Disorder and disarray

 Donald Trump is still the President.  We still have a majority.  Things are happening.  I am pleased.   :)   More seriously, the hard work of governance begins today (or it should).  The narrow majorities do make for some narrow maneuvering, though I note that much of what he has done is... fine?  For instance, tariffs -- threatened -- are back-burnered with a study, as countries (rightly, I think) are trying to work with POTUS to make more favorable deals.  I don't necessarily think this is a bad thing  -- jaw-jaw is better than war-war, to use a phrase of Winston Churchill.  How long this will last, I do not know, but if these deals are of benefit to us... so be it.

Exclusive | Trump announces pardon for Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, vacating life sentence
I don't know how I feel about this; the libertarian in me says "So what, he made a website to buy and sell drugs, which should be legal anyways."  To which I say yes, but he tried to hire a hit man and eliminate his rivals.  To which I say, yes, but it was an FBI setup, and if this is what they have been working on...well, we all know what the new administration thinks about them.  I guess -- like many of the J6 rioters -- I would have preferred a commutation, which says you are still guilty, but you can go home.  I think most people would accept that deal, but... it does seem to be something of an unforced error.  I suspect there will be more.

Painting -- at least the white -- and the drywall is done, and it looks quite beautiful in there.  The carpenter arrives tomorrow -- bright and early, supposedly -- and this will start the install of the vanity, which has to be custom due to the length of the space between the wall and the studs.  This is fine -- I figured as such, as basically I have a stock cabinet with a custom countertop.  I am not sure how much longer this will take, but I am feeling both anxious and overeager to get it done.

Similarly, I am thinking that there will eventually be a time when I need to take the tree down and put away the Christmas stuff.  It has replaced the end of the season as the saddest day of the year for me.  One, because it is pretty and we need this in our life.  Two, it seems sad to pack it away for 11 months of the year.  Three... well, for so long, of course, I didn't put stuff out, and I feel regret, and then I think of the holidays past, and the fact that I am childless, which is the point of the holidays, is it not?  Also, the mess and disorder in the living room has compressed everything so it is hard to sit in the living room and just enjoy the Christmas decorations...again, next year, it will be better, but for now... I should see a professional about this, but I think we know how I feel about that.