We paid off all our debts today. What an amazing feeling! Everything is clicking right now. Things I didn’t think were possible. I’m not sure how this is happening or why, or how long it will last, but I’m going to enjoy every second of it while I can, with heaps and heaps of gratitude for what I’ve been given. Now if Robin can do well at tomorrow’s competition, that would be a nice cherry on top. But I will not be greedy.
Category: February 2025
-
February 27
Pinot is not forgiven, but he is pretty cute. And bendy. And definitely more comfortable than me.
-
February 26
Billy bought me a box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day, and when I went to have one, I found that Christina had eaten them all. So Billy bought me another box of chocolates, which I kept on my desk in my office so Christina wouldn’t be tempted. Tonight I got home to find that a certain dog who will remain nameless jumped onto my desk, carried the box across the room to my couch, and ate every last one of them. I don’t know how he is still alive. Maybe I’ll have a beer. Pinot hasn’t figured out how to open the refrigerator door – yet.
-
February 25
I’m a big fan of all the family time we’ve been having lately. Tuesday family game night has proved to be particularly awesome. It was my turn to pick a game tonight, so I picked Pictionary. Robin and I are kind of a dream team. You should have seen her picture of a harmonica. I have no idea how I guessed it. Magic, I guess.
-
February 23
We attempted an escape room today. Billy and the girls had never done it before and I thought it’d be fun. It turns out we are not all that good at puzzles. It took us almost 20 minutes to solve the first one, which didn’t leave much time for anything else. But I think everyone had fun and now we HAVE to try again.
-
February 22
I went out with some friends and we laughed and ate Mexican food and it was so fun. I don’t have many friends here, and those I do have I don’t see very often, so nights like these mean a lot to me. Also today I made the last ornament for the advent calendar. It will surely be done in time for Christmas this year. Next step is to sew on buttons, then add the back and border, and then add dowels and it’s done! Four years of effort. Worth all the time that’s gone into it.
-
February 21
This has felt like a very long short week. I have been working without breaks all day, often not bothering to stop and eat, and going directly into cheer and dance schedules without any transitioning. There was a book I used to read to my mom when I was little, called Rest, Rabbit, Rest. Rabbit kept a schedule down to the minute, even scheduling time for scheduling time. He never scheduled any time to rest. Healthy Hippo told him to try yoga. Kidding Kangaroo tried to spray him with water when he wasn’t looking. Zany Zebra recorded a tape for Rabbit to listen to later when Rabbit said he was too busy to talk. The tape told Rabbit how much life he was missing by over-living his life. Rabbit was disgusted until all his friends came and did everything on his schedule for the whole week! Rabbit was left with nothing to do and had no idea how to do nothing. So what did he do? Do you think he laid on the couch taking a nap? No, he did not! He created a schedule for relaxing! Time to go stargazing, time to listen to music… My mom always said I was just like Rabbit, and she wasn’t wrong. If I’m not busy, I feel like a waste of space. But I guess sometimes it’s important to just… stop. Not make any octopuses or socks or write a novel or even hike a trail. Just… stop. I think I’ll make that my goal this weekend. To accomplish absolutely nothing. I think I am unlikely to succeed. But even a little bit of nothing is better than something. Or something like that. Dude, it’s time for bed.
-
February 20
Tonight we booked an actual vacation in New Orleans for spring break. Robin and I had so much fun there last month and were so sad that Billy and Christina couldn’t join us. I’m glad we’re going now as a family.
-
February 19
Robin took a tumbling class tonight and added her name to the wall for two more level two skills: back walkover back handspring and roundoff back handspring. She did them all night long and came home happy. I’m so proud of her, and grateful to the coach who quietly and patiently showed her over the course of almost a year that she actually could do it. Now she knows it too.
-
February 18
We played Mind the Gap tonight, and Christina cried real, actual tears because she felt incapable of rolling a high number on the die. Had we rolled more fives and sixes instead of ones and twos, we might have had a chance. Billy had to ice it by saying she could have as many cookies as what she could manage to roll. She rolled a two. Girl should never bet on craps, is all I’m going to say.
-
February 17
We went to the zoo today for the first time in years. It was a little chilly, but otherwise a beautiful day to walk around outside. A lot of the exhibits have closed since the last time we were there, but they’re building a new manatee exhibit that looks like it will be pretty cool. The food definitely improved. The prices did not.
You know it’s a good day when Robin enjoys it too. I saw her smile. It happened.
-
February 16
I had all the intentions of doing something at least somewhat memorable this weekend, but it has not come to pass. I spent most of the day making an ornament for our advent calendar. We did leave the house once to go out for ice cream, but that’s it. We ended up playing Trivial Pursuit, which Billy won with the easiest question in the whole box. It could have been a worse day for sure, but it was still a bit disappointing. Tomorrow should be better.
-
February 15
Christina and I got pedicures today. I also bought myself a bikini – the first one I have dared to buy in probably at least 20 years. Robin and Christina said it looks good on me, and they’re usually pretty quick to say when something doesn’t look good on me. We also went food shopping in like 45 minutes from the time we left to the time we put away the last item in the fridge. So it’s been a pretty good day.
-
February 14
I had fun with Valentine’s Day this year, which is really a testament to how I’ve been feeling for the last six months or so. I’m not sure which switch flipped or how, but this is probably the first time in my life I have actually felt good for more than a week or two. I celebrated Dad on his birthday and ate a heart-shaped brownie. I bought a dozen overpriced red roses. And we have enough boxed chocolate to last at least through tomorrow. I don’t know how long I’m going to get to ride this wave, but I’m going to do my best to enjoy every minute while it lasts.
Year in Photos 