It’s Good to Live It Again
Thanksgiving was a little disappointing this year. It was a lot easier but disappointing. We had reserved our turkey back in September, so we didn’t want to get too far away from a typical Thanksgiving, but we couldn’t have things like bacon-wrapped jalapenos, sage sausage stuffing, or pecan pie, so everything we made was a sad version of what we’d normally have. In the early part of the year, when we switched back to healthy foods and smaller portions, we decided Thanksgiving and Christmas would be treated the same as always, but now, ten months or so later, unhealthy things don’t come across as treats when you don’t want them.…
It’s the Hap-Happiest Season of All
I have a confession. I’ve already started decorating for Christmas. I don’t think I’ve ever decorated for Christmas before. We’ve had trees, of course, the doodads we painted, and outside lights, but I’ve never filled our rooms with themed things. For me, it’s just stuff I’ll have to dust, and I abhor dusting. But this year has been different. The moment Halloween was over, I started to get excited about Christmas. I know Thanksgiving is in there, but since food has shifted for us, and family is too far away to be with, Thanksgiving is more vacation time than holiday time. Plus, while I am looking forward to the cozy, sparkle-filled look…
All the Lights Are on the Tree
Right now there is a moth the size of a toddler’s pinkie nail in the office with me. Every time it lands on my screen I am legitimately startled, and I physically jump. One itty bitty moth and suddenly I’m sobbing in the corner, waving a back scratcher wildly in the air. Muggabee hasn’t been around for at least two months. I just heard you say, “Shut up about your cats!” Rude. Oh my goodness, it almost touched me. Christmas is right around the corner, as it often is this time of year. We were late buying gifts. We’re usually finished by Thanksgiving, but luckily they’re all finally here. Fortunately, I still…
Into the Calm and the Quiet
I love October; it’s the start of the holiday season for me. Cool days and frozen evenings mean the smell of woodstoves and fireplaces start to fill the air. You’d think after a summer of toxic air quality and wildfires raging through the state, we’d be sick of smoke, but there’s something different and comforting about the smell of a cozy hearth. Trees that can begin the slide toward yellow, orange, and red. Many trees around here are cottonwood, which turn a beautiful gold. Some of the leaves have already started to fall. The first day of autumn brought a light dusting of snow, and more is in the forecast…
One Light Goes Out, They All Go Out!
This weekend we have so much to accomplish! We have to hang our lights, which is going to be a feat itself with the amount we usually put up. On top of what we already have, we’ve been talking about buying more boxes. Then there’s the issue of measuring to make sure things are balanced so I don’t feel fidgety and uncomfortable every time I catch a glimpse of an extra three feet of lights hanging off the edge of something. I can tolerate there being an extra amount of lighting but it really has to be balanced or it’ll drive me nuts. Then, we have to order our snowman…