New Year's Eve early evening entry in Day to day life from a woman that turned 60 in Oct 2014 and who lives on a farm and Retired on January 2, 2016. I plan to do more sewing, work outside in the yard and just enjoy my retirement.

Amazing that another year has come to an end. I suppose time going faster is typical so I might as well get used to getting older faster and watching time speed up with each passing year. *sigh Life does have a way of passing with lightening speed at times.

This week has been great. Monday I was in the middle of taking down my inside decorations and sorting through my bags of not used this year decorations when daughter called. She asked if I wanted to go shopping with her and Owen and go by Joann’s fabric. “giggle” Of course I went. She was shopping for some new clothes for herself with her Christmas money and getting Owen a new pair of shoes for school with his money. We went to Joann’s first and she dropped me off there and she went to a store a bit farther down the shopping mall. I only spent about $15 at Joann’s which truly means I needed nothing. lol I knew that already. Next went to another shopping Mall area where the shoe hunt and her clothing shopping began in earnest. I did look for some new shoes but found nothing I liked or that would fit so after the first shoe store, I went to the Big and Tall men’s store to look for clothes for JLs birthday. It has been awhile since I’ve bought him new stuff so since I hit some pretty good sales his b’day will be clothes only this year. A couple pair of pants, some sleep pants, a couple of shirts and some underwear. All bought for under $200 so thought that was fantastic!! I walked to the kitchen store next and got a couple of gadgets. Nothing exciting just like gadgets. As I was texting A to let her know I was done there, I saw her car heading in my direction. Oh my .... Owen was squalling. Like a baby squalling. I mentioned it was probably a good idea to get something to eat. Still squalling. “I” would have taken him home about that time, but since we were both hungry too she decided to try it anyway. He was still crying and sobbing when we pulled into the restaurant parking lot. Good GRAVY! A said leave him in the car. So I got out and shut my door. Wailing proceeded. I’m telling you it is much different these days. He got out and was now trying to catch his breath. He finally calmed down and we ate something. It was good stuff, but by the time we ate I think all of us were getting tired. A went to Walmart and Owen and I sat in the car while she went to find out if they could take the fleece sheets back that I had ordered online. Nope they couldn’t. Guess I’ll keep them as sending them back I will lose almost $10. Not willing to lose money on something I can use just not sure J will like them on his bed. If not, I may use them on the guest bed.
Didn’t do a lot after we finally got home but then yesterday I made some progress on getting all the Christmas decorations down and put away in bags and boxes. I still have the big Christmas tree up in the LR and it will come down tomorrow afternoon or Friday. I even got my bags of other decorations in the attic this AM. Yah me and it was really COLD up there. Brrrr.

This morning I turned on my old desktop computer to try and get pictures and files downloaded to CDs. Of course after spending two hours “thinking” it was burning the DVDs, it didn’t. Ho Hum. Will try again later and if that doesn’t work I will email them a few files at time. That will take much longer but I hate to lose the pictures from 07-10. Documents either. I did delete several documents that were useless now, but there are a few that I’d like to keep. We shall see I guess.

Took J to Game Stop yesterday afternoon so he could spend some of his money. I caved a bought a WII Wheel of Fortune game. heehee I played it last night and early this morning. I like it but it will not be an addictive game at all. After Game Stop we headed to the supermarket where I ordered the smoked jowl for tomorrow’s dinner. The grocery store in my hometown had some too but they wanted $3.59 a Lb. The Price Cutters I went to yesterday it was $1.59 per pound. Big difference. Also got some cabbage for coleslaw, milk, celery and carrots. I am cooking the black eyed peas now and will shred the cabbage for coleslaw later this evening. The potato salad is done and in the fridge and so is the cranberry salad. Seems like that is all we do during the last 5 wks of the year is eat and I cook. No one is expected for tomorrow except the normal bunch so shouldn’t have to put up any extra tables. Not as much variety either on the menu. I will make a pan of spaghetti but the menu will be smoked jowl, black-eyed peas, cornbread, potato salad, coleslaw, cranberry salad, small veggie tray and I’ll I was going to make the eclair cake that I took to work for a dinner but I don’t have enough milk so I am going to make a Cherry Whip. I need to make the graham cracker crusts too. Dude will bring some soda and I’ll have coffee and milk and can make kookaid if needed. Think that is it for the menu. Traditional.

Lots of sadness this week too. A young 16 yr old girl overdosed on Christmas Eve. Her mom has been in and out of jail for as long as I can remember and her dad died of cancer a few years ago. Someone opened a FB page for “Fundme” to pay for the funeral expenses. Not sure how that is going as people will be afraid the money will be used for mom to buy more drugs. So so sad. I heard a rumor that her boyfriend and mom were the ones that shot her up and then left when they realized they had given her too much and pretty much killed her. There is an investigation going on but not sure anything can be proven.

The day my sister and her husband moved into the place they now live there was this little mutt of dog that was hanging around. They ended up cleaning her up and giving her a home. She got pregnant this fall and about 6 wks ago delivered 8 puppies. On Monday she got hit by a car and killed. So so sad and even sadder when they had to tell Jack and told him that she was in heaven now. He was crying out to heaven to please let his Peppa come back home. Please please please cause he loved her and she loved him. She did too. She followed Jack everywhere. I pray that he will come to terms with losing Peppa and maybe one her puppies will have her personality and become his buddy. I bet that happens.

Sorry about ending this on such a depressing mood. Say a prayer or send good wishes to both families if you please. Different situation but both are big losses.