I had planned to read through the Bible this year. It’s been a while since I’ve done that. My Bible in a Year app tells me I’m 173 days behind. Finishing this year is not looking promising.

Our dog has discovered sleeping on the couch at night — and most of the day, don’t get me wrong. He no longer sleeps at night in his bed in our room, which I’m totally ok with. But… every night when I go to bed, he escorts me down the hall to my bedroom. He waits until I give him a hug and say “good night good boy” and then he darts out to find the comfort of the sofa.

It’s roughly two weeks before Christmas and I have bought exactly one Christmas present. I probably should pick up the pace a little on my gift buying game.

Yay Nats! Now if only the Orioles could have even — ooohhhh, I don’t know — maybe just have a decent season to start with. If dreams came true: a Nats/Orioles World Series would bring so much joy to this household. Add a winning Redskins season (or should that be simply winning a game?) to the mix and it would practically be Heaven on Earth here.

I’m cold. all. the. time. Though the outdoor temperature has indeed dropped a bit, it’s not really all that cold yet. The problem is if my fingers are cold — and they almost always are this time of year — I cannot get warm. We’ve still got January and February to get through. How do I ever survive winter? I’m not a fan.

The music of the 1970s and 80s is the best. No competition.

I stopped eating bread (again, sighhhh) a little over a week ago. I had to because, for me, eating bread has become no bueno. I don’t know what the issue is, but it doesn’t seem to be a gluten thing. Since I’ve stopped, something weird has been happening — I think they’re called hunger pangs. So odd. I’ve lost five pounds — the most I’m ever going to lose I fear.  I’m also no longer a sinus stuffed snot head. Coincidence or cause and effect? Who knows? I can breathe right now with minimal mucus interruption. I like it.

My daughters and I were in an elevator the other day. The “ping” sounded more like a broken guitar string. Piyonnnngggg. We laughed a bit too hard. It wasn’t really all that funny, but we couldn’t keep it together. Every floor, every time the door opened and closed, piyonnnngggg. We lost it. We could barely breathe we were laughing so hard. The woman riding the elevator with us didn’t seem very amused. I’m so sorry lady.

Favorite rock ballad = “Faithfully” by Journey.

What is with drivers stopping their cars for no discernible reason in the middle of the road? No stop signs, no people, no stop lights, no traffic, no turns. No anything. Just come to a dead stop right there in the lane. Why are you doing that?! You can’t stop there!! I’ve experienced this phenomenon numerous times of late but it once happened to me on what is more or less a highway, going 60 miles an hour. Cars going just as fast or faster behind me and this car up there in front of me in the lane is at a dead stop. They put on their left turn blinker—ahh, a blinker user, what a refreshing change of pace — tried to move into the left lane… but cars were there … and ended up pulling off the road to the right all of a sudden. Probably because I was honking my horn incessantly for them to get out of the way. I honestly don’t know how we all didn’t die. You cannot come to a complete stop in the middle of the lane on a highway because you want to change lanes. On the flip side, folks stopping at a red light or stop sign is not anywhere close to a sure bet these days. Something seems amiss here. My angel works overtime saving me from you [unflattering word] drivers.

Now that my hair is growing back, our youngest rubs my head like it’s a genie bottle. All the time. “Your hair is so soft.”

I might have to ditch Facebook in 2020. I don’t think I can handle another presidential election cycle there. I love my friends, but come on people, just stop with the politics. Stop it! I wish there was a political Facebook edition where those folks could just go in a room there and argue it all out while the rest of us stay over here and enjoy the party. I’m ok with being oblivious to what’s going on. I just want to see the family pics, tell a few jokes, have a little fun. I’m not so sure I want to see everyone’s paranoia and mental health issues on full display anymore.

Speaking of… Step away from  the 24-hour news cycle! Take some time off from it. The world will either stay together or fall apart whether or not you’re watching. I can almost guarantee your stress level will decrease quite a bit once you get out and breathe some fresh air, ignore the newsy bickering, smell the roses, play. Please, I beg you. Step away. Breeeeaattthhhhe. It’s for your own good.

After hearing about some of what was going on in a friend’s marriage, I told my husband not to worry because I haven’t got enough energy to be that mean to him. What is with the mind games, people?

On the other hand, my husband insists on saying good morning to me every day. I don’t drink coffee at all, ever. I don’t even know how we’re still married.

Our family favorite Christmas-time movie is Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. An absolute classic. Oh that Kevin.

I never hear anyone use the word “hinky” except in TV shows and movies. Is that even a real word?

I could go on, but that’s probably enough for now. I just wanted to close this year’s writings out on a lighter note. I think I will probably try to stick with the blog thing again one more year. Or I’ll be working on that book that everyone is always telling me I should write. The only problem with that scenario is that I have NO IDEA what I’d write about. But the movie will be in theaters near you very soon. LOL.

In the meantime, it’s a tad early but…
Merry Christmas! Happy Hanakkah! Happy New Year!

The Lord bless you and keep you: the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you: the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26