The Weekly Ramble – December 12, 2025

Happy Friday, friend! Let’s chat about taking time off, December mosquito bites, and yearly planning.

My Christmas break begins tomorrow. Hallelujah!

I’ll still be popping into your inbox and I will sneak in here to write a Weekly Ramble, but as far as regular work hours, this girl is out of office. I’ve been planning this break for awhile, and I’m really looking forward to sleeping a little bit later, keeping my phone turned off, and breathing a little more deeply without wondering what I should be doing next.

I’m treating myself to a month of kindle unlimited and am hoping to read, too. Yay!

The last week has been a busy one, trying to get all my end-of-year/new-year stuff done. Many things will go undone, but that is how it goes.

I spent a couple days in low gear with some kind of inner ear issues/almost vertigo but not quite full room spin. I had six months of vertigo back in my 40s; apparently this is yet another symptom of perimenopause. Oy!

I am going to need to do something soon about balancing hormones. There’s just one doctor in the county who has all the certifications in that area, but she also “balances shakras,” so I’m unsure where to turn for help.

Anywho, that is on my agenda for the year. Speaking of which…

I spent a day planning out next year’s content for the Club and Good Cheap Eats. This is a shot of last year’s loose plans.

As you know, this was a wild year professionally speaking. I explored a number of other options for work: fiction writing, proofreading/editing, social media management, even going back to teaching.

I found myself confirmed in blogging, and desperately hoping that I’m right in this being where God wants me to be. I appreciate your prayers to that end.

My friend Allison and I recorded a podcast on how I use my planner and future thinking on Tuesday, so it was a perfect time to apply the same planning concepts to my business.

Since we don’t have a big trip in the works this year, I’ll have to be more strategic in planning breaks. This Christmas break is the first time I’ve really done that without going away from home.

Here’s what else I’ve been doing, eating, listening/watching, reading, and/or writing this past week:

What I’ve Been Doing

As you can see by that weather app screenshot, we do not have typical December weather right now, even for San Diego. It’s about ten degrees warmer than normal.

I even found a new mosquito bite this morning!

I’ve been getting my steps everyday still, and if I’m dressed appropriately, it’s quite pleasant. According to the pedometer app, today is day 505 of my current steak. The app allows for a weekly rest day so there were technically some skipped days, but still. Pretty good!

What I’ve Been Eating

I haven’t done a great job counting macros this week, but have focused on getting the prots and veg. Salads with chicken or tuna have been my jam.

I lost a lot of weight in November, probably too much for such a short time, so I’m focusing on maintenance this month. Not sure if that’s a good strategy, but we’ll go with it.

Especially since it’s December!

What I’ve Been Listening/Watching

I discovered The Shop Around the Corner last Christmas. It’s what You’ve Got Mail is based on. You have to watch it! The comedic timing is classic. The girls and I sat down to watch it last night and Bryan joined us because he was hooked.

Last year my boys really enjoyed watching it, too. 10/10 recommend.

In other news, I was on The Art of Home podcast this week for the last in the holiday series. You can find the episode here.

What I’ve Been Reading

I had been saving these for my Christmas break, but I started the Trollope book this week. The first story is pretty hilarious, especially for 19th century setting.

Trollope wrote Doctor Thorne. I’ve not read the book, but we’ve enjoyed the pbs miniseries.

What I’ve Been Writing

I’ve focused my writing on the blogs and for the Good Cheap Eats Club lately. Here’s what’s new…

Organize Your Kitchen to Save Money

Freezer Meals to Give as Gifts

The Best Homemade Christmas Food Gifts for a Budget

Alrighty, that’s it for me. I’d love to hear what’s up with you!