Fox guarding the henhouse

I’m depressed about Trump, Musk, Vance, et al. Maybe writing about it helps me some, but I wonder if it just amplifies everything. The movers and shakers will make their mark one way or the other, but I still think the answer is for ordinary citizens to do small things you hope will make a difference and then go on and try to live a happy life no matter what.

Easier said than done, that’s for sure. I told myself, just do one thing today and then think about dinner. There’s usually a Law & Order rerun on Mondays. I hear that music, and I just kind of sigh in relief. Dun-dun.

Outrage of the day is Musk trying to get access to the IRS files. I don’t even know why I bothered to write my elected representatives, because it has probably happened by now, but we can only try. I still can’t get through on the phone, so I’m using the email feature on their websites. This is my message to my Democratic senators. As always, feel free to steal anything that resonates with you.

Please do whatever you can to stop Elon Musk from accessing anything, most recently the IRS and our taxpayer records. This is a gross violation of privacy and very frightening to the average American who pays taxes. Musk is unelected and has no right to anything, let alone our personal data. He does billions of dollars’ worth of business with the government, and he’s allowed to look at the finances? We would not let any other defense contractor in the world do that. All that, and Tesla didn’t pay any federal taxes last year, but he’s snooping around trying to stick it to honest citizens? Please stop him.

The next one went to my Republican congressman. He has a thing on his website about how ridiculous it is to think just because Trump hired Elon Musk as an accountant that it’s a threat to democracy.

I read your words about hiring Elon Musk as an accountant, wondering why some people think this is a threat to democracy. Because it is!  We, the people, did not hire or elect Elon Musk to anything. And now he’s trying to get access to the IRS records. Talk about fox guarding the henhouse.

This is a gross violation of privacy and very frightening to the average American who pays taxes. Musk is unelected and has no right to anything, let alone our personal data. He does billions of dollars’ worth of business with the government, and he’s allowed to look at the finances? We would not let any other defense contractor in the world do that. 

From what I’ve read, you are currently on board with the president and his administration violating the rights of average citizens, but I’m still writing because I hope at some point you will reconsider. Please reflect on your elected position and the oath you swore to defend the constitution. I can only believe you had a calling to serve your country, and I thank you for that. I may not like some of the conservative policies you support, but I respect differences of opinion. You can still make a difference and advance your agenda without burning down the house.

I have not spent any money on Amazon since I made a pledge to reduce my spending there by 50 percent. Thanks to your comments, I canceled my Amazon subscription to PBS Masterpiece and made a donation to PBS. Now I have PBS Passport, and you were right. Everything I could ever want is there.

What I’m eating

I’m still quite smitten with my sort of sweet but savory oatmeal. My favorite so far starts with one serving of regular rolled oats. When it comes out of the microwave, I pour it in a bowl and top it with about one tablespoon each of unsweetened coconut, currants and walnuts. Then I drizzle a little olive oil over the top. Oh, and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Tonight Dale’s making grilled Gochujang Burgers with Spicy Slaw from the NY Times. This will be our third time around. Because. It. Is. Delicious. If you can’t get through the firewall, the same recipe is here.

You start with a concoction of gochujang, garlic, rice vinegar, sugar, olive oil and sesame oil. Half of it gets mixed in with ground pork for the burgers and the other half is used for a tangy slaw made with carrots, bean sprouts, cucumbers and scallions. Put that on a toasted buttered bun with maybe a schmear of mayo, and it is heaven.

What I’m watching

Now that I’m on PBS Passport, I’m continuing to watch All Creatures Great and Small. It’s not my normal crime genre, but I just like that show. Another one I’ve started that isn’t on the crime spectrum is Seaside Hotel. It’s in Danish with subtitles and  follows the lives of guests and employees at a North Sea hotel prior to World War II. I haven’t gotten very far, but I like it.

On the crime front, also on PBS Passport, I’m enjoying The Mountain Detective. It’s about a former policeman who leaves the city for the mountains and discovers, guess what? Violence and crime. It’s in French with subtitles.

What I’m reading

I’m not reading much of anything. I think I’m too agitated. Two of my books on hold at the library came in, but it turns out the library is closed for repairs to the HVAC system. Talk about annoyed. I was able to get through to a librarian, who is going to have the books transferred to a nearby library, but that will be Wednesday at the earliest.

There are plenty of books in the house I could read, but I’m just not into them right now. I did finish kind of a fun read called Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn. Four women retired from their jobs as professional assassins and discover someone is trying to kill them. The sequel, Kills Well with Others, is out next month.

A few words about hope

There’s a lot of grim news out there, and to be honest, I’ve had a difficult time finding hope. Ah, but then I remembered hope is always late for the party, showing up shiny and clean after all the hard work has been done.

Me and hope go way back, so I know you can’t achieve anything worthwhile by getting lost in outcomes. One lesson I’ve learned from just about every bad thing I’ve had to crawl my way out of is the power of a simple work ethic.

Keep your head down. Do what you think needs to be done, and hope will show up eventually. Late as usual.

My personal FU Amazon Challenge is going great, in that I have not purchased anything from them since I made the pledge to reduce my spending there by at least 50 percent. I’ve been looking at alternatives, and I don’t foresee any problems getting what I need.  

My digital expenses paled in comparison to regular purchases, but I acknowledge it’s probably my weak link. For example, I subscribe to PBS Masterpiece through Amazon. I tried to see if I could disentangle myself from Amazon and go directly to PBS.

The answer is not exactly. To the best of my knowledge, the PBS Masterpiece channel on Amazon is customized and includes lots of shows that aren’t available on PBS Passport, which would be my other option. Specifically, I don’t think PBS Passport has the same selection of international crime shows – my weakness. It’s $5.99 a month, so I’m not going to worry about it.

I had to remind myself this is about Jeff Bezos and not a boycott of all offensive retailers … because there is no shortage. Few will pass the purity test, so I’m just focusing on alternatives to Amazon. First thing’s first.

I did make an exception for one online source of vitamins and supplements that overplayed its homey roots.

“Here at Swanson Health Products, we’re not too big on talkin’ about ourselves. But if ya would like to get to know us better, this’ll be the place. We come from humble, Midwestern roots but when it comes to wellness, we sure know a thing or two. In fact, we’ve been at this whole healthier livin’ thing for over 50 years.”

I’m sure they are lovely people, and their prices and selections are great, but I draw the line at excessive g-dropping. Ya’ll are goin’ to have to talk like educated folks before I go a givin’ you my money.  

Robert Reich on Substack listed seven nonprofits that are litigating against Trump. I checked all the charity watchdog sites – Guidestar, CharityWatch and Charity Navigator – which are slightly different but all focused on giving donors visibility into how efficiently a charity will use your dollars.

I won’t bother with details on how they calculate ratings, but I think you can tell these are top-tier organizations. With Charity Navigator, the 4-star rating starts at 90 percent, so that should give you some perspective. Also, I personally believe Common Cause is probably excellent, but no one has rated them yet. Full disclosure – I gave ACLU $100.

NonprofitGuideStarCharityWatchCharity Navigator
American Civil Liberties UnionPlatinumA4-Star 98%
Citizens for Responsibility and EthicsBronzeNA4-Star 100%
Public CitizenGoldNA4-Star 99%
Center for Biological DiversityPlatinumA4-Star 99%
Environmental Defense FundPlatinumB+4-Star 91%
Southern Poverty Law CenterGoldNA4-Star 99%
Common CauseNANANA

Channeling fury

The Republicans sure are flooding the zone with horrifying bullshit, but I believe the greatest threat so far is Elon Musk’s illegal takeover of the federal treasury. This goes beyond outrage of the day. This is a coup.

Although I tried to call my U.S. Senators and Representative, I couldn’t get through, so I sent emails. I’m still trying to call, but I get a busy signal or “this mailbox is full.” When I finally do connect, I will focus on one issue per message.

Here’s what I wrote:

I am a defense industry retiree and U.S. Army veteran. I am terrified by the Trump administration’s attack on democracy and am eager to see my elected officials fight back. The attack is so broad in scope, it’s overwhelming to regular Americans. I can imagine it is for you, too. But now is the time to rise up and do the job you were elected to do.

Social justice is important, and we can never lose sight of that, but I believe Trump is using those issues to distract us. I’m asking you to follow the money. I’m no expert, but I see three immediate priorities: reverse these ill-conceived tariffs; get Elon Musk out of our government and strip him of access to the treasury; and oppose all efforts to reduce taxes for corporations and billionaires. 

Thank you.

Please contact your elected representatives. Feel free to use anything I’ve written that resonates with you. Oh, and I checked the box that said I wanted a reply. Jeez, this thing with Elon is affecting my sleep.

Last night I enjoyed a cannabis sleep gummy, and it really did help. I take it at least an hour before I actually want to go to sleep – they take some time to get through your system. If you can get it, I like Kanha Cannabis Infused Tranquility Gummies. Each gummy has 5 mg of THC. That’s a little much for me, so I cut them in half.

The FU Amazon Challenge

On the subject of billionaires behaving badly, I always knew Amazon had a dark side, but I chose to look the other way and admired Jeff Bezos for coming up with such a great idea. That time is gone.

I calculated how much I spent on Amazon last year. It was more than I’m prepared to admit. But then I treat Amazon like the corner store. Need dental floss? Push a button and boom. Need a new coffee pot? Push a button and boom. Need a rug? A Vitamix? Cat food? Coconut milk? Push a button and boom.

My spending on digital purchases wasn’t as jaw-dropping. I use the library a lot, but still, I spent a fair chunk of change on books, movies, music and TV shows.

After reviewing my purchases, I only found a few things that would be difficult to find elsewhere. While this is not a complete FU, I’m making a pledge to reduce my total Amazon spending by 50 percent in 2025. I am confident I can do way better than that, but I thought it would be good to under promise and overdeliver.

Will you join me?

To help with the transition, I’m checking out other online sources that aren’t owned by douchebags. I also downloaded the Target app, since I will be buying a lot more things in person. I hate the idea of wandering through the aisles not knowing where anything is, but the app includes aisle numbers, so I can make a shopping plan and include that on my list. I’m told there’s a mapping feature, too, but I haven’t explored that yet.

Dale is doing his part to feed and sustain the reluctant activist (and channeling his fury) by making chili and playing The Byrds.

All things in moderation

Try as I might, I don’t believe I’m going to complete my reference for resisting the threat against democracy. The blitz is so large in scope, it’s almost impossible to prioritize the issues or resources that will help us confront this monstrosity. My attempts so far seem a bit like pissing in the wind, although I have never actually pissed in the wind. I’m pretty sure Dale has, though.

How many kinds of crazy can you handle at once?

I’ve been reading great opinion pieces on independent media that mostly amount to “outrage of the day.” Not a lot of advice at this point, but I have come to the conclusion social and cultural issues are smoke and mirrors designed to fire us up and keep us divided.

The good guys will be marching in the streets for basic human rights, while the bad guys cloak themselves in righteousness and grab all the money and power. One ring to rule them all.

I honestly don’t know what to do, but my best idea at this point is to follow the money. I’ve never actually called my senators, but tomorrow I’m going to try it and see what happens. I’ll focus on ill-conceived tariffs and Elon Musk gaining access to the treasury system. My message is we elected you to represent us, and this is an attack on Americans. Get your head out of your ass and do something!

I’ll probably say it nicer than that. Maybe it depends on who answers the phone? If anyone even answers. As they used to say in the South when I lived there, I have no earthly idea!

As for outrage of the day, I realized I was also following that path here and at home. I told Dale I’ll stop reading the shitshow news to him, and I’m not going to go on and on about it here, either. I will continue to share what I think is important, but I’m not wired for daily outrage. All things in moderation.

What I’m Eating

Last night was Transylvanian Layered Cabbage, which I described in an earlier post. Sauerkraut, pork, smoked sausage, rice and sour cream. As an accompaniment, I made a no-knead rye bread that was my best ever. There’s a lot of casserole left over, so we’ll skip a day and have another go at it.

Probably one serving will go into our garage chest freezer, which we are defrosting today! It’s not that hard, but Dale and I approach things differently (to say the least). I bundle similar items into giant Ziplocs so you can find them again, but Dale likes to toss things in like logs on a fire.

Arguments will be had.

For breakfast, Dale made scrambled eggs with homemade Mexican-style chorizo and his excellent salsa verde. He eats his eggs on a tortilla like a taco, but I prefer them without. Either way, delicious!

I’ve got some lobster stock thawing out for miso seafood chowder, but that will be mid-week. If we skip a day on the casserole, that means tonight’s dinner is unknown at this time. Maybe we’ll be inspired by something in the freezer. I know there’s some tuna casserole in there. It always sounds yucky, but I make it all from scratch with mushrooms and a bechamel sauce topped with cheddar, and it’s great.

What I’m Watching

I finished season 4 of Astrid. I highly recommend that show on PBS Masterpiece. I started watching season 5 of All Creatures Great and Small, which is a nice respite from all the gruesomeness of life and fiction. Was I hallucinating or did I see there will be a new Lincoln Lawyer season on Netflix?

What I’m Reading

Not for the feint of heart, but I read Resisting the Right by Robert Edwards. He’s an excellent writer to begin with, and the material is meticulously researched. Published before Trump was elected, it’s still quite grim, but it should be a fixture on everyone’s resistance bookshelf. Mr. Edwards also has an enlightening blog, The King’s Necktie.

I’m rather proud of my holds list (and position!) at the library:

  • Locked In by Jussi Adler-Olsen (1)
  • Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix (4)
  • Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten (7)
  • Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros (13)

Attention must be paid

Well, now. I said I would pay more attention to what is happening in America because attention must be paid, but this is a bit much. I am, after all, retired and a woman of leisure, but every day the shitshow gets worse, and I can’t in good conscience look away. Somehow, we’ve got to unravel the truth.

What I’ve learned this week is the truth hides in plain sight. I believe it was David in the comments section of my last post who said, “Pay attention to your news source.”  

Case in point. I’ve been reading independent news reports that say on Jan. 28 the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sent an email to nearly all full-time federal employees offering them an alleged eight month’s severance package to resign by Feb. 6. That’s about 2 million people.

I went into panic mode, wondering how I’m going to get my Social Security if everyone is gone, and my husband said he read about the email, but the buyout was for people who are working from home and refuse to go back to the office.

Oh, only that, well, it’s about time.

Dale’s information source was a Bloomberg article with the headline, “Trump Offers Buyouts to Federal Employees Resisting In-Person Work.”

Kinda sorta. While the email includes a return-to-office requirement, the “deferred resignation” offer is much broader in scope. Some say it’s a simple workforce reduction strategy, and others say the goal is to rid ourselves of a nonpartisan civil service and replace it with party loyalists. The Trump administration seems to have rigged up some sort of con to address pesky legal concerns, but thankfully, there is truth and resistance from all corners.

I had to re-check all my sources to prove to Dale I wasn’t making this up. Even the OPM confirmed the email wasn’t only for those who don’t show up at the office.

Deferred resignation is available to all full-time federal employees except for military personnel of the armed forces, employees of the U.S. Postal Service, those in positions related to immigration enforcement and national security, and those in other positions specifically excluded by your employing agency.

Everyone chooses how they tell a story, me included. No matter who you hear it from, attention must be paid. Sometimes you have to pull back the curtain to figure out what’s really happening. Whether intentional or not, trusted news sources aren’t always trustworthy.

Interestingly, the email’s subject line featured the same wording Elon Musk used when he took over Twitter and tried to fire just about everybody. A Fork in the Road.

Or as I like to call it, A Fork in the Throat.

I’m reading lots of intelligent commentary on America’s turn to the right but still not seeing any clear direction on what average citizens can do to stop it. I’m working on my little handout that might direct people to topic-specific independent news sources and non-profit organizations, so at least we can read about it and maybe give some money to others who are working hard to save our country.

Dinner

And at last we turn to talk of dinner! We’re headed for a cold and rainy spell, so Dale and I are prioritizing the list of delicious “winter” meals to ease our suffering. I’ve been getting my sourdough starter ready so I can bake a boule this weekend. Probably miso seafood chowder to go with.

Dale plans to make a batch of chili. His recipe uses pork and beef but no beans and is from a handout we got at a liquor store 40 years ago – a promotional piece by Marlboro!

Also on the docket is a dish we make called Transylvanian Layered Cabbage. It’s a casserole with layers of sauerkraut, rice, sour cream, ground pork, smoked sausage and bacon. It sounds weird, but it’s oddly fabulous. One of us will make rye bread to go with that.

Slather some butter on that bread and fill up a tankard of beer, and you remember that in spite of it all, life is good!

Denial is not an option

As expected, all things Trump put me in a foul mood. It would be easy to stick my head in the sand and go about my happy life. That’s what one of my golf buddies said – this stuff largely didn’t affect him, so he was tuning out.

I said, yeah, I get that, but I keep thinking about the poem by Pastor Martin Niemöller.

First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me

Citizen Donna came to the rescue and helped me realize denial is not an option. I know it’s different for everyone, but I’ll share my thoughts in case there’s a nugget or two.

For starters, I’m not much of an activist and don’t want to be. But reading the news and getting jolted every day with the lunacy of it all was making me feel angry and powerless. What to do?

It might sound counterintuitive, but I started actually paying more attention to the news – not just titillating headlines, but in-depth information on equal rights, fair taxation, immigration, abortion medication, Supreme Court ethics … and the beat goes on.

I quickly realized there’s a lot I don’t know about pretty much everything. I saw birthright citizenship was buzzing around in the headlines, but I didn’t realize the potential impact of Trump’s executive action until I read up on the 14th Amendment. I thought I was all cool with transgender issues until I went to a resource for transgender allies and learned I’m actually quite clueless.

Switching from the victim mode to the learning mode has made a huge difference in my mental state. It’s not just read it and weep anymore. As I become more educated on these issues, I’ll be better prepared to discuss them, and that already makes me a better citizen than I was before I came out of my funk. Is that an approach that will work for you as well?

The next step is harder, and that’s action. I’m not likely to go door-to-door or join a march, but I have skills that can help other people make sense of it all. For some clarity, I started working on a master document that succinctly describes the top issues, nonprofit organizations focused on those issues and independent media sources that provide facts and perspective. For the nonprofits, I will also include a rating from one of the charity watchdog organizations.

I’m hoping this whole exercise will help us see which issues trigger a reaction so we can decide where to focus our time and energy. I’ll be sure to post it when I’m finished. You know, I never did find a volunteer opportunity that suited me, but maybe the best way for me to give back is to share my pro-Democracy content and donate money to causes I care about.

That doesn’t mean all my other stuff is going away. I’ll still write about books, movies, food and all the other simple pleasures that add up to a great retirement.

The opposite of bored

You know the age old question for retirees. What do you do all day? If you find the idea of being bored in retirement preposterous, this post might be for you.

My thinking on this subject has morphed since I started watching Astrid on PBS Masterpiece. The show features a brilliant autistic woman named Astrid who works in criminal records and is recruited by a detective to help solve crimes. It’s French with subtitles, which I hardly notice.

Her autism bugged me at first, but I grew more comfortable with it as the series and the characters evolved. Wouldn’t it be great if it worked that way in real life? You spend some time with a person, get to know them and maybe they don’t seem so damn odd after all. One can hope.

A common characteristic of people with autism is the special interest, which is an intense hyper-focus area that brings joy and helps them stay centered. To some, a special interest may come across as obsessive, but a few of us out here might be envious.

I’m talking about we, the people, who have too many interests and sometimes have difficulty focusing. As for me, I’ve spent a lot of time and dropped a fair chunk of change on things that interested me … for a while.

Retirement changes the game. The good news is we have time and hopefully enough money to dabble, and sometimes we’re like kids in a candy store. It’s exciting to think, what do I want to try next? But then you realize time doesn’t last forever, and it’s a fixed income, anyway, so you can’t get stupid with it.

I already have plenty of interests, but every now and then I’m tempted by some new shiny object. Sewing is one. I used to jump for it, but now that I’m older and wiser, I start thinking about the start-up costs, learning curve, space requirements, time commitment – and I get stuck.

Like Astrid, do I need something to stay centered? She inspired me to think about my current hobbies as special interests. Plural. These are the activities that have stood the test of time. Instead of spreading myself too thin, I want to make the most of what I know is sustainable.

My approach to these interests is haphazard at best. I grow cannabis, for example, but sometimes my yields are unsatisfactory, and I’ve done nothing to dig deeper and find out why. Cooking is a big one, but there’s no organization or the slightest bit of discipline to my approach. The house looks like a recipe bomb exploded, and no one came to clean up the debris.

One of the joys of retirement is that you can throw rigid schedules out the window, and I relish my laid back lifestyle. That said, it’s time to focus on my special interests in a more mindful way. Pay more attention to the details.

For starters, I bought a book about growing cannabis, and it has given me good ideas for how to improve my yield. I spend an inordinate amount of time on puzzles, so I might cap that at an hour a day. Swimming is 30 minutes of freestyle, but I could easily introduce some variations to my workout.

While I suppose there’s a certain charm to being the eccentric Bohemian who dabbles in what amuses her, retirement by shiny object can be stressful. I waste a lot of time doing not much of anything because I’m overwhelmed by choices. On the other hand, I don’t want a hardcore regimen about what I do when.

If this dilemma sounds familiar, I can offer a few suggestions that will perhaps help us maximize the pleasures and outcomes of things we already do.

Does this interest make you happy? How much time are you committing? Think weekly not daily – overall, is there balance? Do you feel calm? Would you enjoy improving your skill level or technique? Can you throw some money at it? Will a schedule or some sort of organizational structure bring clarity, improve your performance or just create unwanted stress?

There will come a day when I ignore all reason and go for it, but right now I’m saying no to sewing and other shiny objects so I can properly tend to my current garden of interests.

No big thoughts here

I scheduled my colonoscopy for Jan. 20, which is inauguration day. Sure, I could have watched Donald Trump take the oath of office, but I went with a good old-fashioned colon blow … the extended edition that includes a partially sedated anal probe.

No regrets.

I’m continuing to focus less on what’s actually happening in the world and more on what’s happening in our kitchen. Since I retired, I’ve learned that I’m a happier and calmer person when I quit trying to think the big thoughts and direct my energy into simple things that make life pleasurable. Food is always at the top of the list.

I made some excellent bread in 2024, especially sourdough, but this year I’d like to push a little harder and try some different recipes. Bagels, brioche, you name it. I also want to try making croissants. Not for the feint of heart, as I understand it.

We ate our share of sweets over the holidays, so I’m trying to cut back on sugar. No plans to give it up – I just want to be more mindful. Save it for when it counts! I’ve been eating a lot of oatmeal, which is good. But I’ve been hammering it with brown sugar, which is, shall we say, not my best choice. Does oatmeal even need to be sweet?

I Googled savory oatmeal, and there’s a lot out there with stuff I really don’t want to eat in the morning. I kept it simple and made a batch with just chopped walnuts and a little salt. Very good. Then I tried it with chopped walnuts, currants, olive oil and a dash of sea salt. Yum!

While I might still do the sweeter variety of oatmeal from time to time, I’m enjoying these other options. What about something with sesame oil ? Some toasted seeds?

One of my other breakfast treats is an egg cooked in olive oil. I heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil into a small nonstick pan and then add an egg as though I’m frying it. But it almost poaches in the pool of oil. When the egg is done, I pour the whole thing – oil and egg – on sourdough toast. It’s so delicious. I’m wondering if it might be good on oatmeal, too.

I’m starting my sourdough tonight, and we’re having that tomorrow with balsamic glazed chicken thighs with burst tomatoes and green beans. I put a bottle of Gewürztraminer in the fridge. People think Gewürz is a sweet wine, but we buy a dry variety from Navarro Vineyards. We love it..

Pizza tonight. A replay of a pizza Dale made for the first time a few weeks ago. He said he was experimenting with new toppings, and it was going to sound weird. Hot Italian sausage, anchovies and red onion. I said, what’s weird about that? It sounds wonderful.

And it was seriously one of the best pizzas he has ever made. The anchovies sort of melt into the sausage, and it’s an umami flavor bomb. A little crunch of the red onion, and a sprinkling of parmesan, and you wonder where this has been all your life.

No big thoughts here, but a toast perhaps?

To you, may your pleasures be simple and your food simply delicious.

Reading as entertainment

Although I do enjoy a good list, I try not to keep track of my daily habits. Seriously, it’s better if you don’t look.

However, I made an exception this past year for books, mostly because I read a lot of series, and I like to go in order. The whole thing is easier when you keep track. Especially as you get older …

My spreadsheet shows I read 44 books in 2024. Not a world record but not too shabby, considering the average American reads 12 books a year. At least according to the Pew Research Center.

Most of my reading was crime fiction. I went back over the list to see what stood out, and I am surprised to say not much. A lot of what I read is entertaining but not particularly memorable. And I’m OK with that. I’m just here for the party and am not out to score literary credits.

Reading can be educational and challenging and cerebral, but I’m all about simple pleasures and most of the time I read books to escape or be entertained. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.

All that said, the biggest surprise for me was discovering Tana French, who has been writing for quite awhile without my knowledge! I’ve read three of her books now, and I will go out on a limb and suggest this is crime fiction at its finest. I particularly enjoyed In the Woods, the first in her Dublin Murder Squad series. Faithful Place was another great one, although the story definitely takes family dysfunction to a new level. I’m still thinking about that one.

Just to prove I do mix it up from time to time, a few others at the top of my 2024 list include genres other than crime fiction:

  • Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See
  • A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
  • Farewell, Amethystine by Walter Mosley
  • Clete by James Lee Burke
  • The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
  • Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

As for 2025, I don’t suppose I’ll change much. I’m next up at the library for The Waiting by Michael Connelly. Locked In, the finale to the Department Q series by Jussi Adler-Olsen, just came out. The library doesn’t have it yet, but it should come in soon, and I’ll get in the queue for that.

Another one I’ll be on the lookout for is Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros. I believe it comes out later this month. This is book three of three in The Empyrean series, science fiction/fantasy novels about young dragon riders trying to save the world.

I’ve started to make a list of science fiction detective novels. That just sounds like fun reading to me. And I will need some fun (and maybe brown liquor) to get me through the Trump years.

Oh, you probably know the flags will be flying at half-staff for 30 days to honor former President Jimmy Carter. But did you realize that means the flags will be flying at half-staff during Trump’s inauguration?

Just a little something to perk you up. Happy New Year.

On being merry

I had an Amazon return, and the supermarket is next door to the UPS drop-off, so Dale and I made an adventure of it. Who said I wasn’t merry? When we arrived at the UPS store, there was a line. You know, holidays and all that.

But I was chill. The guys who run that store are fantastic. Fast and friendly. I even said something to Dale about not minding the line because I knew it would be easy. We were merrily chit-chatting, when all of the sudden a 30ish-looking woman standing in front of me whipped around, long red hair flying, and she said in the nastiest voice possible, “Is there a reason you are standing so close to me?”

I started to say sure, yeah, excited about the line and all that or maybe trying to get closer so I can sniff you out, but instead I said, “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I was too close.”

Still snarling, she said, “Well, it’s just a little weird.”

My aren’t we testy! Yes, I said that in my outside voice. She repeated that it was weird. Again, I apologized and thanked her for pointing out my mistake. Then I started humming Psycho Killer because she probably didn’t know who the Talking Heads were anyway. Those young folks.

I was at the counter as she left the store, hollering out in her mean-girl voice, “Have a nice day, ma’am.”

Well, that was a bit much. Let’s just say my merry meter was not pegged.

So, food. Thank goodness we have food. I’m avoiding raw milk, because that’s what sane people do, but there is still much to be enjoyed. Yesterday I made a loaf of sourdough, and we had some of that with beef stew from the freezer. Oh, and sourdough toast this morning. Generously buttered with Kerrygold and a sprinkle of coarse sea salt. Coffee. Black.

But we need more gluten, drill sergeant! Tonight I’ll make the dough for an overnight no-knead rye bread. Pro tip: substitute pickle juice for some or all of the water. That gets baked in the morning, and then I will get started on cabbage rolls. We use bison instead of beef. And this time I have homemade tomato sauce I froze at the end of the summer, so I’m expecting big things.

We usually watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy this time of year, and I’m thinking the first episode should roll out with dinner tomorrow. I always feel so sorry for Frodo, such a burden he carried, but I might feel sort of Hobbit-like with my stuffed cabbage, homemade rye bread slathered with butter and a tankard of beer.

Dale bought our roast beef today. A three-rib roast from the lean end. He puts it on a rack in the refrigerator to dry-age until Christmas. I’ve already made plum pudding for dessert. It’s all wrapped up and also aging, but on pantry shelf not the fridge.

And then there’s the tree. I’m usually opposed because I’m such a grinch, and it’s one less thing to do, but this year I said fuck it. Let’s be merry! And I will confess, merry doesn’t come cheap. I think Dale said it was almost $250. I told him he’d better put it up quick so we can at least get our cost-per-day down to a reasonable level.

The tree is in the garage but coming in today. In the spirit of being merry, I volunteered to unpack the decorations. We have boatloads of adorable hand-made wooden ornaments from when we were in Germany. Dale’s favorite, of course, is Santa riding a bomb. And I’m OK with that.

May your merry meters be pegged!