Dr. Doolittle's wedding was the highlight of January and demanded most of my bandwidth for the month. It turned out to be glorious. It was held at our local state park, which is nice enough without proclaiming they went bankrupt for the occasion. The guests really made it special, since so many came so far from all over, and represented the bride and groom's closest friends from all the different phases of their lives. The food was simple but plentiful. The wine, dance music, karaoke, and the photo booth were fun for everyone, and those who stayed at the park lodge partied on in the honeymoon suite long after I packed up the decorations and left.
Princess and her kids stayed at my house for three months after the wedding, while the Captain went off to basic training. Life with a two-year-old and an infant was hectic, but fun as I got to spend plenty of time with my grandchildren up close and personal. That ended with a trip to Ft. Hood to see my son-in-law graduate.
It was a blessing that Princess was here in February, since that was when my first colonoscopy was scheduled months earlier. But the prep went sideways and I vomited the last of my body's fluids. I canceled the procedure, but went to a closer hospital when I lost my balance and my leg hurt terribly. It was my first ER visit for myself, and my first hospitalization. They kept me for three nights on an IV for dehydration. That wouldn't be so notable except that it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. They did a scan and found an aortic aneurysm that needed surgery. That took another six weeks and was postponed twice, while I pondered my death the whole time. My first surgery was done on April Fool's Day. They kept me in ICU overnight and then promptly sent me home, where Dr. Doolittle and Princess both pampered me for several days, while I just slept most of the time. And may I say, thank God for Medicare.
Thanks to DOGE, my new son-in-law's postdoc funding was yanked, and he found that energy research hiring was at a standstill, especially for immigrants. There are a lot of scientists and research engineers in the same boat. So Dr. Dolittle signed a year's contract at a vet clinic and he found a job outside his expertise (although his work at Auburn is still being
published). They are in Nashville because she was spooked by my medical adventures and wanted to be closer to home. That wouldn't be my first choice for their futures, but she's only obligated for one year. They squeezed in a long-planned honeymoon in Hawaii between jobs. My son-in-law has a work permit and a pending green card application. His interview is in January, and is no guarantee of safety thanks to the ever-changing whims of the White House. An actual green card is no guarantee of safety, either, but it will give him a leg up in getting a position in his field of expertise. If he's rejected, America will lose two very skilled young people with expensive American educations. And I won't be able to live in a country with both my daughters.
My year-long stint as chairman of the board at my church finally came to an end after two years. I am still in charge of our charitable outreach. And I took on another role when I designed and launched a new church website, one that actually seems to belong in the 21st century. That turned out to be an ongoing job, as the site has a blog and I'm the only one who knows how to keep up with that (and no one else is interested in learning). I'm gradually using it as a digital archive of the church's history, along with posting sermons, testimonies, and activities.
Autumn was happy because the Captain became an American citizen! And my granddaughter turned one and took her first steps! It was also sad because I lost my sweet orange cat Apollo.
Looking forward to 2026, I am glad that my family is flourishing and doing well in whatever they attempt. Dr. Doolittle is going to Ecuador for a marathon spay-and-neuter mission. My grandson is starting preschool. Dr. Engineer may get his green card (pray for that). I am getting hearing aids, which everyone guarantees will improve my life. I may remodel the bathroom, which will mean an extensive post or two.
Meanwhile, I am very grateful for all of you who come to visit Miss Cellania, and for your comments, contributions, good wishes, and friendship. Thanks to everyone, and here's to a wonderful 2026!
See all the previous year-end lists here.
