Champions!

     It has been an exciting and eventful week. Last Monday, Indiana University played the University of Miami in the college football national championship game. The game was close, so we couldn't go to bed. We had to stay up late to see who would prevail. It was worth the late hour, as IU was undefeated for the season and won the championship. I turned off my bedside lamp at midnight, but the celebrations continued in Bloomington and in Miami, the site of the game.

    It was a short night, as our alarm sounded at 6 a.m. We had time for breakfast before leaving at 7 a.m. for Ray's appointment at the Indiana Skin Center to remove basal skin cells from his forehead. We left the Center several hours later and stopped at the Greenwood Fieldhouse, where I ran on the indoor track. 

    We've been enjoying the coverage the local TV stations had of IU's championship run. I doubt that much of the nation had the privilege we had, though the national news covered it well. Yesterday, the University celebrated its 16-0 season and the national championship with a program at the stadium. A large crowd attended even though the temperature and wind chill were daunting. 

    All last week, we've been advised that a big storm was brewing that would affect about half of the country. On Friday morning, the temperature was low, with a wind chill of -8˚, but we decided to go to the Y and play pickleball. On the way home, we stopped at the Kroger store for eggs. I only had one left at home. When we stopped at the egg display, I was amazed to see that only a few boxes of eggs remained. I usually purchase large eggs and was delighted to find one, but not the usual Kroger brand. We wandered through the store and ended up spending $100, but we have enough in our freezer and pantry while we wait out the storm. 

My Everyday Life - January 18-24, 2026

    Until next time, may you steer clear of snow drifts and slide-offs, and may your favorite NFL team in the playoffs make it all the way to the Super Bowl.

We "Goofed"

     Looking back on last Monday, I think we should have stayed in bed. The day evolved into a comedy of errors. When we reached the Baxter Y, we looked in the back seat for Ray's paddle and immediately realized we had left it at home. (First error of the day.) We started home to get the paddle, but on the way, decided to go grocery shopping instead and wouldn't return to the Y. To make the situation even more ridiculous, we eventually realized the paddle was in the back seat under a shopping bag. However, visiting the grocery was worthwhile because we had a lengthy shopping list.

    The second error was driving to the Johnson County Recycling Center to drop off our recyclables, only to learn they are not open on Monday. I'll remember that for future trips. Our return trip to Franklin on Tuesday was successful, and our bins were emptied in a few minutes.

    Yesterday, we visited Anytime Fitness to do a weight workout since we hadn't been there all week. Then we headed to Runner's Forum because I had a $20 rewards certificate that was set to expire on February 1. I learned the certificate couldn't be used on socks, but only on apparel, inserts, or shoes. Their apparel inventory had no variety, and most items were $90 or $100, so we left without using the rewards certificate. I don't need new shoes this spring, and I think I can find running apparel at other stores at a much reduced price.

My Everyday Life - January 11-17, 2026

    

    Since the Colts are not in the NFL playoffs, we'll be cheering for the Chicago Bears this evening when they play the Rams. Ray has a Bears knitted cap that may date to the last time the Bears played in a Super Bowl. The Chicago Bears have played in two Super Bowls, winning their only title in Super Bowl XX on January 26, 1986, when they defeated the New England Patriots 46-10. Their second appearance was in Super Bowl XLI on February 4, 2007, where they lost to the Indianapolis Colts. (Credit: Wikipedia) When Ray wears the cap, he often gets responses from strangers who are Bears fans.

    Until next time, may your week be error-free! We hope ours is.

A Quiet Sunday

    Since the Colts aren't in the playoffs, we didn't have any interest in watching the other teams today, but that will change when we get closer to the Super Bowl. However, we watched the exciting IU-Oregon game on Friday night and went to bed in the middle of the third quarter, since the outcome was already decided. I thought it would be a close game, as the one they played in October was. Now, we are hoping for a perfect season and a National Championship when IU plays Miami on January 19.

    In 2024, I posted a page about my everyday life almost weekly, then opted not to continue the series in 2025. However, a few days in 2026, I felt the urge to begin again with a daily post. It took me several days to think it through before deciding to take the plunge. Below is the first week of January (from December 28 through January 3). 

My Everyday Life - December 28-January 3

    The temperatures have been like a yo-yo, up and down. Last Tuesday morning, I went for a run as the temperature was in the 40s. It's rare to run outdoors this early in the year, since the odds of dry sidewalks are slim. 

    Instead of the usual Monday evening worship, our pastor announced he would hold a service on Tuesday, January 6, also known as the Epiphany of our Lord. We have never attended the Monday evening service, but decided to go to the Epiphany service, and then stopped at Wendy's for our evening meal. I've always liked Wendy's chili, so I asked for a bowl of it and a baked potato. They were out of potatoes by this time of day and didn't even know if they had enough chili for two servings. I think they may have scraped the bottom of the pot to serve us two bowls of chili.

My Everyday Life - January 4-10

    

    Until next time, may your NFL team do well in the playoffs, and may snow fall in your part of the world—whether you want to build a snowman, go skiing, or have a snowball fight.

First Post of 2026!

    Last Monday, we had special guests for the afternoon. Christy and Persephone came from Bloomington for a short visit. We enjoyed visiting and playing New Year's trivia. It was Christy's birthday, and we had the special delight of singing Happy Birthday to her in person, which may have been the first time. 

    Persephone announced she plans to attend LSU next fall and gifted us two LSU T-shirts. We'll wear them in pride, and you can expect a photo sometime in the future.

Saying Farewell

    On Wednesday evening, we attended a New Year's Eve worship service and then had an enjoyable meal at O'Charley's using a Christmas gift card. The chicken breast teriyaki over rice was delicious, and the broccoli was perfect. Ray and I shared this meal and also a small dessert before heading home.

    I always look forward to watching the Rose Parade on New Year's Day. I've never been to the parade in person, but I remember my parents, Rudy and Mildred, were in California in 1963 to see it. On New Year's Eve, their home burned. A year later, in  Christmas 1964, we traveled to Fort Wayne to celebrate Christmas in their new home!

    This year, we were invited to Joe's house for sausage gravy and biscuits on New Year's Day. Kylie asked me to bring some trivia games, and I found one in a Jeopardy format. There were four categories, with dollar amounts ranging from $100 to $500, and twenty questions in total. We had three teams vying for the championship. Joe, Tommy, and Brett accumulated $1,500 and were declared champions. Kylie and Josh came in third. In second place, a close finish, Dustin, Debi, and Ray prevailed.

Kylie, Dustin, Debi, and Jayden
Celebrating the New Year

    Of course, I can't finish this post without commenting on the Rose Bowl game where IU played Alabama. Everyone knows by now that IU dominated the game, winning 38-3! Next, they will play Oregon for the second time this season in the Atlanta Peach Bowl. Stay tuned, everyone! It should be a good game.

    Until next time, may your days be sunny with blue skies and may your smile warm someone's day!