Especially after such a work-related stressful December and now feeling the crud. But my former boss (I miss her) shared this with me this morning and I think it could hit home for a lot of us who expect too much of this old year-new year transition business.

This Morning Matters More Than the Countdown
(A New Year’s Eve Morning Reflection by Levend Montgomery)

This morning is different. Not because everything has changed, but because you are standing at the edge of something finishing.

New Year’s Eve is often treated like a night to escape into noise, but it begins as a morning to stand in clarity.

Before the countdowns.
Before the reflections rush past.
Before the pressure to summarize an entire year into a sentence.

You woke up here on purpose.

You didn’t arrive at this morning untouched.

You carry a year’s worth of moments in your body.
Some strengthened you.
Some stripped things away.
Some required courage you didn’t know you possessed.

There were prayers whispered and prayers wrestled with.
Endings you accepted.
Endings you didn’t choose.
Faith that held steady.
Faith that limped.

None of it was wasted.

God is not waiting until midnight to be present.

He has already met you here.
In the quiet before the year closes.
In the ordinary hours that don’t get celebrated.

The God who carried you through the past months is not suddenly more available when the calendar turns.

Faithfulness does not operate on a clock.
This morning is not asking you to evaluate the year.
It’s asking you to stand honestly inside it.

You don’t need a final verdict on success or failure.
You don’t need to rush into resolutions.
You don’t need to tidy up every loose end.

Some things take longer than a year to make sense of.
Some growth only becomes visible in hindsight.

There is wisdom in beginning the last day slowly.

Slow enough to acknowledge what shaped you.
Slow enough to release what no longer needs to be carried.
Slow enough to thank God for the strength you borrowed when yours ran out.

This day is not a finish line.
It’s a handoff.

Walk through this morning grounded, not nostalgic.

Carry gratitude without romanticizing pain.
Carry hope without demanding certainty.
Carry trust without needing a full map of what comes next.

You are not closing a chapter alone.
And you are not stepping into the next one unaccompanied.

Goodbye, 2025! Whether you're ringing in the New Year with a midnight toast or a Nyquil-induced 9 p.m. bedtime, be joyous, grateful – and safe!! 

I Don't Care How Pretty You Are

I know the days are starting to get longer now, but today felt like 3 days' long! And that was without leaving the house!

We woke to about 5 inches of snow and below-zero feels. My hubby the winter hero spent the morning nose-blowing and snowblowing here and at his dad's. And I am about a day and half behind him on the winter cold/cough train. So I had absolutely no energy!

What I did accomplish was starting a trifle cookbook (well not really, but I do have 6 recipes done anyway for friends who got trifle bowls for Christmas). 

Then I switched to scrapbooking mode. It took all afternoon but I found and uploaded all my 2018 photos I want to use at Camp Crop-A-Lot in February – but since there are 392 of them they won't all fit anyway. But.... drum roll please... I ordered the prints!! What? I know. Crazy. Still have lots of prep and organizing to do once I get the photos, but this is a great start.

And for my final accomplishment of the day, I wrote a poem.

Thoughts on Winter

Dear, winter:

I don't care how pretty you are.

I still hate you.

The end.

Be careful out there, my friends!

Post-Holiday Celebration

After our Friday Christmas celebration with all the Austins, our holiday celebration continued on Saturday morning with the three boys and their special ladies.

I'm not ashamed to brag but I made a very tasty egg and spicy sausage egg bake.

And grandpup Rey was the most well-behaved and well-loved girl in the house! Love days like that.

After the house was empty, I did some yarn shopping in Point for a special project. And today was church in the morning and a different kind of celebration this afternoon.

Hubby has developed quite the cough so I went by myself to give our friend (and 20 years' former newspaper coworker) condolences since she just lost her husband to cancer. Naturally, I arrive crying and saying I totally meant to be strong for HER! Ooof. I did see a few other newspaper coworkers so that was nice to catch up, too.

Wasn't long after that our predicted snow storm made it self known. We'll see what it dumps on us tonight. Since I'm on vacation and neither one of us has any place to go on Monday, I think we'll be just fine.

If you're traveling, though, be safe out there!

A Visit From the Wisemen... and Ladies

Just a quick note to say how blessed we're feeling after spending our family Christmas this afternoon/evening. All three wise guys were home at the same time! Hallelujah! 

We also had dad-in-law here along with Jim's sister and her family. Fully house with lots of great company and some good food if I do say so myself. After how many years, I finally got Jim's mom's dressing recipe right!! Now I just have to remember everything I did for the next time! (With perfect timing, Colin and Amy got us a dish towel with that recipe on it in Donna Mae's handwriting. Very touching!)

Had to be sure to get a cousins picture with all the C's: Clay, Casey, Carter, and Colin!

Opened presents later. The must have been very good for Santa to bring cans of PBR Beer Cheese Soup in their stockings!

Finally got to give the newest Mrs. Austin the sweatshirt I had a friend pick up for me in Austin, Texas. I have a matching one that I've been waiting to wear! What are Austin "vibes"? It's an Austin thing – you'd have to be one to understand.

And I'm so grateful I am.

We had a good amount of laughs reminiscing about a lot of childhood thing to make both Emily and Mamie feel even more connected to the family. It's what Christmas is all about. 

Let the merriment continue. Well at least through breakfast on Saturday. 😁💗