January 2023

[jedimentat]

cool art by Catherine Montgomery






HNY 2023! We stayed in and watched the ball drop and played "Clue"
















For Kingfox's birthday, the kids designed a D&D game for him and they played it for like 12 hours one Saturday.















It took the kids a solid week of their free time to put it together, and they collaborated on the whole thing.








Firepit and Catchup with visiting Londonite maidoftheshore














For my birthday, I wanted to go see the seals, who come and visit Sandy Hook in the winter.































We weren't there at low tide, so when we saw them, they were frolicking off-shore, but it was cool to see the tops of their heads and them flipping around. Here are some pics that others have taken this year at SH:













bday treats






Laughing Goat Coffee Shop with a Pal





Metal Detecting along the banks of Frenchtown





our first find, a big iron bar











my dad got a new bike



Kids













Dogs















Various selfies





Re-started Pelling, fell of the wagon, re-started again. Not great at staying motivated or setting a consistent schedule. New helmet, though. After several years of messing about, and seeing if it was going to stick, pulled the trigger on some gear of my own.






Got firewood from my dad. loaded it in my car.











January always seems like my lowest point of the year; I know it's a bit of Seasonal Depression/lack of Vitamin D kicking in. This year, I read a lot about climate change this month, and it really affected how I'm thinking and planning, along with other priorities. But I also did less physical things and used food to comfort myself, and gained a quick 20 lbs. It always takes so much longer to lose than to gain, unfortunately. I miss the discipline of getting *out* somewhere to work out and do things; with homeschooling, there is no separation and I've just sort of been chore-grinding.







Homeschool is going well, otherwise. Greek Mythology all month; the kids have been very into it. We read lots of Edith Hamilton together, they watched an entire documentary series with mythological art of the ages which was excellent, played AC: Odyssey on explore mode, and many other activities, and had a good time.













Got a ping pong table; also set up DDR in the CH.








Covid's still here and whatnot. Went to a funeral of a semi-distant fam member who suddenly died of stroke. Several friends were in the hospital for serious health issues.



Covid in China. Chinese New Year, Year of the Water Rabbit. War in Ukraine still ongoing. Massive tech layoffs in Jan. Egg shortage and inflation. Lots of reading (Hellbent by Leigh Barduogo, Ministry for the Future by KSR, among others, Amor Townes; tv= Andor, Love Island USA, Glass Onion, The Menu).