Happy 2026! Here are three beautiful things from the last week of 2025:

1. Sarah, Rudi, and I agreed that the movie we picked for New Year’s Eve, Marty Supreme, hadn’t worked for any of us. (I left at about the halfway point when I realized I’d rather be listening to my audiobook in the theater lobby than continue watching.) While it’d be easy to see that as a downer, I like to think that means that the New Year starts on an up swing. (And any year that begins with friends is a positive one, let’s be clear.)

2. The cats were delighted to have me back after a week in Connecticut. It’s the longest I’ve left them before, and Jordan’s final catsitting report suggested that they were starting to feel my absence. They both curled up with me and were happy that I chose to stick close to home most of the next day.

3. My Christmas cookie list contains a baker’s dozen types. I got two made while up in Connecticut, which is a good start.

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world lately?