Embrace The Suck

The subject of this post was actually supposed to be an addendum to my Christmas card. It's not a completely unique idea - I stole it from Wendy who stole it from someone else. As we already know I got kind of back logged at Christmas time so the few cards I sent out were lucky to include my signature. There was very little chance that they might include a letter, or a list. My intentions were good. My time management less than stellar. Looking at the clock I have exactly six hours to get my this posted. Ha! It's dinner time and the boys are getting hungry. If I had to make one change in the new year that would make my life a lot easier it would be the making of dinner every night. Meal preparation is getting very boring. Eating even more so. But rather than end the year bitching, here's my list: The smell of hay right off the truck (I was in charge of getting the hay for the Nativity scene. ) A red-faced goose. (I needed a break from hospital duty and went to talk to the d...

And just like that Christmas is over. Unless you've still got money to spend or presents to return (of which I have neither) the pace has slowed to a crawl. No more trips to the mall. No more late night wrap-a-thons. No more last minute baking. Like the meatless turkey carcass that sits on the kitchen counter surrounded by a kizillion dirty pots and pans, the only things left of Christmas day are good memories, happy thoughts and an overwhelming desire to sleep. As far as blogging and Christmas go, it's really not a combination that works well together. I quickly found my ability to multitask has lessened to the same degree my need to complete several jobs at the same time has grown. Even after burning the candle at both ends and telling myself "I think I can, I think I can ..." I soon realized I just don't have it in me anymore. And since something had to go, it was obviously the blog. I feel kind of guilty, though I'm not really sure why. Guilt is really is...

" Tradition is the illusion of permanence." Woody Allen If today is any indication, then perhaps I'm not the Scrooge I was afraid I was turning in to. Let's face it, Christmas time is a stressful time. Some days it's just easier to say Bah Humbug and leave all the decorations in a box, in the closet, up the stairs. The very idea of digging it all out for three weeks of falalalala - ing makes me tired. Yet I got up this morning, pulled out the .... ... and just like that the words stopped; my mind went blank; I'd not only hit the wall, I'd smacked into it hard enough to knock myself senseless. I don't know what I was possibly thinking telling the world I was going to post Christmas thoughts every day before Christmas. Even if I had the thoughts, the very idea that I expected to find time to write then post them is laughable. It's been ten days since I wrote anything. Tonight my mind is mush. My feet are killing me and my fingers less than flexible. ...

From the donkey who carried Mary into Bethlehem to Rudolph and his flying reindeer friends animals are featured prominently in most holiday stories. Soft, furry, friendly animals you can't help but love. Or mean, grouchy animals that are transformed by the magic of the season. You name the animal and it undoubtedly has a holiday story to tell. Magic, you see, is the language of Christmas. I discovered a few years ago that I am the kind of girl who needs a theme to work with when making things merry. From brown birthdays, to monkey baby showers, to blog posts, I've found if you have a theme to work with, you don't have to work so hard. As for this time of year, I realize that Christmas is, in and of itself, the more prominent theme; still I like to put my own twist on the familiar. I learned this from a couple of gay guys who lived next door to me in San Diego. One look at their over-the-top, neon bright tropical fish tree, with hand painted ornments that looked like they ju...

“When having a smackerel of something with a friend, don't eat so much that you get stuck in the doorway trying to get out.” Winnie the Pooh Jack and I took a field trip today. We went to the Fresh Market. As if we were in Tiffany's we went to look (and drool) not actually shop. Unlike Publix or Walmart, the Fresh Market is more of a market than a large grocery emporium. I realize that the Fresh Market is, indeed, a chain store, but it's smaller and feels more small town "markety." Fresh produce in baskets, fresh cut meat wrapped in brown paper, fresh baked bread and cakes while you wait. Mmmmmm. It all makes grocery shopping more of an outing than a chore. Today the market was decked out in its holiday finery. Two foot Christmas trees stood at the door, next to rows of poinsettias and blooming Christmas cacti. I have to tell you, those trees were so cute and simple that I almost bought one in my desire to downsize the holiday trappings. Since Jack wasn't as ...

In putting together my thoughts for this wordy lead up to Christmas I need to explain that I come from a Christian/spiritual place. For me the "reason for the season" is not just an overused slogan, it is the heart and soul of the holiday. Not that the festive flair, decorations, and gift giving isn't a nice addition. I like falderall as much as the next person - maybe more than that person who was honking at us to get out of the parking spot a full 2 seconds faster than we were moving. Yet, I still regard these days leading up to the big event as anticipatory and exciting in a churchy kind of way. Somehow in the midst of all the running around and madness, I always get to feeling rather introspective. Whether you are a Christian or not. Whether you believe in the Virgin Birth or not. Whether you believe in angels or not, I think there is still a place for the Bethlehem story in our lives. For it is a story of hope and love. It is a story of people giving to others, wheth...

Well, I made it through NaBloPoMo and the month of November, but I missed the very first day of my advent calendar blog. Yesterday just got completely away from me. What would normally have been a minimal trip to Walmart for groceries turned into a pre-Christmas shopping nightmare. It didn't help to find out AFTER everything had been passed through the checkout line that the money the credit union told me was available for withdrawal from my checking account was not really available as in, "go ahead and use your debit card." Instead I faced a cart full of food in front of me, a line full of people behind me and a clerk staring at me with a curious look. Luckily my mastercard was handy so I was able to take my purchases home without having to swab the Walmart deck. There was a Salvation Army man ringing a bell just outside the door. If I told you that I dropped a dollar into his bucket instead of saying what I was thinking would you be proud of me? I think that is part of ...