New Beginnings

Thursday, December 17, 2025, rolls around. Wow. I still cannot believe Christmas is almost here! The 17th brings with it our memories of love and wedded bliss between Terry and me. We were married on June 17, 2023, and each month, on the 17th, my beautiful hubby celebrates our wedding date by bringing flowers. Each month, I receive the best of the best bouquets he can find. This month, it's a Santa among roses, carnations, sprigs of evergreen, lilies, and white asters. For filler and color, the floral arranger places a puffy green dianthus in the mix. As is my hubby, the arrangement is perfect and beautiful in every way. 

A pretty green dianthus, also known as "fluffy flower." Seems fitting. 

Carnations, lilies, roses, sprigs of evergreens, and small white asters make up the arrangement.

I love my bouquet for this month, as I have loved each and every one he has given me, and I love and appreciate my husband. Thank you again, sweet man!

***

Our fur babies are doing well. Kit loves to sit on my purse on top of our dining room table. I gave up long ago on telling both kitties they cannot sit on the table. I mean, it has to have a purpose besides collecting crap we throw on it, right?

Many people look at Kit and believe he is a Siamese, but he is a Birman kitty. Birman cats are known for their gorgeous coloring, those amazing, beautiful eyes, and the white socks they wear on their paws. 

And then there is our precious Esme. I'm still trying to figure this cat out. 

Esme is a beautiful, loving cat we took in as a stray. We thought she was a kitten, at about nine months of age; however, she turned out to be a two-year-old female who had already been fixed. This came as a complete shock to us because of her kitten-like looks. She is also very short and squatty, adding to the belief that she is a baby. 

Those eyes ... she may not have those ocean blue eyes like Kit, but those eyes will stare at you for a long time. It's as if she is reading your soul, I swear. I catch little Esme staring at the ceiling for a long time, or she stares at our pictures on the wall. At first, I believed there was a fly or moth or some type of flying insect on the wall to capture her attention, but there never was. Not even a spider. I joke that she is praying due to her attention to walls and ceilings. 

She is a very special cat. We have fallen hard for her since those days of her emaciated looks in the beginning. She was so bony, so thin, that I had a hard time petting her. I could feel every bone in her body. Now, she's plump, and she is ours. We love her dearly. 

I typically sit at the edge of the couch, as shown in the photo. Esme will jump on the arm, push her head downward in between the arm and my hip, then do a backward flip to bring her head to the edge of the couch, with her hind legs up in the air. She is eating-wallpaper-paste kind of special, always entertaining, always bewildering at some of the things she does, but always loving. She has found her way into our lives, our hearts, and our souls as only our true loves can.  

Our chihuahua is still hanging in there, enjoying his life at 16 years of age. Togo, our husky, is one big love. He is not loved any more than anyone else in the fur family of this household, but he is one big cuddle-bug. 

On Friday night, I took Togo for his nightly walk. We walked around as he stopped to do his nose-research on each and every blade of grass in the alley, then we turned, came up the opposite way, then back again, and then our final return. He sniffed as many shards of rock, blades of grass, and all the mud he could handle, then he wanted to stop on the way into the house to visit with Dad, who was sitting outside enjoying his cigar. 

We stopped, and Togo immediately got some love. Terry hugged him, scratched his head, then ran his hands over Togo's ears. I was sitting on the side of Togo as he posed for Dad's pats. As Terry rubbed his ears, he said, "This ear," and "This ear." As Terry rubbed each ear and tried to explain his ears to the husky that owned them, Togo gave me the side eye. Once he locked eyes with me, he rolled both eyes up into his head, then came to sit beside me as if to say, "Where did you get this Einstein?" And then we laughed and laughed ...

***

Every morning for the past week or so, I went into the kitchen, and every morning I found a streak of water from the sink to the dog food and water dishes, to the refrigerator. I continued to believe this water was caused by the fridge leaking, me being very messy when doing dishes, or the old chihuahua was either pissing on the fridge or he was drooling a lot of water each time he drinks. Turns out, I was bleaching the floor and the outside of the fridge for nothing. It was none of the above. 

Last night, there was more water than usual, so I did some investigating. The fridge was fine. God knows if the chihuahua is attempting to lift his leg in the wrong places, but I had cleaned up some of the mess and I did not smell urine. Being the sleuth that I am, 😂😒, I continued the search. I opened the cupboard beneath the sink, and behold, the disconnected pipe. I'm no plumber, but I do believe the water has to have connected pipes to run through to the main drain. 

Yep. I believe this could be the issue at first sight, anyway. But then again, I'm not a genius or a plumber.  

Excuse the typically nice area under the sink. The rushing of water has deposited food particles, dirt, and just plain filth, and has also ruined the brand-new wood of the cabinet. But, as my hubby claims, it is just another speed bump in life, out of all of our blessings we have. He is so right. We are blessed in so many ways, as are you if you are reading this. 

***

I have moved forward on the job I had before the Kia fiasco. My new car is handling the job like a boss in her own, beautiful, perfect way. I love the new baby!

You know what? It runs too. At this point, that's mostly what it would take for me to be happy, is having a vehicle that actually runs.

Yesterday I ran some deliveries, and even though it is slow right now due to my lack of participation for a few months, I was excited and happy to get back to it! It felt good. 

As always, I will often get floral deliveries, and look what I got to see:

I love these poinsettias! This bouquet took up the entire shopping cart. The enjoyment of delivering floral bouquets is a usual thing that brings happiness to both the customer and myself. I knock on their door and hand them the flowers. The customer is always so surprised and happy. It makes my day so much better. 

***

My stepdaughter, Mallory, came over today to help celebrate my birthday. December 22nd is the actual date of birth for me, but since it falls on a Monday, my husband and Mallory chose to celebrate it today. We are traveling to Eugene in January, after all of the Christmas celebrations, so we can all be together as a family again to spend my birthday with those who live in the area. They wanted to take me to dinner, and I chose pizza for our dinner. Papa's Pizza is the best! 

But tonight, Friday, December 19, 2025, Mallory gave me some pretty amazing items, and my husband surprised me with a special gift that I went crazy over. They both spoil me!

Mallory gave me the gift bag. I felt something heavy inside, but spotted my favorite sugar-free candy first ... a package of Russell Stover sugar-free peanut butter cups that started the night off right. A couple of nights ago, I was craving them. Perfect timing, Mallory!

Next up was a beautiful card. She and I have bonded over the past three years. My girls love her, I love her, and she loves all of us. It makes things easy. She is great at selecting gifts, and I so appreciate them. This year, she went above and beyond. 

This gorgeous angel is a collector's dream. The Fenton Art Glass Company was founded in 1905 by brothers Frank L. Fenton and John W. Fenton in Martins Ferry, Ohio. They initially focused on painting and decorating glassware, but soon began producing their own glass in 1907 after moving to Williamstown, West Virginia.

Fenton introduced carnival glass in 1907, which became a huge success. The company's carnival glass is known for its iridescent sheen and vibrant colors, often featuring intricate patterns and designs. The Fenton brothers were pioneers in producing carnival glass, which was originally marketed as the "golden sunset iridescent assortment" 

Fenton's carnival glass angels, like this one, were likely produced during the mid-20th century revival of carnival glass production, which started in the 1970s. 

Recently, Mallory's grandmother wanted to sell some of her carnival glass items. I had no idea what that was, but I chose to help her out. To my surprise, I grew interested in the subject of carnival glass in general and the art of the glassware. Of course, as I usually do, this new item drew my attention into researching anything and everything I could find out about it. What is carnival glass anyway? How did it beomce knows as carnival glass? This could be a fun little rabbit hole to slip into.  

I found out she had some rare, highly sought-after carnival glass she was putting in the market. Facebook had a group for those who are fans of the carnival glass items made by Fenton and other manufacturers. Her items were crafted by the Fenton Brothers. 

She has since sold the pitcher and goblets, but still has other items up for sale. Receiving a nice price for the set, she was happy, and so was I. Now my birthday rolls around, and lo and behold, there lies an angelic figurine in the carnival glass. I was ecstatic over the piece. Mallory gave it to me first of all, and that was the most important. Secondly, it was made out of the carnival glass, and third, I love angels. It was perfect. 

My angel is not only meaningful due to the love for angels and Mallory, but also the gorgeousness of the piece. The glass is a beautiful amber color, but those wings! Those wings stand out. The glitter glazing Fenton uses to add a feathery appearance to the piece makes them stand out against the smooth, amber-colored body. 

I also found out that carnival glass used to be given away at well, carnivals, giving it the name. Around 1908, the Fenton Glass Company began to create pieces for the carnival glass genre. In the '20s and beyond, the glass was given away at carnivals and fairs, making it easily accessible, especially to the middle class. Carnival glass pieces are designed as a cheaper version of Tiffany blown glass items, which opened up an entire market because of the affordibility. 

Carnival glass became a great prize to win at these events, making it popular. Most likely giving it away was because of how overstocked it was and giving it as prizes helped relieve the amount in stock. This is also where it acquired the name. 

Next up, I received something that Mallory and I had shared in the past, or at least my own copy of something we shared. There were a few months ago when Mallory was working with me, and while we waited for deliveries to come through, we watched episodes of Bridgerton. Episode after episode sped by, and we were hooked. That first season had us hook, line, and sinker. 

Season one and two whizzed by quickly, keeping us glued to the television. That is, until the sex scenes came up. Season one wasn't too bad, although it was pretty raunchy in that way, but season two, OMG. It became continuous, and pretty soon, almost the entire thing became about people having sex. Now, I do not consider myself prudish in any manner, but enough is enough. I was there to see the show, enjoy the costumes, the storyline, and the characters, not to watch porn. Mallory kept saying, "Great. I get to see sex scenes with my mom," expressing her humiliation and embrassment. 

And then, season three came around, and we met Penelope for the first time as a leading character. She was one girl out of a group of three in the family who felt sure of herself and who she was, yet she felt left out of some things, such as finding her true love, and she wished to find love. There was so much about Penelope that was relatable to most people, especially women. 

I will spend my birthday (Monday, December 22) watching Bridgerton while I sit and make some jewelry. Since we got the new car, I have become a bit lax in the jewelry-making hobby I love so much. Tomorrow, I will treat myself to making a necklace or a set of jewelry and indulge in TV watching. Penelope and I have fallen out of touch for a while now. It's time I give my friend some girl time. 

With all of this, Mallory also included a card that almost made me cry. I held back because all of us were enjoying the moment, but wow. Nice card. 

Since Mallory's mother passed away about 11 or 12 years ago, she has been left without the closeness of a mom. I am never going to be her true mother, nor do I want to feel I am replacing Marla; however, I'm glad I can be here with her to enjoy life together. She has called me mom since we met, or actually, about two weeks in. Since then, it's as though she is a daughter and a great friend.

 I miss my girls because I don't see them all the time now that I'm living an hour away, but Mallory has been there to ease that lonely feeling. So thank you, my lovely daughter, for being there, and for trusting me with all of your secrets. We have shared some great times and some funny times. We have also endured those days when life is not quite so much fun. I may not have given birth to you, but I am glad you came into my life as a daughter, and for that, I am truly grateful. I love you.

Now, for my husband's choice of gifts for me. At least for Saturday's celebration held mostly for Mallory's schedule blocks. She wanted to come over and let me have the gifts she had given me and her schedule only allowed Saturday. That's okay. I'll have a birthday week or two. LOL. 

Terry did a good thing. No, he did a very good thing. My man definitely is my people and he knows me well. I should say that he gave me two things, one of which I have not "opened" yet. At 2:00 Monday afternoon, on my actual birthday, I am going to have a massage. He has massages because of medical issues, and now, it's my turn, again. On our anniversary, he gave me a certificate for one massage that day too, and wow, did it feel great. I came home all relaxed and smiling. Tomorrow, I get it again. I'm excited. I hate getting old and my body seems to be getting sore by the end of the day. This age thing is not allowed in my space. 

But he also gave me a gift that I absolutely love! As our regular readers know, we are Oregon Duck football fans. I'm at the top of the list of these fans! I love my Ducks! When Terry and I met, we began to watch the Ducks together and now it is "our thing." This year, the Ducks have made it into the championship tournament, winning the first leg of the bout yesterday, Saturday, December 20, 2025. Great game. We have moved up another spot and now have to play Texas Tech as our next competition. 

I digress. The gift he gave me does have something to do with the Ducks and my love of the game and the team. He handed me a package. I tore the corner of the stretchy, tough package plastic, making it much easier after that. I pulled out the green item and opened it up ... Wow!

He gave me a new shirt! One that I have never seen before, and believe me, I pay attention to the designs they come up with every season. It is a beautiful, awesome design. I'm loving the heart, the lips, and the feminine appearance, since most of the shirts, hats, gloves, purse, and other Duck gear I have could be male or female. Well, except for the purse. I mean, a man could carry it, but would they want to? The "sparkly" heart is perfect. I love, love, love my new shirt! And, this gift came at the perfect time since the game was the following day. 

By the way, the "shadow" looking shape below is water. I washed dishes and it got cold wearing it. I had to change into my other Duck tee shirt, but wanted to put this in the blog. LOL. Classy girl I am, eh? "Here. Look at the picture of my dirty shirt."

***

Between these two special people in my life, my family, my loves, I had an amazing birthday so far, but it's not over yet. We are traveling to Eugene in January so the rest of the family can all be in attendance for a birthday dinner. That will make it complete and will make my birthday out-of-this-world perfect. Family around me is the best!

That great feeling of love and being loved, the happiness and joy that comes from that type of love, we wish to all of you reading this. Love flowing between two friends or your family is just so perfect and the intended way we should and are meant to live. 

Thank you so much for reading the memories we share with all of our readers. We are grateful for each of you. We wish you a happy holiday season, whether it's Hanukka or Christmas, or even if you don't celebrate either one. Maybe you celebrate Boxing Day or you are not celebrating anything, we still hope you have the best days ever! Love to all. Take care of yourselves and each other, and bless each of you. 

Terry & Vicki Macrae,

Mr. & Mrs. Claus or a facsimile thereof.

Charley Gurl, the brown labradoodle on the left, and Franklin, the white St. Berdoodle on the right are my daughter, Marina and her husband John's babies. They are sitting at 5th Street Public Market in Eugene, Oregon, enjoying the festivities.