down the rabbit hole

The coffee is warm and tasty. The lights on the little pink Christmas tree are on. The cats have their num-nums. The rooster has crowed and I have made my daily sick call into the office. This week has been such a waste for me financially. However... I know that God is providing for me... this current pay period is a 12 day pay period so I won't feel the financial sting as badly as I would have otherwise. Dear friends and family members... my gifts will be small, if at all this year and I pray you understand. But the rent is paid, the lights, water and cable is on and we have food to eat. We will survive.

The pain is still there but I've learned how to manage it. I never got to talk to a doctor yesterday, I suppose they stayed closed all day but it did ease up. I've learned that if I'm really still so that I don't cough, I'm better. I'm not sleeping well but I did manage to see about six Andy Hardy movies over the past 24 hours. Andy Hardy was a character played by Mickey Rooney back in the late 30's/early 40's. It was a happy, Pleasantville kind of existance where his youthful failures were always corrected by good ole dad, Judge Hardy. Teenage Judy Garland played Andy's gal pal Betsy. I love those movies!

My plans are to spend another day in the nest and then venture out tomorrow to do a little bit of shopping. I'll take it super easy... but I have to get out before I lose my mind and we do need a few things. Again... this cooking in advance thing has proven quite handy for me this week. I highly recommend it, especially if you're single and/or have a family that doesn't mind leftovers. I love leftovers. And I think the trick is to prepare food that keeps well or improves as it marinates.

It does feel a bit surreal, being here in the nest for so long. I feel a bit out of touch with reality. Especially after so many hours of watching black and white movies. But I've got good friends who message me and email me and keep my spirits up.

I've got happy Christmas news to share and I can't believe I forgot to mention this yesterday. My precious sister in law has invited me to spend Christmas Eve with her, my brother and my little red haired dolls. I get to wake up on Christmas morning with my girls! I'm so excited to share in that with them and so grateful that my brother married a girl who makes me a part of their life. She also invited me to share in her extended family's Christmas that day and I'm going to pass on that (although, honestly, I do feel like her family, my brother's in-laws, are MY family). I think Austin and I will go see a movie, maybe have a nice dinner out somewhere and just relax that day. I'm excited to have the priviledge of sharing in the joy of these two little angels who still believe in Santa! It's been a long time... and I'm really looking forward to it.

Despite not feeling good, ultimately, this break was good for me. I hate being sick but I do believe that illness is God's way of giving us a time of rest and respite. I have to admit that I've enjoyed the break. I love my job, I'm grateful for my job, I appreciate the opportunity to work and it's certainly not a physically demanding thing but... I have been run down.

It's slightly below freezing here this morning... it's warmed up a bit but... my life has been at a comfortable 66 degrees...

Hope you have a great Friday! Love and hugs, y'all.