Cleaning, Coat of Paint, and a Very Fun Start to 2026

The morning unfolded slowly, as it often does, with the usual coffees enjoyed in bed. I spent over an hour on Spanish, determined to make the most of my unlimited access before it expires in the next day or two. After that, we tackled some general cleaning—an unofficial reset as we prep mentally and physically for 2026.

After a leftover lunch, I hauled the cheap cabinet down to the gate to leave for pickup, then got back to work in the garage. The desk received its second full coat of paint after I hand-sanded the first coat smooth. Progress at last—it’s starting to look pretty again.

B was out with Cooper, who is staying the night while she goes out on the town to celebrate. She trimmed Beibs’ feet, fed the horses, then headed home shortly after 2 to get ready. With the temperature a balmy –2, S took advantage of the weather and went outside to take down the Christmas lights and decorations.

I chopped back my dragon plant and planted the cuttings in with the main stem, fingers crossed they take. S came in for a beverage, and then we both shifted gears to get ready to head into town. I fed the dogs before we left thinking we would be back later.

Church was at 5, and after finding our pew, we were surprised when the Paetz family slid in beside us—always a nice unexpected moment. After the service, they headed home while we went to try the new Korean-Japanese restaurant in town. It turned out to be quite tasty, with a menu full of interesting options. S was convinced one dish was beef tongue, and I correctly guessed the quail eggs that came alongside it.

From there, we went to Paetz’s to join them in watching Grady’s WHL game, the Flames, and Team Canada—an ambitious trifecta of hockey. The plan was just to pop in for a celebratory drink to mark the end of 2025, but one game turned into cards, and cards turned into hours. Before we knew it, we were starting the car at 3 a.m. to head home.

The drive back was brisk and surprisingly busy, with plenty of cars and trucks still on the road. The dogs were sent out quickly, and I needed a bit of Netflix to unwind and get sleepy again before finally shutting off the iPad.

Happy 2026.

New Project for 2026

Another golden sky greeted the east this morning, with relatively warm air hovering around –4. I made my usual coffee and published the Boxing Day post, loading photos and editing a few more to continue catching up.

I found myself thinking ahead to the new year and whether I should change the blog format—perhaps a weekly recap, or even fewer posts. At times it feels repetitive, and honestly, most people seem to be most interested in seeing how Renn is growing. A weekly feature on her might make more sense and feel fresher.

After a shower, laundry got underway, including fresh bedding. The comforter is always a major wash-and-dry production all on its own.

S made his first coffee after 10, having already perused the internet in bed, then settled into Big Brown to continue his morning routine. I posted the disappointing cabinet for free, hoping someone would come and get it. As usual, there was lots of interest, but it often feels like tire-kickers when pickup south of town is involved.

I had a bowl of berry yogurt around 11:30 for brunch, then headed to the garage to finally start a new project—the French provincial desk I picked up a few weeks ago. I took it fully apart for better access, only to confirm my suspicion that it’s MDF and will need repainting rather than refinishing. Always a pain. Dealing with other painters’ drips and marks is frustrating, and even with power sanding, hand sanding, and wiping it down, it’s going to be a challenge.

S took Harley for a walk around 2:30, with temperatures now up to +3, then plowed some snowbanks and cleaned up around the shop.

I decided on a soft grey for the desk, though I may go darker with a second coat. After washing up the brushes, I came inside around 4 for a cold drink.

Supper was stroganoff made from the leftover bison roast, and while it cooked I published Saturday’s blog post. It turned out quite tasty. S watched some hockey, I watched a bit of Netflix, and then we settled in together for The Family Plan 2, another entertaining Christmas-themed spy movie.

We started a new movie afterward, but within four minutes S was asleep. I switched to a Home episode featuring a 3D-printed house in Mexico built for the extremely poor—an impressive and inspiring project to end the day.

Deep Freeze Breaks

The deep freeze finally broke, with –7 weather and a gorgeous sunrise to prove it when Harley woke me early to be let out. It already felt like a completely different day.

I managed three coffees while working through some Spanish lessons and perusing Instagram. S woke later for his first coffee, then jumped into the shower. I started a load of laundry and got to work editing, watermarking, and uploading photos for the very photo & video-laden Christmas blog post.

I also spent some time chatting with a customer/friend who wanted me to refinish a dining table and stair rails—both of which I declined. The good news of the day followed shortly after: the antique desk buyer called, confirmed she wants it, and even offered to pay for delivery. A definite win. Next time we head into the city, it will be dropped off.

We ran to town to drop off the Etsy parcel and spent coffee pods, do a few Amazon returns at Purolator, pick up Cooper, and grab lunch at Roadhouse. On the way home, I stopped in for a few groceries.

With temperatures just above zero when we got back to the ranch after 3, I took the dogs out for a much-needed walk in the sunshine. While out, I remembered 2026 is the Year of the Horse—something that only comes around every 12 years. The other zodiac animals? Dog, pig, rooster, snake, dragon, ox, sheep, rat, tiger, rabbit, and monkey. I also discovered there’s a spirit animal guide tied to the zodiac, which naturally sent me off searching images and meanings.

Jimmy is so friendly, he followed me on the walk

the placement of the snow fence captures a lot of snow the other day

S had settled into the TV room for more World Junior hockey, with the Flames game up later. Back in the house, I returned to the Christmas blog post. The video uploads took forever, so I fed the dogs, scrubbed pet dishes, swapped laundry, and did some marketing between uploads. Finally, at 7 p.m., the post was finished and published—huge relief.

It was time to relax. I caught up on the newest episode of Palm Royale. Still full from lunch, I heated pizza and delivered it to the hockey room for S. B arrived to feed horses and take Cooper home, passing on pizza, but I did manage to find room for a piece of flapper pie—delivering the last one to S in the TV room as well. Thanks, B.

I then started a new series following Palm Beach socialites. The money, the cattiness, the excess—it’s ridiculous. And yet, I kept watching, purely for the homes and the lifestyle glimpses. Lifestyles of the rich and catty :)

Another Chilly Day, Small Wins, and One Big Loss

Another cold, snow-covered wake-up, with the house sitting at 19 degrees—brr. At –22 outside, coffee was non-negotiable. I stayed in bed a bit longer, coffee in hand, perusing Instagram before getting up. I published the Christmas Eve post with my second coffee and finally tackled some overdue marketing. In the process, I realized I may have missed a potential sale on the antique desk after not replying for five days—hopefully the buyer is still interested. I also placed another large coffee order, taking advantage of Boxing Day sales.

S woke for his coffee after 9 and settled into Big Brown. At about 9:25 I asked if he was heading to church, only to realize he’d completely forgotten it was Sunday. He hurriedly dressed and was off to town. I worked on submitting my paint sheets and projects to Dixie Belle after publishing my only project tutorial for them this month—the wooden wall shelf—then shared it across a few sites.

Shower time followed, along with finally retiring the Christmas outfit I’d been wearing for three days straight: the cozy Christmas pajamas from Renny. XOXO. I took down the mantle full of angels—not because I don’t love them, but because I desperately needed the clock back up. I look for it at least 50 times a day. I continued boxing things up and putting games away until S returned around noon. He made ham and eggs for lunch, I had a tuna sandwich, and then he headed back down to his hockey emporium.

An Etsy sale popped up—my blue nesting Pyrex bowls sold as a shower gift. Thirty-six years later, they’re headed to Ontario to delight another blue-glass lover with an unopened vintage gift. Out came the boxes and labels, along with packaging a few other returns. Another delivery arrived too: photo albums, as I ordered 150 to start organizing wedding and family photos.

B and Cooper were out after 3 to feed and remove blankets now that it had warmed to –11. She loaded the dirty blankets and headed home around 4. I finished the new season of Emily in Paris as the sun began to set, then switched over to some Spanish lessons.

S came up after his hockey fill around 7 and we watched Daddy’s Home 2, a genuinely funny Christmas family movie. We tried a Dave Chappelle comedy next, but it didn’t take long to see why he’d run into trouble in Edmonton—raw, political, and edgy—so we switched it off and moved on to more King of Collectibles before lights out.

The day ended on a sour note: poor Shaina accidentally left her leather purse in a movie theatre washroom. It contained cash, gift cards, all her personal information, business cards, and receipts. Sadly, an opportunist grabbed it. A hard and disappointing way to close the day.

Deep Freeze Dreams and Longer Days Ahead

I awoke to the storm still in full force at 6 am, but managed to fall back asleep and didn’t wake again until after 8:30. It was still howling outside, feeling like –33 (–22 actual). Coffee was first, then feeding the cats and Harley, followed by some online vacation browsing. Weather like this makes you want to be elsewhere, without question. I’ve always wanted to do a yoga beach retreat, though they can be eye-wateringly expensive. From there I moved on to Spanish lessons—Super Duolingo for a week, so we’ll see how that goes.

Kaylin snapped this adorable photo on her polaroid and left on my lamp, my fav of the season

and yes I am wearing my holiday uniform :0)

S finally stirred around 11 after a long sleep-in. After breakfast and coffee, he settled into Big Brown with his laptop. The hurricane-force winds eased after lunch to a more typical wind, though still with sharp, biting gusts and blowing snow. I loaded all the photos from the Kuhn–Paetz game night and published that post, then worked on today’s blog in the now sunshine while stretched out on the bed. With that done, I started putting away a bit of the Christmas décor—stuffies off the sideboard to begin the slow transition.

B and Cooper were out after 3, bravely heading into the deep freeze to feed the horses, adjust blankets, put Switch’s on, and pick out feet. BRRRR. Shaina called for a short chat to share some good news: she and Matt have rented an Airbnb in Calgary for February.

Brr outside.. Beibs swinging the feed tub lol

loads of snow caught by the snow fence

B made it back into the warm house after 4 to thaw out and was asleep on the couch not long after. I moved back to the bedroom after finishing the Christmas Eve post to catch the last of the day’s sunshine. The sun set before 5, but with the comforting thought that each day is now getting a little longer.

In the city it was Jim 's birthday so they celebrated at an amusement place. Look at Renn sweetly waiting for her turn at the video game then it was her big chance, just look at her go in the video below.

I spent far too much time trying—and failing—to send 100 Christmas photos to Kaylin, restarting both the router and my phone with no success. In the end, I created a shared album, which worked perfectly. I then added other family members to get the feel they were here with us.

B stayed for supper, fully expecting a delicious ham—is that ever possible? She was very disappointed. After eating, she and Cooper headed home. S enjoyed his ham dinner and went downstairs to watch the World Junior games that have held his attention the past few days. I worked on blog photos for a bit, then headed to bed to watch more Emily in Paris.

Soft Snow, Quiet Goodbyes, and Boxing Day Calm

It was softly snowing again when I woke. I lay awake after 7, expecting to hear Renn, but the house stayed quiet until Kaylin texted after 8. I went to get Renn so she could get some sleep, let the dogs out quickly, and we crawled back into bed with the iPad for a bit. That didn’t last long. When I went to grab bacon from the freezer, I found a wet spot on the carpet and a rather stinky gift on the floor. Seems I needed to make sure all 3 dogs did their business before getting back in bed. Cleanup followed, then it was time for coffee, with little miss enjoying an orange and apple juice. Thankfully her tummy issue resolved in the night and today she feels much better.

My assistant plant mister hard at work

Nathan was up not long after, joining in with an orange and an iced coffee. S came out for his coffee, followed by Kaylin. I took a shower while they sipped and scrolled. Breakfast was bacon, biscuits hot from the oven, and scrambled cheesy eggs. Cards were played, as they should be on this relaxing Boxing Day.

giving the sticky slime another run

Nana says yes to ice cream for breakfast

B and Cooper were out around 1 for a short visit. Soon after, the Boysis family packed up gifts, luggage, kid, and dogs and headed back to their place before 2, preparing for the next round of grandparents arriving for the week. B trimmed Harley’s nails, then S headed out to roll a bale while she fed the horses. I watered my plants and finally sat down to check email and start today’s blog—yesterday’s still waiting, as the memory seems a bit weak.

B and Cooper headed home before 3:30 to relax while S started plowing the road. Time to get the floors and carpets vacuumed as S shoveled snow. He took Harley for a much-needed walk while I paused mid-vacuuming to do some accounting and begin yesterday’s blog. When he came back in, we stopped for a cold beer before I returned to vacuuming and he moved Shaina’s Jeep and plowed the spot it had been covering—then another beer followed.

I continued working the blog in the bedroom, starting the new season of Emily in Paris, (this season they are in Rome which only intensifies my desire to go there one day) while S headed to the TV room for hockey after his multi-day hiatus. There was no formal “boxing up” today, though it does seem to describe the general tidying after the past few eventful days.

The house felt oddly quiet until the wind picked up after 11:30. By then, hurricane-like winds and snow had set in, carrying on through the night.

Christmas Morning Magic and Cards Until Midnight

Merry Christmas, everyone. I was awake early, waiting for Renn, and just after 8 she arrived—climbing the stairs with her Mama and Dada in matching pajamas to see what Santa had left. She was convinced Santa had brought her a glass of milk and was delighted that she got to drink the warm partial glass herself.

At two, she is the perfect age—unhurried, fully present, opening a gift and then playing with it before moving on to the next. And there were many gifts with kids scissors being a highlight. We sipped our coffees and soaked in her excitement while Shaina and Matt joined us on FaceTime, almost as if they were right there in the room. B was out before 9:30 to join the fun, and S lit a fire that burned steadily all day.

Santa brought Renn a Minnie and Daisy camper van

Renny gifted her entire family with matching Disney Pj's, THANK YOU!

These scissors were most entertaining, perfect to cut wrapping paper and there was allot of paper

Lexi with her new toy Santa brought her and Bean

Nana did not know about the matching PJ's and bought these for Renn which were totally a hit but put a damper on the matching PJ's for all

Minnie calling break

the gifts keep on coming

Breakfast was crepes with fruit and whipped cream—the whipped cream being the only part Renn was truly interested in. Gifts continued, snacks appeared, and games were played, including poker, with hopes of someday turning it into an annual, cash-injected Christmas tradition.

Santa brought sparkly kids nails so renn was done first

so pretty

Then she painted Auntie B's, Dada, Mama and Grandpa's  too

super sticky slime

cookie making kit - not for eating kind of cookies though

Cookie delivery

Here is the fun of trying to get a family photo with a timer which made the attempt at family photos a challenge.

if only S had his head more to the right to see the camera 

 After a fair amount of laughter and persistence, we did manage to get a few—this only after convincing Renn to put her matching pajamas back on compromising over the fuzzy Minnie Mouse ones I had bought her.

someone is tired of photos

determined to get a family shot we tried again but I was too slow once again

Kaylin suggested using my Apple Watch to take the photos which was a great idea 

especially when I let Renn click my watch!

Yes, a few fun family photos

besties in a boat

Lunch evolved organically into leftovers: pizza, oyster soup, and pasta with sausage. Games carried on while a few people rested—okay, one person. For supper, Nathan and Sheldon took charge, searing the bison roast, sliding it into the oven, and handling the potatoes and vegetables. That was my Christmas gift—not being the full-time cook. 

Pretend cookie making, the card shuffler made the perfect oven to "cook" them in

Then it was on to real cookie decorating with a super cute kit made by Nathan's great Aunt (who also sent a huge container of delicious Christmas baking too)

There was no room for Harley it seems

I did make the au jus while S mashed the potatoes, missing Shaina’s strong arm. The meal was good (the cut of bison could have been better though) and a fitting celebration of the day.

The evening games continued, though poor Renn was struggling with tummy troubles. Renn took a break for a bath, with Auntie B in charge—light-up color blocks, bubbles, and all. I blow-dried her hair, and Kaylin took her down for an early bedtime. After a couple of wake-ups, Kaylin brought her into the big bed, and they both went to sleep.

The four of us opened Uno No Mercy—a gift from Candace—and quickly learned it is exactly what it claims to be. Ruthless, and not recommended for anyone who doesn’t enjoy losing. We followed that by teaching Nathan how to play canasta: B and Nathan versus S and me. There were some strong rounds, but S and I came out ahead in the end.

This is the only AI created photo shared but so cute

By midnight, we wrapped things up. Nathan headed to bed, B and Cooper went home, and S and I put on a bit of a new series. He fell asleep almost immediately, and I returned to the Jay Kelly movie—ending a busy, noisy, cozy, and merry Christmas.