The New Year

I was late putting Christmasy things out this year and there wasn’t a lot apart from garland and the tree. I should have taken some pictures, but I’m not one to think about that in the middle of a task. 

Since Christmas decorating was late, I thought I’d like to leave the decorations up for a while, but I took them down. I haven’t been here long enough to have a good feel of the place, and I wanted to experience the atmosphere of normalcy as Mrs. Snyder. So the last two days of 2023 were spent taking down and settling in a bit more. 

New Year’s Day, Al got sick early. I finished putting the Christmas things away. By the evening, I was sick. Yesterday we started to feel human again. I’m wondering if we even had the same thing. The only commonality was a fever and a sore throat. He had a headache and achy joints. I had a terrible cough and a stuffy nose that made it impossible to lay down and sleep. Lessons in Chemistry kept me company several nights. 

On this side of our first shared illness in our first new year, I’m grateful for a good night’s sleep and how it makes you feel even when you still aren’t anywhere near 100%. I’m grateful for the peacefulness that a snow shower brings. For the sunshine that’s outside today. Coffee made at home is amazing. A day ahead with nothing on the agenda but a chance to be lazy and recuperate by the fireplace — well, it doesn’t get much better than that at 9 degrees in Yampa.

I didn’t quite get Christmas completely down. The tree. There is still the tree. At least it’s closer to the exit!