Last Day of the Year Varia

 Today's post is going to be a mix of things. This year was a mix of accomplishments, successes, and defeats, negatives, and several incompletes, and continuances.

In no particular order, I'll attempt to say something about them as I think of them. The positives will begin with a plus (+) sign; the negatives will begin with a minus (-) sign; and the incompletes and continuances will be marked with a question (?) mark.

+ This year I read 101 books! An all-time high. A large part of that is because I belong to three book clubs, two of which began this year. Several books were either small young adult or children's books of 100 pages or less, but I read them because of a recommendation of a friend. Several were re-reads, especially my favorite mystery series. I haven't counted the fiction/nonfiction breakdown yet, but I think it will be roughly 60/40.

- Healthwise, it hasn't been the best. I've had celultis twice, one resulting in a trip to the ER and a two-day stay in the hospital amongst COVID patients. I had a small surgery on my left ear to remove a cancerous growth caused by the sun many years ago. And just earlier this month I had two molars taken out. One was loose and was going to fall out besides having a small decay which was rapidly getting larger. The other was what was left from a root canal years ago and needed to go if I am to have a partial denture put in (another story). My knees continued to weaken this year. I avoid stairs if I can. But my diabetes numbers seem to be doing a little better. I have my annual scope of my bladder for my 2011 cancer next week. I've been cancer-free since 2017.

- Because of COVID and my knees, I had to give my volunteering at the Stonewall Jackson House as well as the Lexington library. 

? I'm still trying to write, but the computer gods aren't working with me. I can't write longhand anymore to any extent. My hand shakes too much. And the laptop is so old it takes 30 minutes or more to open up usually. And then, it often just freezes so I have no other choice except to shut it down for another day. My writing goes back and forth between a mystery I have been working on for over a year and a memoir of sorts that I have just begun in the last three months. But neither is doing well because I spend most of my thinking about how to get the computer to work.

+ At least I'll have a good dinner - crab cakes, shrimp cocktail, and scallops. And there's watching "When Harry Met Sally" again almost yearly since about 1990. I know I missed it in 1999 when I was sick with the flu and watched Y2K come in around the world with Peter Jennings. 

+ And of course, a big positive was the birth of our fourth grandchild, another girl, named Serenity. I think we're finished now - two boys, two girls.

+ Anyhow, Happy New Year!

A Different Christmas

 This was a different Christmas from years past without even considering COVID. This year I didn't get a book as a present. I can't remember when the last time that happened. I figure back in the 70's.

I am trying to cut down on my physical library. I use the library for most of my book club selections - unless it's one I have recommended; then I already have it.

This year I asked for DVDs. I had bought a book about the TV series, Numb3rs, on TV in the early 2000s where a mathematician helps his FBI brother solve crimes using math. So got the first three seasons - which happens to be what the book covered. Can't wait to begin watching and reading, though it will be not a continuous read,

We usually just buy a book and/or a CD for each other, but this year we decided to buy an old-style LP record (they are now called vinyl) player. We have about 300 of old records we both grew up with, but haven't played them in almost 30 years! So far, the few we've tried haven't seemed to suffer any damage.

We're not going anywhere due to COVID. We've got a baptism next month for our newest grandchild in Pennsylvania. And Lisa may have to go down again for our middle daughter's possible surgery. She was there at the beginning of this month for a surgery on a thyroid.

My Visit to the Dentist

 I don't like going to the dentist. I actually have an almost deathly fear of them. But I go dutifully twice a year for cleanings and checkups. Yesterday I had to have two of them pulled; #15and #20; Upper back left, and lower left side.

These aren't my teeth. just a picture from the Internet. The upper one was loose and falling out since it had no support from a bottom tooth. The bottom tooth was actually an old root canal that had broken and needed to go if I am to get a partial  lower bridge later ( haven't decided yet).

Anyhow, it went well. Excellent specialist dentistry. Maybe I'll talk more about it later. I just wanted to let everyone know.

Relief.

Going Postal

People say the U.S. Postal Service is all messed up. We got this in the mail the other day.

No stamps. No return address. $2.36 postage due. The flap on the other side was secured by the usual metal hook, but not sealed. I gave the mail lady $2.40. 

What was in it? Just the monthly Advocate newspaper we've been receiving from Lexington for the past three and a half years since we moved here from Rockbridge County.

Lisa left a voicemail letting them know what happened, but as of yet (4 days) we have not heard anything.

We'll see next month.

Non-Reading Weekends

 Weekends are not good times for me when it comes to reading. I've reluctantly come to that conclusion over several months. While my weekdays seem to be available for scheduling reading times throughout the day, the weekends pose special obstacles. This is when I watch my sports and other pre-recorded shows from the past week. 

I watch my English Premier League soccer, PGA golf, as well as American Ninja Warrior. The soccer is mostly live or pre-recorded sometime during the weekend. The golf is recorded on the weekends, with round 3 on Saturdays and the final fourth round on Sunday. A caveat here - if I don't get to watch round 3 before the final round on Sunday, I usually delete it unless I know something major happened. Ninja Warrior shows are all reruns since I am just getting into watching it, so I watch them as they are taped. 

As for any other taped show, whether a weekly TV drama or comedy, a TNT movie, or any other show, more often than not they get saved to be watched whenever I have time and/or the urge to watch them. Needless to say, this does require a certain regular schedule of culling the programs.

As much as I try to meet my reading goals I'm afraid they most often fall short. The best I can do is read my fiction books each Saturday and Sunday evening after dinner, though most Sunday evenings I'm watching a couple of TV shows scheduled on Sunday, as well as the Sunday evening NFL football game.

So there it is. Just wanted to get it out there. Hopefully, now I won't feel (so) guilty for not reading on the weekends.