Sunday, January 4, 2015

Sunday Salon: New Year, New Dog, New Routine

Good evening friends!  I actually missed last Sunday...first time in so long.  The day just got away from me!  Holidays are a tough business.  I need a vacation from the holidays.  But I'm back in business now.  The kids go back to school tomorrow (woo hoo!) and I can go about starting my new year.

The first major change is that Andre the Trainer...you know, the one I've been going to for over three years...has shut his doors, as his building is being sold. He doesn't seem to have any plan of when or if he will be back in business, so I'm going to have to find an alternative plan.  This is equivalent to finding a new OB-Gyn or hairdresser, and it is distressing.  I'm on a mad search.

And I better search quickly because my Lord, the eating and drinking that has been happening lately.  None of my clothes fit.  Something must be done soon.

We DID have a nice Christmas and New Year celebration.  It was dialed down a bit from earlier years but that didn't really seem to bother anyone.  Just having the time off (except from the cooking!) and spending it with family and friends was all that was needed.

And the new puppy!  The highlight of my life at the moment.  We are naming him Brody and have selected him from the litter of four.  Here he is at four weeks: 
















We will pick him up on January 31st in North Carolina.  For those that weren't around when I originally talked about him, he is a Polish Lowland Sheepdog.  Prepare to be barraged with pictures forever.

Reading was pretty slow.  I'm not sure why I think I'll get all this reading done when everyone is underfoot!  I did finally finish the true crime novel "Monster" by Steve Jackson, and it was really what true crime should be.  Horrifying, fascinating stuff.  I'm now about halfway through "Amy & Roger's Epic Detour" by Morgan Matson, a YA recommendation from Jill.  A little sneak peek on my opinion of this one...simply wonderful.  Maybe not totally groundbreaking material, but a balm for the soul.

Audio!  Not sure where I left off two weeks ago (and I'm too lazy to look) but I finished "Empty Mansions" by Bill Dedman for a February book club meeting, and I enjoyed it.  This is a true story about a very wealthy, eccentric heiress and her disappearing millions.  I also blew through a quick one called "Detroit: An American Autopsy" by Charlie LeDuff.  Again, more good non-fiction from a investigative journalist who sets out to poke around the ashes of a once-great city to learn where it all went wrong.  I decided it was time for something not-real so I'm listening to installment three of the amazing Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater called "Blue Lily, Lily Blue".  Such an escape for me, with incredible narration.

This upcoming week will bring the start of new Polish classes, as well as a book club meeting on "Orphan Train".  Back to the damned doctor appointments.  And to golf or not to golf?  I'll have to see how everything works out.  Happy Sunday, what's left of it!  




15 comments:

bermudaonion said...

I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever have normality in my life again.

Brody is adorable. Just where is he in North Carolina?

Good luck finding a new trainer!!

Amy said...

what a precious puppy! I will definitely enjoy being barraged by photos :D

And thanks for the rec re: Monster, I'll keep that in mind.

Have a wonderful new year!

Unknown said...

I am so ready for some routine around here...Tuesday! I won't be leaving the house.
Brody is so cute...I can't stand it. Nick's girlfriend seems to be in a dog loving family, she has a newish dog, her dad has a Jack Russell/Pekingnese mix that is 3 months old and is the cutest thing ever. They also have pitiful puppies. It's killing me.
Enjoy your week getting back to normal, the good and the bad.

Trisha said...

I am not an animal person. I know that's like sacrilegious or something, but there you have it. I have never had a pet in my life and have no desire for one now. And yet your puppy is stinking adorable.

Heidenkind said...

So cute!

Iliana said...

OMG - Cuteness overload! Brody is adorable. Bring on the pictures! Good luck finding a new trainer and getting back to your routine. I go back to work tomorrow and bleh, I'm not feeling it :)
Here's to a great year ahead!

Literary Feline said...

I hope you are able to find a new trainer soon. I had planned to start back with my exercise routine this past week, after receiving my doctor's cautious blessing, but I'm just getting over a serious cold. So, just in time for going back to work. I'm actually looking forward to it--the exercise part more than the work. ;-)

I am glad you had such a nice Christmas and New Year celebration.

Brody is adorable! I know he will be happy in your home. :-)

Have a great week, Sandy.

Anonymous said...

Brody is adorable! And that's a name that you can yell into the neighborhood without sounding stupid! A big plus, and one that most people never thing about when they're naming their dogs. :)

Trainer? I need a trainer just to get my butt up off the couch! I guess I need to join something for motivation, but I'm not very motivated to even do that, even though my clothes are telling me to do it.

Christmas was kinda awful around our house with all the sickness going on, but we survived and lived to tell about it. Glad you survived, too.

Happy New Year!

Beth F said...

OMG Brody is adorable!! I finished the audio of Lily Blue just a week or so ago. The narration is outstanding.

JoAnn said...

Brody is just the cutest little thing...I'm already looking forward to following your puppy adventures!

Starting to think routine may never return here. We're flying to FL on Friday and will need to find a new winter normal. Twins will be with us most of the month, the hubs flies home to work for a week at the end and Twin A heads back to college. We'll see if we like this, but it has to be better than the snow and cold.

Whatever my new routine is, it will include more exercise - the holidays here have been disastrous! Good luck finding a new trainer!!

Unknown said...

Sorry to hear that you're losing Andre - the fact I knew his name is enough to show how much he meant to you. I hope you find a suitable replacement soon.

Keep sharing the puppy pictures - he is gorgeous!

Beth Hoffman said...

Brody is an adorable little fluff-ball. I'm so excited for you!

Darlene said...

Love the puppy Sandy! He is adorable. Makes me want a puppy again. Can't wait to see more puppy pics.

Ana S. said...

PUPPY! I'm definitely in favour of being barraged with all the pictures you can take :D

Ti said...

That pup is too darn cute. I see a little mischief in his eyes too.

My first day back at work yesterday was a bust. I was here and got stuff done but I had a weird swelling in my fave and mouth pain so later today I am off to the dentist to rule out dental crap. And then if it's not dental related I am off to urgent care. I am so fun!