1. I got to spend some time today with my aunt and her dachshund Nate, who is such a goof. It was great to see her and spend time with them, eating and talking and laughing. And she sent me home with cookies and fudge, so that’s a lovely bonus! (I left her with a couple of batches of her favorite lemon sugar cookie, so I think it was a fair trade).
2. We also got to visit tonight with some friends that we’ve hardly seen through the pandemic. It was good to see them in person and hang out, and I am hoping that 2022 will bring more visits with friends and family. But also, lots of opportunities for us to stay home alone because we like that too.
3. Four weeks ago, I shared a photo from this day. This was taken around the same time, but my aunt who took the first photo got traded out for a cousin so she could be in the picture. I share it because this week I lost my last remaining uncle, Dan, and many of these people are his family. It was his daughter that we lost before Thanksgiving, and I believe that he’s gone to be with her. He’s no longer in pain, in any case. He was an impressive man, spending most of his adult life in the sheriff’s office. He was an officer for many decades, and when he retired, he went back part-time to help. He set a very good example for his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. And for his nieces. You lived a good life. You mattered. You will be missed.
*what is making me happy this week
