I have always loved January. I like winter, snow, and ice (like Madeline in the children's story) and I like new beginnings. I'm not tired of cold weather yet, and I'm usually a bit rested because of the Christmas holidays.
This year is tough, though. We haven't had even one of our usual, beautiful New England snowfalls, so it's been mud season since November. All it does is sleet and rain and then freeze into crusty ice that can't be ice skated on. This is a double hurt every time--first I miss the snow, then I worry about the climate. And, I am in the throes of some kind of deep tissue existential growth--what I wouldn't give for a romantic snow fall and a sauna next to a Swiss ski lodge right now!
I've been getting similar weather reports from my family members who live in your part of the world. I hope you get your snowfall before winter's end. The sauna sounds perfect too. Maybe by then the deep tissue existential growth will have progressed to a less painful level. I remember visiting a friend 15 years ago who owned a hot tub. We sat in it with a glass of wine as the snow fell in lovely, thick, well-behaved flakes. That was really really nice.
Betsy. I have got no further than your account of the vet tech’s problem with a rectal thermometer and a ‘hairy (dog) bottom’. All very graphic stuff, which would make a great opening for a book. Right now though it sent me in search of an equally great bit about dogs bottoms in Substack’s Cafe Anne #7. To quote:
“ChuChi and I, we bathe together probably once every two weeks. She still goes to the groomer when she needs to get her nails done or has to get shaved on her bottom or her paws, because I won’t do that.”
Not being a dog owner I have never taken any interest in dogs bottoms. I wonder how common are posts on Substack about dogs and hairy bottoms?🐰
Our eldest granddaughter is a vet and has a manic spaniel of some kind. I have just sent her links to both posts and asked her ‘Do you find hairy dog bottoms a problem?’ I will let you know what she says.🐰
I'm a late comer to Substack it seems and very happy to be discovering people through other people. Your comments on Rona's page introduced me to you and I'm grateful. Though I enjoy winter now more than I used to, I recall so many broken down cars and hard times in the 70s and 80s. Work and small children just made it even more stressful just getting through January and February. I live in a more moderate climate now (PNW) than when in NH. And, though partially retired from painting, winter is still the season I manage to get the most work done as the outdoors is not beckoning me-no weeding to be done.
Wlecome, Debra! And thank you for sending in that lovely moment of Zen. I look forward to sharing it.
I think growing up in places like NH leave a lasting feeling about January. I just got off the phone with my brother and mother who still live there and the talk was of ice, keeping the furnaces full of fuel, frostbite on the dog's feet, and the several inches of ice on my mother's front porch which is keeping from using the door. So. It goes on....
Ironically, one of the first moments I realized San Diego was going to be another whole ballgame was when, in late November, I was still weeding. And in December. And In January. No rest for those who want temperate climes all year round.
Yes, every place has its own pluses and minuses. An Army Brat, I actually grew up in many places and when my dad retired from that and went to work in NH, I was in my Jr. year of high school. NH is the longest I ever lived anywhere but left in 1998 for my husband's work-Ohio, Chicago and now Washington. It's a real education but I've enjoyed it all. Hope your pup is much better now and your NH family manages all that comes with January. I remember at least one burst pipe back in the day. It can be exhausting.
I decided, at the top of 2024, that I should look to individuals who might enlighten me with a few different thoughts about entertainment, government, and transitioning. So, I picked up "My Name is Barbra," "Enough" (Cassidy Hutchinson), & "Page Boy" (Elliott Page). ALL 3 books invited me to expand my knowledge of self through their eyes.
January has generally been a month I can handle or at least have a relationship with, because, as May Sarton’s poem says, it is a month that clears clutter in all sorts of ways. And clutter clearing is almost always, eventually, a good thing. Weather wise, I’m generally not too sick of the cold yet, although today’s morning temperature of -21 is pushing it. February is the difficult winter month for me. I’m done with winter, and it is far from done with me. Thank you Betsy!
I used to feel that February was just January under a different name but when my husband and I decided to get married (the second time) we did so on February 2. Yes there was a another storm, yes he got the stomach flu, but we both remember it as a wonderful evening that led to many more. Living in cold climates makes a big difference when it comes to these deep-winter months, doesn't it?
Yes, it really does. When I lived in the southeast, I didn’t dread February. Instead, I dreaded August. It was so hot and so humid, and I was so tired of summer! I think it helps to have a beautiful event or other happening to remember. I find my attitude toward particular times of the year changes given what happened in them. I got married in November, which is kind of a drab month anywhere, but I look forward to it now because of my anniversary.
Each of your wonderful stories made me laugh and pull for you and remember the dismal truths that have set in for me every January for as long as I can remember. The end of twinkling lights just seems to affect most of us that way. Feels better to know I'm not alone. Thank you.
Thank you, Debra! I actually just put every Christmas thing away except for two tiny strands of twinkling white lights which I plan to weave among my African violets and turn on tonight. Twinkling lights go a long way for me.
Hi from Australia where it’s warm and humid. It’s my birthday month, so I don’t mind January but it’s a time when I routinely tie myself in knots wondering what I should be doing with my life. I think the combination of the new year and getting older makes me fret about my lack of progress with my writing.
On the reading front, I’ve just started Life is Everywhere by Lucy Ives. It’s weird but interesting.
Weird but interesting -- makes me want to check out the Ives book. I have always wondered what it would be like to have summer in January. How cool does July get where you live?
Oh Betsy, what a January you're having. Sorry about the poor pup, but glad she's better. And really glad to hear about your time with the novel! What we all need. I'm glad you took the time for your writing.
As for my January reads: I just finished "Tom Lake," which I believe you reviewed. Ann Patchett is a master of the literary reveal and treasure of a writer. Also on my morning reading/writing table: "The Creative Act: A Way of Being" by Rick Rubin, reminding me of the ongoingness of our creative work as writers and artists; and "The Vagabond's Way," by Rolf Potts, which is an every-day page of "Meditations on Wanderlust, Discovery, and the Art of Travel." I hope a road trip is in my future--after the snow melts.
Thanks, Judy. I hope the snow melts and that you can have a wonderful road trip. Your morning reading material seems perfect for priming you both for creativity and travel -- your twin loves.
Thanks for this read and perspective. I’ve always wrestled with January-a kind of unmonth and this one has proved especially punishing with a sudden health crisis for my older brother that has tossed us all overboard. I’m glad I’m not alone in feeling unmoored these days. Stay well and one step ahead of this confounding month 😉
Thanks Elizabeth. I really appreciate it. It's been an ordeal with too many scary "what are we going to tell his kids" kind of moments. I think we've finally turned a corner. I'm sure you'll be reading about some of this from me at some point :) Thank god for art. Appreciate the good juju. :)
In the past January was fraught with grey clouds that spelled DEPRESSION, but no more. There are no resolutions announced to break; it's just another predictably pleasant day. And I've learned to live by the Serenity Prayer, (I allow myself EVERYTHING in moderation) accepting things I can not change, gathering courage to change a very few things, and great WISDOM to understand the difference. This understanding was YEARS in the making.
Sorry, I responded to your earlier comment about your very smart choice of hairless dogs here instead of where I meant to. I have a very different response to this comment which is this: you have exactly the approach to this month and, I suspect every day, that I am aiming for but sometimes fall short on. Thank you for writing it. "Just another predictably pleasant day" comes when one doesn't expect anything one way or the other and is able to accept what does happen.
Up here in the mountains of Utah, we have the Sundance Film Festival which arrives each January. It makes the sleepy town of Park City come alive. So January always seems invigorating to me. Plus, we are having a darling filmmaker, who has an animated short in the festival, staying with us. Last time she stayed with us, she won, so we are hoping lightening strikes twice for her. So nice to see these creative young artists thriving. Gives me hope.
And I certainly hope that your dog continues to heal ❤️
I love that! "The Monday of months." Exactly right. Except that I'm one of those people who love Mondays. Monday is my favorite day of the week these days. I noticed a shift in how I experienced Mondays when I stopped working for a big company and worked on my own. Now, as a full-time writer, Mondays mean I can go back to my novel with the energy I used to give to others.
Quilts are the best thing about January in a cold-weather town. That's one thing that has changed since I moved to San Diego a couple of decades ago. I can't wear flannel nightgowns and quilts are stifling not but oh how I miss the coziness of those things!
I just took a look at your post and what you are doing. I think it is wonderful to read your grandmother's words. They bring me to her world very clearly.
I loathe January from the 2nd to the 30th. (The 1st is New Year’s Day, obviously, and the 31st is my wife’s birthday.) It’s getting back to “normal” after a couple months of having special things to look forward to, and oh by the way, it’s usually when the weather starts turning to crap.
The good news is at least you know there is a beginning and an end to your feelings about January. Having a birthday to celebrate at the end of the month seems like a great way to shake off the rough stuff and the weather that January can bring. I hope you have some fun plans to celebrate her birthday and the end of the cruelest month.
Great post. It's only 3 degrees here in Port Townsend and that's a shock. Will get up to 20 degrees later today.
I may have already given you all this advice but if not...cooked carrots are a natural firmer of stools, in fact too many carrots can cause constipation. So after months of our dog Ready's on and off diarrhea I tried the cooked carrots and it worked. From then on, she got 3 baby carrots a day, raw, because she liked them. And no poop problems after that till the days she died--of unrelated causes. Best of luck!
Thanks! Stay warm although it must be challenging to stay warm on a boat in 3-degree weather. I know you must miss Ready so much. Hugs once again. I hope you feel her with you as you sail on and on.
Thanks my friend. It is hard because Ready's memory is everywhere I look in this small space. I think traveling is going to help. I still owe you a signed copy, so see you in SD! We have three heaters so we're good.
I have always loved January. I like winter, snow, and ice (like Madeline in the children's story) and I like new beginnings. I'm not tired of cold weather yet, and I'm usually a bit rested because of the Christmas holidays.
This year is tough, though. We haven't had even one of our usual, beautiful New England snowfalls, so it's been mud season since November. All it does is sleet and rain and then freeze into crusty ice that can't be ice skated on. This is a double hurt every time--first I miss the snow, then I worry about the climate. And, I am in the throes of some kind of deep tissue existential growth--what I wouldn't give for a romantic snow fall and a sauna next to a Swiss ski lodge right now!
I've been getting similar weather reports from my family members who live in your part of the world. I hope you get your snowfall before winter's end. The sauna sounds perfect too. Maybe by then the deep tissue existential growth will have progressed to a less painful level. I remember visiting a friend 15 years ago who owned a hot tub. We sat in it with a glass of wine as the snow fell in lovely, thick, well-behaved flakes. That was really really nice.
Betsy. I have got no further than your account of the vet tech’s problem with a rectal thermometer and a ‘hairy (dog) bottom’. All very graphic stuff, which would make a great opening for a book. Right now though it sent me in search of an equally great bit about dogs bottoms in Substack’s Cafe Anne #7. To quote:
“ChuChi and I, we bathe together probably once every two weeks. She still goes to the groomer when she needs to get her nails done or has to get shaved on her bottom or her paws, because I won’t do that.”
Not being a dog owner I have never taken any interest in dogs bottoms. I wonder how common are posts on Substack about dogs and hairy bottoms?🐰
That's why I get hairless dogs.
Yes. The vet must love that too!
Our eldest granddaughter is a vet and has a manic spaniel of some kind. I have just sent her links to both posts and asked her ‘Do you find hairy dog bottoms a problem?’ I will let you know what she says.🐰
That's great! Ask her if one of her techs ever had a hard time finding the target when searching for where to insert the rectal thermometer.
I have sent a link to your post.🐰
I'm a late comer to Substack it seems and very happy to be discovering people through other people. Your comments on Rona's page introduced me to you and I'm grateful. Though I enjoy winter now more than I used to, I recall so many broken down cars and hard times in the 70s and 80s. Work and small children just made it even more stressful just getting through January and February. I live in a more moderate climate now (PNW) than when in NH. And, though partially retired from painting, winter is still the season I manage to get the most work done as the outdoors is not beckoning me-no weeding to be done.
Wlecome, Debra! And thank you for sending in that lovely moment of Zen. I look forward to sharing it.
I think growing up in places like NH leave a lasting feeling about January. I just got off the phone with my brother and mother who still live there and the talk was of ice, keeping the furnaces full of fuel, frostbite on the dog's feet, and the several inches of ice on my mother's front porch which is keeping from using the door. So. It goes on....
Ironically, one of the first moments I realized San Diego was going to be another whole ballgame was when, in late November, I was still weeding. And in December. And In January. No rest for those who want temperate climes all year round.
Yes, every place has its own pluses and minuses. An Army Brat, I actually grew up in many places and when my dad retired from that and went to work in NH, I was in my Jr. year of high school. NH is the longest I ever lived anywhere but left in 1998 for my husband's work-Ohio, Chicago and now Washington. It's a real education but I've enjoyed it all. Hope your pup is much better now and your NH family manages all that comes with January. I remember at least one burst pipe back in the day. It can be exhausting.
I decided, at the top of 2024, that I should look to individuals who might enlighten me with a few different thoughts about entertainment, government, and transitioning. So, I picked up "My Name is Barbra," "Enough" (Cassidy Hutchinson), & "Page Boy" (Elliott Page). ALL 3 books invited me to expand my knowledge of self through their eyes.
I so loved Why Fish Don't Exist! I still think about it years after reading it.
January has generally been a month I can handle or at least have a relationship with, because, as May Sarton’s poem says, it is a month that clears clutter in all sorts of ways. And clutter clearing is almost always, eventually, a good thing. Weather wise, I’m generally not too sick of the cold yet, although today’s morning temperature of -21 is pushing it. February is the difficult winter month for me. I’m done with winter, and it is far from done with me. Thank you Betsy!
I used to feel that February was just January under a different name but when my husband and I decided to get married (the second time) we did so on February 2. Yes there was a another storm, yes he got the stomach flu, but we both remember it as a wonderful evening that led to many more. Living in cold climates makes a big difference when it comes to these deep-winter months, doesn't it?
Yes, it really does. When I lived in the southeast, I didn’t dread February. Instead, I dreaded August. It was so hot and so humid, and I was so tired of summer! I think it helps to have a beautiful event or other happening to remember. I find my attitude toward particular times of the year changes given what happened in them. I got married in November, which is kind of a drab month anywhere, but I look forward to it now because of my anniversary.
Each of your wonderful stories made me laugh and pull for you and remember the dismal truths that have set in for me every January for as long as I can remember. The end of twinkling lights just seems to affect most of us that way. Feels better to know I'm not alone. Thank you.
Thank you, Debra! I actually just put every Christmas thing away except for two tiny strands of twinkling white lights which I plan to weave among my African violets and turn on tonight. Twinkling lights go a long way for me.
Hi from Australia where it’s warm and humid. It’s my birthday month, so I don’t mind January but it’s a time when I routinely tie myself in knots wondering what I should be doing with my life. I think the combination of the new year and getting older makes me fret about my lack of progress with my writing.
On the reading front, I’ve just started Life is Everywhere by Lucy Ives. It’s weird but interesting.
Weird but interesting -- makes me want to check out the Ives book. I have always wondered what it would be like to have summer in January. How cool does July get where you live?
Around 64° during the day but cooler at night. August can be quite chilly though.
Oh Betsy, what a January you're having. Sorry about the poor pup, but glad she's better. And really glad to hear about your time with the novel! What we all need. I'm glad you took the time for your writing.
As for my January reads: I just finished "Tom Lake," which I believe you reviewed. Ann Patchett is a master of the literary reveal and treasure of a writer. Also on my morning reading/writing table: "The Creative Act: A Way of Being" by Rick Rubin, reminding me of the ongoingness of our creative work as writers and artists; and "The Vagabond's Way," by Rolf Potts, which is an every-day page of "Meditations on Wanderlust, Discovery, and the Art of Travel." I hope a road trip is in my future--after the snow melts.
Thanks, Judy. I hope the snow melts and that you can have a wonderful road trip. Your morning reading material seems perfect for priming you both for creativity and travel -- your twin loves.
Thanks for this read and perspective. I’ve always wrestled with January-a kind of unmonth and this one has proved especially punishing with a sudden health crisis for my older brother that has tossed us all overboard. I’m glad I’m not alone in feeling unmoored these days. Stay well and one step ahead of this confounding month 😉
I'm so sorry to hear this, Sheila . I hope things go better for your brother and for you. I'll be thinking of you and hoping for the best .
Thanks Elizabeth. I really appreciate it. It's been an ordeal with too many scary "what are we going to tell his kids" kind of moments. I think we've finally turned a corner. I'm sure you'll be reading about some of this from me at some point :) Thank god for art. Appreciate the good juju. :)
In the past January was fraught with grey clouds that spelled DEPRESSION, but no more. There are no resolutions announced to break; it's just another predictably pleasant day. And I've learned to live by the Serenity Prayer, (I allow myself EVERYTHING in moderation) accepting things I can not change, gathering courage to change a very few things, and great WISDOM to understand the difference. This understanding was YEARS in the making.
Sorry, I responded to your earlier comment about your very smart choice of hairless dogs here instead of where I meant to. I have a very different response to this comment which is this: you have exactly the approach to this month and, I suspect every day, that I am aiming for but sometimes fall short on. Thank you for writing it. "Just another predictably pleasant day" comes when one doesn't expect anything one way or the other and is able to accept what does happen.
January, the Monday of months.
Up here in the mountains of Utah, we have the Sundance Film Festival which arrives each January. It makes the sleepy town of Park City come alive. So January always seems invigorating to me. Plus, we are having a darling filmmaker, who has an animated short in the festival, staying with us. Last time she stayed with us, she won, so we are hoping lightening strikes twice for her. So nice to see these creative young artists thriving. Gives me hope.
And I certainly hope that your dog continues to heal ❤️
I love that! "The Monday of months." Exactly right. Except that I'm one of those people who love Mondays. Monday is my favorite day of the week these days. I noticed a shift in how I experienced Mondays when I stopped working for a big company and worked on my own. Now, as a full-time writer, Mondays mean I can go back to my novel with the energy I used to give to others.
I think we all must have January on the brain! I just wrote about it myself, though my grandma Ruth did most of the writing... Those who are curious can read more here: https://open.substack.com/pub/lauralynndennis3/p/january-10-1993?r=djld7&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcome=true
As for me. we have hit the time of year where I try to keep up with exercise when I can, but mostly I hide under a pile of quilts
Quilts are the best thing about January in a cold-weather town. That's one thing that has changed since I moved to San Diego a couple of decades ago. I can't wear flannel nightgowns and quilts are stifling not but oh how I miss the coziness of those things!
I just took a look at your post and what you are doing. I think it is wonderful to read your grandmother's words. They bring me to her world very clearly.
Oh thank you! Ruth would be so pleased (and it makes me very happy too🥰)
I loathe January from the 2nd to the 30th. (The 1st is New Year’s Day, obviously, and the 31st is my wife’s birthday.) It’s getting back to “normal” after a couple months of having special things to look forward to, and oh by the way, it’s usually when the weather starts turning to crap.
The good news is at least you know there is a beginning and an end to your feelings about January. Having a birthday to celebrate at the end of the month seems like a great way to shake off the rough stuff and the weather that January can bring. I hope you have some fun plans to celebrate her birthday and the end of the cruelest month.
We always do something. Then February is short and baseball comes back!
Great post. It's only 3 degrees here in Port Townsend and that's a shock. Will get up to 20 degrees later today.
I may have already given you all this advice but if not...cooked carrots are a natural firmer of stools, in fact too many carrots can cause constipation. So after months of our dog Ready's on and off diarrhea I tried the cooked carrots and it worked. From then on, she got 3 baby carrots a day, raw, because she liked them. And no poop problems after that till the days she died--of unrelated causes. Best of luck!
Thanks! Stay warm although it must be challenging to stay warm on a boat in 3-degree weather. I know you must miss Ready so much. Hugs once again. I hope you feel her with you as you sail on and on.
Thanks my friend. It is hard because Ready's memory is everywhere I look in this small space. I think traveling is going to help. I still owe you a signed copy, so see you in SD! We have three heaters so we're good.
https://theadventuresofcedric.substack.com
All this from a hairy dog’s bottom. Please follow if you love a dog with a hairy bottom.
It is thanks to Spark that Cedric has decided to talk.🐰