Market Day

One day.

Four Markets.

First market:

I walked up to a local food market and gift store. The business started as a catering shop 40 years ago, passed to the daughter who made it a store front and wholesaler when she had kids and a catering schedule was too much.

The food comes highly recommended -- and I met the owner last week. I bought a bunch of meals to share with the kids (trying some today) and a few gifts. I'll be going back for more gifts. It's a fantastic local business. Glad I walked, but my bag was HEAVY on the way home. It did help to edit the gift buying.

Second market:

Headed to a holiday market for kids in foster care. I did the pickup for the mom. 12 stations of gifts, Santa, music, etc. I had a carload of holiday food for the family and gifts for the little girl.

Third market:

Quick stop at home and off to the holiday market in Clarkston. This was AMAZING. Already put it on the calendar for next year. It's never worked with my schedule -- so happy to go this year. The level of artist work was far beyond what I expected ... and the food, dang.

Here are some pictures -- I have other gifts too, but didn't take pictures of everything.

A church was selling paintings
by their members -- $5

For my bedroom makeover.
Adding color. I'll frame
the prints. Each one has
a story -- so beautiful.

Santa reindeer

Passed this international
holiday tree.

Took a break to eat.

Lunch -- flavor was delicious.

I got home and wasn't in the mood for decorating. Got on pjs and started watching the latest season of All Creatures Bright and Small.

And finally #4:

My DIL texted -- they were headed to our town's German Christmas Market. Did we want to come?

Yep!

Got dressed.

They parked at our house and we walked up.

Our grandson loved the lights, watching a little train ride, and visiting Santa. Otherwise, it was rather like an amusement park vibe. Selling junk stuff, fried everything food stations, mulled wine and cider. But it was festive and a fun evening with the family.

The blog is having trouble saving again and I keep logging in and out and losing what I typed. Time to give up. 

Hope you have a good day. Later gators.

Hard News, Little Moments, Next Up

My eldest son got hard news yesterday. His company restructured after a buyout and his department (and 1/2 the company) were let go. The writing was on the wall for the last couple of months, but he thought he had more time. Crappy day for everyone.

Getting let go in December is always a shitty move. It's a dead month for business and he won't see new job options until at least mid-January. Add the economy, etc. and he has an uphill climb ahead. We'll help in anyway we can if it gets to that point. 

Switching gears ...

I went to the women's local group coffee -- it's every Friday, but I've only attended a few times. Large group yesterday after the BIG mayoral win. It's a good group in community and a wealth of information about the town. This group is the reason the local election was so successful. 

Some small moments yesterday ... it's a hodgepodge.

Little houses from a European
flight years ago. Numbered
collectables -- on display.

Sassy rock idea.

Seriously Spotify?!?!
Made me laugh.

Painted pot at a lunch cafe.

I enjoyed noticing and documenting little moments this week. It was a fun week to do it.

Next focus ... feelings. What do I want to feel as I head into 2026? I took pictures of a list of 150 feeling words from this book before I returned it to the library. 

Subtly and nuance matter. 

Excited is different than passionate. 

Rested is different than peaceful. 

I'm going to pay attention this week ahead. When I like something ... why? What am I feeling? Sussing out the nuance can help define my direction more clearly. 

I love reflection time of year. My favorite podcast is Gretchen Rubin's because of the year review and look ahead. Sad to hear her father passed unexpectedly, so this year's podcasts might be delayed or not as in depth -- unless they were pre-recorded. 

I have mix of a day ahead. 

I need to do a holiday pickup for my volunteer position, all the way north of me.

Then heading to a holiday market for the refugee town, all the way south of me.

Lots of car time today. Then home to finish decorating. I made very little progress yesterday -- the mood wasn't right after my son's news. Back at it today.

Have a good day. Later gators.

Little Moments and Matches

Little moments ...

The first pictures are of my dog pouting because I was on a zoom call. He step-by-step nested the chair to death (pictures loading backwards). He wanted to sit on my lap and I didn't let him because I was on video -- he's a dramatic boy. (P.S. This was just after I took him on a fast, 1 hour explore anything walk.)

Flowers in December
on our walk.

These matches are SCENTED!
Smells like a wood fire.

A side thought on matches. 

I started using 4 inch matches to light candles. 

There's something grounding about it.

The match strike.

Waiting for the wick to light.

Blowing out the match.

The lingering smell.

A scent memory.

A teeny tiny moment to slow down and be present. 

A little ritual for an otherwise mundane task.

It's a favorite little add-on these days.

Rain and overcast all day today.

Gloomy day or cozy day? I say the latter. 

I have a couple of errands to run, then home for the day. 

Sweat pants and slippers.

Decorating, reading, rock painting.

Hubby gets home very, very late (maybe tomorrow morning because of delays already).

Because it's a homebody day, gloomy = cozy. I'd be bummed if I had outside plans. 

It's going to be a little harder to find small moments to photo, but let's see.

Hope you have a nice day and find some little moments too. Later gators.

No Rabbit Holes Today, I Promise.

Hello. 

Here are little moments from yesterday.

BEAUTIFUL plate.
Food was excellent.

Charred green tea
with coconut milk.

Hard to see, but the plants
completely entwined again.

Evidence of a toddler visit.

Retro wallpaper print.
70s is back baby!

I grabbed a couple of library reads. This book is tailor-made for goal setting ahead of the new year. Easy to read. Lots of quotes in each chapter. A little confirmation bias, but I'll take it. 

Small actions. 

"Planning your day becomes living your life."

Ask, What do I want to feel from these goals?

Chase the feelings.

Decide from the feelings.

Feelings are vibrations in your body.

Your body knows.

Emotions are created from a story, thought.

These can be misleading. 

I'm only about a 1/3 finished. 

After lunch and the library, I walked to a local scent shop. It was amazing. They blend and make lotions, skin-care, soaps, etc. and sell local boutique items. I got a hostess gift for a party coming up, some Christmas gifts, and a few things for my stocking.

The store is off the main road, but angled oddly. They've been in business for 8 years, but I only noticed it when I started walking around the town. It's going to be a favorite for hostess gifts and the like. 

Today is a bit of a homebody day ... and a local hang. 

Continuing decorating for Christmas.

I started the tree last night.

Pulled out all the boxes too.

A couple of zoom calls for coaching stuff. 

Local walk with Duke.

Walk to an early dinner with a friend tonight. 

No rabbit hole today. You're welcome lol.

Have a great day. 

Be on the watch for small moments.

Later gators.

A Different Rabbit Hole and Small Moments.

Good morning, people.

Suck it, bots. 

Anyway. Let's go down a rabbit hole ... you've been warned lol.

You know I've been "off" lately. Too many mind dramas (probably of my own doing). Hormones (still not where they need to be). Cold (finally recovered). 

But still not myself in some other way.

I asked that question during meditation yesterday and got an interesting answer. After a bit, I had a picture of a ball of energy sitting on my right, a few feet away. The thought was ... here is where you are putting your energy. Then a picture of energy on my body ... and the thought ... HERE is where it needs to be. 

Yes. I'm focusing "out there" and I need to focus "in here."

That's where I'm aligned and happy and present. 

It's group dynamics. I'm trying to figure out mySELF in a GROUP. Where is the balance? I'm letting the groups pull me away from me ... a little too far.

I need an adjustment. 

It took me years to figure out what I want and even longer to act on it ... sped up by the isolation of the pandemic. Now when I make a decision out of that alignment, it feels off. Like I'm not being myself. Not being truthful. 

All small-ish things, but regular happenings that add up to NOT ME. 

I'm not sure the balance, but I know I need to pay attention. 

Like this small example:

Hike with friends is set a week ahead -- somewhere I want to hike, so I say yes.

The night before, someone in the group says their knee has been bothering them.

Can we hike an easier hike?

Can we hike more slowly?

The group gives a thumbs up. 

But I don't want to hike THAT hike at THAT pace. My opinion ... that person should back out of the hike and not ask the group to make the change. But the group feels differently. 

What do I do? The hike isn't only about the hike -- it's also connection with the group. But I wanted to (and agreed) to something different. I hiked with the group -- with a low-key upset the entire time because the hike wasn't what I wanted. I needed to back out. I wouldn't have said yes if that was the offering up front. 

(BTW, lots of times that doesn't matter. I can hike ahead for a couple of hours and then join up for the group hike. This particular time that wasn't an option.)

I've been working on being more flexible. 

Not letting these kind of things bother me. 

The rest of the group seemed totally unbothered. 

BUT, I'm not the group. I'm me. And that small, little decision was out of alignment. 

I could've passed with an open heart, no worries. Hiked the hike I needed that day. Caught them next time. I didn't because I thought I would seem rigid and unkind and I'd miss connection. But I didn't connect, not really. I just was frustrated -- with them, with me. 

Was that the right decision? I don't know. But I know it didn't feel right. 

I'm not sure the other option would've felt right either, but I need to try when I feel that strongly. If neither works and I'm just upset about people seeming selfish in a group setting, then that's a different animal. 

I'm remembering why groups feel hard for me. Learning and growing is a b#tch ... and figuring out WHAT I need to learn is even harder. 

Okay, climbing out of the rabbit hole ...

Here are a few little moments yesterday.

Christmas mug.
Library book.

Found a floor lamp from
Marketplace. Been searching.
Wanted cheap and used.

Not pictured.

(1) My kids all voted together -- ran into each other at the precinct and took a selfie.

(2) Our town elected a new mayor in the run-off. I helped with her campaign.

(3) Finished the court report early.

(4) Ran into my aunt running errands. 

(5) Hubby had his Million Mile flight yesterday.

Not a bad day.

Hope you're having a good week too. I'll be on the lookout for the small things today. Later gators.

Oh No!

It seems a bot found this blog again.

It freaks me out to see a jump in numbers.

Last time bots arrived, I took a break and the bot numbers went back down. 

I don't blog for anyone to actually read this -- even though I write like I'm blogging to SOMEONE. 

I know it's public, but it's public in a sort of an anonymous way. 

The small consistent numbers might be people. 

The jump is probably bots.

This makes me uncomfortable.

Dang.

Small Moments; Big Rabbit Hole

Here are the little moments from yesterday.

December 1 garden
harvest -- wow. Full
sun makes a difference.

Still peas and greens.

Decorated the greens.

Little pumpkin got
a Christmas makeover.

Today's going to be more challenging since it's raining and I'm in for the day writing a report for my volunteer position. Can I find some little moments?? I'm on the lookout for the week.

I finished THE BOOK. There was no redemption. It ended as it began. 

The writing wasn't the best, but it was okay.

The plot was awful.

Character development was poor. 

Pacing was off.

BUT ... the book was organized well. I liked the "extras" she added. Quote section from "your favorite characters." A letter to readers from the 2 main characters. Discussion questions. Notes section.

AND ... the chapters were well organized. I liked the font, pages, layout a lot. 

It's an impressive accomplishment to get a book to print. 

The book signing is next week. The friend coming with me has a kidney stone which needs intervention -- probably a solo endeavor for me. I won't have to say much to Kathy that night, but the following week is my hair appointment. That's when I need talking points so I don't hurt her feelings. She's extraordinarily proud, as she should be. 

Hubby left for a board meeting in Belgium -- rest of the week to myself. Today is a "work" day (court report). It's nice to have the house to myself to write it -- minimal interruptions. It's actually due later in the week, but I'm turning it in early so I can turn my mental attention to other things. 

The other things?

Something positive, future forward ...

Look at the year-in-review and continue planning 2026. 

Fun, FS stuff.

The other, other things?

Something of the non-productive rabbit hole variety ...

I'm in a deep conundrum trying to figure out a repeated pattern in my life. 

You guessed it, no surprise. 

Friendship woes. 

It's still that same person. I know she's not for me, but is part of her for me lol? 

How much distance?

Can I ignore the prickly parts?

How much energy and effort?

I could go down a very long rabbit hole. A text response was unkind this week and that got me all up in arms again. 

It's like sweets in the pantry. Can I REALLY ignore them? Or should I keep them out of the house for my sanity when they call to me at night?

I'm telling myself if I understand why this repeats for me that'll make it easier to find answers ... or other options. Maybe that's just an excuse to perseverate though. 

Confusing to the max. Probably me. I overthink. I want rules. I want black or white. I want my cake and eat it too. 

I want her fun, spontaneous parts ... not the unkind, passive-aggressive parts. But I don't get to choose. Or, I should say, if I acquiesce enough, I can choose. That's the tension for me. I don't want to fake my way in a relationship to keep a sort of peace. I did that with my mother for a lifetime. 

Cater to her mood ... all is well.

Not agree, not fawn? Pay a price. 

I want to make a decision and lean into that decision. Stay and figure it out or pull the bandaid and leave. 

Enough for today.

{digging out of the rabbit hole}

Painted rocks from yesterday.

Christmas Gnome

LARGE snake head is
almost finished. View from
standing. I think it works.
Tail is next.

Hope you're having a good week. Later gators.