Rounding out my latest collection

For those of you who don't know, I'm a bit of a collector. My largest collection is Santas since I started acquiring them way back in my 20s. In my 40s I saw a picture in a decorating magazine that sparked my interest in collecting vintage blue and green glass. After my mother passed away, I added milk glass as a third collection since I inherited a single piece of milk glass from both my granny and her. 

Over the holidays, I ran across this article below and it caught my attention since I've collected Santas for 34 years. Although the jolly old elf was one of the eight most popular vintage Christmas decorations, it was cool to run across KLM's blue and white Delft houses since I began collecting them a couple years ago.

I got my first two blue and white porcelain houses when I flew business class on KLM to visit a childhood friend in Holland. Loving the look of them, I rustled up a dozen more of these charming little houses by combing eBay for good buys. An old English teacher, I made sure to get a mini Anne Frank house. Not only did I read Anne Frank's diary in Mrs. Campbell's 8th gr English class back in the day, but I also taught it as an 8th gr English teacher a couple decades later. But I digress. All of the houses are numbered on the back, and the Frank house is 47, in case you're wondering.

When I moved my cute little collection up to the lake house, I was struggling to find a place to display them since the lady who built this home a few years ago obviously wasn't a big collector of anything needing display space. I finally landed on the narrow shelf above my cooktop. But it just looked incomplete to me, with too much empty space. So I recently rounded up six more houses I didn't have and added them to that ledge after all of my Santas were stored for the year. Then when I was over at the famous Canton trade days recently (the world's largest flea market), I ran across a pair of cute blue and white windmills that I used to bookend my sweet little Delft house collection. And never fear. I'm already thinking about how I can incorporate my KLM houses into our holiday decor for Christmas 2026.

A warmish winter thus far

Don't get me wrong, y'all. I'm not wishing ice and frigid temperatures on us here in Texas. However, it just seems wrong when the temps creep back up into that shorts and flip flops wearing zone during wintertime. I'm still trying to get some mileage out of my boots and sweaters at this time of year. Plus we need at least a few more serious cold snaps to help kill off some of the bug population. 

Living on the lake means these Fahrenheit fluctuations can make for some interesting sunrises and sunsets. Plus the steam and/or fog rising above the water creates a really cool effect. I'm thinking we'll probably take the boat out for another spin around the lake before our next round of cooler weather rolls in on Friday. Maybe invite a few of our neighbors. I've got two new covered charcuterie style containers, one that even holds ice in the bottom to keep things cool, and I'm just itching to try them out. Lake life continues to make me smile on the daily. As you can see in the pic below, our daughter's fur baby would undoubtedly give two paws up for boat rides, too.

Dancing with and to the oldies

For New Year's Eve, the club in our golf community hosted dinner and dancing to ring in 2026. So the husband and I had a fun time celebrating with all of the oldies to all of the oldies hits. And when I say oldies, I include myself since I'm knocking on the door of 60. Music that was popular when we were growing up is anywhere from 40-50 years old now. I was impressed with the band they brought in from Austin. Below are a few of the video blurbs I recorded.

Forget cabbage and black eyed peas on January 1, y'all. We're hoping cole slaw on fish tacos and charro beans on nachos will do the trick! The husband and I visited our nearest Tia Juanita's Fish Camp for this first lunch date of 2026. Tia's is a personal favorite of ours, a tasty marriage of Tex Mex and Cajun cuisines. Their decor is always interesting, and I especially like this big mural of Texas country music legends Willie and George. 

New year, new normal

It's hard to believe the husband is retired, especially since it coincided with the holidays. He always saved a few weeks of his annual vacation to take off around Christmas and new years (for as long as I can remember) so we could spend time together as a family. He'd typically be gearing up to head back to the corporate trenches on Monday. But that's now a thing of the past in 2026 as we settle into our new normal.

He's kicking off the new year with some of his old work buddies down on the coast at a rod and gun club for fishing and dove hunting. Then he'll be back at our house in the hill country to begin the barn purge and pack. I don't envy him that big job, and I'm glad it's his stuff rather than mine that needs to be moved to his new workshop near our lake house. 

Meanwhile, the dogs and I will be holding down the fort here on the water. My sister and I decided to check out the famous Canton trade days this weekend. I'm kinda wishing I owned a wagon to bring, just in case I spy something substantial and/or heavy I absolutely need. But since our only wagon is at the hill country house, I will definitely be putting a couple of those reusable shopping bags from HEB or Home Goods in my purse for any purchases we make.

My Monday and Thursday Bible study groups resume next week, so I've gotta pull out my lessons and get back into the groove with that. I was checking out my January calendar, and it contains a lot of maintenance. Things like my SUVs oil and filter change. A facial for me. Plus appointments for my annual mammogram and check up with my GP. January is chock full of all sorts of *fun* appointments. 

But I'm definitely not postponing the health stuff. Since summer I've added six people diagnosed with cancer to my prayer journal, as well as folks with heart troubles, a stroke and the inevitable old-age falls. Just last month, a classmate's father, my mother's dear friend and a classmate I've known since 4th grade have passed away. Aging and its accompanying illnesses aren't for the faint hearted, y'all. 

I ran across this post above on social media and it gave me the giggles. Because seriously, no reason to be morose about death. Our time on earth is fleeting. Of course we miss and grieve when loved ones pass. But what a blessing to know as believers they're in a much better place. They certainly aren't missing us like we're missing them. And we'll see them again one day. Until then, we can trust God as He walks with us across the mountaintops and through the valleys of life.

My big wish for myself and all of you in 2026 is a year filled with God's peace. Peace with your people. Peace with your choices. Peace in the inevitable challenges of life that find us all. A genuine peace that can only come from the Lord. I pray the Prince of Peace will bless and keep us all this year, that our Almighty Father turns His face upon us and gives us sweet peace.

(Jesus said) PEACE I leave with you; my PEACE I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  John 14:27

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the PEACE of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.   Philippians 4:6-7