January 1 – 31, 2026
HAPPY NEW YEAR
The new year begins with a dilemma for me. For some reason the hymn, “Let there be peace on Earth” started running through my head. It is a beautiful hymn, so I looked it up using Google. Here’s the dilemma: how do I reconcile “letting it begin with me”, when there is so much anger, frustration, and hopelessness in the world today. How do I reconcile my anger and frustration with the buffoon in the White House defiling National Monuments (the White House East Wing), being militarily aggressive against Venezuela, to say nothing of sending our own troops into various American cities for reasons known only to him, ending thousands of federal employees’ jobs, and cutting funding to vital services? America has become the laughingstock of the planet! How do I let peace begin with me when I am so angry and frustrated with my own American leadership (that includes Congress)?
Please, God. Let there be Peace on Earth and please show me how to let it begin with me!
KITCHEN CHORES
Our Food Saver vacuum sealer (I think it was the one I brought with me when I moved to Kathy’s…I had it for years) had to be replaced in September of last year. That one now needs to be replaced. They just don’t make things as good as they used to! The replacement does what it is supposed to do…vacuum and seal! It’s a beast! We also had to retire/replace the old hand blender.
HEALTH CARE
I used my new Medicare Advantage Plan for prescriptions. It cost me nothing (as advertised!). Have not been charged a premium. Entitles me to Silver Sneakers at the Senior Center. So far, so good!
GOING TO LUNCH
1/7 - Had lunch at Pickle Jar Deli with Ricki (haven’t seen her in ages) and I’ll be back there tomorrow to have lunch with Jon. They said they would save me a bowl of clam chowder for tomorrow! Then on the 11th I had lunch with Lisa at Figaro’s.
On the 15th it was the monthly gathering of a few high school classmates (who are still in the area) for lunch at Joey Garlic’s (we go somewhere different every month). I highly recommend Joey Garlic’s!!!! I wouldn’t mind going there almost every month. One of the best!
SAD NEWS
The Class of ’53 has lost another classmate. Elsie was part of our lunch group and joins Pat, Thelma, Dave, and Nancy in our memories. We don’t have many classmates left.
WEATHER
So far it has been more days warmer than average. Today (1/17) we are having a wet, heavy snow. Messed up our plans to go to Maya’s violin recital. It looks like an unsettled, windy, colder than normal spell coming up. That’s what I love about New England. I had to reschedule my hearing test because of the snowstorm we are expecting…12” – 18”…this weekend (1/25-1/26). I tried posting pictures but technology is not my friend right now! Our weather to finish out the month has been way below zero nights and barely 20's during the days.
POLITICS
The buffoon/a$$hole occupying the Oval Office in Washington, D.C. has me reacting between disbelief, disgust, and hilarity. First comes the threat; then the rhetoric to back up the threat; then the back-down from the threat claiming middle ground has been achieved when in fact it was nothing but an idle threat to begin with! Don’t waste your energy being either disgusted or elated at what drivel comes out of his mouth initially because it will change to nothingness. This is his “reality show”!
COX CABLE & INTERNET
I just downloaded my Cox bill for next month. This is the end of my discounted Agreement and my bill will go up $41.69 starting in March unless I go into the store and plead for a lessor amount (while keeping my same line-up of programming). Don’t they understand that fewer people would opt out for streaming options if Cox wasn’t so expensive? I would go streaming myself but it would require my using technology new to me; uncertainty about if the channels I want would be on just one streaming “thingy”; and what would that cost as opposed to my Cox bill? I need to keep Cox internet. I don’t like going to them and begging for a lower rate…but …..
That's it for January! See you next month!
