Sunday, January 26, 2025

I think I've mentioned we went to Key West for our honeymoon. Loved it, but we've never been back. Another destination to add to the retirement bucket list. Enjoy your hopefully warmer visit.

Dinner last night was fun. We're all getting older, but hopefully making the most of it! DH's family is a little more buttoned down than DH and I. When we're talking about our plans for the coming year, I can see them flinch a little about the month in Brazil, and their confusion about what on earth we're up to. They probably think I'm kidnapping their brother. :)

BFF is moving on today. She'll be back in June, so she's never gone for too long.

No plans today besides reading, and getting things ready for work tomorrow. Like Peps, I have a lot of Senioritis. I have no patience for paperwork protocols that do not impact what support/service kids get, and I'm cutting corners a bit when I'm writing reports. (Not that I had patience before, but I was conscientious about doing the minutiae so we wouldn't get dinged when we were audited). I'm winging it a lot of days too with the lesson plans. I still very much enjoy the students and want to solve problems and advocate for them, but if I could wrap it up tomorrow, I would. The good thing about my ennui is it recedes during the workday because of the energy the kids bring to the space.

So, off to my papers and tea. Hope everyone has a fine end to the weekend.

I love your plans for Brazil!

No surprise at the senioritis. I had it too. I was always fairly outspoken at work, but became more so speaking somewhat less politically about where things needed to change. Not sure they cared though...

How did I miss that you were spending a month in Brazil? When are you going? Note to self, get that damn passport!

That is the plan for January 2026. I lived there as an exchange student when I was 18, and have kept in contact with my host family and friends, and visited a few times. I love them and Brazil so much, and now DH does too. I am ecstatic that this is a very, very real possibility. I just applied for a Delta Credit card to get the 70,000 points. That won't quite cover the ticket, but it will get me a good part of the way.

Yes, apply for your passports NOW. You never know when a good deal will show up. When AerLingus started flying out of Minneapolis they had incredible deals to Dublin, but wawa, work. :( Delta opened a direct route to Mexico City a few years ago, and we jumped on that: $250 round trip!!! Typically $500-700. Or cruises, if you can be flexible like retired people often can, you can get great fire sale deals, but you're going to need a passport :)

Have fun in Key West Liz! That?s an area of FL I want to get to!

138.5. Same. I think I will go back to injections twice a week starting next week but will stay at the total weekly dose of 5 mg until I hit goal.

I think my character development class at church will be very good. It is a small group by design (6 students and two leaders). I think we will be digging deep and there will be lots of sharing of our lives.

I?m not quite back on WI time. A 6:30 wake up was too early today. I tried to nap today but Emma dog was up and down and all around being needy.

Our favorite Costco rotisserie chicken with homemade mashed potatoes and gravy for dinner. It?s becoming Sunday regular!

Key West itself is a little crazy. Good for restaurants, bars and people watching but very busy. We like staying outside and only going in for day trips a couple of times.

Well ****

Just lost my post which contained an absolutely brilliant summary of my opinions on art. I was a studio art major in college and took a lot of art history as well. When I went to law school I was advised by faculty not to put my undergrad major on my resume. It worked out. I have expansive views about what is art and it is indeed in the eye of the beholder. I like all types and see value in all kinds of things. I agree on the Gertrude Stein type of arrangement. Each piece should stand on its own and not just be a component in a decorator arrangement. The more the better.

Being in a gallery and studio there are lots of discussions. I get impatient with the art snob types who have distain for ceramics or fabric art and such. It's all good. I think art history IS history and political history should be taught blended with art and social history. So there.

DD hope you can take more art history. It's so fun. And Ann love the idea of you living in attic with microwave. Pretend it's a garret in Paris.

Not much here. Did my waddling at the gym listening to my favorite music - Motown. Almost masked the sound of grunts and weight drops.

Deli sandwich tonight. One sandwich is plenty for both of us. DH got the dogs walked.

Liz we are Key West dreaming.

Cheers all. Better post this before it disintegrates. Diane S

So frustrating that OH sometimes eat our deep thoughts. When it seems wonky I type in notepad and copy/paste in.

p.s. We ate squirrel and rabbits shot by my grandpa when we visited. You had to watch out for buckshot. We played with the squirrel tails. Ate the fish he caught. ds

Yes, I have eaten squirrel, rabbit, deer, bear, quail, grouse, duck, goose and even kangaroo (along with all the "normal" meats like beef, pork and chicken!