Summary 2025

 Monday, February 3, 2025

What a year. The first half of 2024 was the second half of one of the roughest school years I've ever had. The summer was hard due to my finally being able to deal with some past emotional trauma. The new school year which started this past fall has proven so far to be one of my best ones ever. I've decicded to semi-retire and move on from being a full time classroom teacher at the end of this schoolyear. I just don't wanna run that show anymore. It'll be nice to end my full time teaching career on a positive note. The last four months have been really challenging with a hellish election season. I didn't get the end result which I wanted so it's all been pretty hard to take. I guess my goal this year will just have to be finding joy in the least likely places - even in the dead of a cold winter. 

Candlemas 2025

 Sunday, February 2, 2025

Started the day with church.

Today is Candlemas also known as the Feast of the Presentation.

Brunch after church. I decided to celebrate the end of the Christmas season with an Old Fashioned. 

I suppose I should start putting away the last remaining Christmas tchotchkes.

Christmastide:MLK Weekend Tuesday - Gingertopia

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Yep, pretty darn cold this morning. Good thing they called off school. 

Dale's workplace was closed for the money so he worked. from home. Sylvester was very active this morning and started to terrorize Dale while he was trying to work on the computer. The little guy finally settled in behind Dale's computer and calmed down. 

Dale's building opened up in the afternoon so he decided to go in and get a little more work done. I decided to have a cigar upstairs.

And a little port.  

Afterward I got some reading done. I'm now halfway through this book on Swedish American foodways and holiday foods. 

Dale stopped by the store on his way home from work. He picked up some gingery things like ginger snaps and some raspberry jam to go with them. 

They go really well together. 

Listened to some music. 

I had a gingerbread cake mix which I got ready just before dinner. 

After dinner Dale mixed up some whipped cream and we had the gingerbread cake for dessert. 

Christmastide:MLK Weekend Monday - MLK Day

Monday, January 20, 2025

MLK Day. 

Woke up this morning. Freezing outside. 

Had morning coffee with this guy on my lap. Then went to the gym with Dale. Lunch at The Howe. 

Found this out today and I'm excited. 

Set out the holiday houses. Checked my voice mail and found out school for tomorrow is cancelled due to the cold. 

Christmastide:MLK Weekend Sunday - Christmistletoe

Sunday, January 19, 2025

Meant to post this earlier but it's been a busy week. Dale announced his retirement a few days ago. I celebrated with a cigar. 

When Dale got home we went to The Lowbrow to celebrate with cocktails and dinner. 

And dessert. I find Christmastide to be a great time to celebrate new beginnings and anticipate good things to come. 

By the way, that cigar I mentioned earlier took about an hour to smoke and it was at least as cold out as it's gonna be for the in-uugh-uration tomorrow (which has now been moved inside due to... "extremely cold temperatures").  Bah!!!

Brunch with Dale at The Lowbrow. While Dale was out parking the car I told our server Dominic about Dale's retirement. He was sweet and brought us some complimentary coffee cake with a candle in it. Dale made a wish, blew out the candle, looked up at me with a smile and said, 'I got it.' When I asked him what he wished for he told me to be here with me. 

After  brunch we stopped by the cemetery to  see Dad. Recently I saw a display of chocolate covered cherries at Lund's and they reminded me of all the times as a kid I'd stop to at Woolworth's or Wagreens to get him a box as a Christmas present to him. I remember as a kid the first time I was old enought to have just enough money saved from my allowances to buy some meager Christmas gift for my immediate family members. Having no idea what to get Dad I asked Mom for ideas. She suggested chocolate covered cherries.  He loved 'em but I  never saw him buy them for himself. 

After we got home I lit up a cigar in the garage. It was fantastic. However, it was so cold out I  had to take a break in the middle of it to come in and warm up. 

I had a bit of the port Mom brought over a while ago. She and Dale weren't fans. I like it.

I listened to some music. I really enjoy the above recording. I remember Sir Neville Marriner as the conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra from 1979 to 1986. This album contains many wonderful carols many of which aren't heard that often including. Jesus Christ the Apple tree, Personent Hodie, Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day (which I remember from my. Annunciation days), and Past Three O'clock. 

We're experiencing some of the coldest weather so far of this winter. Very cold out as we're getting ready for bed. 

Christmastide:MLK Weekend Saturday

Saturday, January 18, 2025

Packed a few things up today.  Can't decide what to pull out next. Nutcrackers? Belsnickels?

Shopping with Noel this afternoon. Picked up this book on sale at Next Chapter Booksellers in St. Paul. Looking forward to digging into it in part because of my Swedish Heritage. 

Dinner tonight with Julie, Regina, and Phyllis at Julie and Regina's place. Julie made chicken piccata and then we watched North by Northwest. It's one my favorite movies and the scene at Mt. Rushmore, as always, was thrilling especially on Julie's big ass TV. By the way, today happens to be Cary Grant's birthday. My God he'd be 121! (Above image by Glen Hanson).  

Christmastide - Old Twelfth Night on the Eve of MLK Weekend

Friday, January 17, 2025

This has been quite a week. Full moon on Monday, bitter cold earlier in the week which kept the kids indoors for recess which got them rather unregulated, assessments all week which got them even more unregulated, and Dale announced his retirement. Needless say I'm exhaused. 

Very uneventful evening tonight which was fine by me since I had about as much energy as a burnt out lightbulb. Frozen pepperoni pizza for dinner and Big Bang Theory on the TV. 

Christmastide - Trying to Keep the Christmas Spirit Alive

Sunday, January 12, 2025

Back at work this past week. I miss Christmas vacation but reality came calling and ended it all. It's still Christmastide so I'm trying to enjoy some elements of the Christmas and winter seasons. Informed Dale recently that we're observing Christmas until Candlemas this year. He didn't say anything cuz, well, what's he gonna do. 

Been listening to my expertly crafted (if I do say so myself) currated classical oriented playlists. 

Trying to get outside to appreciate winter. 

I've been trying to straighten up the yard. 

Here I am finally getting some of the lawn furniture in the garage. 

Here I am taking my morning coffee outside. 

Doing a little snow shoveling/sweeping. 

I've been breaking down an unusually large cardboard box out in the garage.

I actually have no recollection of what was in this thing but it's huge. 

Trying to do this slowly over time so it doesn't end up taking up all the room in our recycling receptical. 

Saturday shopping with Noel. 

Some of our favorite shops still have holiday merchandise out. 

Fun to look around but I need more Christmas stuff like I need a hole in the head. So, no, I didn't buy anything. 

I've indulged in cigars but I'm cutting back.

I've only had two so far this past week. Compare that to about 5 per week over break. 

Dale and I are doing a dry-ish January. We didn't start until the first Monday after Christmas break. 

Overall we're doing pretty well. I had a couple Old Fashioneds this past Thursday when we went out to dinner at The Howe.

We went out to brunch this morning at Northbound and I had one of their Old Fashioneds. Compare that to however many I had per week over break (it was more than 3). 

When I saw Mike on NYE he told me one of his goals for 2024 had been to read something like 40 books, which I found quite impressive. He made clear that not all the books were massive tomes and that some were shorter and/or easier reads. Right now I'm working on Cher's memoir which is quite fun. She's been around my whole life and I've followed her over all these years. Not sure I'll make it to 40 books in 2025 but I aim to put more of a focus on reading.

Speaking of shorter books I read this one today for old times sake. It dates from the mid-60s and is chuck full of the good-grief-ethos of that time period. 

Went shopping at Kowalski's for groceries today. Quiche for dinner and Oh-ho cake for dessert (speaking of old times sake). 

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