New Years Day, January 1, 2024

So how long will it be before writing 2024 comes easily???

The beach club dinner was okay last night and we got them to move a heater next to us (thank goodness). We sat in the new section near the bar and the lighting was really harsh like a cafeteria. Not a fan.

We were up an hour past normal: until 11 LOL. We talked about the highs and lows of 2023 and what we hoped for in 2024.

Our friends are gone, the first load of sheets is in the washer. Time to do a Justice walk and plan the day.

Also time to think about losing some weight especially with surgery coming up. I'm afraid to step on the scale...

Have a relaxing New Years Day!

Well, we rang in the New Year going to Poor Things, which is most definitely a freakadoodle movie from frame one! The acting was brilliant. But the content was.... well.... When the movie ended we just sat in our seats not moving. As we left the theater there was a man waiting for his viewing partner to come out and he looked at us and said, "What the hell did we just see? that was some freaky ****!" We all laughed because we were all feeling the same thing. I will say that the movie made quite the statement about human cruelty and the societal repression of women. I did feel that the old lady character aboard the ship could have been expanded. I thought her wisdom was under utilized. Well, she was also probably the most "normal" character in the movie.

So, happy New Year.... I stayed up until about 1:30. We had a lot of celebratory booming in our neighborhood. The family across the trail and field from us shot off fireworks around 12:30. Spectacular, but unappreciated by the dogs. Our next door neighbors had a party. Between the young adults partying and the fireworks, I'm sure our sound sensitive neighbor was fit to be tied. LOL! He's a jerk, so when it's something other than my barking dogs that might irritate him, I get a not so secret joy at his annoyance.

Yes, Liz, a little bit of weight off of my bones, too! Luckily, I do not take long term scale breaks so there is no scale shock for me. I'm actually down 4 pounds from a few weeks ago when I hit that all time high weight. My plan is to start to focus on weight loss once the pups are on their way out. I'm thinking that I'll be in a good space somewhere around the 20th to really put some effort into fat loss.

Hope everyone has a great first day of 2024.

There will be no watching of Poor Things for me no matter how good the acting is.

It's not that I can't recommend the movie. I do. One just needs to be prepared for a very blunt view of the human condition and sexual frankness. I foresee Oscar nominations in many categories. I do think the score was fantastic as well as the art direction. Make up was really good, too! And as I said, acting was brilliant!

Happy New Year! We woke up to no water in my neighborhood. Some power issue with our community well pump. Necessity being the mother of invention, we figured out pouring buckets of water from the pool into the toilet tanks lets you flush them. Why does knowing the toilet doesn't work make you have to go so bad? One of the great questions of the universe. Someone should be out today to fix it.

I think I was asleep by 10. Haha! Today we watched the Rose Parade as usual. Both my dad I tear up every year when the Marine marching band and Stealth bomber go by. My mom loved the parade, the planes, and the bands so much! One of the best experiences we ever had was going to the parade and the bowl game one year when Northwestern (my dad's alma mater) and USC (my parent's adopted team) played. Amazing to see in person from the stands if you ever have the opportunity! You can smell the flowers. We stream KTLA's coverage from YouTube to our tv as they are the only ones with no commercials who let all the bands play on air.

I also need to lose some weight this year. I'm going the wrong direction...

Take care all and have a lovely day and start to the new year!

Happy New Year all!

Can't believe our planet survived another trip around the sun but here we are. Life continues to be interesting. Came home after gallery duty yesterday and was feeling particularly old and achey. So I guess I too must resolve to lose some weight this year. I did my walking in the gallery when no one was there and do intend to keep it up. I think one ankle has some significant arthritis (my own diagnosis) and I see myself developing all the ailments that my grandmother had. Crap. Less weight would help all of it.

Chili to be made and football to be watched. Studio buddy will come over. It's a crisp sunny day but no outdoor plans.

Sounds like I will not be seeing Poor Things. We did watch Oppenheimer the other night and last night a CNN doc about him. Interesting issues and good show.

Southwest Florida eagles have one hatched chick. The other did not make it. The single chick is vigorous and eating. Love watching.

CC hug that puppy.

Ocean Diane hope you are feeling better!

Maybe more later if anything interesting happens.

Diane S

The little bit of snow cover we got is still here. I guess it's winter for real now. It was a nice run: this warm, brown December. Still no forecasts for bone chilling artic air. We haven't seen the sun for days and days.

I finished a book yesterday, and the last season of The Crown today. So I've been productive?

Peps, I agree with your assessment of Poor Things. DD and I compared and contrasted the 2 freakadoodle movies of December: Saltburn and Poor Things. The message of Saltburn? Who knows. Poor Things had much more to unpack. Like you experienced, the theater was weirdly quiet at the end of the movie as we sat there kind of stunned.

Low calorie eating and the struggle to get protein has really done a number on my hair. It's dry and lifeless, and thinning. I keep reminding myself this happened with WLS and it grew back.

I suppose I'm ready to get back to work just so we can get moving toward the end of Semester 1, on January 19. Once we hit that date, they school year is half done.

I see many things to look forward to! Bring on 2024!!