Kinda partial to January? February?

I know.  May is my favorite month.  My birthday.  Flowers blooming.  Mother's Day.  The end of school.  The beginning of summer. Warm breezes which mean open windows.  Love it!

But there is just something about January and February that I like.  I don't want to sound like my mom, though.  She was always proud of not leaving the house for days or weeks (except for her beloved hair appointment on Fridays which she would NEVER miss) or not being in the grocery store for the entire month of January (except she would send Dad for milk and bread and anything else she needed).  All of that aside, I do like these two months.

Why?

For the same reasons I disliked them in previous years.  Snow.  Cold temps. Icy roads.

My perspective changed when I retired.  If it were two years ago right now, I would be tense and nervous about driving to Kokomo tomorrow for our first meetings on the new semester.  There are no snow days at Ivy Tech (maybe that has changed a little and I do remember the non-instructional week which was cut short a few years ago because of snow) and just that fact puts ice into my veins when I think about navigating the roads, especially for an early morning class or after a night class.  But I don't have to drive to Logansport or to Kokomo.  I don't have to think about putting everything on Blackboard for students who can't make it into campus.  I don't have to make concessions for those who didn't think to look at Blackboard or who might be new to the college and not even know about Blackboard thus creating my need to adjust the schedule and all of the assignments---and my mind is boggled.

Instead I am looking at what I am going to prepare for meals this week.  Chicken spaghetti for tomorrow.  Stuffed shells to take to Megan and Matt's for Tuesday night.  A roast and potatoes with carrots and onions for the InstaPot for Thursday.  We have food for breakfast and plenty of beverages so we are good in that area.

For one of the first times I am looking forward to not having an alarm.  Rephrase that....I am enjoying the fact that we don't have an alarm and nowhere to go (except for Tuesday and Wednesday).  I can stay up late to read or watch a movie and sleep late in my warm and cozy bed.  No other plans for the days except to undecorated and start some projects.

Which brings me to undecorating the tree and the house.  No hurry this year since we have no Ohio treks to make and no other obligations except for staying with the kids and a few doctors' appointments.

Much as I miss them, we don't have to worry about Gary's folks and if they have heat, electricity or food for these cold days.  We don't have to go over and plow out the drive just in case we need to make a run to the doctor or hospital.  There are no cows to feed and water.  There is no mail to deliver.  

Plus I have so many sewing and quilting projects that I am so excited to be working on.  With no other pressing obligations, I can sew to my heart's content and make some progress on Owen's quilt, Clay's t-shirt quilt, Tessa's quilt, and Cooper's curtains and his quilt.  I can start on the Christmas stockings and table runners for next year's gifts.

Yes, I can do all of these things during other months, but in January there are no flower beds to weed.  There is no lawn to mow.  There are no sidewalks to sweep.  There are no outside activities that need to be done.  There is no expectation of our being somewhere (except with the girls) at any time and we can just stay home.

Plus the Olympics.  Watching new episodes of NCIS and Big Bang Theory.  Reading more books.  Taking naps.

All of this sounds so good.  I am really looking forward to January and February.  No cabin fever for me!

But I am sure I will be more than ready for May to arrive.  After all, it still is my favorite month.