A Fresh Start

  Sunny again this morning and the snowbanks are receding. Water is running down the gutter so it is almost like Spring. It clouded aver around noon but I had already had my walk and had sat outside for half-an-hour. The sun really had some warmth to it.

   I spent the afternoon painting the baseboard in the basement. First the sanding, then a wipe with a damp cloth and finally the paint. I ran out of steam before I was finished (my knees were getting stiff and sore) but I will get the paint out again later in the week. There is another little job I need to do down there. I always feel the need to do something extra around the house as we enter the New Year. I think this is a holdover from my childhood when my mother would compulsively clean the house from top to bottom before the last day of the year so as to have a fresh start.

   Last night's brussell sprouts turned out well and the leftovers will go in tonight's chicken pot pie. This is an attempt to use up the last of the stuffing before it becomes too potent to eat. I have to be careful with leftovers as I tend to let them hang around too long. I've had a few tummy upsets as a result - not very pleasant!