A Brand New Year Has Begun--welcome 2026!

70 degrees after a few chilly days, this has been a good day!

I've found a wonderful team of handymen who have accomplished almost everything on my list this week.  Four guys and two of their wives (haven't met the wives yet, but one is a painter, the other a house cleaner and artist) seem prepared to keep me in this house for the long haul.  Sometimes home ownership, especially of old houses, can seem overwhelming, but with trustworthy competent helpers, it's starting to feel less so.

I rarely go to a mall, but Luci accompanied me to North Star Mall and Museum today.  I wanted to take a class at the Apple Store and she wanted to sniff every rock and weed surrounding it.   She also got tons of attention and countless hugs and pats, so she's a happy girl.

Made banana bread this morning, and am just now starting a big pot of bolognese sauce and finishing a tiny book I'm making featuring "The Guest House" by Rumi.  It feels really good to get back to some making!  

The old year turned into the new one without my witnessing it--as I fell asleep after watching the excellent movie, Goodbye June, starring Helen Mirren. 

My intention for 2026 is to witness and observe more, to play more, and to create more.  My bird feeder is hosting all my usual gold finches along with their many friends and neighbors.  

We have a neighborhood fox, a family of skunks, a raccoon or two, and who knows what else in our peaceable little wildlife kingdom.  

Happy 2026 to you all! 

Self Service

Leaving Michaels this morning, I wondered if I'd forgotten to take my blood pressure pill!  

I used to love going there, meandering the aisles, human employees ready to help find things, then friendly cashiers adding up your frames or whatnots, then telling you a total.  If you had a paper coupon, you simply handed it to said human and saved 40%.

Now, there are no humans nearby for checkout, I saw maybe three employees in the entire store.  

First you have to tell the machine if you are a rewards member.  Insert phone number.  Scan your items.  Look on the phone to get the coupon of the day, scan it, and insert your card.  I had to press the red HELP button twice--and a grumpy young man ambled over, rolled his eyes, and reluctantly helped.

For generations who have grown up on QR codes and machines, or for older people who have gotten with the program with more grace than I have, it's no big deal. 

But for me, it's infuriating to have to answer all those questions just to buy three little picture frames.  

I miss Jo Ann's--always well-staffed in the aisles and at check out.  

At Whole Foods next door, you can choose between human checkers and machines, and I always go with humans, even if the line is longer.  Same with HEB and Lowe's.  But even these stores, I predict, are heading toward all machines.

Doctors' offices are even worse.  You get two or three reminder texts for each appointment.  (Remember the day when, if you said you'd be there, you put it on your calendar and you were there?). Then a text with a QR code to fill out the questionnaire online and check in.  (Remember when someone actually called to remind you and when someone else handed you a form to fill out when you arrived?) 

Five minutes into my last appointment, before even getting weighed, I got a text asking me to review this appointment that hadn't even started.

I am literally feeling homesick for former days of friendly human interaction and filling out forms with a pen on paper! 

Highlights of Christmas

Today we're expected to tie the all-time high for San Antonio, 83 degrees--back in the fifties.  In spite of that, we've had a low-key and happy Christmas.

It started with a festive neighborhood party at Jan's house with tamales and all the foods and spirits of good cheer.

Jan got a bowl she wanted in the pass-around game of presents,
and she was daring anyone to steal it! 

Christmas started a week early for Elena--when her parents surprised her with the horse she's had her eye on for a while, a young sorrel a friend in 4H was selling. 

She's grown up on Yancy, and riding on him (after wilder Clown) still "feels like a Cadillac" in comparison.  Yancy's well-trained and has taken her through many rodeos, but Clown is hers to train.  She's smitten.  

So on Christmas morning Luci and I  set out to pick up Pam to go see a horse.  And have breakfast.  And see Nathan before he left for his other family's.  

Luci looked out the window while we waited for Pam, then perked up when she saw her coming.   And off we rolled!

First Christmas in the Pritchett's new house (out near China Grove) 

Meanwhile in Virginia, half a year after getting his Masters, Jackson landed a job he's excited about in Richmond!  And one of Marcus' recent sports interviewees, turns out, to be more than the subject of a sports profile--on which I may say more when and if I'm given more to say.   All I know now is that her name is Lucia, an athlete from Spain. 

Sending all my best wishes to all of you for the happiest of holidays!

It's almost 80 degrees, so Texas looks nothing like the pictures you see on Christmas cards--but here we go, doing San Antonio and Santa Claus in shorts. 

Luci got a leash-less walk from Ms. Santa--which she quite appreciated, and will accompany me to Jan's party next door in an hour, then to the Pritchetts tomorrow to romp with her cousins (or maybe nephews?) Charlie and Marlow and Conway, the latter of whom, against all odds a month or so ago, is getting another Christmas on this side of the Rainbow Bridge. 

Christmas decorations look a little ridiculous, I thought--musing as we walked.  Inflatable snowmen, inflatable nutcrackers, and inflatable Santas in snow.  But oh well, it's South Texas and you never know what you're gonna get.

Not a creature was stirring as we walked, as far as we could see.  I did manage to make 100 cookies and a paper kimono this afternoon.  But I very much like the "no presents, experiences instead" that our family has adopted this year.  Will's family took me out to Ladana at the Pearl this week and we had a wonderful time!

Day's family went to a Spurs game in D.C.

A change in tradition

After toying with changing Christmas traditions for a few years, my family and I have decided to forego Christmas gifts this year.  It's kind of exciting, to tell the truth--the prospect of not having to shop and wrap and ship gifts because the calendar says it's time.

I love giving and receiving gifts, but am finding it more pleasurable to do so on birthdays or random occasions.  

One family is going to a local theater production of Annie in lieu of gifts.  Some people agree to give gifts to people in need instead of exchanging gifts with friends and family.  We are going cold turkey and hoping to find other ways of being together--with the time we'll save by not shopping. 

Among my friends, we all seem to agree that a meal out or at each others' houses is a great substitute for wrapped gifts.

I feel liberated today without the prospect of frenzied shopping, and without the worry of whether or not the receivers, especially men, will even like my choices.  

Pain and Pudding--while we're on the letter P

The stress of driving set off my feet, so I'm spending the day in bed reading.  Enough about that.

After nearly five years with my furry girl, I thought I knew everything, but she revealed a hidden passion last night.  

Unlike her human mama,  Luci always turns up her nose at any offering of sweets.  She doesn't even like Starbucks' pup cups or ice cream.  Chocolate doesn't tempt her one bit.   She does the Corgi look of disapproval every time--as in "You actually eat that stuff?" 

In my near-empty refrigerator last night, I spotted three or four packs of one of my favorite treats--a cross between vanilla pudding and creme brûlée, excellent with berries of any kind on top. They are packaged in little glass jars as a French dessert--in vanilla, rice pudding, dark chocolate, or pistachio.  Day included some of these in a Whole Foods order of food for my recovery days after dental surgery, and I've been hooked ever since.   

The little glass pots are great for storing do-dads and paper clips and batteries.

Knowing how she feels about sweets, I've never offered Luci a bite, but last night her eyes said, "Let me try that," and I did.

She got that Nirvana look on her face as she delicately licked the first spoonful, then the next, then the next.  I think she has been won over to Sugarland--at least the pudding variety.  Now she follows me every time I go to the refrigerator--just in case. 

All the P's of Monday Morning

After a short walk with Luci, 

just long enough for a Poop and a Pee 

I am eating Popcorn, Pasta, and Pumpkin bread--

and soon going to bring in some beautiful Papers I bought in Virginia 

and open the Packages that arrived in my absence--

after my morning Puff,  American Spirit.  Inside, not outside

as is my morning ritual 

at home.

I made it to genius on Spelling Bee

Then went to Spelling Bee Buddy for hints,

to make it all the way to Queen Bee

(with the word Palp!) 

before un-Packing the car.

It's going to be one good lazy day! 

Notice the irony of the three P's in these two adjacent signs in Natchez:

Home in San Antonio

I arrived home this afternoon as weary as I've ever been!  Jan had left a yummy orzo dish in the fridge and met me as I was taking only the bare essentials out of the car.  Then, within minutes, Bonnie delivered a delicious loaf of pumpkin bread.  What a welcome home!  

I fell asleep within minutes, and just woke up, Luci thinking she's going to get her nightly walk--but, alas, I don't have it in me.

The days IN Georgia and Virginia couldn't have been better--and the drives TO each of those places were good, too--but the 1500 miles from Falls Church to San Antonio were the notes of my swan song as a long-distance road traveler.  In the space since doing it before, I've developed a wheel gripping fear of big bridges and no longer enjoy driving at night.  Since the days have gotten shorter, it took me five days to get home--with several long traffic blocks and last night's inability to find a place to sleep until way after dark. 

Carlene says it's important to know when it's time to give up some of the things we used to do.  And in my case, that means flying the long leaps between places and renting a car to poke around while there.  I needed to prove to myself I could still do it before admitting that--as some wise person once said--"Just because we can doesn't mean we have to." 

In former days, I'd have stopped often, chatted with people longer, and meandered down any road that looked interesting.  I did, however, spend a happy hour in Jonesboro, Tennessee, home of the National Storytelling Conference.   Tennessee Quilts was an amazing store with two floors of luscious fabric, cutting tools, samples of quilts, and offers of classes and retreats. 

This quilt, called Crosswords, was so beautiful it almost made me consider making a quilt.   What I did instead was to buy a few fat quarters to turn into book cloth for book covers. 

In former days, I'd have gotten out and taken pictures of old barns, hay bales, houses, and rusty old vehicles. On this trip, I took a few pictures without getting out of the car--just enough to jog my memory about the countryside at the two book-end Golden Hours of the day.  From the windows on interstate, all exits look pretty much the same  but if you go off the main highways,  you get to see some of what makes each little hamlet or farm its own unique self.

Itinerary Modifications

 I woke up Friday morning 30 miles east of Nashville, hoping to include Parnassas Books and a paper store before heading due west.  But I was too early and decided not to spend two hours waiting for either to open at ten. I pondered: how to do it better next time and I came up with a very conventional travel plan.  Fly to the place you want to be, rent a car, and stay put for enough days to get to know the place and the people better.  

But, of course, that's never been my style.  I've always preferred wandering and encountering whatever shows up.  It's not a traveling style enjoyed by many others.  Day tells me she's too "destination oriented."  I could not bear the thought of traveling from Point A to Point B on interstates.

Most of my former traveling companions have, understandably, opted out of traveling random.  A couple of the ones I enjoyed road-tripping with are, sadly, no longer in my orbit.  But Carlene--the one with whom I've traveled most and who was a far trustier navigator than GPS--remembers these roads as well as I do and rides along with me by phone, suggesting routes and recalling places we had meals along the way.  I admire the way she is able to give up the things she can no longer do with ease.  I love the way she adapts to changing stages of life!  But still, I miss the way we improvised together on the road and collected stories we still find pleasure in remembering.

I woke up Saturday morning in Meridien, Mississippi, working out a plan to go to visit both Oxford and Natchez--two of my favorites--and to drive at least a part of Natchez Trace.  The problem with my plan was that Oxford at one point was three hours north and Natchez only a couple hours south, so I had to choose.  

For old times' sake, I walked around Natchez--but only for an hour until my feet gave up.  In earlier years, Natchez would have been a 2 to 3 hour walk.  But the weather was perfect and Luci waddled along happily, glad to be out of the car.  I figured I'd drive two more hours before dark.  But my GPS routed me along farm roads and small towns, no accommodations anywhere.  

As dark fell, I became anxious.  These are hours when you wish for the convenient cluster of eateries and La Quinta signs.  I was so road weary that I considered a couple of local motels, but they were shabby with hard mattresses, and I soldiered on.

It was way past dark when the road I was on intersected with I10 just a few miles from Lake Charles.  When I saw the huge looming bridge, I panicked, no way no way at night! Luci and I shared a burger in the car and finally settled on a Howard Johnson for the night--my only option unless I headed back east toward Lafayette. 

Maybe it's time for me to reconsider Random!  To embrace the idea of staying in one place and getting a rental car to explore during daylight hours!  Furthermore, if I'm honest, I should put more effort into exploring the kinds of places I'd like to be sure to see--ahead of time.

I'm aspiring to be adaptable, to restore my love of the open road but with some guardrails in place.  To admit to myself that driving back roads after dark is no longer do-able--especially when bridges are looming.  

Traveling solo would be a lot more fun with another solo traveling sort of person!