Hello and Happy New Year from our corner of Michigan. The holidays are over and I think we are all looking forward to getting back to a more regular schedule. The kiddo spent seven full days of her holiday break sick – it could have been the monster flu that’s been going around, or in retrospect, maybe even Covid – either way, not a fun Christmas for her. Luckily – knock wood – neither Brandon nor I have come down with it… fingers crossed. My home office aka Santa’s workshop aka the dumping ground- is an absolute wreck but since I went back to work on the 2nd at least my inbox isn’t too bad at this point.

I have my Hobonichi planners organized- my day planner for 2026 as well as a brand new 5-year journal, as I finished the last one and shelved it. I splashed out for a Galen leather cover for the 5-year since I didn’t think I could handle the cheap plastic cover that comes standard.

So with that I feel at least somewhat prepared to return to daily life, although I have no intent to have an aggressively productive month of diets or challenges. January is winter. It is short days, long nights, deep freeze, low biorhythms, near-hibernation and all I really want to do is lean into that.

It’s going to be a big year here – the year the kiddo graduates from high school and takes the first steps out of our nest, and other big things that I think are on the horizon but don’t want to talk about just yet. I don’t have “real” resolutions for 2026, but I do have some things that I’d like to do more of. In no particular order, I’d like to do more baking, and enjoy cooking more; I have pin boards full of recipes that I’ve never tried because I get into a weekly rut. I’d like to slow down even more – take my time with things, especially at work, and try to connect to the flow state that makes work feel gratifying. Be more measured and thoughtful in my responses and reactions – invest more in things that matter, especially my own peace. Drink more tea, wake up earlier, knit more, write more, care less about what people I don’t like are doing (particularly on social media).

So – yes to this.

I keep thinking about a new tattoo but I can’t decide on what it should be. I have foxes, owls, crows, and fish pinned on my Tattoo board and now this has struck my fancy.

I love this look, especially the wool socks with the sneakers, and the wool coat. Funny aside – before the kiddo got sick we had a day out shopping and lunching in a posh suburb. She wore her dark blue Adidas sneakers and tried on my grey cashmere coat and I thought she looked very hip. She, however, shed the coat in disgust, proclaiming, “It looks like I’m wearing a BLAZER.” …kids.

I *would* put ‘do my nails more often’ on my short list of New Year’s ‘things I’d like to do more of’ except I know myself and know that this would not be a success. I think I have to save nice nails for retirement. In the meantime, I have a pin board full of beautiful examples to yearn for.

Lastly, a bonus cat for sticking around to the end. Happy New Year!