Happy New Year from Emberville

 

New Year, new toy.  That's a fuzzy pink tail on a green monster toy that jiggles and moves.  It was a big hit, and Ember chased it all around the x-pen and the dining room.  I did take it away for a bit to give it a rest.  And she got a New Year's Eve afternoon walk in the neighborhood, which is a blessing in Winter when it's warm enough and not slick.

Video of toy in action.

There were fireworks in the evening hours, starting around 7 p.m., which did not coincide with either ringing in the New Year or a football celebration... so... I was once again grateful that Ember doesn't seem to be bothered much, if they aren't right next to her.

New Year's morning, The Prisoner decided he did not want to go either outside or down to his luxury suite, and he planted himself at the top of the stairs.

Ember whined a bit at the gate, but settled down and played quietly, lifting her head and keeping a sharp eye at that staircase every so often.

I settled in on the couch with my coffee, and Ember joined me, napping for a while.  Eventually, though, Mr. Prisoner decided he was ready to return to his domain and he came down those stairs.

Ember hopped off the couch and followed him to the laundry room door, where I had to briefly intervene.  "Let the kitty get away, remember?"  I opened the door a crack, while holding Ember's collar, and The Prisoner slipped quickly into his safe space.  I'm thinking we will survive the Winter!

New Year's Day Ember napped in her crate while I drove over to enjoy the family pasta fest.  My son was the chef.  He cooked something called cascatelli, a big pot.  It's a custom pasta marketed by a pod-caster that my son found.  He slow cooked an incredibly meat-heavy sauce, while his wife grated parmigiano reggiano.  The meats were beef and Italian forms of sausage, diced finely.  Onions, garlic.  You get the idea.  My son married into an Italian family, and he grew up in a neighborhood heavily populated with an immigrant population from both Italy and Poland, so has an affinity for both cuisine arts.

Carl was a very happy fellow to have lots of grandma and grandpa attention... two grandmas and a grandpa... and my son gave him a "naughty bone" that some clever pet store sold to pet-parents who wanted to distract their dog while the family did holiday things.  Ember gave me a good sniffing over when I got home, and she even got a few tiny bites of the gingerbread cookie that came home with me.

Homemade gingerbread... yum!  DIL, her mom, and FGC decorated the cookies.  That's the whole platter, before a couple of them were fished out to send home with me.

One of the Lego sets that came to my son at Christmas time.  I had heard that he'd completed it but on New Year's Day, he brought it upstairs to show off.  It's Gandalf fighting the balrog on the bridge inside the mines of Moria in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

I am so confused... I thought it was Monday, but it's Friday... January 2, 2026

Friday was a planning and making appointments day.  I made reservations for the lunch with my niece and my son, daughter in law and their foster son.  I dug out the appointment slip for my annual physical, and I see my January calendar filling up fast with medicalizing things.  Dental, another eye appointment, and the blood draw and Medicare "wellness check".  I booked three extra day care days for Ember, to allow for all my own human stuff!

I was overfilled from the pasta feed on New Year's, but pretty much skipped breakfast and was ready for the leftovers by noon.

Saturday, January 3, 2026

The kids were going to Zootopia 2 at the movies, but I opted out of this family outing.  I originally was going to opt out just to have some cave time, then I realized, "oops", the 3rd was the date of the memorial service for my childhood friend who passed away November 29th.  Ember cooperated nicely, settling in for puppy nap #1 in time for me to shower and put on "human event" clothing, and drive over to the church where it was being held.

This was a childhood and a workplace friend.  The workplace was well represented.  I can't vouch for how many of our grade school friends might have been in attendance as well; that was 60+ years ago, and, well, we've changed our appearance just a tad since then.  I complicated matters by having moved away during the mid-section of my working life, post college.  But it was nice to see a few others of the retired from there crowd.  I did not stay for the luncheon, so I did end up with at least a partial cave day.  

I was very glad that I went, though.  The service fit in well with the way the whole family focus of the holiday season has gone.  Relationships, family, photos of the time periods through which both she and I lived.  I think I was even in one of the photos (of a biking group).  Some of my favorite Bible verses were referenced.  The music was just right.  I know that my friend helped to plan this "Celebration of Life" which it truly was.  She had known, and had time, to prepare her loved ones and to plan for this day.

Life is good.  It is short, though, even when it's 70 or more years!  Spark on and hug your loved ones.