So…I’m quitting the sophomore story thing.  I wrote an explanation of why, but I lost it, and I don’t think it was that good.  Quitting makes me feel lousy, so I try to avoid it, but sometimes I have to.  Let’s try to make quitting a good thing, shall we?  Let’s try to make quitting 2013 a positive thing.  Let’s scrub the scum out of the tub!

I used so much AJAX in the tub it made a fan.

Let’s change the old shower curtain and make those tiles sparkle.

My shower walls are clean; all the metal shines.

Let’s even give the old toilet a buffing.

Yes, even the toilet has it’s own arctic charm.

New Year’s Eve I made Shu Mai for Mother.  We toasted the old year and planned what we would do for New Year’s Day.  You’ll see.  I made it into bed just after midnight.

New Year’s Eve and my clean bed. This is the last thing I saw that night.

The next morning, the first morning of the year of Our Lord 2014, Mother and I took down Christmas.  We have four (well, five) Christmas trees of varying sizes, a train set (I would put in the video, but I don’t know how), and about three hundred nativity scenes scattered throughout the house.  We have eleven plastic tubs and a “tree bag” that hold it all–nearly.  It was a little depressing this year, putting almost all of it out myself because Mother wasn’t feeling all that well.  Putting it away was oddly pleasant.  Go through the pictures quickly because I don’t know how to load in the videos.

We begin at about 8:00.

I start taking ornaments off the tree, and Mother tries to find the right boxes.

There are plenty of lights.

Lots of lights and lots of ornaments.

All packed away. Let’s shine the floor.

I’m thankful Mother is feeling a little better though she still has to use her walker.  I’m thankful I have a clean bathroom and bedroom.  I’m glad to have all those pretty decorations and even more glad to have them neatly stored again.

I have to quit writing for now.  I wish I had more time, but other jobs await, and the suns pauses for no one.  Joy and peace in the new year–anyone who is reading.  Joy and peace to you.