Tales of the Traveling Tote #42 and Giveaway

Hello, readers, and welcome to Panoply! Today marks the 42nd instalment of the Tales of the Traveling Tote, can you believe it? It's all about quarterly tales of ladies connecting friendship and stories of our everyday lives via a MacKenzie-Childs tote we all purchased at one time or another. 

To read more about the origin of this series of posts, you can learn how it started here. A link to all my previous tales can be found here. 

For me, this quarter's post is mostly miscellaneous musings, seeing as how we did not travel much, but rather hibernated in what turned out to be one of the most abominable winters in a very long time. I understand if you'd like to skip right over to my traveling sisters' travels, their links are further in this post. But, be sure to see the details on the giveaway!

I'll start by going back to December, the week of Christmas. It was a jolly good time, going out with my kids and a few of their close friends.

Then, 32 of my immediate family were hosted by my oldest daughter for Christmas Eve (several missing from the photo below. It's like herding cats).

And then 10 of us got covid within a few days of Christmas. Not bad cases, just a few days of more or less head colds.

Then January's snow and deep freeze hit. What our summer lacked in moisture, January more than made up for it. 

A week after the first snowstorm, I stepped outside to assess garden damage, only to be greeted by what I thought was literally a war attack. Notice the smoke between the houses, and our capitol building's dome just beyond the roofline of the grey house on the right?

It was a 21-gun salute as part of the inauguration of our new governor. Scared the bejeebers out of me!

February wasn't much better than January. Utility bills peaked, as we trickled water in the garage sink, ran auxiliary heat, and layered on the clothes. This was Mr. P. just taking the garbage out on one of the subzero mornings.

Did you see the challenge on Facebook to go out in the snow and make a face plant? Lol, I challenged my girls. And they did it. 🤣🤣

Mr. P. was bound and determined to pre-order his new Samsung phone (his last one was 2017 and wouldn't update several apps he uses), so we trekked out for that. Check out the snowpile on the parking lot behind me. The photo on the right is the sales receipt of his purchase that day. 

January and February were about self-care for me. I had a place on my nose that was basal cell, and I was trying to rid it without having it frozen by my dermatologist. I used Flourouracil for 3 weeks. Then I started using the Tretanoin for those little white bumps that look like whiteheads but are hard. Ouch! That stuff (prescription strength retinol) is strong! Clinique to the restorative rescue. I've always used the Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion, but added the Moisture Surge to my routine. Moisture Surge with spf 28 is my new best friend.

I am so ready to kick winter to the curb! That snow from January 6th was still stubbornly remaining on January 30th, both on the roof and ground.

I celebrate March 1 as the beginning of spring, no matter what. Two days ago I worked inside the house to put away everything winter that hints as winter decor, including a snowy tablescape that my little Miss J has been using as part of her props while acting out Beauty and the Beast in the dining room scene.

I am ready to get out in the garden for good. I've had a couple good days outside in February, winter pruning some plants until close to breaking dormancy (namely St. John's Wort, clematis, lavender, butterfly bushes, and crepe myrtle).

And maybe by the next time we post on our travels (June 1), I'll have actually made a trip or two. We shall see.

NOW, ONTO THE GIVEAWAY!

The Traveling Totes Tribe is offering another giveaway and Patti at Pandora's Box is our giveaway sponsor this time. One lucky reader who leaves a comment on Patti's  post will have their name thrown into the hat for an opportunity to win this MacKenzie-Childs eyeglass case. 

PLEASE NOTE: If your comment displays as anonymous, be sure to write your name so that you may be identified!

Be sure to check out my other traveling sisters' posts to see how they spent their winter months. Also, please keep our dear sister Jenna from the Painted Apron in your thoughts, as she's currently focusing on some health issues and didn't join us this time.

Debbie with Miss Aurora @ Mountain Breaths

Emily with Miss Courtney Childs@ The French Hutch

Patti with Miss Kenzie and Miss Taylor @ Pandora's Box

Linda P with Miss Lola @ Life and Linda

Rita with Miss Luna C @ Panoply (you are here!)

Sarah with Miss Merri Mac @ Hyacinths for the Soul

Jackie with Miss Madi K @ Purple Chocolat Home

Ricki Jill and Countess de Monet @The Bookish Dilettante

Join us again on June 1, 2025 for another edition of Tales of the Traveling Tote.

It's meteorological spring in the Northern Hemisphere (that's calling it spring on the first day of March, even though the official spring equinox is not until March 20th). 

Thanks so much for your visit. I love reading your comments, and be sure to leave one on Patti's blog for a chance to win our token gift. Bee well🐝🌷, and Happy March! 

Rita C. at Panoply