Taking time for giving thanks

Comfort is relative…
This past Saturday, the temperature in the mountains was 43° with a wind chill considerably lower. While at a craft fair for my granddaughters’ scout troops, I saw one of the older girls who was there to help with the crafts... a teenaged girl with her hands crammed either into the pockets of a zipped-up sweatshirt or her jeans. Bare feet and flip-flops. Fashion dictates.

My ears! My ears!....
When I attended grade school, the artwork decorating the rooms and halls was related to the holidays or seasons of the month, i.e. cherry trees and little axes for George Washington’s birthday; decorated eggs, chicks and bunnies for Easter; colorful leaves for Fall in September; witches, ghosts, and jack-o-lanterns for October. November was for Pilgrims, black hats with large buckles, and varied representations of the Plymouth rock. Then, up went the paper Christmas trees and garlands, etc. for Christmas.

When my children were growing up, the day after Thanksgiving Day was the day we put up the Christmas tree and other decorations. I managed to con my youngest daughter into stringing the lights on the tree each year. Until she finally rebelled.

Irritated by the apparent disregard for Thanksgiving this year, I made up my mind to avoid anything related to Christmas until after Thanksgiving Day, especially any and all of the ’holiday’ movies that started playing on TV at least two weeks ago. I had been successful in my determination until I discovered that my granddaughter was ready for the gift-giving holiday. She insisted on listening to a radio station that was already airing their Christmas play list. Oh, well. It helped that one of the first songs I heard was "Santa, Baby" sung by Eartha Kitt.

I am thankful for so much this year….
Each year my list continues to grow. I am so grateful for:
..Two daughters and a son who have grown into wonderful adults
..Two sons-in-law and a daughter-in-law who have added so much to my life
..Ten grandchildren who must be the smartest, most creative, and best looking ‘grands’ ever to exist
..A brother who is very special (a good man… honest, sensible, trustworthy and true); my sister-in-law, his wife (a woman with a good heart and a wicked sense of humor) and her sister, (a woman whose world-view surpasses even mine in cynicism)
..Authors, with their talent to use and put together words into books that engross and enchant me
..Fathers who are willing to help with girl scout activities
..Friends, who enrich my life in so many ways

This past Thursday evening, a day that had been cold and blustery, my son-in-law introduced me to the pleasure and comfort of hot cocoa with peppermint schnapps. Yum. Consider me schnapped.

Kiss of the Mayfly

Kiss of the Mayfly... wouldn't that be a great title for a book or movie? Remember... you heard it here first.

Returned a few moments ago from taking Bailey for his first walk of the day. The temperature is 68 and the breeze is cool, almost bracing. Wonderful! Bailey is so energized that he started running circles around me and the dining table and back and forth between our rooms. Then he brought his tennis ball and insisted on a game of toss & fetch. I know how he feels... I'm almost tempted to dance on the table.

The coolness reminded me of something that happened a couple of weeks ago. The day was lovely; cool enough to drive with the car windows open instead of closed with the a/c trying to run. I was returning home from the 'Yarnery' (my daughter's name for the From the Heart workshop), my friend riding shotgun. While stopped at a red light, I looked down in time to see a Mayfly come in through the open window and alight on the back of my hand. He (she?) stayed a few seconds only but what a gift! Pure magic. AND I have a witness to back me up when I tell everyone about it.

Money couldn't have bought these moments of joy.

Skweeka-skweeka-SKWEEEK!

Things got noisier at my place this past weekend. When I brought Bailey home, I also brought his first toy... a small, slightly bone-shaped dog that had a squeaker inside. It soon was named 'Buddy' and turned out to be his favorite play toy. He loved when I would make it squeak. This past weekend, he discovered that he could make it squeak. It has not been far from his side since. Sometimes he just lies with it in his mouth, squeaking away. Other times, he'll carry it into the other room... not to play with... just to make sure it is near. At least once a day, I'll feel something on my foot or nudging my ankle and there will be Bailey with Buddy, quietly asking me to play his favorite game... Tug-of-War-Skweek-and-Toss. When he tires of chasing and returning Buddy, he'll veer off in another direction, lie down and just squeak awhile. Such joy from a simple thing.

I can't blame all the noise this past weekend on Bailey and Buddy. Saturday, I went to the farm market set up near my place and found (Oh, joy!) French breakfast radishes. Yumm! I brought home two small bunches and proceeded to eat all of them later in the afternoon. (burp)

Savoring the little things

The holiday season is upon us, beginning with Thanksgiving next week. We've had some achingly beautiful Fall days in the past 2-3 weeks. The nights have been chill and during the days, we've gone from putting on our heavy jackets to taking off our sweaters. The colors of the surrounding fauna have been ablaze with red, orange, gold, yellow, brown, and green. Heavenly!

I am so enjoying this phase of my life. Retirement has given me the chance to do, or not do, anything I can afford to do. I have made new friends and discussed old ideas. I even found new things to think about and to do with my hands that allow me to (continue) being lazy but seem to be accomplishing something (the procrastinator's dream!). I've cut my carbon footprint by more than half... maybe by 3/4. Recently, my car insurance company requested the mileage on my speedometer and sent me a revised bill that is $38 less than I would have paid. I imagined the clerk thinking "This woman needs to get a life!" Little does she know. My life is fuller than it's ever been. My children have advanced to the age where they feel they can tell me what to do, and I get to see them when they feel up to it; most of my grandchildren like to spend some time with me. (I have told my children that I'm not old enough to have kids their age. Well, I don't feel old enough.)

With Thanksgiving coming next week, my mind has turned to considering the idea of gratitude and the benefits of being thankful. I've discovered that although I don't have a lot of things (i.e. gold bathroom fixtures, a private jet, Mercedes in my parking space), I have much to be grateful for daily. I've realized that, just for that moment, the gratitude replaces the pain. It doesn't take away the trouble but replaces it with a small imprint of warmth and joy. Everyone has something to be thankful for. I can stand on my own two feet unconfined to a wheelchair; I eat what I want to when I want to (if I can get it); I can breathe unassisted; I can fall asleep whenever and wherever I happen to be; I can go wherever I want to if I have gas in the car or money to buy it. See? It's easy to find things to be grateful for if I try. The reduction in my insurance payment? It will cover the $25 increase in my next month's rent. Are there things that I can't control? Sure there are, and I've finally realized that I'm responsible only for deciding how I'm going to deal with them. I've come to accept that the fate of humanity isn't my total responsibility. Phew! What a relief! Try a little gratitude. You'll be glad you did.

Speaking of angst, the News is full of it about the TSA requiring more thorough security imaging and pat-downs of airline passengers. Get over it! Accept the scrutiny or stay home... it's still your choice. Hmmmm... it's been awhile since I had a good pat-down. May just have to head out to the airport.