Whaddaya gonna do?--It's Christmas...

 It's official...I am an idiot.

  Yesterday, in a fit of holiday madness, I planned a quickie respite from the holiday madness in the form of a small dinner/gathering for about 15 of our friends, on the Friday evening before Christmas Eve. The insanity of it is that it will be a respite for everyone except (duh) me. I started thinking about it, went to Evite, made an invitation and hurried up and sent it out before I could come to my senses and change my mind. The upside is that I need a smack in the head about holidays (this should do it) and it gets worse every year, seems like. I procrastinate, I grumble, I drag around like I'm waiting for the executioner. It's ridiculous.

  The crazy thing is, once I get going with things I'm fine. I'm not just fine..I'm ecstatic. I'm a sucker for holiday celebrations, and any excuse will do.  This morning I woke up thinking..hmm.. a light supper.  Soup, naturally...a couple of different kinds, some a little more hearty, some light...and some breads and cracker assortments...and hot spiced cider and Mexican Hot Chocolate and coffee and teas and (of course) Christmas Cookies.  I haven't baked or made anything yet, cookie-wise. But that won't take SO much time, right? I have one recipe for a basic dough that you divide and make 5 different kinds of cookies with. That's a time saver.  lol 

  So now, I have a reason to get the house all decorated and fling myself with abandon into the festivities. Because, dammit, I DO like the festivities .  I DO like the excitement and the love and the FOOD.  lol  MY brother-in-law is coming for Christmas with us, if the weather doesn't prohibit it. I am so happy about that.  MY husband will be happy about that.  We usually have small uneventful Christmases together...and the last 2 years we have spent Christmas morning at my son's house, where he cooks a magnificent huge breakfast and we exchange gifts. In years past, when we lived away from all our families, we had quiet melancholy holidays that included phone calls and maybe a movie. Now that we're closer, it has changed some...we always have Thanksgiving with his family or mine, and though Christmas is still immediate family, none of his has ever been part of ours. SO--this year (God willing and the creek don't rise--or the blizzards come) his brother will be here with us.

  I have had 2 Christmas parties here in the last 6 years. It is always fun and in the end, I am always glad I did it.  I don't get myself too worked up over it all...and make sure that I enjoy myself.  One of the beautiful things about winter parties is that it gets dark early, so you can softly light your dirty house with twinkly lights and candles and nobody knows the difference.  (Take THAT! Martha Stewart!!  lol)  I do usually try to make little gifts for everyone...a fancy wrapped box of home made candies, a small stocking stuffed with exotic treats,-one year I found Santa Claus and Snowman jars at the Dollar Store and filled them with a sweet Chex mix recipe that my mother-in-law makes. I stuck red and green ribbons on the top and they were sweet beyond belief.  Sometimes I make baskets of jellies or something, but usually I try to keep it simple and cheap.  It's more fun that way, and easier for people to take. lol

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  It's after 1 AM now and I'm fading fast. Another rough night with the Altzheimers patient, bless her heart. She's  losing her bearings a lot more often now, and doesn't know where she is, then gets very agitated.  It's hard to watch and even harder to deal with. Every muscle in my body hurts...stress, I'm guessing. Stiff neck, headache and  all my joints are aching. It's done nothing but rain all day too, which never helps me.   So I shall bid adieu and head for that beautiful sleigh bed, with it's soft beautiful linens and the lovingly made quilt that lies atop all. 

  An appointment with the Sandman....

 Namaste.

Friday on the old home place...

  Here's a picture of the newly installed lattice work across the front of the porch rail. I cannot tell you how much better it is ... for both us and the poor dog that has to be tied up all the time now.  Now she can't get all tangled up. There is one hole in the rail, right in front of our front door, the only place where she can go in and out.  That's my handsome son/handyman drinking a B vitamin loaded energy drink after finishing the job. (As you can see, I still haven't taken down the Xmas garland...)


  Today the Irishman and I worked outside almost all day. I mowed until I could barely walk, while he did some repairs on the chicken coop and run, and then turned over the dirt/manure in the garden beds. He had to finish mowing the backyard in the outer areas because I couldn't go no mo.  Tonight for date night(lol)  we went to Mr Curry's for supper. I had Lamb Korma Curry and Patrick had Coconut chicken curry and we shared a rice pudding for dessert. Then we went to Home Depot (none there) and Lowes (found it!)  both looking for a heavy tarp to put over the top of the chicken run.  Then we went to Dierbergs so I could pick up a few things I needed to make salad dressings for the lunch I am cooking tomorrow for the retreat.

  By the time we got home I could barely walk.  I've had some aspirin, so it's a little better now. But my shoulders are killling me--guess it's been a while since I mowed!  I also should have worn a mask, because I am sneezing and my nose is running and my heads all foggy. I'm going to take some alka-seltzer sinus and go to bed.  (But boy--does my yard look good!!)  There were a lot of seed heads and debris getting kicked up by the mower. Not to mention things are starting to bloom.

  There are more hummingbirds every day visiting the 2 new feeders I put out.  And this afternoon we had 2 Coopers hawks circling...odd behavior, they were dipping and diving like swallows, and they were way up there. Patrick thinks it must have been some kind of territorial thing going on.

  I have a big full day tomorrow...I have to be at the Ecological center by 8:30 so I can make 2 soups and salads and apple crisp for the luncheon. Then I have to be all done with that to be at work at 3. So when I leave here at 8 AM, I'll be gone til about 8:30 PM.  It'll be a long day...but a good day.


  I'm off to bed, children.  Have a groovy weekend.




Namaste.

MoJo Monday

[It's been quite a journey...]

A day that felt like my Mojo was workin'... when everything happened in order and in a timely manner. Nothing was FUBAR. I saw at least 10 bluebirds in my yard today. (Bluebirds are always a good sign). The meanest rooster in the world did not beat me to the door today. The phone rang just enough today, but not too much. I experienced several little glimpses of HOPE through the eyes of others. I got to be of service to my fellows, a steward in my marriage, a caretaker of my home, and a friend. And a big sister. I got to be a mother and I got to be a wife. I got the chance to look in the mirror and want to be me instead of somebody else. I got to talk to a 2 year old who said "I wuv you, Ahnie". I got to watch a puppy who a month ago couldn't walk, race around the yards and house 3 times without stopping, in absolute ecstacy. I got to live in today, and even in the moment a few times.

How blessed am I ??

I made a big pot of vegetable soup, some for the freezer and some to eat. Almost exclusively made with items from my own garden. It is wonderful and nutritional and comforting. That's why I like soup. The old 1-2-3 punch.

I got an appointment with my tax woman for tomorrow at 3:30. That means I get to go to a nooner AND get my taxes done before March 28th.
Yea, ME. I had to get copies of 2 sets of W2s sent to me because I lost them, and the second one arrived today. So now we can see what the damage is.

My friend that had the sailing accident is bumped and bruised, but not broken. I am extrememly grateful. I will see his smiling face in June and may just kiss it to pieces.

I sit here thinking about the blessings in this life that I probably don't deserve. I look into the horizon and think about what I can possibly do each day to even the score a bit more. I love to consider the possibilities...what's the old saying..."Yesterday's history and tomorrow's a mystery..." One Day At A Time is sure a marvelous way to live on this planet.

Thanks for letting me in on the secret....

Thursday, Thursday

[My handsome boy....Leo de Catrio...star of stage and screen]





It's been a marvelous day and evening. I had a lot of time to myself today, and it was softly rainy the whole time. I made soup and cheesy biscuits for supper (comfort food--yum). The meeting was great, our little new mother came back after birthin' that bruiser (8lbs15oz), we had a newcomer/retread, and a spirited discussion on the story Freedom From Bondage, which I chose because I can. Because , as I explained to the group, I AM the queen of everything. I love that story...and BTW, the Queen of Ice Cream brought her newest creation to the meeting.Punpkin Ice Cream. It was so good, it left me speechless!!!!



And on the way home, I had another spiritual experience on that back country road. As I came up over a hill, and the road straightened out, a huge grey owl swooped down right in front of my car and flew along almost a quarter of a mile in a straight line, right in front of me. Then he swooped off to the right and was gone. I could see him plain as day, and he was huge! And gorgeous. Was it just last week (or the week before??) when I saw the comet or meteorite?? It was out on that same back road.

I was jazzed by that experience, and couldn't wait to get home and tell hubby the birder what I had seen. I didn't think he was nearly excited enough, though he did say "Wow. Cool." (I think he was just jealous).

*Blessed by a really serene day.
*Grateful for friends that are sober.
*Blessed by the rains.
*Grateful that the cheese biscuits were so good.
*Blessed by owls.
*Grateful that I have found another magnificent sober blog to read (TRC)]
*Blessed to have a warm bed to go to, and soup to fill my belly.
*Grateful to be grateful.



Oh yeah....it's ALL good....