On the Sixth Day of Christmas

Have you been thinking about your New Year's resolutions as much as I have been thinking about mine? I do not recall a year when I ever had so many resolutions! I even had to get a notebook out to list mine so I would not forget what they all are!

Things will be changing around here in so many ways. One way is this...have you ever noticed how much time can get away from you while you are dawdling on the computer? The day can fly by. That is stopping here and now for me which will mean that I have many fewer posts with many fewer photoshop creations. No big loss. There are not many readers here. Most that read it, I can talk with anyway. Pretty much my blog is a diary for me to joggle my memory a year from now. Also, I love to play with the photoshop thing.

I have noticed a trend in society where everything centers around the computer. Honestly, I cannot say I like it. In some ways, it is good. In many other ways, I think it might not be so good. I really see a day not too far away when all social skills will be lost. Men and women will just order their spouses off of the internet. Friendships will solely exist in the cyber world. That is not much of a friendship. Short and sweet and sometimes trite comments will be posted on facebook, twitter and the like. Forget about the original spelling of words! 'Your' will become 'ur' and 'you' will become 'u'. I must confess I myself am guilty of this English language mangling behavior. However, I like to see the person I am talking to and not just on video. The other day while standing in line at a department store, I actually saw two teenage girls texting each other while standing not more than a foot apart!! Was it too much trouble to open their mouths and speak? I only knew this because one of them saw me watching them and told me it was" just a habit they had."
And on that note, here is the sixth day and I will continue this all the way to the 12th day. After that, there will be a lapse. I have places to go and people to see as they say. Life awaits me with all of my resolutions. Wish me luck! I wish you peace.

On the Fifth Day of Christmas

Better late than never, I always say. Anyway, five golden rings did not turn into anything special. I wait for inspiration to strike but sometimes it does not strike. I must admit I have a bit of a diversion. I am watching a show about a house that is haunted. The cat keeps getting the bejeepers scared out of her. Now, listen. I would not tolerate that. "I ain't afraid of no ghosts." when one gets between me and the cat. In that situation, ghost had better look out or it might get its ethereal bootey kicked...which reminds me. I have some new neighbors. I hope they like cats because if they do not...well, I won't go there...yet.

On the Third and Fourth Days

I didn't have enough time to make the third day of Christmas last night so ended up making them both this morning. I made them while I was watching the news and spending time with my fuzzybrats.

Second Day of Christmas

The First Day of Christmas

Bet you cannot guess what will happen here during the next twelve days leading up to Epiphany? Yes, the twelve days of Chistmas. Did you have a wonderful Christmas? I had a nice time beginning Christmas Eve. We spent it at my sister's house. The next day we went to another sister's house. Today, we all met up again. My nephew came visiting with all of his children. I am very tired after all of the visiting. I grabbed some pix with my phone that I will be posting over the course of the next few days. Until then, I leave you with the first day of Christmas.

Scrooge's Sisters

I went out today to do some last minute shopping. Something about crowds causes me to notice every single pet peeve that I have. If I listed them all here, you would be convinced that I am Scrooge's sister. Why is it when I am trying to do some serious shopping that requires me to read labels, assess brands and so forth someone gets right behind me in a huge hurry? Or is everyone just in a huge hurry except me? I like to enjoy my day. I do not like to bustle through it. Oh, and the driving on the parking lots. It is like anything goes! No rules whatsoever. I really hope I do not have to go out shopping tomorrow. Oh! and the next time someone on a cell phone while driving pulls out in front of me, I am going to pull my hair out. Have you ever noticed an odd thing? It is this...have you ever noticed when looking for a certain address or business that you have never been to that you will turn down the radio while looking for it  as if what does that have to do with it? Concentration, that is what! That is the perfect argument for no cell phones while driving. I told you I was Scrooge's sister!

Back in the Dark Ages

When the Earth was much younger, I was younger too. I used to ride my bicycle, chase grasshoppers, watch clouds go by at this place. This is where I lived until I was about 12 years old. The memory of it haunts me like a shadow in many ways. Recently, my brother-in-law went there and took these pictures. I must admit it is odd to think of living in a house that does not even have a real street leading to it. To call a friend, it was 'long distance'.

A Lunar Eclipse...and no vampires were even present!

Today around midnight, I went out to set up all of my stuff for some serious lunar eclipse watching. I knew I would be there for a couple of hours. Sugar Plum was so psyched about it. He did not understand about the eclipse (at least I don't think he did, just an assessment on my part) but he definitely understood we were going to have some fun. After awhile, I zipped him up inside my coat and we both stuck our heads out of the neck. He really liked that. I could tell by all of the loud purring to which I was being subjected. Sometimes we would just play and not watch the eclipse. I mean, it is not like there is something happening every second during a lunar eclipse. We didn't see any reindeer flying around but we looked for some. The sky has been so pretty the last couple of nights leading up to the eclipse that I just had to post some pictures of the blue sky with pink clouds.

Frosty the Night Was

Hey, it finally got cold! Last night was so odd for me. I could not get warm! When I went to bed, my legs were freezing! I lay there for a few minutes thinking that I would warm up any second. I would warm up to my normal steaming, sweating self. It did not happen. My legs continued to freeze. I touched them. They felt like ice logs! Well, maybe more like ice jello but ice none the less. So then, I got up and changed clothes. I put on a fleece sweat suit. Did you understand that? I put on a fleece sweat suit! Fortunately, I had one stored high on a shelf collecting dust in my closet just in case another ice age sets in. I kept my summer gown nearby certain of the fact that I would be changing back into it sometime during the night. Guess what? It didn't happen. I woke up this morning warm and toasty in my fleece sweat suit with my down blanket still on me. Plus, did I mention that I have flannel sheets on the bed?? This is simply amazing. Maybe it really was cold last night. Maybe I was sick. However, this morning when I awoke, I looked outside to find a heavy frost had fallen all over everything in sight.

Do You Believe This?

When we were planning my brother's-in-law memorial service recently, we were asked what was his favorite scripture. I immediately thought of my own, John 11:25-26. I am lucky because I was born a believer. Some might say that is not luck that believing is a choice. Yet, some people find it so difficult to believe. I believe in worlds unseen, words not yet spoken, dreams yet to be dreamed, steps not yet taken. I know someday the unseen will be seen, the words will be spoken, the door will open and all will be revealed. The older I become, the more I believe. Believing is a blessing.

Believe

Then all will be possible

A Golden Christmas Ballet

I have noticed when decorating for Christmas that I am continually attracted to the color gold. I would not have guessed that about myself as I am a silver person. I love silver. I almost always wear white metals. I love the frostiness of it. I do wear yellow metals too but my strong preference for myself is white. But when it comes to Christmas, yellow seems so right. I love gold and red together.

What is your favorite Christmas music? Do you have a favorite carol? Nothing reminds me of Christmas more than The Nutcracker Suite. A few years ago, my niece was in a performance of it. It definitely left an impression on me. The Sugar Plum Fairy and her cavalier perform a pas de deux near to the end of the ballet to an unforgettable piece of music. It is hauntingly beautiful. I also love The Nutcracker March.( In retrospect, I suppose it is not odd after all that I named a cat Sugar Plum.)

Never Look Back

Only Look Ahead

You Had Me At Meow

Christmas Kitty

Christmas Tidings

This Sugar Plum Fairy brings you Christmas Tidings. My Sugar Plum Fairy is trying to keep warm in the garage.

I love Charles Dickens most particularly "The Christmas Carol". We have a family tradition of watching "The Christmas Carol" starring George C. Scott every Christmas Eve. I loved it for so many years but when my niece grew up loving it too, I was so very happy. She and I have many traits in common. I know that must make her 'cringe'. It is an odd feeling that I know parents must have. It is wonderful to see your traits in a younger generation yet you hope these same traits are more honed and refined in these younger ones than they were in yourself. What I am saying is, I am flattered that my niece possesses many traits like myself yet I hope she becomes so much more than I ever was. I hope she can take these traits to more auspicious heights.

Do you like my new house shoes? Nigel cannot take his eyes off of them. He is constantly studying them. While I sleep, he carries them off. I think he fears a new animal has overtaken his mother's feet.

Mixing Metaphors

Have I ever mentioned how much I love the heart shape? It is my favorite shape. I love heart shaped gemstones. I love heart shaped jewelry. I used hearts to decorate this Christmasy looking creation. It looks like a Christmas Valentine. I am not sure what this guy is up to other than running off with a bottle of champagne.

What is essential?

I can think of many blog post topics...until I sit down to write one. Something interesting happened today. I have an old flatware set that I have had about 30 years. I like it very much. I have always been  conscientious to keep up with all of the pieces. I noticed awhile back that there is a knife, spoon and fork missing. Often, I have looked for them but figured I must have accidentally tossed them in the garbage or they were stuck in the disposal or someone took them off or something. Today, I found them at work!! I was cleaning out my desk and there they were wrapped up in a dish towel. Funny how I obsess over that flatware when I seem so very intent to get rid of everything else I own. I suppose it makes sense though. I mean a person needs a fork, spoon and knife regardless where they live. What does this have to do with this lady below reading a letter? Nothing. The letter is filling her head with lovely thoughts.

The Quiet Ballet

It has been cool the past couple of days. I finally turned on the heater this morning because it was 30 degrees outside. I do not mind the house being cool. I love it but I took pity on my fuzzyboos because they were all huddled up like snow bunnies. After I turned that thermostat on and things began to heat up, the running began. Nigel got so rambunctious that he knocked the phone off the wall. Henry slid all the way across the kitchen. Ollie rolled off half a roll of toilet paper in one of his exercising fits. Around 5 in the morning each day, he goes in the bathroom to begin his day with some exercise that involves rolling off the toilet paper at light speed. If my alarm clock fails me, I can rely on the frenzied high speed dispensation of toilet paper to awake me. I can count on my Ollie. Do you think ballet dancing is better exercise though? It is definitely quieter.

Moment Memories

Memories are odd to me because there seems to be no rhyme or reason to a lasting memory. I can remember odd little moments in my life story that were seemingly insignificant at the time yet somehow they etched a carving into my brain like an etching in a sparkling crystal glass. As if it happened this morning, I can remember being very small, not even school age yet, standing and peaking out Venetian blinds looking across our snow covered yard. I can still see the tiny bird feet prints in the snow as clearly as if I only just looked at a photograph of it. It was nothing special. It is only a moment. Time moved forward. Another moment memory except this time, I am standing in that same yard except this time in summer looking up at a giant full moon being amazed at its grandeur and mystery wondering where time would take me in my life. I have millions of these moment memories. I cannot nearly begin to remember large events. I know they happened but no moment memories there. For example, I cannot remember one single first day on the job. It seems like something that nerve racking would rate a memory, right? Apparently, not so for me. I can tell you every single Christmas gift I received when I was 15 years old but I cannot tell you the same between then and now. Why do I remember that one so clearly? The mind is a mystery. Will I remember writing this someday? I couldn't tell you.

I Should Have Been a Fairy

This is a fairy. She has wings. It would be nice to have wings. I really must believe that. I say so because last night I dreamed that I needed to return to a place that I used to live that is kind of far away. In the dream, I figured I would fly and not by plane. I figured I would fly myself using my own wings. I had the capacity to alter my form. I turned myself into a fly. I returned as a fly back to this location and was crawling around on a screen door because that is what a fly would do. I think to myself "People do not like flies. Perhaps I am in danger of being swatted. I think I will change into a gnat." The thought later occurred to me that for the trip home, I should turn into a bird because it might be too long of a trip for a gnat. I mean their little wings are small and could mean a lot of flapping. Dreams are weird, are they not? Why was I a fly or a gnat when I could have been a beautiful parrot? All in all though, I would have rather been a fairy.