Doing and Undoing in Everyday Ramblings

I was looking for a shot that had a bright expansive feel for the new year, so I asked Mrs. Sherlock if we could do the local river walk Friday morning with a potential detour to the portable outdoor ice rink put up for the holidays under the anchor of one of our bridges.

She, sadly, was having some digestive distress so we came back before we got there. There is no way I could have got her skating anyway. But I did get the river picture I was looking for to use in my weekly class reminder. This is a near cousin of that shot.

This week off has been so lovely. Highlighted by all I didn’t do that I normally do.

I am beginning to feel less tired than I have in a long time. It is a subtle thing. It is not like I am bursting with energy, but everything feels easier. I have been listening to audiobooks instead of news or opinion podcasts. I even listened to an audiobook that I had listened to earlier in the year, so I knew what happened but had forgotten details. It was comforting.

Also, one of the guys recommended the Jon Baptiste documentary on Netflix about his wife’s reoccurrence of cancer and second bone marrow transplant while he is getting nominated and winning Grammy awards. Talk about your highs and lows. Wowza. It is quite uplifting, and their house is amazing.

I listened to a long interview with the music producer Rick Rubin who wrote the book on creativity I got earlier in the year. I have mixed feelings about Rick Rubin, but he is an interesting guy and he produced Jon Baptiste’s latest album.

Rick Rubin and another one of the coffee guys both recommended A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs so I started listening to that. It is a podcast, and I am only on episode six but enjoying it enormously. You may remember I made a stab at swing dancing back in the day, which is how indirectly I met Mr. Finch, and the early shows are like visiting old friends. Bands my mother liked, then bands that copied the bands of the 40’s that played for the few years I tried and failed to be good at swing. I enjoyed the attempt.

He is only on song 171, so there is much more to learn and enjoy there.

I admit there has been some unstructured solo dancing occurring in the kitchen this week as a result.

Speaking of the kitchen I made a batch of the molasses spice cookies as gifts for Christmas day that were particularly good and appreciated. I appear to be communicating with Mr. Sherlock through cookies.

And yesterday I got some fresh orange blossom water (mine was two years old) and earlier I got some fresh cardamom to replace the (I kid you not, eek) 18-year-old cardamon in my cupboard. And now I have flax seed meal to use as an egg replacement, I can make another batch of the Orange Blossom Snickerdoodles that is vegan.

The one interesting thing this week is that I have had an opportunity to reacquaint myself with my inner Princess. Without going into detail, during the week there have been a couple of times where I have been left to wait for indefinite periods of time in the cold wind. No one is to blame for this but oh baby she does not see it that way. Who knew such an entitled whiny entity was still going strong in there waiting for the trigger to set her off.

We had a chat. I calmed her down, she did not make a scene but oh boy did she want to. As if that would have helped anything. At least now I know that she is there, and I can try to do stuff to make her feel heard and more comfortable as things like this will, on occasion, continue to happen. Especially now that I am more out in the world than I have been since I left the horrid job.

She does have a lot of energy. Hopefully I can harness her huff and use it in more creative ways.

I do hope your turning into the New Year is a joy, even little ones count. Me, I am going to be curled up asleep with Carlo as I have an early class tomorrow and will be back up in the saddle.

Much to do in the New Year.

Last updated December 31, 2023