So far this year

So far it's been a very busy first month of the new year. New Year's Eve and New Year's Day I spent among friends--eating, drinking, laughing. Then I caught a cold that lasted just about a week. I had to isolate myself from the world. I sneezed; I coughed every time I tried to speak; my nose alternated between clogging up or running snot. I blew my nose so often that I actually had skin peeling off my nose by the 3rd day, like I had gotten a sunburn. Luckily, some lotion took care of the dry, irritated skin and the antihistamines and cold medicine took care of that cold.

Work is busy as always. And I find myself unable to say no when people ask me to come in and help out on my days off from work. I must work harder on saying no. Even the organizations I volunteer for are taking up a lot of my time. I really should start saying no to people. In fact, I'm going to start saying no this week. Of course, I do have a few commitments I agreed to honor in the next two weeks. So, for sure, by the end of the month, I should have more time off to myself.

It's getting really cold down here--down to the 40s. That's right; 40 degrees Fahrenheit. It's so cold that I had to close my windows and start wearing my hoodie every time I venture outside. It might not seem as cold as up north where it snows, but it's plenty enough cold for me! I find myself eating a lot oatmeal and soups and stews--perfect food for this chilly weather. Chilly, hmmm. That reminds me; some chili would be good eats for this weather, too!

One of my best friends is burying her mother today. And I wish I could be there for her, just as she was there for me when I went to see my mother in her last days. Alas, I cannot attend, because they're an ocean and several countries away. The best I could do was call my friend and tell her how sorry and sad I am to learn that her mother has passed on. And it was a very hard thing to do, because it reminded me of my mother passing away. But that's life. We never get over the loss of a loved one; we just learn to live with it.

I find it hard to believe that all of these events took place and it's only the second week of the new year! A lot happens in a short space of time. And it's a really hard reminder that life is short, and that time keeps on moving with or without us. So, I have to make the most of the time that I have. Which means, I really do need to say no to working overtime; no to overextending myself; and spend more time with the people that are important to me, doing the things that I love-eating, drinking, laughing with friends, including the ones I keep on line. In case I haven't said it lately, thank you for being a friend and for all your support. It gives me hope that there are still some good people left in this world, and I'm glad to count you among my friends.