A New Year

I had good intentions for a new year post that would review 2023's highlights, but catching Covid at the office holiday luncheon put the kibosh on my Christmas plans and squelched a whole lot of my good intentions. 

Instead of a leisurely new year, I'm scrambling to wrap the last of the presents and get them delivered, now that I'm not contagious anymore.

The good news is that I wasn't all that sick, just blazingly positive for many, many days, and a "year in review" may still happen. I still have some bronchitis to defeat, but I went to the doctor and have hope that one day in the not-so-distant future I will stop coughing. 

Anyway, happy new year! May this year be filled with joy and bring us the change that we need and the stability we crave.

Wish for Today

May your day be filled with happy memories and the making of new ones! This photo of my best friend and I from 1969 should get you in the mood.

Merry Christmas!

Happy holidays!

Random Thoughts

So far, so good at the office. I'm a weird combination of vigilant and forgetful. Following the arrows and washing my hands and wearing a mask are all going well, and my coworkers are largely compliant. But I also think we definitely have "pandemic fatigue," myself included. Last week I had two different people sit down in my office for informal meetings -- and I only realized afterwards that even though they were sitting 6 feet away and masked, we exceeded the recommended 15 minutes of talking and laughing, both times. I'm tired of being suspicious of everything, including the air! Ugh.

Covid cases are skyrocketing again here, but Florida will never lock down again. There are still plenty of people who prefer to travel and socialize and drink in the bars as though the virus doesn't exist. The rest of us are just going to get through it, trusting our precautions and the luck of the draw: smart or lucky or a little of both.

Meanwhile, I didn't mean to buy a new water heater, but I did -- after the old one leaked all over the laundry room floor.

I also didn't mean to get another crown, but I did -- after my cereal became unexpectedly crunchy from a broken tooth. Dentistry has come a long way since the last crown I had! Instead of doing the mould thing, having a temporary put on, and then returning to have the permanent crown installed, and maybe it fits and maybe it doesn't, the dentist scanned my tooth with a computer wand, which created a 3D picture on the screen. Then a little block of porcelain is carved by a machine into a replica of the scanned image. That's the crown! I went from tooth to crown in under 120 minutes and $1500, but no pain and no complaints now that I'm on the other side of it. Thank goodness for modern technology and dental insurance.        

New kitten LP has settled in and is growing up boisterously. I still need to write about him and share his adorable photos. He's hardly recognizable now, going from skinny pitiful kitten to filled-out teencat in just a few short months.

Fall has finally arrived, with temps in the 50s at night and high 70s during the day. That's a welcome relief from summer's heat and humidity. My nostalgia for New Hampshire has peaked and passed, but I am still watching the webcam for the first real snow.

Holiday menus are going to be different this year. Nothing else has been traditional, so why should that be? Meanwhile, the neighbors have their Christmas tree up already. They put it up right after Halloween. Normally I would be all, "Nooooo, it's too early!" but I can't say that I blame them for wanting to just get the year over with, already.

Strange times.

Almost

Eleven days later.

Merry Christmas to all! 

That'll Work

Overheard at the office:

Boss: I'm leaving early today because we're taking the kids to the Polar Express ride tonight.

Staff member: Oooh, that sounds like fun. (Realizing the Polar Express passengers will be a hundred kids excited about Christmas and filled with the sugary fuel of cookies and hot chocolate.) Do you have ear plugs?

Boss: No, but I have a flask.

She Knows

I received this pretty little lady as a gift last Christmas. Generally I'm wary of plants in pots because I'm not good at watering consistently. Despite my lack of enthusiasm, my intrepid little friend as has survived life in a tiny pot, an unfortunate episode of clumsiness that shattered that pot, and a long stay in a temporary home, otherwise known as a plastic cup. 

Now she has a fresh, new, larger pot, where she can continue to give refuge to the numerous small lizards who come onto the porch. They hang out for a while and once I notice them, I put them back outside.

The length of the nights tells her to get ready to put on a show -- right on time.    

Christmas Eve-ish

This weekend I was lucky enough to go on a caroling cruise on a real live riverboat -- twice!

A local gentleman has built a paddlewheeler and takes folks along the St. Johns River, where people rush out to their docks and wave and shout "Merry Christmas" as he goes by. (He goes out year-round, but the holidays make it extra special.)

It was a wonderful way to spend a pre-holiday evening, with carols playing and the full moon coming up over the water.

Merry Christmas! Good Yule! Happy holidays! 

Adventing

I started thinking about the holidays earlier than usual this year.

Maybe it's because for work I created and managed a committee that made a float for the Christmas Parade downtown. It was a big success last Saturday night. Literally 10,000 people crowded the sidewalks to enjoy the show. There were 115 entries this year, most of them floats! It's a huge big deal around here.

Now all I have to do is survive the DeLand St. Johns River Boat Parade and create, give, and grade a final exam, and whoo hoo! I'll be all about the holidays then!

Variety

Friday night: This was the view from the landing, after our boat ride in downtown Jacksonville on the St. Johns River. Everyone was in a festive mood and the weather was perfect!

Saturday night: I won the first game, lost the second game, reconnected with some old friends, met some new people, and still had time to make a Christmas tree with the biscuits.

Sunday night: Driving home with the sunset behind me and thinking about the kind of year I want 2018 to be.  

What a nice weekend.

Holiday Roundup

So far . . . .

I've managed to buy more presents for myself than gifts for other people. I'm easier to shop for, and I always know what I want. This time of year I make sure I get it!

That said, I'm making good progress on my gift list. It gets shorter every year. More and more people get cards with a nice handwritten note, and there's nothing wrong with that. This kind of scaling back is less stressful for me to accomplish and perhaps also less stressful on others who may feel pressured to reciprocate.

I bought a generous collection of candies at the local chocolate shop as a collective gift for my coworkers. They even had some vegan chocolate, allowing me to respect everyone's food choices. After the clerk wrapped all the little packets up in a decorative box, I realized she hadn't removed the price stickers, so I had to open the box and remove the little tags. And wouldn't you know it, then all the little packets wouldn't fit back in the box again. Oh well. No one will ever miss those pretzel sticks dipped in white chocolate, will they?

Speaking of holiday treats, I started on the indulgences right after Thanksgiving. Usually I limit myself to one quart of eggnog, but I drank it so long ago that I'm considering making an exception to the rule and buying another. On the brighter side, I still have this to look forward to:

Photo: Publix.com

If you're lucky enough to live near a Publix supermarket and you haven't tried this, well, I can only say "Get some, ASAP!" It's delicious.

This weekend I have three different holiday events to go to. That's a pretty big deal for me, as I usually like to stay home. One's a boat ride which is likely to include my idea of hell (40 degrees and raining); the boat has plenty of interior space and hardy among us will be honor bound to make it a good time anyway. One's an open house that also includes shuffleboard (a sport that deserves more respect, and for which my host is trying to spur a resurgence; check out his blog here about being invited to participate in the world championships). Again, cold weather will make that an adventure, but why not? The third is a party for the local Pony Club; the kids will play games, the adults will drink wine, and everyone will talk about horses a lot. That's my kind of party.

I also have vacation time to look forward to. Once all the festivities are over, I'll get a nice long break . . . . to enjoy those self-gifted presents!

Less is Plenty

I gave up having a full-size Christmas tree years ago, when my then-husband and I grew tired of having to tie it to the wall to keep our young cats from toppling it. The cats loved sleeping underneath it among the presents and occasionally rambling into the boughs, but it was just too much effort and worry. Once we made the non-traditional choice, it was a big relief and the world did not come to an end.

Then-husband has moved on, as have I, and the kitties lived out their lives in love and safety as the years rolled on. I confess to "tree envy" now and again, and even succumbed to using an artificial tree for a few years. But now I'm back to a tabletop tree and happy with that choice. (Shout-out to Connie over at Connie Cooks and Contemplates for her small-tree solidarity.)

My Christmas decorations are down to two boxes of my very favorite things, with Kayak Guy's favorite things added to the mix. I spread everything out on the entry buffet, with votive candles to take up the bare spots, and work the small presents in. Larger presents pile on the floor nearby. It creates a festive holiday display -- on a manageable scale.

The tabletop tree, peeking around the gifts 

NOEL candle holders from Kayak Guy's childhood

My ornaments from Russia, plus a few others

On the front door, some classic yarn
kitsch made by Kayak Guy's dad

Of course, things could be different next year. One never knows.

At a public library in Sulęcin, Poland, shared on Facebook

Posted on Facebook by Jonathan W. Pote

A Welcome Seasonal Surprise

There's no end to the number of wagons I've fallen off of lately -- the blogging wagon first among them.

However, during my silence I secured a fabulous new part-time job, helped create a joyful holiday experience for family and friends, finished a very difficult Yuletide jigsaw puzzle, completed a couple of household projects, visited with several old and dear friends, bought a new hard drive for the computer and a new battery for the car (both against my will!), acquired a massive amount of new reading material, and enjoyed various outdoor adventures.

So! I'm not a failure . . . even if I don't always achieve all the goals I set for myself.

We celebrated Christmas Day with a morning fire, gifts and breakfast, then a misty-day hike: 4 miles through the Florida woods with only 4 others met along the trail. It was the perfect antidote to the busy-ness of the holidays. And Mother Nature blessed us with some seasonal color along the way.

Now here I am, back on the blogging wagon.

This post began with the idea of facing the fact that I wasn't going to finish either of my reading challenges. But as it turns out, I still have time to complete one of them on time! In some ways, that's a lovely gift of prioritization -- even if I'm not crazy about the book that now requires my renewed attention.

As for assorted other wagons and challenges, well, there's always next year.

Happiest of holidays, everyone! 

A Timely Gift

I am delighted to be using this perfectly sparkly tote bag for my holiday forays into the world of Christmas commerce. As a festive person who heartily dislikes shopping in most forms, this time of year can be a challenge: I need something special to ease me through the cognitive dissonance.

This tote is just the ticket, thanks to the charming Martine at Silencing the Bell. She hosted a give-away in celebration of her 1000th post (wow!) and I was one of the lucky random few to receive a gift. Thank you, Martine!

It's sober brown with golden spirals and pink satin lining, made with Martine's own hands. Naturally someone with that sort of taste is a very discerning reader as well. Give her blog a visit, when you have the chance. You're likely to find something just right there, as I did.  

Two Worlds

Juniper Creek

Last week we stayed in a remote cabin in the Ocala National Forest, and filled our time with kayaking, tracking, exploring, woodcrafts, campfires, relaxing, and time with friends.

Now I've returned to the busyness of pre-holiday plans and lists, e-mail, projects, and the distractions and pressures of so-called normal life. I'm trying to maintain my cabin serenity even during re-entry. (It isn't easy!)

One of the things on the To Do list is creating our holiday card. Choosing the photos is fun and time-consuming. This is one of the leading contenders. The salt bush blooms profusely along Juniper Creek this time of year, giving us the nearest thing to Florida snowdrifts.

We had a lovely paddle that day. Holding that memory . . . .

An Unsubtle Reminder

I heard on the radio yesterday that there were only 115 days until Black Friday, meaning the official start of the overconsumption frenzy known as the U.S. Christmas Shopping Season.

Yikes! This year is speeding by. I know I say that every year, but this year it seems particularly quick. (I think I say that every year, too.) By the time we hit June, it's almost all over.

So, apropos of that . . . . This is the time of year when people like me, who committed to various reading challenges back in January, start looking at the TBR stack with narrowed eyes and plotting our strategy for doing what we said we'd do, back when the year was young.

And I feel compelled to mention: Only 183 days remain in the 2012 Birth Year Reading Challenge. Guess I'd better get going, since I'm the host!

Between the Holidays

Let us make merry while we may, and think upon joy,
for one may seize sorrow whenever one likes.

~Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Thinking Outside the Matchbox

Y'all have listened patiently and even commiserated with me during my rants about Barbie, occasioned by the need to buy for the school kids my women lawyers group adopts for Christmas giving. The "bag and tag" part is pretty fun (see last year's photos here), but the buying itself is a bit taxing. Barbie remains popular, but as you can read here, she gets on my nerves with her fluffy so-called careers and her consumerism.

No sign of Computer Programmer Barbie in my neighborhood yet, by the way. But it's really nice to know she exists.

This year I was determined to avoid the fruitless quest for a Barbie of substance, so I chose a little boy to buy for. Of course, being me, I still had trouble.

This 5-year-old wished for toy cars and trucks. After picking out the required shirts, pants, socks, underwear, and warm jacket, I ventured into the aisle where they keep the Matchboxes and the Hot Wheels and the Tonkas. It didn't take long for me to start questioning things.

I know little boys like power and internal combustion and making noise and creating a big mess. But I'll be doggoned if I'm going to buy this kid an earth mover, so he can practice being a developer and knocking down trees and filling in wetlands and all the stuff that goes with that. Why don't they sell any tractors in this place? Or why can't the earth mover be part of a hurricane relief task force? You know, something constructive?

Ditto for the other brands. No way am I going to get this child what appears to be a souped up garbage truck (given his socio-economic status!) or a transport truck that hauls both a race car and a helicopter. I mean, really? The carbon thoughts alone made me dizzy.

I finally settled on a selection of fun-looking fantasy cars and a loop-de-loop track where if you don't time it right, they will crash into each other. I can certainly see where that would be fun, in a little boy way. He's probably going to be an adventurous driver when he turns 16 anyway, even without my influence.

But I can't help thinking: Why can't Matchbox make a Prius?

Holiday Spirit

I'm guessing these folks wouldn't have minded that I was taking photos out in front of their house early last Sunday morning. I figure a family that sets up this kind of Christmas display is asking for some extra attention.

Parasailing, anyone?

Vaguely Unsettling

Overall, I'm happy with my choice of an artificial Christmas tree. It's the right size and shape, it looks quite natural (for a fake), and I have enough ornaments and lights to make it look homey and festive.

The only thing I don't like about the artificial tree is the need to stuff it into a coffin-shaped box once the holidays have run their course. I'm not sure why that bothers me, but it does.

Of course, I'm the person who puts her desktop ivy outside in the shade every weekend, so it won't have to spend two days locked in a dark office. I know that's a living plant, whereas the tree is not living. But I just can't shake the feeling that the box is cruel, somehow.

Goodnight, sweet tree, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest (until next year).

Something New for Christmas

Dear Bloggy Friends,

Inspired by a suggestion I received last year, instead of giving lots of presents this year, I am spending most of the gifting, wrapping, and shipping money in charitable donations.

I'm sure you will agree with me that there are many non-profit organizations doing wonderful, useful work. I'm also sure you will agree that this is a particularly good time to show kindness to those who need help, and to contribute to preserving and improving the world we live in.

So I hope you will understand that instead of a gift, I have made donations in your honor to these non-profit organizations. I hope you will recognize on this list a cause that is dear to your heart, as you are dear to mine.

Wishing you the very merriest of Christmas holidays
and may all good things come to you in the New Year!

Thoroughbred Retirement of Tampa

Doctors Without Borders

Leu Gardens

The Nature Conservancy

Orlando Museum of Art

World Wildlife Fund

The Animal Welfare Alliance of Central Florida

The Cat Protection Society

Florida Historical Society

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Operation Gratitude

United States Pony Club

WMFE 90.7

A Place for Children