The sun is coming through my office window full strength, though it's still cold out there. The kitchen is still pretty clear, and I've been packing up the wrappings and spare boxes.

Last night I moved around some of the books and things that need to go on the shelves in the front room (you'll recall I rearranged and enlarged the amount of shelf space in there), and then dusted and started rearranging the fancy shelves in the larger living room (den) where I've placed my dining room table. I have a large oval mirror (originally there were two of these hanging in the hall bathroom) that I hung near the dining table and it looks good--turns that area into a more distinctive "zone" in the room. And if I rearrange the shelves to the side of the table it will look more sophisticated as well. It is a lot of collectible stuff that is arranged kind of haphazardly (each category on a shelf--it's a 3-tiered built in cabinet with about 6 or 7 shelves each).

This is the time of the year where the blues to some degree hit just about everyone. It's a typical response to the let down after the build up we all have to the holidays. I wonder if it is less pronounced in the southern hemisphere, where the year is in full summer with heat and bright light longer in the day? Just thinking about it feels like this would be the case.

SRS