Your Weekly Antics, Bring On the New Year Edition...1/2/2026

Well kids, we made it to another year. I was not playing around and started opening doors and windows saging the hell out of my house early evening long before the ball dropped at midnight. I started this process well before 6pm New Years Eve and did it again New Year’s Day just to make sure I have rid this house of any bad vibes or evil spirits that may have followed me home. I have no time or patience for the ghosts of Christmas past or what have you, following me into 2026...think what you will, but I’ve worked in Geriatrics for 31 years, I guarantee you I’ve pissed off plenty of people who’ve had one foot in the grave who now have it out for me. I’d rather be safe than sorry – I don’t need them bothering me. Here’s what I’ve got.

1. The first Full moon of 2026 is the Wolf Moon. The Wolf Moon will make its full appearance on Saturday January 3^rd,  but if you happen to be out and about this evening and look up, you will see that it has already made its presence known illuminating the night sky. This first full moon of 2026 is also a Supermoon, appearing bigger and brighter (up to 14% larger, 30% brighter) than average. Maybe that’s why it’s been messing with us a little bit extra this week.

2. I don’t know about any of you, but I have no idea what the hell day it is. I’d like to blame the full moon, but the truth is, I’m jacked up on caffeine, chocolate and cheese and as far as I’m concerned, we are on our third Saturday of the week and the 6^th Saturday since Christmas. This is what happens when Christmas and New Year’s fall in the middle of the week. The “Eve’s” on those Wednesdays make it feel like a fake workday; makes Thursday feel like Saturday, and makes Friday feel like another Saturday. By the time you get to actual Saturday you’re not sure what the hell has happened to the week and start to wonder if maybe you slept through it, and it’s been one whole long Saturday this whole time. By the time you figure it out, Sunday comes along and punches you right in the face and says, “Idiot...tomorrow’s Monday. Get you and your carb loaded self together because you, my calendar challenged friend, have work tomorrow.”  

 3. If and when you get your days straightened out, many of you may have chosen January 1^st to organize and declutter. A fresh start to a new year, purge items that have been hanging around and in your way. As part of the purging and decluttering process, many of you will go out and buy storage containers and contraptions to pack away those items you’ve decided you don’t need hanging around, only to realize months later, those storage containers weren’t much help and are only now, additional clutter. Plan accordingly people…let this be the year you start making less work for yourselves.

4. When you live in a small space with limited storage, you adapt. You pick and choose what you need, what you don’t, and what’s worth tossing in the attic for another day. Perhaps you’re not ready to part with that gadget you never actually use and is in your way, are not ready to toss it, so down to the basement it goes. For the living space of your house and the items you use daily, safely and efficiently storing those everyday items quite literally requires a delicate balance. When someone messes with my system, I have been known to lose my mind. For example, the cabinet that holds my pots, pans, and the lids that go with both. All it takes is one person to half ass, I mean haphazardly, toss something in that cabinet and anarchy ensues. There are mixing bowls stacked all out of order in insecure stacks, threatening to fall over, and taking up too much space. Lids to pans get thrown in the dark abyss that is the way way way back of the cabinet never to be seen again. Handles on pans get broken, pans get dented, all because my cabinets suck and those I live with (Al), is constantly messing with this delicate balance and my system. Stay the hell out of my cabinets.  

5. Now that you've come to terms with it being a full moon, taken down your Christmas tree, decluttered, and have your days straightened out, have you made any New Year's resolutions? My resolution is not to make any resolutions, how do you like that? No need to set myself up to fail...the day to day is hard enough.

6. Christmas day I was on call. I was called to address an individual in the community who was in distress and was told that I would require an interpreter to be able to communicate with him. Doing my due diligence before bothering someone else on Christmas day, I called this individual to confirm that he did, in fact, require interpretation services. I’m here to tell you people, that I have never had a more eloquent conversation spoken in the English language. This individual spoke clearly, and intelligibly. He understood what I was saying, and I him. Just as I was wrapping things up telling him what it was I would be able to do for him, he used my famous line against me. “I’m sorry, you’ll have to call me back…I don’t speak English.” He must be my one and only reader. I’m glad someone pays attention to what’s being written here in The Antics and has taken my tried and true advice on how to terminate a conversation or avoid conversation all together.

Exhibit 1, speaking of clowns, check out this clown...you will never escape them Margolis...Nevahhhhhhhhh

7. I came across a new one this week. Out on a visit in public housing there were not one, but two pet guinea pigs who were allowed to roam free in the apartment in which they lived. Nothing phases me anymore and I have stopped asking questions. I was just happy they weren’t rats. Peaches and Penelope, nice to meet ya. ✌️

8. Regardless of the sign hung front and center on the front gate of the Kap house, packages continue to be thrown over the fence into the yard for Gibson to retrieve. Gibson is not a good and well trained dog and we’re not talking about any Hallmark moments or Lassy-type stories of dogs bringing mail and packages to their owners who happily open their doors to welcome the dog and receive their mail. Rest assured, we keep it real down here on our corner; that is most certainly not happening, and we have the pictures to prove it.  

 Exhibit 2, photo taken by the delivery driver.

9. This jack wagon who spends all day and all night protecting us from nothing, has gotten a hold of four packages- all of which belonged to the middle kid- in recent weeks. In today’s day and age with everyone ordering anything and everything online, these companies and delivery services have smartened up and started photographing the drop off and where the packages were left. Easy enough, right? Now we can find out if the packages were stolen. No, no they were not stolen. The drivers not only took photo’s of where the packages were left but then went so far as to photograph the chronological order of what happened to the packages…every – single – time. We have pictures of the package being left at the door. Then additional pictures of Gibson taking the package. Then again, of Gibson playing with the package in the yard, and the final picture is always of Gibson ingesting part or all the contents of the missing package. Needless to say, Gibson is on the s&^t list and the middle kid is no longer speaking to him. If we ever have a reason to bring him to an airport, he’s definitely setting off a metal detector.

Exhibit 3, the chronological order documented in photo's of Gibson's thievery.

10. The workers at Starbucks didn't get the memo that Gibson is in the dog house. They asked if he could have a pup cup and I politely declined the offer. To be honest, not because I'm mean or holding a grudge, but because Gibson is a straight up slob. As soon as the kid in the window said "pup cup" this fool started drooling big globs of grossness all over the back of my seat. As the kid stood in the window holding my large cinnamon dolce latte hostage, he asked again, saying, but he won't stop looking at me. Well how about this? Give me my coffee, I drive away, and problem solved. But no, he pleaded as Gibson stared into his soul and before I knew it, he was pup cup slobbering all over me.

And last but not least, I hope you've all survived this holiday season and are off to a great start to a happy and healthy New Year!

Have a great weekend 😊