Wednesday, February 2, 2022
It's been quite a year. Overall 2021 was a little better than 2020 but there were still quite a few challenges. The January 6th insurrection a little over a year ago. A return to in person learning in February 2021 after most of 2020 in distance learning due to the pandemic for most of 2020. Climate records. Crazy politics. Sometimes it feels like the whole world is falling apart. However, there's always hope. Christmas is proof of that.
Tuesday, January 4, 2022
Monday, January 3, 2022
Mom texted me this picture of her manger scene under her tree. She just bought a shepherd recently to add to it.
Sunday, December 2, 2021
Mixed feelings about going back to work. On the one hand I guess I'm fine with it. It'll be what it'll be. My sources tell me that district wide there are 250 teachers who are out tomorrow when on an average day it's about 50. I'm assuming it's Omicron as the district gave us all test kits and recommended we test ourselves before coming back. How many kids will be out? I'm getting so used to constant uncertainty (work, politics, climate, etc.) that it feels like a minor annoyance rather than overwhelming and I feel oddly zen about it although with a certain amount of tentativeness. Dale and I hung out on the couch before dinner and finished up the little bit of holiday wine we had left on hand. We're starting our dry January tomorrow albeit a couple days late.
Sunday, December 2, 2021
Last day of vacation started with a bang. Actually the beginnings started last night when someone I've socialized with in the past week let me know they tested positive to Covid and has mild symptoms.
I took the Covid quick test my school district sent home with me before going on break. I read the directions and Dale double checked them to make sure I was doing it correctly.
Test result: negative!
John C., still in the hospital, had some new issues this morning so Dale zipped down to check in on him. He's fine, at least for now.
Saturday, January 1, 2022
Happy New Year!
Particularly enjoyed lounging around with morning coffee since vacation is winding down.
Dale and I went to the gym downtown after breakfast.
Friday, December 31, 2021
Very laid back and cozy New Year's Eve with Dale and Sylvester. Memes like the one above have been floating around a lot lately. This morning I mentioned to Dale that last year when we stayed in we made tater tot hot dish. He was really jazzed at the thought of doing that again tonight.
Both Dale and I were saddened this afternoon to hear of Betty White's passing. She's been one of my most favorite celebrities since watching the Mary Tyler Moore Show as a kid. Her advocacy for animals and pets was inspiring and her humor, charm, and wit will be greatly missed.
Speaking of pets it's nice to know Sylvester is with us to help welcome the New Year. His presence is greatly appreciated and we are so happy that he is here with us.
The Thin Man was on TCM at 7 p.m. so we had dinner watching that. I've seen it a number of times before. I never completely get the mystery but it doesn't matter because the repartee between Nick and Nora is so charming and fun. I love it.
Friday, December 31, 2021
Friday, December 31, 2021
Our annual hitting of the sales was rescheduled from this past Tuesday. Noel picked me up at 11:00 a.m. and we headed straight to Victory. I got a couple of snowman garlands. Very charming. Noel got a cool wreath.
Friday, December 31, 2021
Today's the birthday of the great Donna Summer. I believe she would've been 73 today.
The Donna Summer Musical is currently playing at the Ordway in St. Paul through the weekend. I'd love to go see it but I don't think it'l work out time wise. I'm gonna regret missing it.
Hers is one of my all time favorite Christmas albums. I believe it came out just before Dale and I had our first Christmas together. I remember listening to it in our apartment on Fremont.
Rest well.
Thursday, December 30, 2021
Don't think I've displayed my nesting Santas for a couple of years and it's been even longer since I've opened them up.
This one I got at Roxanne's in Bayfield a number of years ago although it may have been called Bev's at the time.
This one I have a hard time recalling where I got it although I think it may have been at the old Bibelot Shop.
This little one I got at Roxanne's in Bayfield. I know they don't look small in this picture but that's because I cropped it. See the top photo for comparison.
The nesting dolls upon which these are based are Russian in origin and are called Matryoshka. The following is from Wikipedia: "A set of matryoshkas consists of a wooden figure, which separates at the middle, top from bottom, to reveal a smaller figure of the same sort inside, which has, in turn, another figure inside of it, and so on."
Also from Wikipedia: "The first Russian nested doll set was made in 1890 by wood turning craftsman and wood carver Vasily Zvyozdochkin from a design by Sergey Malyutin, who was a folk crafts painter at Abramtsevo. Traditionally the outer layer is a woman, dressed in a sarafan, a long and shapeless traditional Russian peasant jumper dress. The figures inside may be of any gender; the smallest, innermost doll is typically a baby turned from a single piece of wood. Much of the artistry is in the painting of each doll, which can be very elaborate. The dolls often follow a theme; the themes may vary, from fairy tale characters to Soviet leaders. In the west, matryoshka dolls are often referred to as babushka dolls, babushka meaning "grandmother" or "old woman"." [Note: The above two photos are from Wikipedia.]
Recently I heard that the Unicode Consortium approved a Russian doll emoji in 2020. I typed in "nesting doll" in a text message to Dale and what you see in the above screenshot is what I got.
Type in Matryoshka and you'll get the same thing.
Wednesday, December 29, 2021
