photo credit: @gaellemarcel via Unsplash
We’re definitely staying in today, because it’s still cold and foggy here in California, and we’re getting some rain (which will hopefully at least clear out the fog for good), and a hot beverage is definitely recommended this morning!
If we had a coffee chat today… I’d tell you that I had my annual physical recently. I always like to get this done before the end of the year. I saw a new doctor because my previous PCP left (the fun of having your PCP at a training hospital with lots of young residency doctors), but the new doctor was nice. She was very happy with me being on top of my shots (got Covid booster and flu shots in October), my preventive check-ups (all done for this year!), and she commented that I am taking great care of my health and was impressed that I still don’t take any medication at my age. My annual bloodwork came back normal, too. Well, if that isn’t something we’d all like to hear when another year comes to an end, then I don’t know what is.
If we had a coffee chat today… I would directly speak to my fellow peppermint-mocha enthusiasts and tell you that Costco currently has Häagen-Dazs Peppermint Bark Ice Cream Bars that are TO DIE FOR. Don’t walk, run!
If we had a coffee chat today… I’d tell you about a mystery present on my doorstep. I received a gift bag with a couple of sustainable items from a local “eco store”. The gift tag reads “special delivery for Sandra B.”, but I have NO CLUE who sent me this. I hope the person will come forward so I can thank them properly.
If we had a coffee chat today… I’d complain that we haven’t had a ray of sunshine in 3 weeks. We’re in California, for Peet’s sake. But our state, specifically the Central Valley, has been blanketed by a thick layer of tule fog and the temperature hasn’t risen above 46F/9C. My colleague and I were in the Central Valley for fieldwork last week and it was overcast and chilly the whole time!
I must admit though, the satellite image is pretty cool, look how the fog just sits in the Central Valley. Because the valley is bowl-shaped and surrounded by mountains, the air can’t escape, so the fog just sits and lingers.
If we had a coffee chat today… I’d share that I was devastated by the news in the last few days. Record-breaking flooding in the Pacific Northwest (with almost no news coverage), a mass shooting in Australia (of all places!), another shooting at a U.S. university, the murder of Rob Reiner and his wife Michele (what a tragedy!), and the absolutely unhinged response from the (not-my-)president. Shameful. I don’t know what to say anymore. I am so over 2025.
If we had a coffee chat today… I’d let you know how excited I am to see the Secret SANta posts that some of you have shared already and the beautiful goodies you have received from a kind swap partner. My Secret SANta package has arrived too but I won’t be opening it before Christmas. I’ll share a round-up as soon as I know that everyone has received their packages! Thanks again for signing up and spreading some holiday cheer this year!
What would you share over coffee with me?
Nicole MacPherson
December 17, 2025 at 11:55 amI am basically never affected by celebrity deaths as a) I usually think the celebrity in question is already dead, or b) it sounds like they lived a good life. But the news about Rob and Singer Reiner is absolutely devastating to me. Reiner was the director of my all-time favourite movie, and from all accounts he was a wonderful man that everyone (MINUS ONE) loved. And then the news from the not-your-president was absolutely disgusting. Even for him, it’s a new low. And that’s saying something!
On a positive note, I love that your health is great, that you got a special bag of treats, and that you found some yummy ice cream. All lovely things!
San
December 18, 2025 at 8:32 pmThank you, Nicole, I appreciate that.
NGS
December 17, 2025 at 12:12 pmOh, San. No sun for weeks?!?! I would be unable to function. Sending you some of our sun!
I have been LOVING how everyone uses Secret SANta with the correct capitalization. I’ve especially loved it when I’ve seen it in handwritten items because I know I also wrote it “correctly.” You are the all-powerful organizer and we will recognize that!
San
December 18, 2025 at 8:31 pmAww, thank you <3 I noticed that everyone was using the correct capitalization... I will forever be thankful to (I think it was) Jenny who pointed out that my name was in the title LOL
Lisa's Yarns
December 17, 2025 at 12:24 pmNo sun for weeks is ROUGH! That satellite view is kind of cool, though, but not for the people living under the fog! We had some sunny days this past weekend but it was 5F with a sub-zero feels like so it was pretty awful! But awful and sunny which sort of helps? Often times our sunniest days are the coldest ones so it’s kind of a double edged sword…
That’s great that you had a great check up! I need to find a new PCP as mine moved to the far out suburbs and I refuse to drive that far! I am envious that you are not on any meds. That’s Phil’s situation as well. But he can offset his high medical system user wife… I tell him about his medical privilege all the time!
DJT continues to hit new lows. He is the absolute worst and I get expecially fired up over the fact that many Christians support him. I can’t see how he aligns with Christian values. He’s an absolutely abhorrent person.
San
December 18, 2025 at 8:30 pmI am actually glad to hear that your coldest days are also your sunniest ones… at least they are easier to bear!
I feel very grateful that I had a great checkup – I don’t take it for granted, and like Shu said in her comment, there’s a little bit of luck involved – you can do everything right and still end up on meds. You know all about that!
Daria
December 17, 2025 at 2:50 pmA clean bill of health!! That matters so much. Well done, friend, well done!!
I am actually have a cup of green tea while I read your post. What would I share?
I would share that we have a new *interim* principal and he came in to observe my class today. I first met him yesterday and he had a bit of a Cinderblock personality. I am confident in my teaching techniques so I wasn’t worried and he scores me very high. But it was strange… we just met and here he is, evaluating me.
San
December 18, 2025 at 7:39 pmOh, I know all about these “observations” (I come from a family full of teachers) and I can imagine that this was so odd for you to have just met him and then being evaluating you, but I am not surprised to hear he scored you highly! :)
Birchie
December 17, 2025 at 5:08 pmBrrr! It was in the 80s and sunny every day that I was in Sacramento, so I can’t imagine week after week of mid 40’s temperatures and clouds. Boo!
I know all about those Hagan Dazs bars! There’s a reason why we have a Costco membership.
I don’t follow the news closely so I haven’t seen whatever piece of garbage came out of Trump’s mouth yet. I know it will land in my inbox tomorrow in the news summary that I get, and until then I don’t need to know. I appreciate that I got to hear about it from you instead of anyone else.
Congrats on the clean bill of health!
San
December 18, 2025 at 7:38 pmHaha, I love that you have discovered the Häagen Dazs bars, too! :)
SHU
December 18, 2025 at 9:01 amI’m so glad your health is great but a gentle reminder that you can still take great care of your health and end up on meds :( The two aren’t necessarily correlated though it would be amazing if the world worked that way!! I know you didn’t mean anything negative when you posted that, don’t worry. Just wanted to share that the wording in the paragraph gave me pause as someone who feels like I got punished for doing everything right. (It’s probably much more of a “me” thing!)
San
December 18, 2025 at 7:37 pmI only quoted what my doctor said, but you are absolutely right that you can do “everything right” and still end up with an illness or on meds! I know this hits close to home for you right now (and I know quite a few other people where that is true!), so I definitely understand that it’s not a simple equation!
Melissa
December 18, 2025 at 7:59 pmI’m pretty devastated by what happened in Bondi. Only 3km away from us is the Adass Synagogue that was fire bombed by some organised crime members at the direction of the IRG. There is a large ultra-orthodox Jewish community that is very visible. Most people support the Jewish community, there is just a small percentage of people who are either under the sway of imported prejudices (kids are also inheriting bigoted views from their parents homelands) or Neo-Nazis. Anti-Semitism is also often coupled with a profound ignorance (often willful) about the Holocaust, which is cemented by lies on social media. The vast majority of people in the world just want to live quiet, fulfilling lives, but the minority want to F**K it up for everyone else. I know under a lot of it is anger and alienation but I just wish they would channel their anger somewhere other than innocent families just living their lives.
Joyce
December 19, 2025 at 12:38 pmThis morning on the way to work “for the man” it was 54 degrees. Since then, it has rained, hailed, and is now snowing like crazy and is 32 degrees. Here is Syracuse, NY we also have limited sun here as well.
I chose not to even listen to the (not my) president as I knew it would be all lies.
In August I had a hospital visit which resulted in my undergoing many tests. Every single one was negative (yay) and the end diagnosis was reflux. Rolling eye emoji. But at my age it is also unusual for the only medication being one to calm that reflux. Yay!
Happy Holidays everyone
Suzanne
December 19, 2025 at 1:29 pmThe fog looks very cool on the satellite imagery, but the lack of sun is so tiresome. I can do cold, I can do snow, but I need some occasional sunshine.
Congrats on a clean bill of health — it’s nice to have something going well, even if the world feels messy and chaotic.
I am loving all the Secret SANta posts! Everyone is so thoughtful and creative.
Michelle G.
December 20, 2025 at 6:47 amYou are so patient to wait until Christmas to open your secret SANta present! I didn’t even consider doing that, and now I feel a little bit bad about it! (But not too bad – because I LOVE the present you sent me!)
I hope you get some sunshine soon!
Sam
December 20, 2025 at 7:08 amHope you get some sun soon! I grew up in the central coast, and I don’t feel like myself when it’s cloudy for too many days in a row. The secret SANta posts are so cute–I felt at capacity this year, but maybe next year I will participate–it looks so fun! Glad you got your yearly checkup and all is well. It’s funny how the end of the year feels like a deadline for that sort of thing!
J
December 21, 2025 at 4:42 pmI hope now that we have rain, there will be sunshine in your future, even if it’s another week. Rain is different than tule fog, for sure. We were socked in there for a couple of weeks too, but we started getting sun a few days before the rain came. I have a picture on my blog today of our drive on 4 from Concord into Pittsburg / Antioch, and you can see the fog peeking above the clouds.
Congratulations on your clean bill of health! You do take very good care of yourself, and it has paid off. It’s a lot of work, but mostly can be enjoyable.
That ice cream sounds delicious! I shan’t be buying any, because when I buy sweets, I’m the only person who eats them, and I don’t want that. Boo!
Stephany
December 23, 2025 at 7:35 pmWay to go on a great doctor’s visit and clean bill of health! I know you don’t take your health for granted, but you also work hard to keep yourself healthy. Great job!
Oooh, that Costco ice cream sounds like it was MADE FOR ME. I wish I had a Costco membership!
I got my SANta package this week and I’m sharing it on the blog tomorrow. Yay!
Tobia | craftaliciousme
December 29, 2025 at 2:35 pmYou can be so proud of not needing any medication. What an achievement.
I have been popping pills like crazy in December with so many migraines. Trying to stay healthy and adding vitamins only to discover that one hike outside after three weeks and I am sick again. I am so done with my health these days. I truly envy you.