New Year's Day 2026

Another New Year's Day. I hate to sound old and grouchy, but it used to mean a lot more to me, and not just because it was a paid holiday. It was a day to be at home, with Ron, and chill. Well, I'm home and I'm chilling, but it's me and dog. Deuce is good company. 

My 2026 is starting off on a sour note. My HVAC system is throwing what I hope is a minor fit. Oh, it runs fine. It just doesn't accept the command from the thermostat to shut off when the temperature is reached. Yeah. I go to the panel box and flip the breaker to shut it down. Not a big deal, but very annoying. It means I can't let the system on overnight. Again, not a big deal since I have a woodstove. The outside temp dropped to 22F last night and the house dropped to 68F at six o'clock this morning, so I'm not suffering at all. I repeat - it's annoying. My brother-in-law knows about such things and he's coming to take a look at it. 

We had a violent snow squall come through here last night. I stayed up to watch the ball drop in Times Square. My streak continues! Then around four, the sudden wind woke me. I looked out the window and it was a white-out. It came and went within fifteen minutes, but it's cold enough today that some snow remains on the ground. 

It may be a new year, but laundry respects nothing and no one. I did a load this morning to kick-off the new year in an old way. 

I think what really has me gnashing my teeth this new year's morning is that Microsoft is discontinuing Publisher in 2026. They make it sound like even those of us who BOUGHT A PROGRAM DISC will lose access to it. Damn them! I keep a backup document of every blog entry here, at Between the Keys, and Deuce's Day just in case. And of course, I used Publisher to do that for the ease of inserting photos and moving them around. Now I'm reduced to using Word. Yee haw. I can do it, but I don't want to!!! This blog entry will begin the new year and a new way of recording Holly Tree Manor/The Hideaway.

Greeting a new year is always a mixed bag. I can look back and say I made it through 2025 despite the challenges along the way. My plan for 2026 is to maintain the status quo as much as possible. I don't want to work as hard in 2026 as I did in 2025. It's time for me to simply enjoy my little manor home, and that's my only plan. I hope you'll come with me. 

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor/The Hideaway

Holly Tree Manor, The Hideaway, New Year's 2026, rural living, country lifestyle, laundry, sundry things, planning, surviving, loss of spouse, end of MSPublisher