second new year

Much like a hobbit has second breakfast, we celebrated second new year in style. Jo Ellen, Don, and Pat gathered around the table with us, breaking bread in celebration of 2019 and all the years past. The beef held up to re-heating, as did everything else. Fresh yorkshire pudding though ;-)

Don was the purveyor of my new watch, ordered a few days ago through him, knowing that his delivery schedule was better than ours. I'm thrilled with it... it is an eco-drive, which means it never needs a new battery but instead charges with light. It's sitting in the sun now, absorbing rays from the low-slung sun. Carm bumbled around and got the watch band resized for me last night, so as soon as I feel it has charged enough (who can tell when?), I'll strap it onto my wrist, leaving the fitbit to malinger until we get home from our epic journey to South America.

I'm all packed, except for the odd bit and bob. My big camera has been in and out of my bag so many times I've gotten dizzy, but this time I think it will stay out. Sure there will be things to take photos of, but we also want my waterproof camera along, so rather than lug both, I'll just stick with the small one. Hummm.... better make sure again that the little blue will fit in my little black purse.

Last minute stuff around the house is gradually getting done, but Pat, bless her heart, said to leave the tree, etc. up. One giant stress off my shoulders. I'm thinking that when I get back I'll go through all my christmas to re-org. And maybe purge a bit of stuff. Ah, who knows how much energy I'll have getting back, I may just sleep for a week.

Today the sun is blazing in a pale blue sky. Ice still glitters on the trees. And with the sun comes frigid temps, but thankfully no wind. It is forecast to snow tonight, but should stop in the morning, hopefully before we leave for the airport. Did you know that it was the regular weather forecasts in interscepted messages that helped Alan Turing break the inigma code in WWII?

I am remarkably calm, although I did spend a few hours awake last night worrying about Pat breaking her leg on her downhill ski days... Who would come and look after the dogs? What kennel could someone shuttle them to? Oh, it doesn't bear thinking about or I'll get myself into a knot again.

Too late... I just freaked myself out again. breathe... breathe... breathe... sip some calming herbal tea...

I was listening to a TED talk the other day and the guy was talking about depression and anxiety. He described anxiety as the feeling you get just as you are slipping on ice, but it doesn't go away in an instant but lingers, sometimes for days, making life miserable. It was a perfect analogy, to me anyway. It's a sort of breathless, heartpounding feeling, where my limbs feel sick and I desperately want it to end.

Time to go outside with the dogs - a change in scenery will surely transport me back to calm.