Snowed In Days and Anxiety Getting Out In It

Well the snow arrived. Sharing some pics. You can see that we’ve managed to walk around the house! I think we had 5 or 6 inches or so. 

Here’s the graveyard in the woods behind us.

Here’s my office set up at home.

I got a lot done yesterday. No interruptions much and not much email. I got our weekly taxes paid, stuffed the check stubs for our TN plant. Paid the federal taxes, worked on my garnishment reconciliation. 

Monday I was able to make the switcheroo on my white board in my office to list the goals for the year. Where you see dashes are spaces for me to X off (ie. use my camera once per month thus 12 spots to check off and planned content once per month – there’s 12 spots for that. So I can measure myself. This excites me. lol. This will help keep my goals alive and me kicking – sometimes screaming. lol.

But I totally forgot to name my photos for the SEO today. I was supposed to start doing that in 2024. New habits are hard to develop. The thought is that by naming your photo people find you in searches by the photo and things they are searching for. I just have to get used to the new habits.

I believe I have also decided my retirement date. At least I’m gathering thoughts on it. I’m not going to share though until I’m ready and know for sure so that no one takes it as “giving notice” at work. I’ve NOT given notice yet and won’t until closer to time. But there is gathering evidence to support the decision I’m making on the time for retirement. I’ll still give it to Oct 1 in case I change my mind or new information comes in that we are unaware of that could alter the decision.

Monday night we made bean enchiladas as my request. George made the filling and I put them together and rolled them and he poured on the final ingredients for baking.

We used an enchilada sauce that did not have seeds. 

God said to have a little wine for the stomach. So I had a little wine for the stomach. These are 5 little wines George gave me for either birthday or Christmas. Those days all ran together a bit.

So George says he’s enjoying the nipple warmers on his hat that Don and Lisa gave him at the winter party we had last year at our house. That was fun.

I finished wrapping Christmas gifts. We will have our January get together with our friends this Saturday weather permitting and we can get there. Worried about melt and refreeze as temps are not getting up much.

This was the actual day it snowed.

My keyword of the year is TRANSITION. It just seemed like God is telling me THIS IS the year of TRANSITION. I know there is retirement coming. But the phrase of the year is this:

I just knew that I needed to maintain my well-being and health this year. I also had goals and thoughts of simplicity. I must come up with 3 ways to simplify my life this year. I also want to be more creative. And I want peace. A year of NO DRAMA. Of course January immediately is filled with drama, of course. Satan works that way. I must be doing something right I keep telling myself b/c the arrows keep flying in the attacks, one way or another.  But I got my little letter board done. The phrase was too much to put on the board so I had to do it this way. Either way it keeps my mind aligned to focus on these things. It almost looks like I have 6 key words instead of ONE. And that works too. I couldn’t figure out a catchy phrase to house all of these but you get the idea. 

My goals video is probably tanking. I’m about a week or two too late for those setting new year goals. But that is ok. This is just practice runs for me. Trial and error. I was hoping YouTube would pick up on it. Sometimes it happens on the 2nd and 3rd day after it’s posted. It’s almost like YouTube sees what it is going to do on day 1 before deciding to push it on day 2 and 3. Anyway, I’m glad I got the goal video done and out there. I’m proud of myself for doing it. I’m working on this Saturday’s video so it will be out in time. I worked on it from 4 to 6 yesterday. I got the “drive time” back in my schedule and it gave me almost 2 hours of time in my schedule. 

Dexter likes the snow. Maddie doesn’t! This is before we got the other half of the snow, lol. We got another couple of inches after this shot was taken.

I guess I didn’t get photos of Maddie as she was in my lap. But we have enjoyed the snow.

Now we are on Day 3 and things start to get serious. Work exclaims the office is open at 10 and has asked managers to report to them those that DO NOT come in. While this does not intimidate me, as I make my own decisions along with George as to when it is safe and when it is not. If I’m driving I’ll be the one to decide if I’m comfortable with it or not. The company also said we should use our discretion. And we definitely will. George got out and took Dexter to doggie daycare. So he was able to get up the driveway. He carved a path out yesterday and the day before. He was able to inspect the main roads a bit.

George and I have discussed this at length. I do not want to go in. But I do have a couple of things I would like to do because we are not sure about tomorrow. There is the melt refreeze factor and also another winter weather mix coming in the day and overnight tomorrow. I do not want to be out in that. It’s on that line and with freezing rain mix. Not sure about Friday. But Mom has her eye injection Friday. I just imagine I’ll be working from here and I have doubts about getting her to her appointment. George offered to go and drive her.

So this is where I begin to NOT like the snow. I feel pressure to get things done but I don’t like being out in the mess. George says he can get me there, so I have prayed about it and I think we are going over that direction today and I’ll work for a couple of hours and do what I need to do there, repack and then come home before the refreeze starts. 

George took Dexter to Doggie day care and said the snow was easy to drive on and the main roads were either clear or had ruts. So we’ll probably be on the interstate though to get there. I’m nervous about this but trying to look at the overall picture. I want to dig my heel and say “no” but I’ll let George take me in and bring me home, but I may not stay long since he’ll be waiting on me. I just need to print a couple of checks and take in the check stubs and swap some files out for another round of working at home.

Next week it will be warmer and give us a break from having to worry about the weather. Looks payroll will be safe next week as it is supposed to warm up and be rain almost all week.

It got down to like -5. (NEGATIVE 5). I think we broke records. Not sure. But anyway, pray for us as we get out in this mess. 

I’ll try to come back in and let you know how it goes. I’ve been vlogging at home this week some so this snow week will be posted on Saturday the 27th. The diverticulitis recurrence and my off time this past Saturday (last week) will be posted this Saturday.

Oh well, over and out. I will be a bag of nerves til this day is over. I’m trying not to be anxious but I am.