Mmmmm…cake. Chocolate cake, lemon cake, carrot cake, any cake. Icing is a great part of cake, but please don’t give me the sicky-sweet stuff. I prefer fluffy not-so-sweet icing that enhances the cake rather than overpowers it.
But I digress.
For now, I have to stay away from cake and lose the pounds that it and all of the holiday treats added to my waistline. Instead, I’ll focus on a different kind of icing…the type that makes life a little better because it adds to the daily routine of whatever is normal in the moment.
Similar to finding a $20 bill in a pant’s pocket weeks after wearing them last.
Having neighbors share food as part of community quality control.
Wine and food on Star Trek Thursday.
Discovering you’ve lost five pounds without even trying.
Okay, so that last one doesn’t happen very often, or at all, but if it does…
It’s been a little difficult to find icing in January, if you don’t count ice under the snow or on parking lots and roadways. The weather here has been below-normal cold and I have been turning into a hermit of sorts, staying in pajamas all day when I don’t have to go anywhere; not being able to go for regular walks because exercise determination at 10F (-12C) with a wind chill is non-existent; lacking desire to take down the Christmas tree or dust. I had a conversation with Natasha yesterday and she stated that lately, when she wakes up, she thinks of the Bill Murray movie, “Groundhog Day.” Same sh*t, different day.
Or is it the same day?
Sometimes it feels like the same day.
Today, my goal is to find icing in this month and when I look hard enough, it’s there.
In long-awaited dental work that will make me happier about my smile.
In a working vehicle that continues to drive me to grocery stores, to visit with friends, and an occasional visit to church on Sunday.
In a physical therapist, another long-awaited appointment, who is helping me with improving pain from scoliosis.
In friend Natasha, who thought up the idea of Star Trek Thursday. It has turned into one day during the week that we now cherish. It gives us the opportunity to solve the world’s problems; talk stupid and laugh; make new recipes and eat new recipes while we watch Star Trek and other streaming programs; drink wine and try to play Bananagrams; get out of our pajamas; make Groundhog Day into something special. And this day will continue for awhile as both “Picard” and “Outlander” are coming back in March, “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” will be here in May, and a few other favorites will be reappearing in 2022. In September, Star Trek Thursdays will turn into Lord of the Rings Thursdays when “The Rings of Power” episodes start streaming on Amazon Prime. That’s a lot of TV and a lot of wine and Bananagrams.
I may need to work on crossword puzzles to get up to speed with wordiness for the latter.
Anyhow, icing on the cake in these terms creates gratitude and there’s much I am grateful for through a cold, gray January. I have a place to live, food on the table, heat, a hot shower, wool socks and flannel-lined pants. My health. Three sets of hibernation pajamas. A cat who keeps me company. Friends.
I may not be eating cake or icing, but everything else is perfectly fine considering it could be so much worse.
So, if you’ll excuse me, it’s 12:30 pm, on a Friday afternoon, as I write this post. I have to get out of these pajamas and brush my hair so the hermit can go out and buy cat food. Gibbs wills it.
Stream of Consciousness Saturday is the brainchild of author Linda G. Hill. Every Friday, Linda provides her followers with an inspiring blogger’s prompt. It can be a word or words and sometimes bonus points are involved (my favorite). Linda asks us to write without editing, other than correcting spelling errors.
Just go with the flow.
Like a babbling brook or rain drops. Click HERE if this type of writing floats your boat or helps with your decision-making. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “icing on the cake.” Write about the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the phrase “icing on the cake.” Enjoy!
Mary J Melange 
Lots to be grateful for, Mary, including Gibbs. Maddie is trying to will my butt off the ouch to make some toast. I had her out when it was 4 and again when it was 6 before “success!” I shouldn’t complain, the Editor had her out wen there were no degrees.
Star Trek Thursdays sound like great times. You also have some football to watch this weekend. We were one and done, as expected, so I’m riding the Green Bay horse all the ay, now. GoPack!
Thanks for supporting my home team, Dan! I am going to stay positive and cheer for a Packer win tonight, without a last-minute heart attack.
Go make that poor girl some toast and butter! Just think if we were still going out to the outhouse all day. I can’t even imagine…
Stay warm, have some soup, and be grateful for the warm walking clothes and indoor water closet. 🙂
Haha – I do appreciate indoor plumbing on days like this. Maddie is looking at me, as if she heard “toast” in the WiFi.
Excellent post – focusing on what we have to be thankful for including our non-human companions and Star Trek. I’m looking forward to Picard 2 and might have to get prime for the Rings. It’s perfectly natural to hibernate this time of year. My Christmas tree is still up because it brings me joy.
I love having the Christmas tree lights through the dead of winter. It will come down before Valentine’s Day, but in the meantime, it’s a bright spot in the living room and good for the hibernating soul.
The trailer for Picard 2 has me excited for more Trek. You can never get too much of it! Happy Saturday, JoAnna.
You can never have too much Trek. I get a station on cable called, “Heroes and Icons,” that shows Classic, NG, DS9, Voyager, and Enterprise, all six nights a week. I was ecstatic when I found it. Sometimes I wonder if my husband thinks I’m crazy, but he’s usually in the back room on the computer watching flying, racing, and practical videos.
I get H&I on my antenna and I usually watch some Trek at night, just before I shut my eyes. It’s a good way to call it a day.
There is always so much to be thankful for. Great post, Mary.
Thanks Maggie! I hope you have a gratitude and icing filled weekend!
Your blog is the second blog I’ve read this morning that talked about cake and icing. It was a great read, but now I’m forced to have a relationship with a cake. You ladies are killing my diet.
Lol, I need to lose about 10 lbs, so not sure why I wrote about cake. Now I’m craving it…
Sorry!
Right there with you on the New Year Diet! I haven’t had so much as a smidgen of cake since December.
Star Trek Thursday sounds so much fun, though – I’m sure the wine helps make up for the lack of cake!
No cake, but my friend brought these chocolate corn flakes confections on Thursday and left the leftovers. It’s been tough trying to be good!
It sounds it! Good luck!
Star Trek days are always good days. I started watching Star Trek Picard last week. But I haven’t tried the combination with cake… Let me think about it! 😉
A little espresso, a piece of cake and Star Trek is never a wrong combination, Herman. Do it! 😁
Engage!
Ha! 😄
Hibernation pajamas sound delightful!!
Wam, fuzzy ones! 🤗
Ha! Great minds. We had similar beginnings for this prompt. Your Thursday funday sounds great. Good luck shedding the holiday ‘gift bags’. 😉I’m walking so much more here which really helps! And that’s the icing on my cake in paradise. 😀
I’ll have better luck getting rid of the gift bags when the weather warms up. Unfortunately, more frigid weather is on the way. I am so done with this…already. Take a few walks for me. In spirit is better than nothing.
Well you can have the one I did today! My legs are so ticked off at me….but it was beautiful! Stay warm Mary.
I like your attitude about being at home, inside, for days. I know all about changing out of jammies after lunch. Covid has taught me a thing or two. I’m looking forward to getting outside to walk more often, but not until there’s no ice. StarTrek Thursday is a fun idea.
It’s cold today, Ally, but not much wind. I may venture a short walk since I was out of the pajamas by 8:00 am for church. No sense in wasting a dressed day! 😏😁
Aw, Mary, you’ve made living in Wisconsin the icing on the cake. I agree, it’s been a long winter, and cold, and you’ve found ways to keep the fun in life. Spring will arrive, and you’ll ditch the winter pounds on your first bike trip. Keep smiling and stay warm!
I’m staying warm and inside today, Shelley, but itching for that bikinng weather or at least something that’s long-walk worthy. Hopefully soon!
I stayed inside too! I know that itching feeling. A nice long walk sounds perfect to me.