and finally, the happy news!

 Sonja K. is engaged!  

I didn't want to spoil it for her before she got the pictures done (strykingphotography, excellent pics, Susan!).   Sonja and Oscar met a few years ago, he is one of Jonathan's friends, from Norway.  I won't tell their whole story, but they are pretty happy, don't you think?  He'll be moving to the U.S. :)

Our floors are in!  The trim is not,  but soon.  I love the wide planks, and I love the warmth.  They seem to hide a lot of dust, because there still is a lot of dust.  I haven't gotten everything back in order yet, but I'm working on it. 

Pretty nice though, right?  

Same floor, different lighting.  The nice thing is there are no transitions between the rooms!  It's all one stretch of flooring, and I love love love it.  Once I get things really cleaned up, I'll take a few more pictures, even if no one really cares, ha.  

This fine morning, I brought Evelyn to the airport, for a work trip/visit to Phoenix to see Aaron and Riley. Then Camille and I went to Target for chicken, some hangers, beef jerky, and some chips.   Then into Price Chopper for a salad kit for Sonja for her work dinner, and to redeem the rain checks I had for strip steak for $5.99 a pound. 

Home...we drove through a few fluttering flurries, but no white-outs.  It's cold though, and tomorrow will be colder.  Fittingly, Paul's going ice fishing.  Jonathan went camping.  Camping in the Adirondacks, with Oscar and their friend Matt.  BRRR.  In a lean to, not a camper, btw. Jon: "We want to practice building our own shelter, and scout it out for bear hunting."  Charlotte Claire and Camille are in Ottowa for the weekend...everyone is enjoying winter, I guess.

I am too.  I really am.  The crispy cold, the coziness, the blankets, the evening tea, the comfort food...tonight it was only Paul and I for dinner, so we had those steaks, pan-seared with butter and rosemary, lots of freshly ground salt and pepper, oh so good.  I really like the bagged salads mixes, we shared an Asian salad with lots of crunchy cabbage, sliced almonds and little wonton strips, I don't eat dressing on mine, just salt and pepper, and usually a few craisins.  Then Paul came out with a Norwegian chocolate bar, hazelnut, and oh dear, a few squares of that...six.  Six squares, it's so good.  

We watched a few episodes of "Reacher", now he's gathering up his gear for tomorrow.  I used to go ice fishing with him.  Now...no thank you.  It's nice to be outside, but when you've had enough, you still have to stay outside.  So I'll stay here with Sonja, and organize some more cabinets. 

  It's almost addictive, to throw away the stuff you don't need.  Oscar fixed one of our broken cabinets, and we sorted through a bunch of water bottles that no one uses anymore.  We each have one or two, so these are the extras from years past.  I bagged some nicer ones to donate, and the others to throw away.  Paul got the bags mixed up and threw away the nice ones, he already went to the dump.  oops.  Anyway, now there's an empty cabinet!  What shall I put in it?  I'd like to have one of those kitchens with the sparklingly empty countertops, but getting the air fryer out every time?  It's hard enough to lug out the kitchen aid, and the toaster?  We keep it out.  Then there's the tea kettle for coffee water, and the coffee grinder and espresso machine, those stay out because they are used all day long here.  

It does make me more cautious about buying things, do we really need it?  It's sickening, really, to throw things into the landfills so willy-nilly.  That's one reason I really like the thrift store, getting a second use out of it, then sometimes donating it back, especially toys and books.   

I wish I had bought lots of apples today, maybe I'll go visit the apple lady down the road, tomorrow,  and see if she still has any in storage.  I just feel like making apple pie... and maybe a pot pie...mmmm.  Have a really nice night.