December/2023 Wrap-Up

Here we are, the last day of 2023. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to pack away the holiday decorations and look ahead to the new year and new possibilities. But before I do that, I’ll wrap up December and 2023 with this update.

I decided this year to make homemade candles for Christmas gifts. After all, I have a surplus of mason jars. I purchased a candle-making kit that contained a 5-lb. bag of soy wax, wicks, wick adhesives, and wick holders (to secure them as the wax hardens). I also bought a 4-cup plastic measuring cup and some vanilla essential oil. I went to Dollar Tree for some ribbon.

I was pleasantly surprised with how they turned out. Making the candles wasn’t really that difficult. The wax can be melted in the microwave, as long as you watch it carefully and stir it every so often. I added both vanilla and cinnamon oils to my first two batches. Once the wax hardened, I decorated the jars.

Result:

The candles were well received. I still have a lot of wax, so I’ll need to make some more. Maybe with different scents? I’m almost out of vanilla and cinnamon now anyway.

Christmas Eve was quiet, damp, and foggy. We took a hike at a nearby metro park, but we had to make it kind of short. I severely injured my pinky toe earlier in the week and it was uncomfortable to wear shoes. But we did about 1.5 miles and then went to Starbucks. We had snacks for dinner (meatballs, cheese plate, crackers, etc.) and watched a movie.

Our Christmas was good. I attempted to make homemade cinnamon rolls this year — a first for me. I even found a recipe that only had one rise and was supposed to be perfect for beginners. And still I managed to kill the yeast (despite using a thermometer when I heated the milk to avoid getting it too hot). So the rolls were a fail. I still baked them and we ate them. They weren’t soft and fluffy. They were small and kind of tough. But L liked them enough to actually finish them off the next day. I may have to attempt them again next year, but I’ll have a backup plan in case that happens again.

We spent late morning and afternoon with my folks at their house. Then we came home, got into our pajamas, and watched Bridget Jones’s Diary while eating cheese and crackers.

That was pretty much it. It was business as usual after that: work, chores, etc.

And now it’s December 31 and I’m reflecting on this year. How lucky I am to have landed my current job. How my struggles as a business owner led to the opportunity I have now. I have zero regrets about how that turned out.

We’re lucky to have had Blitz with us for the whole year. As he ages and his health declines, I think a lot about how much more fleeting our time with him is becoming. And I don’t know how much longer we have together, but I’m so happy he’s still with us.

This coming year, I’m hoping to do more hiking. I’m hoping we can get the new barn built (and the old one torn down). I’m hoping we can also get my new garden area built (raised beds and fencing).

I plan to go to Panama in a few months. My employer is a sponsor of School the World — a non-profit that builds schools in impoverished communities in Honduras, Panama, and Guatemala. A team from my company goes down every year to build a school. This upcoming trip is to Panama, and I’ve signed up to go. My travel expenses are paid, but I am raising money to fund the building of the school as well as teacher training, library books, and school supplies. If you feel so inclined, I’d really appreciate the support. https://donate.schooltheworld.org/fundraiser/5147281

Thank you, dear readers, for showing an interest in my little blog this year. I wish you a happy, healthy, and successful 2024.