Catching Up - It's Been VERY Snowy and Happy New Year (Early)

Since we're closed tomorrow and Thursday, although I will be posting quick Happy New Year posts, this is really my final post of substance for the year. We were dumped on for snow on the 28th-29th, so when I awakened, I did 1/2 hour on the treadmill, then got dressed for shoveling and started moving a mountain of snow. I cleared the walkways, then started on the driveway, and I had half of it cleared before DH came out and tackled the remainder with the snow blower. I was quite grateful for that, since that included the snowplow scree from the plows running back and forth along my street. 

Although my street is urban, the amount of snow on each 
side of this photo is just about what we were dealing with 
yesterday morning. Thank goodness Kevin had been kind 
enough to snowblow our front out. It made things much 
easier for me to deal with when I got into the shop yesterday. 

My acquaintance at the shop, Kevin, the Anishnabe guy who clears snow for the coffeeshop next door on the corner, had cleared his single pass that he does in front of my store as a kindness. I'm always grateful to Kevin, it means I have less that I have to clear, and people have a safe way to walk by my shop to get to the bus stop and the coffee shop. I still had plenty of snow that needed to be shoveled, but it wasn't solid  and didn't take me long. The drift that the snowplows had cast up in front of the shop were easily more than 4 feet high, so I now have an impressive barrier to the street snowplows. They'll be cleaning up for a day or two more, so I'll have to do touch-up shoveling, but I think my castle walls are in place for the remainder of this winter (unless we get an unusual warm snap that causes some serious melt-down). 

We had nice numbers from our sale on the first two 
days, but yesterday was a real disappointment. The 
snowstorm really kept people away (and I couldn't 
blame them for not wanting to drive through although 
the roads were mostly cleared). 

It was the third day of our four-day END OF THE YEAR SALE, and, as sales go, it was a disappointment. Of course, just getting from Point A to Point B in the snowstorm seemed to be a serious issue - there were at least two cars stuck in the drifts alongside the road during the day. One, they had to call a tow truck out for, the other borrowed my shovel to get himself extricated. I'm sure my little corner wasn't the only one affected along my street, the snowplows had cleared the driving lanes, but hadn't cleared edge-to-edge yet. 

I'm extremely grateful for Kevin who is hired to snowblow 
the walkways around the corner coffeehouse, but extends his 
path past my store for a single up and back sweep. It's a 
kindness he does for me and I'm very thankful for it. 

I have to start today out by going to the bank for our final deposit of the year. We're closed tomorrow and Thursday, so it's my last chance to get money into our account. It's a bit nerve-wracking - it's a LOT of cash to be carrying around. Still, it's not like I'm wearing a placard stating "Rob Me". LOL I'm sure I'll be fine, it's not the first time I've had to do a deposit like this. 

We're a legacy customer of Deerwood Bank. Our original 
bank, which had been less than a mile from the shop, now 
is the location for the spectacular metal loon sculpture on 
the northwest corner of a redevelopment of green space for 
the urban scene. I adore the loon, but on days like today with 
roads the way they are, I would really prefer my old bank. LOL

But I'm starting the day out at the swimming pool. I won't be swimming the remainder of the week, so I absolutely need to get my one day in. I'm going to catch up on some sleep over the next couple of days, and we'll have to go into the shop for at least a short time for reports. We also have the rescheduled family get-together on Wednesday afternoon. So I won't be housebound. My posts will be short, however, for the 31st and the 1st. I wish all of you a safe and happy New Year and I look forward to sharing with all of you in 2026. Slava Ukraini. 

Running Late, So Just a Quick Post About the Minnesota Blizzard

Just a really quick post. We got a blizzard yesterday, so the family get-together has been rescheduled for Wednesday instead. We ended up with 6"-7" of snow here at the house, and I just got in from shoveling most of it (DH actually got the snowblower started and did the last third of the driveway for me). We have the third day of our four-day End of the Year Blowout Sale going on today. The roads should all be plowed, and we shouldn't have any access issues, so I'm hoping for good sales today. Saturday was a good day, Friday was a bit slow, but still OK. We have today and tomorrow, and then we're done for the year. 

This could easily be DH - our snowblower is yellow like this, 
and he often wears a red parka (although he's usually wearing 
a blue one when he's working on the roof or snowblowing). We 
were clearing just about that much snow away this morning 
from yesterday's blizzard that dumped 6"-8" over the Metro 
area. 

I hope all of you are safe, sound, bundled up (if appropriate for your weather and temperatures) and able to spend some time with friends and/or loved ones over this holiday season. I'll be back tomorrow, but I've got to get going. Shoveling the driveway took a serious chunk of time (before DH finally came out and snowblowed the final 1/3 which included the plow scree, so I was happy for the mechanical assistance). Enjoy your Monday. Slava Ukraini. 

It's the Weekend and It's a Busy One

Yesterday was the first of two days of our Inventory Reduction Sale. We had good numbers and saw some old friends, but all in all, I was a bit disappointed. Hopefully today will be busier and we'll have larger sales numbers by the end of it, but it seemed a bit too much "crickets" than previous End of the Year sales we've held. 

One more day of our End of the Year Sale. I'm frankly 
exhausted and very ready to call an end to 2025. I still 
have a few days of work left for this year, but we'll be 
able to have a bit of relaxation mid-week again before 
diving into 2026. 

Nonetheless, it was a joy to see some of our old regular customers coming over and being able to give them hugs and wish them well was worth everything to me. One thing that pleased me very much was Claire dropping by to pick up the other Connie Seabourn watercolor that matched the one Chickie bought for her months ago and just gave to her for Christmas. Claire now has the set - Dawn and Dusk - and they'll look spectacular in her home. 

Connie Seabourn is one of those rare artists who actually 
are able to make a living from their artwork. She's 
Cherokee, and specializes in watercolor. I adore her work, 
own a piece of my own, and I really loved the set of two 
small pieces I had of hers. Chickie bought one of those for 
her Mama, and Claire purchased the second one for 
herself yesterday with holiday funds. I'm glad the two 
pieces are staying together. 

Our long-time customer and dear friend Joyce dropped by. The last thing she needs is more beads, but that never stops her from buying additional tubes. LOL It was a happiness for my heart to see her again and hug her. We used to see a lot more of her until her husband retired and she had to pull back on purchasing. I also shared some classes with her at the Bead & Button Show while that was still in operation. Such good times. 

The Bead & Button Show was an annual event that I attended 
for more than a decade - closer to 20 years. I started out by 
attending the show when it was held in Arizona and then it moved 
to the West Coast for a few years, before settling into the 
Milwaukee Convention Center for more than a decade. It was 
my go-to show and my happy place. So many friends and so 
many wonderful things to look at and to purchase. I also took 
a lot of classes there to hone my skills. 

Tomorrow we have our family get-together at the Entertainment Room where my sister-in-law now lives. I've never been there, although the kids all have been (of course). I'll be relying on Google Maps to get me there - LOL. I'll take a quick drop by the grocery store on the way to the shop today to pick up some meatballs and a loaf of bread for DH. I'm bringing BBQ meatballs to the holiday get-together - easy to toss together and always popular. 

There are a lot of different ways to have BBQ meatballs, 
but it's one of the easier things for me to put together, 
and it's also very easy to transport (and I don't mind 
having leftovers either). It's a win/win for family 
get-togethers. 

So, that brings me up-to-date. I'm hoping my weekend will be enjoyable and not too stressful (although I do have to drop three Christmas pounds by next weekend - LOL). Have an excellent weekend with friends and family and I'll be back on Monday. Slava Ukraini. 

I Had a Great Christmas - Did You?

Did you survive Christmas? Did Santa Claus bring you what you wanted? Santa was quite generous for me, and I now have the next season of "Midsommer Murders" and "Maigret" on DVD. Since we were completely unable to watch "Maigret" because of technical issues with the feed, I'm delighted and can hardly wait to dive into it without the broadcasting issues we had been experiencing. 

We really liked what we were able to see of 
Maigret, but the feed was horrific, so we weren't 
really able to enjoy it. Now we have the DVD, 
so we'll have the fun of watching without the 
issues of the feed. 

Today starts our four-day END OF THE YEAR SALE. It's a huge sale, and we'll get a lot of people through. It goes Friday and Saturday this week, and Monday and Tuesday next week. We'll have Wednesday and Thursday off next week again, and that will be totally delightful (and absolutely necessary). I'm already looking forward to it, even though we'll have to attempt to print out our year-end reports and get the various State and Federal year-end forms filed. So even though we won't be open for sales, we'll still be at the shop for several hours. 

Today starts our Four-Day End of the Year Sale - our 
biggest sale of the year. I'm hoping we get the sales 
numbers, I think we will. 

Chickie gave the small watercolor painting she had purchased for her Mom to Claire yesterday and she adored it. Claire texted me that she wants the second one in the set, and she'll be in today to buy it. So, I'll reserve it for her. It is a set of two, and I'm pleased that she wants the second piece. Our year-end sale is the best sale we have, so she'll be getting a good price too. 

I was a bit disappointed in holiday cards this year. I received about half of the number that I usually get, and my mantle looks a bit sparse. Still, there are at least two overseas cards that I usually get that I know were sent and are probably somewhere between here and there - LOL. I don't pull the cards down until after the New Year, so there's still time for some holiday cheer. 

Both DH and Chickie gave me gift cards from Barnes & 
Noble - a guaranteed happy gift for me - the perennial 
bookworm. LOL 

Looking at my desk (which really needs a good year-end cleaning), I see that Santa was kind enough to give me $70 in Barnes & Noble gift cards, so I'll make sure to load those up on my account for the next e-books I want to get in the series I'm reading down. Getting books always makes me smile - it's one of my happy things. As I said above, DH hit it out of the park with the "Midsomer Murders" and "Maigret" DVD's. He also got me two sets of running shorts, and will buy me a new set of running shoes when we can get to the mall together. I desperately need a new pair - my current ones are falling apart. All in all, I'm calling it a successful Christmas. DH got lots of things that he wanted, and some things he didn't know he wanted, (but he actually did) - LOL

I hope you also had a lovely Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I'm heading to the shop for what I hope will be a very busy first day of our "After Christmas Four-Day Sale". Enjoy your Friday and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini. 

In Case You Missed the Memo ... LOL

In case you missed the memo ... Christmas is coming - LOL. I do hope you're ready for the holiday to come. I'm almost ready - not quite, but about as good as it can be. I'll be at the grocer tomorrow to get things I'll need for the next few days, but I have my lettuce, I have enough fruit for my breakfasts, and we've been eating down a huge ham, and have both a prime rib and a pork roast in the refrigerator waiting for me to cook them. I'm hoping I have all the ingredients I'll need on hand, because I'll have a quick trip to the grocer tomorrow and then, radio silence. 

This looks like a really cute book to read. It's a 
pop-up too. I didn't have books like this when 
I was a kid, but I know I had some Christmas 
books to read - all non-religious, of course. 

I don't feel as if I've gotten sufficient gifts for DH - it's always hard with his birthday being so close to the holiday. I have to apportion things between the two days, and I think his birthday always gets the short straw. But, I've done the best I can. After the holiday we dive into our after-Christmas sale and then I can concentrate on closing the business. I'm already super stressed about that, but there's nothing I can do about it. It has to be done, so it'll get done, and hopefully it will get done well. 

I'm hoping that hiring Travis to help with our 
store liquidation won't turn into a problem. I'm 
just hoping ... it's really all I can do. After the 
holiday is over, I can concentrate on getting this 
accomplished. The contracts have been signed 
and we've sent him a LOT of money. This better 
turn out good! 

There may well be some days upcoming when all of the posting you'll get from me is a quick acknowledgement that I'm still alive and kicking, and positive wishes for the day. I'm just taking this opportunity to warn you - I know some of my long-term friends worry if I'm not posting every day. I don't usually miss. But next year, at least the first half of the year, will be one of the most challenging times I'll have lived through, and there might be times when I'll miss a post, or they will be minimal. It's NOT because I don't care about everyone who reads these posts and comments (or doesn't comment - commenting is not a requirement after all - LOL). It will just be life getting in the way. 

Sometimes life gets in the way. And other times ... well 
life still gets in the way - LOL. Right now, my stress 
levels are through the roof, and I don't expect that to change 
for the next few months. I'm going to try and enjoy 
having two days off this week, and just take things 
one day at a time. 

Like right now - we have a leaking pipe in the floor just past the lower bathroom entrance. DH is going to tackle things today as much as he can, but I'll probably have to call in a plumber ... at Christmas time. I suspect my friend Jack has finally retired, or might even be deceased by now, but if DH can't fix things today, I might have to have a holiday visit or as quickly after the holiday as possible. *sigh* Household ownership ... it's always something or other - LOL. On that note, I'm off to the pool for my swim. I think I desperately need that today - LOL. Have an excellent Tuesday and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini! 

Today and Tomorrow and Then Radio Silence

I shouldn't be so rushed on a Monday morning, but I am. I have thoughts of the sale email that we've been tweaking in my head and I need to get that finalized and sent out for out after-Christmas sale. I have this and that, gifts and groceries, and a refrigerator full of food (for just the two of us - LOL). We have a ham and a prime rib. I guess I'll be cooking a bit - LOL. 

I've got a baked ham in the refrigerator. I think DH has 
already pulled off a piece or two (just to test the taste, 
you know? - LOL). 

I don't know if I'll have anything magnificent to say over the next few days, and I'm quite sure most of you will be busy with your own Holiday events and preparations, but I want to make sure to wish all of you a Good Solstice, a Happy Hanukkah, and a Blessed Christmas. If I missed any of you with the greetings, just pick your own and plug my name into it. I'm hoping for everything good for each and every one of you. 

I'll be cooking the Prime Rib on Christmas Day. It always 
makes me a bit nervous to cook such an expensive piece 
of meat, but really, they just cook themselves - LOL. 

I'll try to post tomorrow, it's a swimming day so I should be on schedule, but then I'm off on Wednesday and Thursday for the holidays and I won't be posting those two days. Enjoy, I'll be here tomorrow and then "radio silence" for two days of much needed holiday. Slava Ukraini. 

I Had a Hearing Test - It's Been a Couple of Decades - LOL

I finally feel like I've caught back up on my sleep. And it's Saturday, I'm grateful for that, even though we're still going in to the shop tomorrow for our final open Sunday and to get more work done. DH awakened early, so even though he didn't bother my meditation, he was still already up when I started on the treadmill. Oh well, he's making noises in the shower right now. LOL

I was rather surprised by how comprehensive my hearing 
exam was. It used earbuds as well as headphones, and 
I was closed in a sound-proofed room for the test itself. 
To my relief, the room wasn't claustrophobic. LOL

I went to the clinic yesterday morning for a hearing test. My MCI group had recommended that each of us get our eyes and our hearing checked annually. I haven't had my hearing checked for more than a decade, so I figured, "Why not?", made an appointment, and saw Benjamin. I had a hearing test done decades ago for a job I held, and they discovered some hearing loss in my right ear. I still have more hearing loss in the right ear than in the left one, but all things considered, my test was actually pretty good and my ears are also pretty good with no hearing aids recommended at this time. Go me! LOL 

It was a very comprehensive exam, testing more 
than just the two things indicated on this sample. 
I was quite pleased, though. I do miss some of the 
higher pitched sounds in my right ear, but my 
baselines are good and no hearing aids are 
recommended "at this time". Of course, I'm getting 
older so anything like that is subject to change. LOL

I have a lovely printed chart of the test results, and had to contact Google for help with interpretation, but all things considered, I'm pleased. I know DH is very hard of hearing and usually has horrible hearing test results, but I also know that he doesn't go every year when he should be going. He complains about how he can't hear the girls. Well, I didn't have a girl, I had a guy. Maybe DH should try to get an appointment with Benjamin. 

So, I'm ready to jump into the day. Have an excellent Saturday and I'll be back on Monday. Slava Ukraini.