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.