With winter colds and Covid, we have been spending more time on the couch, watching TV. It turns out, Mouse has been watching it, too. Our laps are her front row seat!
In years past she has enjoyed baseball and the Winter Olympics, fascinated by the moving images.
And last night, she enjoyed another show. The documentary “Inside the Mind of a Cat” included footage that was just too good to ignore. She got up off my lap and went to investigate, coming almost nose to nose with the cats on the screen.
I know she recognized them as cats, because when they meowed, she reacted. But how she was making sense out of it all, I have no idea.
Grandpa Nelson is still down with Covid, and is staying inside. But Auntie Bridgett and I had some business to do, so we masked up, caught the number 15, and headed downtown. We stopped at the Apple Store to exchange a wrong-sized iPad cover, and Bridgett did some looking at some new goodies.
We wandered down to Muji, a store with lots of wonderful things from Japan. Bridgett loves all the storage options, little boxes and baskets, and picture frames. It is all useful and modern, but what fascinates me is the old books the shop uses to fill up display shelves. Some of them were printed before I was born!
Soon, we heard a man’s voice telling us his name was Jarvis and offering us coffee. There, around a corner of the store, was a one armed robot barista waiting patiently behind a counter.
Of course, we had to give it a try. We ordered and paid from the iPad at the counter, then watched, fascinated, as “Jarvis” made Bridgett a cappuccino, twirling, measuring and pouring. Apparently, it was delicious!
Refreshed by the coffee, we picked out a few nifty things and headed off for lunch.
Up at the corner of Harvey Milk and 5th, we found a new pod of food carts called The Midtown Beer Garden . There were trucks offering tacos, Korean food, Thai baos, and Hawaiian food. I had a Hawaiian chicken katsu, and it was sweet and sour and crunchy, just what I needed.
The most interesting truck was called Bring!, and sold dog treats. As we were standing there, a cute potential customer came by and got a few free samples.
Full of lunch, we walked down to the river and across the Morrison Bridge. I love the long views we get from the bridges, even when the sky and the river are nearly the same shade of grey.
On the east side of the river we caught the bus back home. This was the most exercise I’ve had since I was sick, and I was worn out. A long lay-down and dinner put me right.
Our New Year’s Eve was spent inside, as usual. It’s just cozier, and Grandpa is still down with Covid. But we did celebrate! Auntie Bridgett made sure the room was properly festive, using banners and garlands we have made over the years.
When it was time to eat, we walked up to Baby Doll Pizza, enjoying Christmas lights on the way. Their vegetarian is my favorite, but Bridgett prefers their cheese pizza on a gluten free crust.
After dinner, I wanted to remember the past year. I had been filling a jar in the kitchen with scribbled notes when good things happened, so I opened and read them out loud. “Nelson books tickets for European trip!” “Kitty, Mike, Isaac and Rhys Visit”. “First Roof Party as Jasper turns 14”.
We toasted the old year’s highlights, smiling at the memories and looking forward to making more. Bridgett and I played a few rounds of Bananagrams. She whipped me, for sure.
Since we were all sick at Christmas, we hadn’t lit (or eaten) the wonderful Christmas Pudding that Jofish Kaye sent up. I got brave, poured on some rum and lit it up, producing this lovely blue flame. PS..It was delicious!
Thanks, Jo!
A few years ago we started a tradition of making silly hats out of used wrapping paper, and it is always fun. I decorated mine with the celebration notes, going for a raccoon-hat sort of effect and missing entirely. It sure was fun, though!
Bridgett’s jester cap was more successful, though Mouse spent a long time figuring it out.
We watched some of the new Scott Pilgrim series and looked at Bridgett’s photos from last year, and at midnight, watched the fireworks over the Seattle Space Needle on TV. And just like that, 2023 was over. We headed for bed so we could see the new year in bright and early with the Rose Parade!
I was feeling good enough New Year’s Eve morning to go out for an early walk. Auntie Bridgett was live streaming the service at Twin Lakes Church and Grandpa Nelson was still asleep. It was chilly and damp, but not raining. I layered up with my beautiful new sweater from Donna, warm presents from other years, and headed out.
Even though it wasn’t raining , it has been a wet winter so far and Laurelhurst is beautifully foggy. I don’t know for sure that Narnia runs through here, but it certainly could!
A fine mist hovered in the treetops, making everything mysterious and quiet. The people and dogs seemed to notice it, too. Everyone was extra quiet.
I made a long lap around the park and headed home, feeling that I have ended 2023 as I began it :
Grateful for the love and beauty in my life and ready to give back as I can.
This year’s Christmas has been, to put it gently, weird. We put up the tree and made the house pretty. Parties were lined up and concert tickets bought. Then I got sick with Covid, then Auntie Bridgett. Grandpa Nelson is still fighting the virus.
But it was still Christmas! Bridgett made the house beautiful with boxes and boxes of ornaments, bows and random wintry pretties.
And now it’s time to put them all away. I know, we usually leave things up until the New Year, but our tree is crispy-dry and may be aggravating Bridgett’s allergies. Mouse the cat is getting even nuttier than usual about the ornaments.
So to keep things simple, we’re de-Christmas-ing. Most of the pretties get wrapped up in old tissue and placed gently in boxes, which get Tetris-ed into bins which live in the garage. Some are being offered on our local “Buy Nothing” group in Facebook to make room for the new ones, sent by Bridgett’s mom or bought from local artists.
And the tree.
To get it out of the house without tracking needles over three floors, I got out the pruning shears and pared it down to the nubbins. The branches were taken down in bins and the stump will get lowered off the balcony, sawn in half, and composted. Mouse was not pleased.
I am looking forward to the New Year, but not particularly sorry to see this Christmas season pass. It’s been a bit of a stinker.
I WROTE THIS ON DECEMBER 22, BUT BY THE TIME I WAS GOING TO POST IT, GRANDPA NELSON WAS SICK AND IT FELT OUT OF STEP. BUT SINCE I DON’T HAVE ANYTHING CHEERY TO SAY AT THE MOMENT, I WILL POST IT NOW IN REMEMBRANCE OF A SUNNY, FUN DAY.
Hooray for testing negative! The other day was Grandpa Nelson’s and my 49th anniversary and I was well enough to go for a walk out to lunch. It was a bright, chilly day.
It was the Winter Solstice, so all the flowers and most of the leaves are gone. These bright linden berries, hanging around as a buffet for the birds and squirrels, sure gave some color.
We walked through the neighborhood, aiming for Monster Smash burger and making the longest shadows of the year. Alas, they were closed! But I was hungry, so we pivoted south half a mile to Zach’s. I got my tofu Chicago dog and Guinness, and Grandpa got his fries and orange soda, and we visited with Zach himself. He even gave us our lunch for free, since it was our anniversary. He’s a fine fellow.
When we were done, Grandpa’s back was bothering him so we took the bus back to our own neighborhood, enjoying the bright sunshine before another predicted wet week.
While you were off in the wilds of Norway in search of the Northern Lights, we were spending a quiet, rainy Christmas Day here in Portland. Grandpa Nelson has caught Covid and had a bad few days of sleeping and being miserable, but now seems to be on the mend.
We had a very helpful Zoom visit with a Nurse Practitioner named Ronnie, who prescribed meds, gave advice, and provided some much-needed confidence.
For Christmas Eve dinner, we had hoped for our traditional dinner of take out pizza, but Straight from New York on Belmont closed early and it was too cold to look further. Bridgett proposed pancakes, which suited me just fine. I’m pretty sure red wine and Hennessy goes with pancakes, right?
Auntie Katie picked up groceries for us, and some lovely tulips, as well. Our table was lovely.
On Christmas Day we opened presents, then had FaceTime visits with Bridgett’s family in San Diego and Auntie Katie and the Cousins just across town. They built wonderful gingerbread houses!
Our Christmas dinner was Danish meatballs, pasta and roasted veggies. Special Christmas plates from Aunt Chris, placemats from friend Julie, and Katie’s tulips made for a festive view.
Auntie Bridgett and I played Bananagrams, watched an episode of the Great British Baking Show Holiday special, and snuggled with Mouse on the couch. Then it was time to give Grandpa Nelson his medicine and head for bed.
Merry Christmas, get home safe, and we’ll chat soon.
This “recovering from Covid” thing keeps surprising me. With most illnesses I’ve dealt with (which haven’t been many, knock on wood) , there has been a steady upward curve of improvement. Like recovering from minor surgery last year. You get cut and stitched, then heal up.
This time, however, I can’t seem to make up my mind. “You are so much better!” I tell myself. “Let’s go for a walk!” So I layer up and walk a pleasant block, having a nap to rest up afterward.
“That bathroom is nasty!” Says my judgy self. So I scrub a little. And sleep for a few hours.
And the next day, a shower puts me back in bed and conversation is too exhausting.
My Dad was a do-er, always up to some project over and above his regular job. I was raised to walk the line between ‘taking care of yourself’ and ‘challenging yourself’, usually erring on the side of ‘being busy’. This is currently not working for me. Just holding these thoughts in my head and typing them are pushing my limits.
So I’m going to listen to my body, make like a possum, and see you in a few days.
PS. This photo was taken July of 1980, the month before your Daddy David was born. It has no relevance to this post. I just really like it and thought it would make you smile.
You knew I couldn’t stay inside forever, didn’t you? Yesterday, after a long and lazy morning in the couch, I got inspired. I had some energy and spunk. Grandpa Nelson was heading for Zack’s Hot Dog Shack. Would he walk me around the block before he headed off?
Since it was 48F out, I bundled up. Long underwear, jeans, sweater, scarf, wooly hat. Getting dressed nearly wore me out, to be honest, but I was determined to breathe some fresh air.
And we did a lovely, well paced turn. I saw new For Sale signs, beautifully bright leaves, and even a few fellow pedestrians. I felt extremely grateful to be up and out.
When we had checked the mail and gotten back to the house, Grandpa Nelson made sure I was okay and then continued on his way to lunch. I used the last of my energy to wrap a few presents, and got right back into my pajamas, and into bed.
It was a great first effort, but we shouldn’t be foolish, right?
We are usually a two-holiday household. We tag-team on Hannukah and Christmas, Easter and Passover. We find something to celebrate in everything.
We sort of take on the More is More philosophy.
But this year is a bit different. I got sick on the first day of Hannukah and haven’t been out the front door since. Getting out of bed for a shower requires both preparation and recovery time.
Needless to say, we are downplaying the holidays. My Advent calendar games of ball toss and charades are beyond our capacity, and I still can’t taste most of the Christmas goodies.
We are still finding joy, but with low energy and quiet volume, it’s hard to see from the outside. But never fear. A hand squeeze, a hot cup of tea, and getting teary-eyed when Kermit sings “One More Sleep ‘til Christmas” will see us through until the virus is banished.
