Marking time: Holiday Cheer, Surgery Everywhere, A Lost Tail
Boise, Idaho, USA, January 2026
Author: Caroline W. Vargason, MD PhD
EVENTS
- Book Club at The Bishop’s House.
- Legislative night at St Luke’s Nampa.
- Nampa Chamber Business & Breakfast (trying to return with regularity).
- Made air dry clay ornaments.
- Daughter plans & hosts movie night.
- Attended elementary school choir performances at the Festival of Trees, Idaho Botanical Garden’s Winter Garden Aglow, Idaho Steelheads game.
- Attended Boise State’s Tuba Christmas.
- A day of drybar & The Nutcracker.
- Supper club at North Italia.
- Completed pure barre Boise’s Black Barre challenge.
- Jensen (12 year old mini goldendoolde) had a tail amputation.
- Charlie (3 year old mini goldendoodle) eats books & I learn book rebinding.
- Santa still exists.
WORK
- Lots of surgery.
- Holiday lunch at Brick 29.
- End of year video announces NAVA connection project.
- Hospital Outpatient Surgery Center closing by Jan 16th (soon!).
FOOD
- Thai chickpea salad.
- Carrot oat muffins.
- Mint pesto (thawed from fall).
- Brown butter chocolate chip cookies (attempt #2, too little salt).
- Maple bourbon sweet potato pie.
- Sweet potato brownies (resurrected from 2017).
- Masoor dal (lentil kale curry).
PLANTS
- Zz finally sprouting?
- One Jade stalk dies of water/cold shock.
- Two orchids sprouting bloom branches.
- One succulent sprouts a flower.
DECOR
- Winter wreath: Trader Joe’s boxwood & red berry with faux pink poinsettia.
- Vera Bradley outlet “Hidden Hearts” fleece & snowflake pillow bedding.
BIRKS
- Didn’t wear Birks to the Nutcracker!
- Silver Tracy to dinner meeting.
- Shearling London for walking in the rain.
- Shearling lavender Boston clogs for daily wear (unseasonably warm!)
- Buffalo Plaid Zermatt slippers for home.
- Manolo Blahnik Boston for clogs for work.
BOOKS
- Number of Books Read: 24 (goodreads)
- Recommend: Matriarch: A Memoir by Kevin Carr O’Leary and Tina Knowles.
Marking time, noting the odd and ordinary, and looking forward to what comes next,
Caroline
—
Writing across seasons. Staying grounded. Thriving together. — c.w.frosting writes
If you enjoyed marking time with me this month, please share c.w.frosting writes with a friend and let them join the notes.