I got these pretty folders several years ago when there was still a Hallmark store in New Castle. Thought they'd add cheer to my desk at work. Now that I'm retired, they will get new labels and be used for new projects, new ideas, new fun. And oh yes, I have a few ideas brewing.

For now though, daily life is centered on getting Brian through his illness and doing all I can as his support staff. He's feeling so much better today, and for that my day is made. He even had some special requests for foods that sound good today.

​That is big news as he's had little to no appetite for over a week now. He just polished off a Chunky Sirloin Soup (a favorite of his that he hasn't asked for in a long time). Last night he said Wendy's chicken sandwich sounded good. That worked. Coming up on the Cronk menu in the days to come will be a vegetable and cheese omelette  and toast; also chicken and noodles and a chicken pot pie!

While I picked up these supplies in the grocery store, I felt my spirits dance when I spotted this display of primroses. I told the floral employee that I simply had to have a photo. They are SO cheery!

And, a quick run to CVS, which Brian and I prefer calling by its oldie name, Hooks,  just because we are nerds and think we're funny. I snagged these lights for Christmas 2021. We always need replacements and I prefer the smaller count than the massive strings. They were 90 percent-off, people. That's 49 cents a box in cash-register tape!

Have you been like me on a cleaning-out binge for months now? No? If you were, you might find interesting things lurking in the back of your Seller's Cabinet too. How about a stack of 16-year-old high school open house napkins? Why do moms keep such things? 

Decided we may as well use them up. Brian said Sam might want them. I doubt that, but I did save back a short stack. Just in case.

What have you been up to on this SUNNY day? In the car driving home I found myself singing "Heavenly Sunshine." Anyone remember that old hymn? It's quite lovely. Miss the old church songs. That's why I have my own Methodist Hymnal.

Did the blog title fool you? Told you I wasn't discussing politics.

But what happened yesterday sent me to clean out my cabinet. Still not being political. My kitchen cabinet. In all the years we've lived here, I've never removed everything from this lower cabinet and cleaned the cabinet floor. Until yesterday. Then I did some reorganization. 

All those baking pans -- square, round, bundt, cheesecake, large and small muffin / cupcake.  Three pie plates, several cooling racks, two cutting boards and several serving trays. Now, I know what I've got, realize what I never use (but there's still possibility), and it's all in order. I stood back and surveyed the scene yesterday and declared it, "a work of art."

I love to organize. If I were a dog, I'd be a border collie. You'd think after all these months of extra home time, everything would be in perfect order, cleaned out, scrubbed tight. But no. Case in point, this cabinet (which has now come to order).

Organizing soothes me. It gives me control over something in life, even when other things are beyond my reach or impact. But the cabinet? It can suit me to a T.

Betty Giboney, who would be 108 this year, and who passed at 100, spent 40 (maybe more) years at The Courier-Times, retiring at 78. This, after a career as a professional dancer in New York City (she was a Roxyette--the name later changed to Rockette. She toured the country and appeared in movie  dance lines. Then she worked at a NYC magazine.

After that, amazingly enough, she spent her career in rural Indiana covering 4-H and features, obits and whatever else needed doing. She famously (and seriously) told me that "New York City paled by comparison." 

She was needed. She was treasured. She did good work. If you've got all that, plus a husband she adored and who adored her back, well, case closed. Who needs The Big Apple?

Betty and her husband traveled the globe. She once told me that much as she loved travel, she wished on occasion that they could have a staycation so she could do things like clean out the closets, which she never had time for. It was something she looked forward to in retirement (along with more travels including to Russia).

For many of us, there's something in our nature that craves putting things in order. Our affairs. Our closets. Our cabinets. Our souls.

I'm two weeks into retirement and I have plenty to do. This is my view at 8 a.m. today when I normally would be pulling into work. Do I miss hustling out the door? No.

Coming to you live from my favorite morning space, my writing chair. There's my second cup of coffee, daily planner, a couple of notebooks relating to specific projects.

This time of year, there are spectacular sunrises between 7:30-8 a.m. heading east.

But I like the ones from my writing chair.

Here I can quietly study, write, plan, and organize my day and upcoming projects.

How about you? Are you an organizer? Do you find it boring or comforting?

I haven't written a blog post in some time now. 

Life has been coming at me pretty fast from the start of November until, well, it still is.

If you know me personally or follow my Facebook posts, you have an idea of what I'm talking about. 2020 was hard in so many ways, which I won't rehash month by month. But things took another bad  turn in November when Brian was diagnosed with bladder cancer. There is a path forward, one we are in the thick of now.

We are nurtured and loved daily by so many people from all locations of time and space in our lives who send uplifting texts, emails, cards, calls and even a pie, a DVD set of Brian's favorite movie, a care package of gifts, a book about cancer, a cancer cookbook, and most of all, we will both tell you, so many promises of prayers on our behalf.

Due to our nation's division, one would think there are two banks of people in this country, each side in bitter hatred of the other. It hurts my heart. Hate is of Satan. When I'm actually AROUND people -- I see more kindness, extra measures of polite greetings and banter than ever -- and I well know I'm talking about people with deep political differences. Hate is a liar.

When we look each other in the eye, and not lash out with hurt and sarcasm and awful stereotypes  on social media, we see each other as largely wanting the same things in life: Love, acceptance, security. Peace. Happiness. A voice.

I will not fan political flames. I have my own views, make no mistake. But one spark ignites an onslaught of rhetoric and link sharing that I cannot deal with, won't deal with. Not on my social media pages. I love people. I love them even when they think differently than I do. It is their right. It is my right. Let's just be kind. Let's have a cuppa something together and talk about our views in person. With a mask. Socially distanced. But not hurl them like weapons.

Life is really hard right now on all of us as we fret over our nation and our people. And those in our own homes with challenges.

Brian and I have sought light for the past couple months in so many ways -- spiritually, physically, and emotionally. We find it. The photo above? It's of the fake ficus tree in the corner of our dining room where the lamb-decorated Christmas tree sat for six weeks. Yesterday a friend from New Castle posted that she was thinking of getting a ficus tree and stringing lights on it. I took this photo and sent it to her. We're not the only ones seeking light.

Brian asked me the other day if we have plenty of candles for this winter. Little-known fact about BC, the guy loves scented candles. We burn them liberally all winter and sometimes in the summer too. I told him we had plenty, and he said, "Good. I'll need them."

Light in the darkness. Is it any wonder, I ask my Christian friends, that Jesus is called the Light of the World?

We're wired for light. And for loving one another.

So this is just a little hello. Peace be still, everyone.

​I wish you light and Light this winter.