Way to Go, Hannah

 I’ve blogged before about Hannah Hidalgo but she is bringing us joy again this year.  That is Jim’s phrase as he sits at the end of the sofa, remote in hand, “Way to go, Hannah!” He chuckles with delight.  One of the commentators said “She is just annoying.”  And she is.  Her hand gets in the way of any dribbler and she succeeds in another steal of the ball.  And then she tears down the floor ahead of everyone else and puts the ball in the hoop.  Sadly, we have seen the ND team lose their energy in the last quarter because there are only eight players suited up to play these days.  They lost two great players from last year,  one to the WNBA and one sadly to the transfer portal—we don’t know why.  But there are other players doing their part—Prosper bringing down rebounds and Moore shooting three pointers and DeJesus, also a good shooter.  

The arena is full of fans.  The women bring out a bigger crowd than the men including many older fans, not just students.  The older crowd are all decked out in their green shirts.  A few years ago, when we were in South Bend, I went to a game alone, got a great single ticket at half-court and saw that I was definitely not one of the oldest fans there.  

Part of the fun is watching Hannah’s fun in playing.  She smiles often; we know when she is pleased with a successful move.  I hope they can keep this up in the post-season and get a good long ways into the NCAA tournament.  I want to keep watching them!  

The Process for Hip Number Two Begins

 I took a photo of the hospital bracelet to start this blog but decided it had too much information to put in a public place—not that there are so many readers but sometimes I get sales pitches on comments and have to delete them.

But…the hip replacement  process has begun with a 9 am appointment at Penn Medical Center for Pre-Admission Testing which means bloodwork,  an EKG and going over information.  I had a list of questions which were answered for the most part and at least notes were put on my file so maybe some things can be easier this time around.  As the last time, the women who helped us were very kind and informative.  No one acted like my concerns were foolish.

Next week is another appointment with my primary care provider for surgical clearance.  I hope I can cancel the appointment I was told to make with the cardiologist just in case.  But this morning the nurse thought it would not be needed.  

As soon as I was asked my birthdate, the memories came flooding back of saying that over and over again as nurses checked it before they took my vitals or did anything else.  At least no credit card was asked for today.  So three weeks from today, I hope the surgery is over and I am on my way home.  I am almost thankful for pain in the right hip as it reassures me we are doing the right thing.  

Our Grace Notes Choir director told me that the Nassau Church staff had prayed for me at their meeting on Tuesday.  I was honored by that.  I had not requested prayers but I had posted on the virtual attendance form that we hoped to be back in the sanctuary more often after my surgery and recovery.  Another friend asked me for the date of surgery because she was adding my name to Echo, her prayer app.  I do have folks I pray for regularly but have not used an app for that so far at least.  

Looking Ahead to 2026

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Jim is honoring me by reading my blog book for 2025 which came in the mail yesterday.  I looked at the first few months and saw my despair about President Trump’s initial acts.  And now that the year has gone by, I see that it has only gotten worse and not better.  I don’t know where to start but I want to record my worry and fears.

In international news,  the situation in Gaza has improved but still is a cause for concern.  President Trump has had some good influence there. There is no improvement in Ukraine with Russia continuing to cause destruction.  Trump was going to end that on Day One.  He spent the year humiliating Zelensky in the White House and greeting Putin in Alaska warmly.  

Our allies in Europe have been insulted.  Today Trump’s seizing of Maduro and his wife from Venezuela is being considered a war crime by the UN.  He has bombed several fishing boats in the Caribbean because he says they are carrying drugs.  Even survivors of the initial bombing have been shot and killed—again a crime against humanity.  But our Department of Defense is renamed the Department of War and our President is looking for wars.  He threatened Nigeria last week and Iran this week.  I wonder if January 2027 will see these situations worsened or eased.  I hope and pray our young men and women including my grandsons are not sent to fight his battles.  (January 5–Trump is even threatening to take Greenland, a part of Denmark and a NATO ally—it is beyond belief and very scary!)

Immigrants to the USA are being welcomed only if they are white South Africans.  Many businesses and health care facilities are having a hard time being staffed without immigrants, including highly skilled doctors.  Universities are having to manage without international students who pay tuition. Those in the process of getting asylum are afraid.  This process will probably only continue until enough of us object to the inhumanity of it all.

Trump was going to end inflation on Day One but it persists and he still tries to blame it on the previous administration.  His tariffs have effects on businesses.  A friend could not get a Christmas tree from his usual provider because of tariffs on trees imported from Canada.  There was a tariff on our granddaughter’s bridal gown imported from Australia.  I buy ground beef at $6.49 a pound and don’t even consider stew meat or roasts.  

Then there is the self-serving narcissism of this man as he is renaming the Kennedy Center with his own name.  He wants a coin with his name and face on it.  He is looking for a huge Arch to be built in Washington DC probably with his name as well.  He has torn down the East wing on the White House and is planning a huge ballroom.  His own family is making money from cryptocurrency and real estate deals.  Donations to his projects facilitate mergers.  

Ordinary folk are going to pay huge amounts for health insurance next year as a result of his “big beautiful bill” that extends tax credits for the rich but cuts SNAP benefits for the needy.   It’s a cruel world he is promoting.  

There are some reasons to not despair.  A few judges are ruling against his sending in federal troops to cities that are largely Democrat run.  Some performers are boycotting the Kennedy Center.  Heather Cox Richardson writes daily summarizing the reports of others.  Pete Buttigieg is planning a 2026 campaign to speak and have town meetings objecting to the status quo.  Gavin Newsom is so bold as to satirize Trump’s Truth Social posts. President Trump’s approval ratings have gone down considerably.  Maybe the mid-term elections will show a defiant spirt against his regime.  

Maybe all this belligerence is to detract from the so-called Epstein files which may implicate Trump is scandals involving young women.  I think that if the Access Hollywood tapes didn’t cause his base to give up on him, I can’t imagine much else would do so.  Unless it is clear that he was involved in Epstein’s suicide  which was really a murder—now that would be news.  

I don’t want to even post a photo of that man on my blog so this post will stand without a picture.  I pray nightly that there will be peace and that President Trump will have a change of heart—a conversion from lying and cruelty and revenge seeking to one of compassion and justice.  (I did add a photo of my most faithful blog reader—my husband!)

———January 4. Our sermon this morning from Nassau Church talked about the wisemen who had hope as they followed that star.  It was a good reminder for me to have hope.  I think it was Steven Colbert who said despair would be a big mistake.  What can I do to avoid despair?  Give money to Democratic PACs and to ACLU and other organizations that are trying to oppose this administration?  Avoid too much doom-scrolling!  Don’t read too many news sources—maybe Heather Cox Richardson is enough.  I join Facebook groups that are promoting my beliefs but I do not share them lest I just make trouble with others.  

A Big Step—a New Adveture?

We just returned home from meeting with Tara, the Sales Manager at Stonebridge at Montgomery.  We had filled out various forms about our physical and financial health and gave her a $5000 check as a deposit on housing.  We requested a two bedroom apartment plus a nook or den.  They are popular and it could be a long time until our name comes up for a place.  But the process that we have discussed for a long time is now started.  

There are many folks from our church who live there.  In fact, there is a Sunday morning bus to church and back again and that would make attending much easier for me.  No need to walk those blocks to the municipal parking lot!  

Stonebridge is quite familiar to us.  We meet there twice a month when we sing with the Grace Notes Choir.  We met at the home of a resident with our church small group this fall.  We have attended an introductory meeting with a meal and have toured sample residences.  It will be another big move, but we won’t have to sell a house. There will be more down-sizing to do but not like it was seven years ago.  

I am trying to look on this move as an adventure! It’s an investment into our future as we know we will face more of the difficulties of aging.   It will be a new way of life with options of meals provided.  I am thankful we can do it together!  

Trader Joe’s Adventures

We have a habit of doing a weekly grocery shopping trip on Saturday mornings.  For years we have gone to McCaffrey’s here in Princeton, but lately we have alternated that with trips to Trader Joe’s.  McCaffrey’s is crowded and one has to purchase wine at the rear of the store and the other groceries at the front of the store.  There are rarely enough cashier-run checkout lates open so one has to use the self-checkout lanes where there are often challenges. I have been unhappy with produce a few times with strawberries that spoil quickly and green beans that don’t last the week.  

Trader Joe’s has our very favorite Sunday morning coffee cake and salmon at a price several dollars less than McCaffrey’s  and of course, an extensive display of wine at good prices, even if they are no longer “Two Buck Chuck.”  Coffee is reasonably priced and so are many other items.  Cage free eggs are no more than regular eggs.  And there is never a long wait for a cashier and the cashiers are, without exception, pleasant and helpful and act like they are happy to work at Trader Joe’s!

I look on shopping at TJ’s as an adventure in eating and try to buy at least one item that we have not purchased before.  A few weeks ago it was a delicious Leicester cheese that I remember buying in Scotland.  Today it was New England clam chowder that we heated up in the microwave for supper and it was very good and authentic tasting.  I couldn’t decide between the Chardonnay and the dry Riesling so I bought both.  Jim really likes their coffee ice cream and says it is richer than the store brand at McCaffrey’s.  All our bargains came to $149 but that did include wine, chicken, shrimp, and coffees.   While checking out, we had a conversation with the cashier about our favorite items and hers.  We leave the store happy and not feeling like anyone has taken advantage of us.  

It’s a little farther from home and sadly, down Route One but the traffic this noon was not bad at all.  

Christmas 2025

 

Jeff was our chauffeur picking us up around 2:30 on Christmas Day.  We enjoyed appetizers and Christmas margaritas made by Laura before opening gifts.  Dinner was a delicious tenderloin accompanied by Susan’s traditional rolls and various side dishes.  There was a variety of cookies for dessert baked by Dan and almond shortbread and brownies from our kitchen.  I encouraged Jim to bring along his yo-yo and several were able to demonstrate their skills.  

One hearty rendition of Joy to the World was sung  before we were ready to head back to Princeton.  Seventeen of us made 

a wonderful Christmas celebration again this year.  

Gift giving was simplified for us this year by giving the grandchildren their usual chocolate letters and cash.  The adults got a gift bag of goodies from the Dutch Store in Grand Rapids.  Henry as the youngest grandchild still got a toy and will get the book with his name in the title Henry Huggins for his birthday in a few days.  

A Blog to Print Book

 I wanted to take advantage of a coupon I saw in my gmail so today I put together my 2025 book.  I didin’t edit the last 2/3 of it.  I didn’t make any changes in the blog.  And it will end with the post just before this one.  That’s OK.  I was having trouble dealing with the technology and just went with saying “check out.”  So it is done and I can start a new book with this post and our Christmas festivities.  The site was ‘intorealpages.com.