Twenty-Five Things to Wrap Up 2025

Since I haven’t posted in a long time, I thought a 25 Things post would be a good way to catch up and wrap up 2025.  That way, I can start fresh in 2026.

1.    Since I usually start this kind of post off with a cat picture, enjoy this one of Theodore cuddled up in a blanket.

 

2.    Back in October, I wrote that I had finished up on a project with a tight deadline, and wasn’t expecting any more tight deadlines until January.  I spoke too soon!

3.    On December 1^st, I was told about a project with a January 3^rd deadline.  Normally, this type of project would be completed over the course of six months to a year, but that wasn’t an option this time.

4.    All of us working on it have worked a ton of overtime, and we’re on track to make the deadline. 

5.    Working that much overtime in December was a little difficult since it’s a busy time of year with holiday stuff, and I had already committed to a few things I wouldn’t have if I had known this was coming. 

6.    On the plus side, all of us who worked on it are going into the new year with over 100 hours of comp time. 

7.    It can be frustrating at times that we earn comp time instead of getting paid overtime, but I keep reminding myself that the comp time will help me retire sooner.

8.    Another positive is that I get along and work really well with the other people on this project.  If you’re on the phone with a coworker at 11:30 on Friday night and then again at 7:30 Saturday morning, it helps when it’s someone you have a good working relationship with. 

9.    Everyone else found out about the project the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, but I was off that day. 

10. We hosted a big Thanksgiving at our house, with a total of 15 people.  Everyone seemed to have a great time. 

11. As usual, I forgot to take many pictures.  I took pictures of a few desserts on Wednesday night, and then forgot all about taking pictures.

 

12. Unfortunately, we skipped taking Thanksgiving dinner to the hospice house this year.  I was over the cough, but still not back to feeling 100%, and I really didn’t have the energy to make two huge Thanksgiving dinners.

13. We’ve decided to change to taking a smaller meal there more than once a year.  I’m posting that here to help hold myself accountable since it won’t be tied to a specific event, which makes it easier to forget to do.

14. Tara had a bout of pancreatitis.  She and I spent most of the day before Thanksgiving at the vet’s office. 

15. She was given medication, and we’ve made some changes to her food, and she seems to be doing much better now.

16. Even with all of the overtime I worked, we were still able to go to my sister and S-I-L’s (Gabby and Amy) for Christmas.

17. They let me be in charge of the Barbie tree again.

18. I always have so much fun decorating the Barbie tree.

19. We tried to do a Christmas photo shoot with our cats before we left, and managed to get these of Caroline and Theodore.

 

20. We also tried to do a Christmas photo shoot with some of Gabby and Amy’s cats.

21. Dobby was the most cooperative.

22. And Sota did alright.

 

23. The cats kept trying to eat the bows, so we had to put everything away, and we never got around to trying again with any of the other cats.

24. Even though we didn’t get Christmas photos of any of their other cats, I did get more cat pictures.  This is Severus.

25. And that is it.  The last couple of months of 2025 were busy, just not very exciting.

I hope you all had a great end to 2025.  I’m working on catching up with everyone’s blogs, and hope to “see” you soon.

Happy New Year! 

Thursday 13: Scarves, Shots, and Snow

1.    I’m still kind of obsessed with making V stitch scarves.

2.    I finished this one for one of the neighbors.

3.    And this one for another neighbor.

4.    Both kids used their mom’s phone to text me to thank me for the scarves, and their texts were so sweet.

5.    We had our first snow for the season on Monday and Tuesday.  The higher elevations had a lot.  We were fortunate enough not to get very much.

6.    I know for most of you this is nothing, but it’s more than I like to see in November.  It’s still technically fall! 

7.    Nick and I were both off on Tuesday for Veterans’ Day, so that was the day we scheduled Charlie and Mortimer’s shots and checkups.   They weighed in at 24 pounds (Charlie) and 22.5 pounds (Mortimer). 

8.    Charlie and Mortimer are both very good at the vet and mostly just huddled together on the exam table.

9.    We’re both finally starting to feel better, but are still extremely tired, so after Charlie and Mortimer’s appointment, we had a nice, chill day at home. 

10.  Caroline had her shots and checkup yesterday afternoon.

11.  Caroline is normally NOT good at the vet.  Since it was a work-from-home day for me, I was able to give her Gabapentin a few hours before her appointment.  It definitely helped!

12.  This was Caroline’s first vet visit where no one bled.  They were able to do a full exam and even weigh her.  She weighs 12.5 pounds. 

13.  I've already started working on another scarf that I hope to be able to show you next week.  

How has your week been? 

 

Thursday 13: Cats

I’m still dealing with a pretty bad cough from the cold/sinus thing, so I don’t have much to blog about this week.  But I realized I have a lot of cat pictures I haven’t shared, so this is basically a cat picture and cat video dump.  Enjoy!

1.  We'll start with a picture of Moritmer in the ice cream truck.

2.  Here's a video of Theodore watching a squirrel in the window feeder.

3.  Here's one of Caroline and Theodore playing.

4.  It is nearly impossible to get all of the cats to eat their own food from their own plate, so when they do, it's a photowrothy moment.

5.  Here's a video of Mortimer watching a squirrel in the window feeder.

6.  Here's where Theodore likes to hang out on my work-from-home days.

7.  Here's my sister's cat, Kreacher, on the couch I crocheted.  I think it's holding up well.  

8.  Here's a video of Charlie going "fishing."

9.  Here are the three kittens (Blanche, Sophia, and Fergus) that my sister and S-I-L rescued last year.

10.  Here's a picture of Tara, who is usually camera-shy.

11.  Here's one of Charlie in the ice cream truck.

12.  Here's one of Caroline enjoying her desk bed.  

13.  Lastly, enjoy this video of Theodore with one of the Halloween toys.

Thursday 13: Sick of Being Sick and Some Randomness

1.    After my last Thursday 13, I had every intention of getting back on a somewhat regular blogging schedule.  I had been sick with some kind of cold/sinus thing, but was almost completely back to normal.

 

2.    A few days later, whatever it was came back, so I went to the doctor.  I tested negative for Covid and flu.  I was put on antibiotics, steroids, and cough medicine.  I started feeling a lot better within a few days, and within a week, I thought I was completely over it.

3.    So, we left for our planned vacation on the 22^nd. 

4.    We got to feed seagulls on the beach, which I absolutely love. 

 

5.    We had a couple of wonderful vacation days, but on Saturday, I started feeling really tired.  We had been out late the night before at a comedy mystery show, so I wasn’t surprised to be tired.

 

6.    By Sunday evening, I was sick.  Uncontrollable cough, sore throat, etc.  I opted to try the Teladoc program that’s available through my health insurance, which worked out really well.  I was prescribed different antibiotics (and a longer course), cough medicine, and an inhaler.  They did not think it was Covid or the flu.

7.    By Monday night, Nick was also getting sick.

8.    We were due to come home yesterday, the 29^th, so we basically spent from Saturday through Wednesday morning hanging out at the rental.  Fortunately, the bed and couch were very comfortable, we had packed plenty of books (with plans to read on the beach), and the rental had several streaming services.

9.    We left for home early yesterday morning and have spent most of our time sleeping since then.  We both still feel pretty awful, but are hoping to be over whatever this is by the time we go back to work next week.  I’ve been sick for the better part of a month now, and I’m sick of being sick! 

10. Our awesome neighbors took care of the cats while we were gone, and sent plenty of pictures and updates.  Some of the kids did their schoolwork at our house during the day, so the cats wouldn’t be lonely.  Isn’t that sweet? 

 

11. While I wasn’t sick, I crocheted another scarf.  This one was for one of the neighbor girls.  She seemed to like it when I gave it to her. 

 

12. Recently, her mom told me that she still uses the purse I made her, though usually as a tote bag when she needs to take clothes or books somewhere.  That made me so happy to hear! 

13. I’m working on catching up with visiting all of your blogs and hope to “see” everyone soon.  In the meantime, I hope everyone has a happy and safe Halloween tomorrow.  And if you have any tips on getting/staying well, please share them! 

Thursday 13: Hi

Since I haven’t blogged in almost three months, I thought a Thursday 13 would be a good way to start back and catch up.

1.    Since cat pictures are always a good way to start, enjoy this one of Caroline.  The bed she’s in clamps to the side of my desk, so she has a comfy place to “supervise” me on my work-from-home days.

2.    Caroline has had a lot of work to supervise during my blogging break.  I got assigned to help another team with a project that had a very tight deadline, so I was putting in some extra hours.  We made it, though, and (fingers crossed) it should be January before I’m dealing with any more super-tight deadlines. 

3.    Charlie does not involve himself in my work. 

4.    Nick and I celebrated our 17^th wedding anniversary in September.  It doesn’t seem like it has been that long! 

5.    Theodore turned one at the end of August.

6.    It’s beginning to look and feel like Fall is really here.  We’ve had highs in the low 70s and lows in the mid-40s. 

7.    I’ve switched to my Fall cards for my buddies with Chemo Angels and Senior Angels.

8.    I’ve been crocheting again. 

9.    I found this tutorial and liked the way it looked, so I made one (with no plan for giving it to any particular person).  I enjoyed making it, and I love the texture the stitches create.  (Note:  I used an H hook and a shorter starting chain for a narrower scarf.)

10. During the decluttering/organizing that we did during the spring and summer, I realized that I have A LOT of yarn I had forgotten about.  I came across this green, which is our neighbor’s (Lori) favorite color.  I asked Lori if she’d like a scarf in that color, and she said yes. 

 

11. When I dropped off Lori’s scarf, I asked if anyone else would like a scarf.  Fortunately, a few people said yes.  I’m almost finished with a pink scarf for one of the girls.  Next up is a light blue one for one of the girls, and a dark blue one for one of the boys.  One of the other boys really liked the original gray one, so I gave that one to him. 

12. We got the cats an ice cream truck (remember how much they loved the taco truck), which they enjoyed.

13. I’m working on catching up with visiting everyone’s blogs and hope to “see” you soon.