Random 5 on February 1, 2026 – January, hoagies, Sasha, renovations, weather

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Goodbye January — and don’t let the door hit you on the way out. This was one of the worst. January has always been full of tragedy for me. I look forward to Groundhog Day for no other reason than it’s not January and I always hope it’s a forward look to spring. (Damn that groundhog! He better not see his shadow!)

Different strokes – Whenever I check in with my brother, his usual comment is “if you’re going by the Farmers Market, pick up a hoagie for us.” (For non-locals, a hoagie is also called a sub, It’s a sandwich packed full of delicious, processed meats with enough veggies to trick you into thinking it might be healthy. Spoiler alert – it’s not!) I like a good Italian hoagie, but they give me a slight bellyache. It’s my body’s way of saying “yo, what’s up with dat? Where’s da healthy stuff?” (Ok, my body talks like a gangster.) My bro is 95 so I’m not going to tell him it’s not healthy. If it helped him get to 95, maybe everyone should be eating them!

No ear drops!

Cat stuff – Sasha goes in for a surgical procedure to remove a lump on her neck on Tuesday. In addition, she has an ear infection in both ears which require drops twice a day. She’s not really happy with me right now and by mid-week I expect to see her on Pet Finder looking for a new home. This is especially hard because we lost Morgan a few weeks ago. I don’t want to lose another cat nor do I want to make one unhappy.

But there is good stuff – We renovated our bathroom over a year ago. I put a pretty (or so I thought) wallpaper up and added coordinated stuff. I was never happy with the look. In a burst of energy (or a fit of insanity take your pick), I ripped off the wallpaper and put another pattern up. I went online and bought a rug and towels to blend. I love it. Sometimes a fit is the best therapy. I’m lucky that I can wallpaper myself so there was only the cost of the new wallpaper (and of course the new towels and carpet). Happiness is priceless. (I’ll include pictures next Sunday.)

We are still in a deep freeze here. – It’s unseasonably cold with no end in sight. Everywhere outdoors is an ice-skating rink from the snow and ice of our storm last weekend. We haven’t seen temperatures over freezing in more than a week. Looks like we’ll have two or maybe three days slightly over freezing then it’s back to the deep freeze. Right now, I’m longing for the heat of the summer.

So how was your week?

50 thoughts on “Random 5 on February 1, 2026 – January, hoagies, Sasha, renovations, weather”

  1. If he’s 95 and can still eat such stuff with impunity, let him, I agree. One of my clients, when she turned 90, said, “I love cake and from now on, I’m having cake and milk for lunch every day.” She did, for the next two years.

    I’m praying all goes well with Sasha and may we all thaw out sooner rather than later.

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  2. I finally got out with the car for a small drive to give it a run, get gas and visit my critters at the Park. It was sunny and tonight we have a wintry mix, single digit windchills and a storm for Friday and then back in the Deep Freeze from the 8th to the 13th. Enough already! The weather forecast is cloudy for Tuesday so no shadow for the groundhog – yay, an early Spring!

    The sub/hoagie looks good. I’ll be thinking of Sasha – yes, it is worrisome and doesn’t the vet want to wait until the ear infection is cleared up first so you only have one thing going on for goodness sake? As to your brother eating subs/hoagies, I never met my great-grandfather, but he was a farmer and my grandmother said he had a farmer’s breakfast every morning and the leftovers from the eggs/sausage, etc. was piled onto a sandwich for lunchtime. So all that fat/sodium and he died of TB – go figure. Maybe not sitting around, but on the go?

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  3. February always seems like the longest month for me. By then, I’m really tired of winter. It hasn’t been too bad this year though, no snow, not much rain, and 50+ degrees.

    Today on our family Zoom, my daughters in PA and MD turned their cameras on their snowy yards to show us. It does look pretty.

    I’m looking forward to seeing the new look in your bathroom.

    All the best for Sasha.

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  8. A co-worker of mine for years would always leave my office and ask, “I’m headed out; you want a hoagie?” It was an inside joke, but I always think of him when I hear or see hoagies. I think you’re right — if your brother made it this far eating them, he’s obviously got a well-built system!

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  10. Yes, happiness is priceless. At 95 your brother should eat anything he wants. I hope your February is better than your January. Looking forward to seeing your bathroom pictures. May it go well with Sasha and that she does not run away from home.

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  13. I’m with you on kicking January OUT…….I am “tentatively” hugging February since it’s the month for Valentine’s Day (otherwise I’d be more wary of February). We are hoping Sasha’s surgery goes well and she also gets rid of the ear issues. It’s not fair when they have more than one thing wrong. For little beings so small, two “bad things” is a lot to handle. Can’t wait to see your new bathroom stuff. I haven’t bought a new “thing” for the house since we moved in here 30 years ago. Sad isn’t it! (well it is to me anyway!).

    Hugs, Pam

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  14. That sandwich looks pretty tasty, and if he only eats half maybe it’s not too bad. I’m also of the opinion if he’s gotten to 95 and doing it well, he should eat what he likes. We’ve been in the deep freeze for days, but we have had some sunshine which always helps you make it through the day. I haven’t put wallpaper up in so long I can’t remember. I did help my daughter take a lot down in her house years ago. Glad you like the new pattern and accessories. This time of year it is always nice to look around and be happy with your surroundings.

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  15. Congrats on surviving January–it was extra awful for you. I’m just waiting for March to hit us equally hard. My sister in the DC area refers to the frozen snow as “snowcrete” and says it takes “blocking off the entire street, two backhoes, a plow, and two dump trucks” to clear! No idea when her kids are going back to school.

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  16. Still AMAZINGLY cold here too. I almost blew away earlier.

    Your bathroom sounds lovely. You have the best taste all around. Wish you’d build another pond.

    And I’m rooting for our pretty girl…paws crossed to quote derrycats who rescued her, Love knowing that. 🙂

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  17. Kudos on completing the bath refresh. You’re a brave soul. I considered adding a highlight wall. Loved the pattern but then I realized I’m not sure I have the bandwidth to calculate drop match and buying another kit to hang it (I tossed the old kit when I was packing for the move). I always admire your ability to take on these projects.

    Sending loads of best wishes for Sasha’s procedure and treatment for her ears. Have a good week.

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  18. It was 18 degrees here this morning. The sun is out and it will warm up a bit, but this has been a crazy cold winter in FL.

    Your brother has the right idea ~ 17 95, he should eat whatever he wants.

    When my great aunt was in her 90’s, her doctors put her on a salt restricted diet. One day, I asked her what she wanted me to bring for our lunch together. She said, Pizza. So I picked up a pizza and the staff at her nursing home saw me and said, “Your aunt is not supposed to eat pizza. It’s too salty.” I replied, “She’s 94. What are you saving her for?”

    It’s not like she was going to be able to eat more than a few bites anyway.

    Even subtle improvements in closet, pantry, or drawer organization can elevate my mood. So your bathroom redo should be a real mood boost!

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  19. Paws crossed for Sasha, and if I see her on Petfinder I’ll delete it!!! And having a space you love is priceless. We redid our kitchen and one of our bathrooms over the last couple years or so and I still love them. They make me very happy. As for the cold….yuck. Tired of it.

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  21. I have been trying to get Katie to eat. Sigh. I am looking forward to your pictures of the newest reno! By the way, I certainly do know about disappointment with choices in color and decoration. Happens to me far too often.

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