Cheers! We started the day with what we call Triple B. Biscuits, Bacon and Bloodies. Not a bad way to ring in the new year.
Great breakfast notwithstanding, I’m kind of a pessimist at heart. Sometimes it feels like we’re on the downhill stretch speeding toward Armageddon, but I’m keeping one foot pressed on the pedal of hope. In 2024, I’d like to see peace, kindness, clean air, normal Republicans. That sort of thing.
In a sign of good tidings, my cat curled up in a rarely exhibited but favorite pose, a position I call Hot Crossed Paws. It’s like seeing Jesus on toast. There he is on the kitty couch, in all his splendor. Riley, king of cats.
I had a bit of a health scare just before Christmas. My left armpit had been hurting, and since I had a mastectomy for breast cancer in 2015, I immediately thought of lymph nodes. Let’s just go with the worst-case scenario, shall we?
The ultrasound revealed normal nodes, so that was a relief. I mentioned it to my massage therapist, who said it was my pectoral muscles. She worked on them a little more than usual, and I almost immediately began to feel better.
Then I remembered I had the same symptoms shortly after my mastectomy. I still had the exercises in a little binder, so I dug those out and started doing them again. Like magic, it’s all getting better.
During that same massage, she said my left hip flexor was stiffer than normal, and I mentioned I recently had a small sciatica flareup. She asked if I was still swimming, and that’s where I hemmed and hawed a bit.
The short answer is yes, but only sporadically since it got cold. The pool is outdoors but heated. However, I am a slow swimmer and a wuss. She suggested I get back to swimming regularly, that she could see and feel the difference in my flexibility. So, back to the pool I went, and she was right! It makes a huge difference. I’ve been wearing a rash guard, which adds an extra layer of warmth and will hopefully guard against unseemly rashes.
Although I don’t make resolutions, I am more committed than ever to keeping my body reasonably fit and flexible. From all I’ve heard, it’s not going to get any easier as I age, but I am not going down without a fight. Food is always a top priority in my life, but I would say it’s food and fitness for 2024. That looks almost like a resolution if you squint.
As for reading, I started the J.D. Robb series featuring New York City detective Eve Dallas. The novels are set in the near-future, which makes for an interesting twist. I like them so far, and there are more than 50, if you can believe that, so I shouldn’t run out of material anytime soon. My only real beef is her love interest – he’s filthy rich, and it’s a little too Pretty Woman for me. Still, the sex is fairly graphic, in a good way, and it’s not often you find that in a murder mystery!
I’m still enjoying my PBS Masterpiece subscription. I finished Miss Scarlet & the Duke. I believe a new season launches this month. I also started watching the Frankie Drake Mysteries, which takes place in 1920s Toronto. I wasn’t too thrilled with it at first, but then along came Moses, her black boxing instructor. The relationship seems a bit risqué for the times, and of course, that’s what I like about it. All things prurient. That should be a show on PBS.
Speaking of which, I ended up liking All Creatures Great and Small. It’s nice bedtime TV. No gruesome murders. Fuzzy animals. The people who care for them. There’s something to be said for the absence of malice.
My partner NJ has been plowing thru J.D. Robb (aka Nora Roberts) for a few years now. I nearly killed myself wrting 2 mysteries and she must be churning out books in her sleep! Keep up the food and fitness thing.
I’m beyond impressed you wrote two novels. I don’t think I have it in me, but you never know.
I like the food & fitness focus for 2024.
I’m a huge fan of the Eve Dallas series! I actually have them all and re-read the entire series last summer. I’ve been reading them for years, and it’s interesting to see some of the earlier tech things have come into reality already. The reference to the Twin Towers in one book was jarring however… the book was written way before we have any idea on what could happen. You remind me I need to see if the latest one I’m up to is in paperback yet.
Happy New Year!
Wow — you re-read them all in one summer! Hopefully, on the beach.
Nice to start the year with a post from you Donna. I’m strangely optimistic for this year, and that’s saying something for me! It’s going to be a fight, but hopefully sanity prevails. Love seeing your kitty, we adopted an orange boy last week. Cats are the best! Thank you for the enjoyment you provide all of us, and can’t wait to read more from you this year.
I like strangely optimistic. I will try to channel that emotion. Congratulations on your new boy. I love the ginger cats. Our neighbor had one who used to wander over, and I still miss him.
Gingers are my favorite. We have one that dropped by and moved in five years ago and another one that my son found and kindly donated to our care. Unfortunately they despise each other. Throw in a still half feral tortoiseshell who is frightened by the sound of air and afraid of everbody and our days and nights are completely full of keeping the three of them away from each other.
I know somewhere there is a cat heaven in which we will be welcome and adored for all our work.
We are committed to being a one-cat family. However, I did love that ginger from next door and would have broken our rules if the neighbors gave him up. Sadly, he got sick and had to be put down. You can see him in the banner art for the blog. He’s the ginger with the red bow tie!
Riley is one gorgeous kitty! He does seem very kingly.
Haven’t heard of that mystery series–will have to check it out.
We love our PBS app and watch a lot of the Walter’s Choice offerings. I never liked subtitles, but now that my husband uses CC for almost every show that offers it, subtitles don’t seem so bad. Watching foreign shows with subtitles is educational, too. We can say thank you in Danish now.
I’ll have to check out Walter’s Choice. I hardly even notice subtitles.
Glad you liked seeing Riley! So fluffy. So much fur on the floor.
Donna- admire the words! Alan
Thanks, Alan. Happy New Year!
Glad to hear you got a good report on those lymph nodes. My wife had breast cancer in 2021 and every new ache or pain and we automatically fear the worst. Cancer does a lot to your physical and mental health for sure.
I always joke that I’m such a hypochrondriac, but you kind of have to be to catch this stuff.
Any unusual feeling or pain in areas where I’ve previously had issues sends me right to the dark side also. I’m glad your scare turned out to be an easily solved nothing burger.
We’ve enjoyed Annika on PBS. Kind of quirky but I liked the same actress on Unforgotten so I gave it a try.
Here’s hoping that sanity wins in 2024.
“Here’s hoping sanity wins in 2024.” That should be on a t-shirt!
Happy New Year Donna! I’m feeling a bit optimistic about the start to this year because I have my intentions in place, and the holiday tree and decor is down and tucked away. I don’t make resolutions because I usually fail at those in early January. Glad to hear your health scare turned out to be negative. Focusing on health and exercise are good intentions. Do you still do chair yoga? Your kitty Riley is a doll, and he looks to be good at reclining yoga poses. I love all kitties, but I don’t have one.
Happy to hear from an optimist! I like that expression about having your intentions in place. Sounds solid.
I think cats invented yoga. I still do some of the chair yoga, but even that has its perils. I have to be careful with forward-bending poses in particular.
I’m happy to welcome in a new year, although sadly without bloodies. I’ve not been drinking of late, but I must admit a really good Bloody Mary is without measure and I may be starting to crave one. I shall remedy that this weekend…
My fitness (or lack of) has come back into focus again after an end of year back blip, so that will certainly be high up my priorities for this year. That and focusing on fitting more joy into my working life. But making space for biscuits and bacon sounds darn good too 😉
I do love a good spicy bloody. I put a fair amount of horseradish in mine. As well as Tabasco.
As for biscuits. I wondered what they call an American-style biscuit in England, since ya’ll seem to get cookies and biscuits mixed up. So, it said a scone is a biscuit, which makes sense. Just trying to clear things up.