I am so happy the snow melted and the last two days have been in the 50s and sunny. I have taken a few short walks outside and enjoyed the warmer temps. I always feel that I can survive the darkest days knowing that a few rays of sunshine will be coming and I soak up as much as I can before the grey days are back. I have been starting each day with my gratitude journal and that has helped me set my mind to positivity for the day.

I have a lot of time to myself this weekend and possibly into the next week or two. It is deer hunting season. I signed up for a candle making class today and next Saturday a soap making class. I am also picking up my final pottery pieces from the beginner pottery class that recently ended. I had time to glaze them Tuesday because it was a day off from work. Here is the pic I got of them fresh out of the kiln!

I chose the fancier moveable glazes and as much as I wanted a bright pink tree I chose the emerald falls color for one and the purply beige glaze for the other. I am so excited to bring them home.

I have plans to load a quilt on the frame this weekend. I have no idea which one! I have a few to choose from and a twin batting. I need to prep the back first. I also have sewing to do and maybe a podcast. Lots of choices.

After work this week I have been crocheting towel toppers for an acquaintance from Highland games. I need to find the right buttons for them. I should run to Hobby Lobby today, too.

This week I felt very 2025. I had the opportunity to get a new piece of furniture for the living room. We have had only one new chair since the 90s. The rest of the living room furniture, as most furniture in the house, was given to me second hand from family. I love my pink chair, but it will be a guest chair once our recliner love seat is delivered. The sale was good and it is time to invest in some better pieces. I have been upgrading a few things to modern day items like a new fry pan from Greenware, a 5 star review from me. I have also found the job of Amazon prime having a warehouse in my town.

I am ridiculously excited about it all. I have a lot of clearing out to do for the delivery of the sofa and we have a lot of things to take to the road this spring. The house may feel a bit cluttered over winter but getting rid of things is the second thing I am most ridiculously excited for. My husband being retired has made it so we can get a lot of things sorted and ready to go either to the donation centers or to the curb for spring clean up. Many of the pickers will take things so it doesn’t end up in the landfill.

Since he retired, I have been getting asked about my retirement. I am not retiring for about two and a half years. I have some financial goals I want to accomplish and I want to take a couple of trips, as well as pay off the house. I also don’t have health insurance once I stop working until, I am Medicare eligible and I don’t want to pay for insurance for more than 2-3 years. I have my own internal rules lol!

I have a dream list of where I want to go like Ireland, Germany, Calgary/Banff, England as the list for the “big” trips. Maybe we can do a couple in the next couple of years. I am also hoping to do a couple of winter trips out of Michigan’s cold grey winters for a few weeks. But that is all dreams right now. This year so far, I have a spring break trip planned to Paducah for the April quilt show.

I am looking forward to football this weekend and working another session of clearing out and resetting my craft room. It is a big mess right now. I can’t believe how fast it can go from looking good to being a mess. First load went to donation of extraneous things. I am going to work on the second load.

Have a great weekend! The fall and winter are hibernation months for me and that means digging deep into the Swedish death cleaning as well as, the cozy hygge days of quilts and hot tea. I have candles to light for soft glow and creative projects to spark my imagination.

Be creative!

Vicki