Happy 2019!

Tomorrow, the Democrats take over the House. I can’t wait!

We had a quiet New Year’s Eve, no surprise there. We went out for a late breakfast, walked to a vintage record shop, bought some cheese from our local cheese shop, shopped a bit at the antiques barn, had a veggie hot dog, and headed home. Late in the afternoon, we poured a glass of sparkling cider, had some cheese and crackers, and had an early toast to the New Year.

Those are my grandmother’s wine glasses. I was fond of them as a child because they had flowers etched into the glass.

Then we organized our records and watched four episodes of the Twilight Zone Marathon. We were in bed by 11:00.

From the antique barn:

A sheep and an egg cup. Is the egg cup Pyrex, Westmoreland, something else? I’m not sure. Glass egg cups have not been a part of the collection until now. But I loved the white and orange combination. Cheery. It’s tall and it won’t fit in the cubby cabinet, so it’s on the little shelves in the den.

I spent an hour or so yesterday making a backdrop for my mantel sheep. During a trip to Michael’s a couple of weeks ago, I found some interesting scrapbook paper that I thought might work. So I measured the width of the shelf and cut pieces of cardboard (which I found easily because I had just reorganized my pink cabinet!), taped them together, then I cut corresponding pieces of scrapbook paper and taped them on the cardboard with painter’s tape. That way I can change them out when I want to.

The paper has clouds and little airplanes. Keep in mind that the background is only 3½ inches high because the wall begins its slant at that point.

The ornament that is hanging on the right is made from a real egg and has two doves inside. Don gave it to me for Christmas because they’re turtle doves and because I love doves. It’s really beautiful. I’ll share a closeup sometime soon.

A closeup of the paper.

I finished the Louise Penny book this morning. I really liked it – Penny can’t write a bad book. The storylines were compelling. But, it’s not my favorite. Normally – and I’m not kidding about this – I am in tears at the end of one of her novels because she has woven everything together in a way that is life-affirming and transcendent. I didn’t cry this time and I knew I wouldn’t cry when I was reading in bed last night. Now, I realize that is no way to judge a novel. It’s just an indicator that, though I was engaged in the writing, it didn’t take me where it has taken me in the past. Something was missing for me.

All that being said, she is a wonderful writer and I love the characters and the setting of Three Pines and everything about that community and the people who live in it. And I can’t wait for next year’s book to come out.

Today? Christmas comes down. I’m ready for a change. I asked Don if he wanted me to keep the tree up for New Year’s Day and he said yes. So today it is. I’m also going to drop my book donations off at the library.

Happy Wednesday.