Yesterday, we wrapped and shipped the last package to my sister in Santa Fe and her family. Ray and I began packing up some of the Christmas things--dishes and glasses and candles...Karen F. picked up some things for a family she knows that had a house fire. I gave them most of our mis-matched glasses and some mugs and 4 of our older pillows and a few sweaters and sweatshirts from the bag going to Goodwill. It didn't feel especially generous, but more like clearing out, something that I could do more of, especially between Christmas and New Year's.

Lunch was leftovers and sandwiches. Then Amelia and I drove to the post office and stood in line again. She went to Michael's and got some things for little Loretta and her Mom, Becky M. When I got home, I realized I had meant to stop and buy pork chops for dinner, since Amelia was going to the Grit with her friends. I called my Dad, who was planning to go to Kroger and then come to our house, and asked him to buy a few pork chops for us. He was happy to do that. But when he arrived, he had forgotten one of the bags of groceries, the one with the pork chops. He drove back to Kroger and then back to our house. Meanwhile, Ray and I fed the pigs and put the chickens up. The pig yard is still incredibly wet and muddy from the rain. You have to wear special clothes and boots to go there and make sure the pigs don't knock you down!

Amelia left with Kevin and Ray and I had a nice supper of pork chops, baked potatoes, and salad. At lunch, we finished the last of the chocolate torte, the pies the day before, so now all we have is about a million different homemade cookies. I also bought spumoni ice cream. It seemed like a holiday thing to have around. So dessert was spumoni ice cream and cookies.

We watched four TV shows, my personal limit, but I was a little restless. I couldn't get really excited about a new knitting project and I was still awake at 9 and even 10. But I did manage to sleep until almost 7 today. I wore my sleep mask, but not sure how long. The thought of so many dead and dying was on my mind, and the loved ones left behind.

I feel a New Year coming. May it be happy and productive.