This week I got started painting our rental and completed my quilt top and three submissions.

I was researching something the other morning that I don’t remember, but Gary and I got to talking during our walk about the people we still knew from high school after more than fifty years. I thought I would blog about that when I got home, but did my chores, and then forgot completely what I wanted to say. I titled this post “Lucy and Me” but can’t remember why I did that either. I might be losing my mind, but mostly, I’m busy.

By the time I sat down at my computer, there was a reel about George Harrison from childhood to his last years on Facebook, and I wanted to know how he died because I couldn’t remember. Lung cancer. Why am I not surprised? He had his teeth done, which I could see would happen in his early photos. The Brits aren’t so fussy about teeth and his weren’t bad, but that’s one of the things people in the public eye and with enough money always do. Uneven teeth are the most obvious sign that Gary and I didn’t grow up with money.

Last week I ran for over one and a half miles on Thanksgiving day and my muscles were sore for the next three days. We drove back to the beach, and I made some of our favorite holiday foods. Saturday, I finished the outer frame of my quilt, folded it and hung it until I can afford to have it quilted. Sunday, I washed, pressed, and hung the backing which has a pattern that is a sweet surprise, I think. Monday, I decided I would not begin the next quilt so I cleared and cleaned up my workspace. I put the second coat on the walls beside the kitchen appliances. We went to look at flooring, and while I have the money to do it all, we might be crunched for our property taxes… so rethinking.

Tuesday, I painted the living room and bedroom walls of our rental, the new range and fridge were delivered, and the test I did for painting the floor was textured, but smooth under my hand and didn’t snag my socks—success all around! We celebrated by driving north to find a green tree, put it up, and decorated it only with tiny warm white lights, the peacock fan tree-topper, and one chubby angel.

Wednesday morning, I talked to a friend who is going to squeeze in our rental repairs [yeah!], and then we drove to Portland. I made a savory-sweet spread that was supposed to contain bacon, using chopped raisins instead, and baked a cheesecake. In the evening we attended an event at one of my favorite small businesses and we were so far out of our depth in terms of cash-flow that Gary says he won’t ever go again. It was not an entirely unreasonable response at a time in America where you can purchase a pardon or succeed in business by paying off the right people [person]. I accidentally flipped the outlet breaker trying to plug in my water pick, and it took both of us [mostly Gary] to reset the outlet. We watched a movie and ate chèvre cheesecake made with ginger honey.

Thursday, I revised my ghost story to share with a friend, Gary and I had our teeth cleaned [no issues], and I began a new-ish short story and attended my world-building class with Nisi Shawl.

I can’t help reading the news and worrying about our country. But here we are safe and sound, relatively healthy, and comfortable with a frugal but sweet holiday.