The Winter of Our (Dis)content

The title phrase popped into my head while I was trying not to think about the upcoming inauguration and the revulsion it entails. I don't think I can watch.

I knew the phrase was from Shakespeare, but forgot it was also the title of a Steinbeck novel I have never read. On the list it goes.

I'm trying to read more this year. In 2016 I managed twenty some books, one of my lowest tallies in decades. I did, however, binge watch way too many shows.

If you are interested in a page turning book, I recommend Dark Matter. I inhaled it. If you want some social commentary, Hillbilly Elegy fascinated me. The book I'm most interested in reading next is The Revenge of Analog: Real Things and Why They Matter.

If you want something to binge watch, my favorites were The Night Watchman, The Code, Goliath, Good Behavior, The O. A., Amazon in the Jungle, Sons of Anarchy, Rectify, Poldark and Westworld. I guess it's a wonder I read anything at all.

We enjoyed a sweet holiday break with both kids home for a month, and for two weeks, both their significant others with us as well. The house was alive with talking and laughing and of course drinking. We cooked and baked and did two difficult puzzles and relaxed and just enjoyed each other's company.  We purged the childhood paper and photo piles and had so many laughs and I had a few tears at the silliness and  sweetness of those crazy kids. We purged the Christmas decor piles and my son purged and painted his bedroom, which just might inspire us to keep rolling with the purge and paint program.

We survived the great stomach virus outbreak unscathed, except for my frazzled nerves keeping everyone mindful of handwashing and sanitizing every time they left the house. Our local high school had 800 students out at once, a third of them, and everyone I know with kids has gotten it, so I feel very lucky it did not cross our paths.

My beloved and incredibly annoying dog appears to be through the worst of his heartworm treatment. It was scary and painful. Mr. Tucker is a complete spazz and very easily excited and the two month treatment requires no exercise, no increase in blood pressure, complete calm to prevent embolism risk from dying worms in the heart and lungs. He collapsed ten days after the first injection, and we thought we were going to lose him, but he pulled through. We tried very hard to keep him calm, leash walking him through ice and snow, but four instances of stray dogs in the yard, and multiple delivery men made it impossible. He has spent the last six weeks on steroids to prevent an embolism recurrence and he has been insatiable for food and water, and has gained almost ten pounds. We are weaning off the steroids and hope to get a less annoying version of him back soon. It's been like having a baby again, getting up in the night to let him out, and worrying, worrying. I have spoiled him beyond repair.

I've gained back most of the weight I lost from my parasite infection, and it's a wonder I didn't gain more, thanks to the baking and cooking and eating. The dog and I have our work cut out for us when the weather gets a little nicer and my bursitis treatment gets me less hobbled. Yeah, that happened too. Neck, shoulders and now hip. What next, I wonder. But, I still have my feet as they say.

Life is too busy for us now, so much to do, so many trips coming up, both business and personal. We finally, finally sold our place in North Carolina, at an incredible loss, but we still celebrated. It was costing us a fortune to only go there twice, maybe three times a year. I'm eyeing retirement homes and know politically incorrect North Carolina is not the state for me, and a small condo with stairs is not the home I want for my later years. We have to move out fifteen years of stuff, and thank goodness they wanted most of the furniture. I'm going to miss those hills, but we are all excited about the idea of vacations in other beautiful places, and new adventures.

Speaking of vacations and adventures, Em's beach volleyball season starts in March, and we are taking a huge trip to watch three tournaments in a row, in Florida, California and Hawaii. I've never been to an island in the middle of the ocean. I'm a nervous flyer and get very physically uncomfortable after about an hour in the air, but I'm taking my Ativan and I'm going to watch our girl play on another beautiful beach.  And add more sand to the collection.

There is so much to be done that I hope to mostly ignore politics, to pretend this is not happening. My son suggested I take a break from the news because it is stressful watching me be so stressed. He is reading Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States and is convinced we have always been mostly a mess, but always progressing, inch by inch, and that every huge step forward always swings back a bit to the conservative side. He is more hopeful that things will be OK than I am able to muster right now, but I gain hope from that. I promised to read his book, but I'm not sure it will help my mood.

So this is my Winter of Political and Social Discontent. The dichotomy of our outgoing and incoming fearless leader is stunning. The variance in their articulation, education, decorum, civic responsibility, maturity and mental stability is almost unfathomable. They both move me to tears, one from respect, the other disgust. I do not know what we have done, but it does not look good for the good guys.

But on the personal side, the home front, this is my Winter of Contentment. We are all well. I remain grateful and could not ask for more. Well maybe a few less aches and pains, and some better sleep. But otherwise, we are all good. So life is good.

Also, the violet I rescued from the hardware store sale rack in is glorious bloom.

I hope 2017 is kind to all of us. Full of love and peace, health and hugs. And some Contentment.

xo