The 365 Days of Christmas........

"I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present and the Future.  The Spirits of all three shall strive within me.  I will not shut out the lessons they teach." as spoken by Ebenezer Scrooge courtesy of Charles Dickens in "A Christmas Carol".

I love the feeling of this time of year. I watched a clip from the "Honeymooners" where Ralph Kramden talks about how people seem happier during the holidays (google it.....it is worth the watch).

It always make me sad when it is time to put everything away for another year.  Due to heading back to work Tuesday, we took the decorations down yesterday.  The house always looks so bare and dull.

Last year,  I toyed with the idea of keeping the big tree up all year,  I was quite surprised at how many people said "do it!".  Since we sold the house in August, I guess I was right to pack it up around New Year's Day.  I don't think a Christmas tree on display would have been a big selling point while the house was on the market.

So here I sit on a new location and once again I was trying to decide.....keep it up or put it away?? In the end, I caved and the tree is now packed away.  Since I do not know many people in my new location, I felt keeping the big tree up might seem strange as I invite new neighbors into my home. It would require me explaining that I am a writer and I wanted to write about what it is like to have my Christmas tree up for 365 days if not more.

I did decide to leave out the small ceramic tree in my bedroom.  I will light it each night and fall asleep to the glow of the small bulbs.  Maybe next year for the big tree......we will see.

While packing away the decorations, I really took a lot of time examining the ornaments that hung on the tree.  In November, I had gone through the four tubs...yes, four tubs of ornaments trying to decide which should go on the tree and which would just stay packed away.  I didn't pray over each ornament when I was deciding if it was going to make the cut or spend Christmas still packed away.  Ornaments such as the Popsicle reindeer Jenn made in kindergarten stayed in the tub along with the pine cone decorated with glitter or any of the family ornaments that were bought when there were three of us.

As I examined each ornament last night, I started taking pictures of the ones that best describe me and saw a recurring them and you could definitely tell my likes, desires and dreams.

When you are putting up the tree you might talk about an ornament here or there that brings back a memory but I didn't really take the time to examine and think about why some were chosen over others.  As I packed them away, it became infinitely clear why I made my choices. I think you will agree as I share them with you......

My loves:

love lighthouses

of course cheese made the list

My dreams:

more time to write....get published??

My Realities:

My goals for next year:

well maybe not this dress but continued focus on improved health, weight and exercise

self-explanatory

And then there's Jenn....to push me, encourage me and kick my butt when needed......

I am going to try and be like Scrooge after the visits from the 3 Spirits.....I am going to work to keep Christmas in my heart not just from Thanksgiving through Christmas but all the year through.  I have seen dreams come true this year and Chapter Three finally in action.  I have also felt the pain of endings and am seeking peace in my decisions. 

Merry Christmas!!! I really have until January 6th (Little Christmas) to say this and still be in the season......also now I can say it since I am going to try and feel it everyday (thank you Mr. Dickens!!).

As 2017 ends, I think I have come out of this year a better person than I was when the year started.

Happy New Year!!!!

I hope that 2018 brings all of you good health, much happiness and love.....for in the end isn't love all that matters??

See you next week....or maybe tomorrow as we start a new book with 12 chapters and 365 pages.....

Moving forward while looking backward......

A few weeks ago I wrote about embracing my new location on Saint Helena's Island, SC......

Last night,  we went to the Boat Parade at the Waterfront Park in Beaufort. The weather was prefect as we sat and watched the sailboats  decorated with lights pass by one by one.

This morning, we dropped off gifts for the Santa Lunch held nearby.  The lunch is for the children of military deployed from Parris Island and the Marine Air Corp Station. We were greeted by people wearing Santa hats and Elf hats.  They so appreciated the toys we donated for both girls and boys.  We shouted "Merry Christmas" as we drove away.

Later on we were heading into town, a police motorcade with lights and sirens blaring passed in the other direction.  I was trying to figure out what was going on.  Then I noticed many of the cars in the procession had Marine Corp decals and decorative plates on them.  Then it hit me.......it was a motorcade to take the children to their Christmas lunch. Yes, of course I started to cry....I couldn't help it.

I was also lucky enough to have my friend, Mary, spend the weekend with us.  We stayed up late talking and were up early talking (see a running them here??).  We baked, we shopped and we laughed.....it was so much fun!!

I took her to see the alligators and the landfill...LOL....no reason not to see it all !!!!

While doing all this moving ahead....there is still a lot that pulls me back in time.

As I wrote last week, we did some baking.  This weekend we baked again using the old family cookie recipes.  Guess what we are doing next weekend?? You got it .......baking......(yes to my family...your cookies will be out in the mail a week from tomorrow).

My nephew completed his project of restoring the village my parents had under their Christmas tree starting back around 1955.  To see it looking brand new with all of its parts back in place was just wonderful.

I have been spending more time in my living room enjoying the lights on the tree, remembering when each ornament was purchased and wrap myself in memories of the wonderful holiday seasons past. Yesterday, I was up early and sat in my recliner in the living room covered in a blanket and enjoyed the tree lights just before dawn.......it is hard to find the words to describe how I felt sitting alone enjoying the beauty of the lighted tree.....

Just three short weeks to my favorite day of the year!!!

Jenn has asked a few times if there is anything I would like for Christmas and I guess like most of us as we get older the list of material wants shrinks and the list of desires grows (time with family, time to relax, time with friends and time for ourselves to do with whatever we wish......see the running theme here??....time). I am sure I will come up with a few gift ideas such as the 2018 Writers Guide (hint, hint Jenn).

But as I sit here and look at the lights from my tree in the living room and can very clearly see Jenn's 3 foot Griswold tree ( 9 feet of garland on a 3 foot tree??), a poinsettia blooming beautifully on a table......I feel a sense of peace.

Embracing the past, the present and the future.......that is what I am trying to do.......looking back at great memories and with a little sadness........enjoying the new experiences of the present which make me step out of my comfort zone........and looking to the future with hope, excitement  and may be just a little trepidation......no turning back now......backward is not the way I am heading......

See you next week.......

Another Birthday and Thanksgiving.....

The time from birthday to birthday seems to pass faster.

It seemed to me when I was young it took an eternity to get from one birthday to the next and now it passes like a New York minute.

The sounds of firecrackers going off is barely a faint memory as I find myself searching for a pumpkin to looking forward to the smells of a turkey in the oven to pulling out the cookie recipes stained with vanilla from holiday seasons past.

This is my favorite time of the year and yes I know I can be a little over the top when it comes to my love of Christmas.

It's not that I don't love the start of spring as the flowers bloom or the summer when I get a chance to sit and enjoy the ocean or seeing the fall colors during drives up to Lexington/Columbia or looking out at the bare trees while the fireplace is going......each of the seasons has it's own charm.

But the time between Halloween and the New Year is special to me.

Back to my birthday......

I received my first birthday gift a few weeks ago from my pal and office mate, Mary.  You will see a picture of it when I finish my outside decorating this week.

Next, my friend, Jenn, gave me a pillow with a lovely sentiment on it, a ornament for my tree that is a sailboat a references a journey and two bars of soap with great names and comments on them.

On Saturday, one of my oldest friends, Kathy, gave me an amazing shawl.  She knows I am a shawl freak. I have several of her creations is a variety of colors to match anything I wear and my many moods. My favorite sweater was also created by her. I will model in a picture soon.

I was on vacation this week....my first full week off in 2017 !! No long commutes to the office! Time to get the decorating done (at least inside).

I was lucky enough to spend part of the week (from Wednesday to Saturday) with my sister too !  We baked cookies, talked for hours and had birthday dinner with friends!  Not a bad way to spend a few days!

Jenn and I also continue the garage purge........I have no idea how we were able to fit all this "stuff" in our Columbia house?

There was abbreviated Black Friday shopping at midnight Friday morning.....we did more shopping online but felt a need to hit at least one store.  Jenn and I have continued to scour the ads looking for the best deals and we have found some great sales.

My house may be a little over the top with Christmas trees.....one in the entrance way.....one in the living room......a ceramic one that lights up in each  bedroom........one on the dining room table and two......yes, two on the porch.....grand total is 7 trees!! Oh wait, I forgot of about my kitchen.....I need to put one somewhere in there.......hhhhhmmmmm......well maybe I will just leave the kitchen as is with the Christmas table cloth, napkins and napkin rings and a Yankee Candle.......

Here are some of the photos.........

I will try to include outside and my village photos next week.

See you next week........

Changes continue as the year winds down......

During this past week, I went through the boxes of Christmas decorations (yes, Christmas decorations).  I am planning to decorate the week of Thanksgiving.

I used to have boxes and tubs of outside decorations.  Now one single tub contains all I have for the outside of the house.  I still have a large Santa and two wooden soldiers that will not make the cut to be displayed outside but I do not have the heart to pitch them either.  I will stand them up in the garage and that will be as close as they will get to the outside. The outside will be pretty simple....a wreath on the door, garland around the doorway, possibly  some garland around the one post outside and two wood reindeer with a flood light on them.

I have 8-9 tubs of inside decorations and that is after purging some. I also donated my old artificial tree to Goodwill. It was too tall and wide for my new living room.  I have purchased a smaller tree that will fit the corner of my living room better. The tree ONLY has 250 lights so I will be adding more.  It will be nice to have a tree where the lights are inside the stand and I wont have to hunt for the plugs to use the prelit option.

Today, I am sorting through 3 tubs (yes, part of the 8-9 tubs) to decide which ornaments will make it onto the tree.  There is no way this smaller tree can accommodate all the ornaments I have collected over the years. I wouldn't dare throw away the ornaments not used.....each has some kind of memory attached to it.

Instead of the gas fireplace we have had the last 18 years, I now have a wood burning fireplace.  Due to the time change we have had a fire a few evenings this week has been a treat.

In the last few weeks, we have blown past Halloween, adjusted to the time change, celebrated Jenn's birthday and now are just a week away from Thanksgiving. As I said a few months ago, once we hit Memorial Day the year is over.  Here we are just a little over a month from Christmas and 2018.

The morning trip to Columbia/Lexington has been somewhat easier since it is not being made in total darkness but the return trip is now the more challenging one.

Jenn's birthday was as much fun for me as it was for her.  There was a Jennifer Eve dinner and birthday breakfast, pedicures, hair cut and color, eye brows waxed, shopping.......actually more than a 24 hour celebration.

There is much to be thankful for as we celebrate next week. It is  also enough to make my head spin when I think of all that has happened in 2017.

Holiday events at work, home, with friends and hopefully seeing some family will make the final weeks of the year go by in a flash.

While Thanksgiving will be relatively simple (and successful as long as Jenn gets real mashed potato's), I still enjoy watching Macy's parade, having a fire in the fireplace and maybe vegging on some holiday movies.  Although not the full family gathering of the past, I will talk to all of my family members and be somewhat grateful that I will not have to attempt getting a variety of vegetable to the table hot  (a feat my mother accomplished so many years and I still don't know how she did it).

I will Black Friday shop on Black Friday NOT Thanksgiving (I think people should not have to work on Thanksgiving in order for the stores to make $$$$)....midnight works and it makes it more of an event.  In recent years, I have done more online shopping since the sales run all week vs just one day.

The decorating will be finished by the end of the month.

I have already planned which weekend to bake cookies in order for them to make it to their destinations in plenty of time (family members get your orders in).

I also have purchased tickets to see "It's A Wonderful Life" on the big screen the weekend before Christmas.

And before I know it ......it will be December 24th.......THE BEST DAY OF THE YEAR.......(sorry the 25th is always a bit of a let down)...... and then 2018.

I had no idea as I watch the ball drop in Times Square ending 2016 what 2017 had in store for me so I will not even venture a guess what 2018 will bring!!

Time to get ready for the work week, time to divide up the ornaments and time to wind down the weekend......

See you next week ..........

More small stuff that makes me happy.....

About 10 years ago, I started writing a daily journal of gratitude (also known as 5 good things about the day).

Here are some samplings of this week's entries:

-having coffee at the Waterfront Park and enjoying the beautiful morning
-talking to my nephew about a long ago Christmas memory
-talking to a greatniece on the phone and hearing her childlike voice tell me about Halloween
-smelling dinner cooking in the crockpot
-dropping off 2 cases of soups for the local food drive
-having a cup of hot coffee waiting on my desk EVERY morning even when my friend Mary isn't in   the office (she will ask someone else to handle that task for her)
- stopping at a neighbors house to pick up a Halloween goodie for Jeter
-finding a Christmas flag to fly outside the house for only $5
-turning on the heat for the first time this year and smelling that familiar scent as the dust burns off   the heater (ok I know my NY family and friends are thinking....really ...at 57 degrees???)
-working from home one day this week
-laughing with a friend over a really funny TV show
-making it back and forth on the daily commute safely
-going to a dinner where I didn't know a soul and not only surviving the evening  but actually having   a lovely time and looking forward to next months gathering
-a small surprise gift made me smile
-my team hitting goal before month end
-picking up firewood and fire starters so I can use the fireplace on the weekends
-Hallmark countdown to Christmas has started- Christmas movies 24/7 on 2 channels
-finding a store that makes bagels as good as in NY- (really good for an occasional treat)
-getting the needed part so I can listen to my IPOD on my commute (Jenn does get to veto my choices)

All in all a good week, when you take the "small stuff' into consideration.....

See you next week......

Embracing Where I Live......

I hear people talking about going to New York around the holidays.

They ask what it was like:
- to see the big balloons blown up the night before the parade (AWESOME !!)
- to go to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (if it's not freezing cold it is great to see it live)
- to attend the Radio City Christmas Spectacular (WOW!! The nativity alone is breathtaking.)
- see The Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center (there are no words)
- go to Time Square on New Year's Eve (like most New Yorker's ....never been to it)
- see the Statue of Liberty (yes, I have been to the top and also enjoyed the view from the Staten            Island Ferry (which is the cheapest way to see it along with the NY skyline))
- to visit Ground Zero (sad, memorable and to me sacred land.....I went through the World Trade            Center twice a day for years as part of my daily commute)

There is so much more to "The Big Apple"!! Having lived there most of my life like many other, I just took it for granted.  Whether it be checking out the art deco of Grand Central Station, the beautiful view from the top of the Empire State Building, taking in a Broadway Show, buying a "dirty dog" from a street vendor or roasted chestnuts in the winter.

When I made the move to Columbia, SC......it was like moving to a foreign country.  The only times I had been in SC before was as we drove through on our way back from a family cross country camping trip (that would cover several blog entries (2 parents, 4 kids, a tent and sleeping bags in a station wagon for 2 months)) and when my brother graduated from Parris Island. Visiting and making a place your home are very different but I wanted to embrace my new location.

What did I do to immerse myself?
- I attended college football, basketball and baseball games ( I used to hate New Years Day Bowl          games...not anymore!)
-I attended the Christmas Tree Lighting at the State House (where my sister and I were amazed the   choral groups sang songs of a religious nature)
- I tried eating grits, collards, black eyed peas, boiled peanuts and okra ( I actually love them all and      in NY okra is found in the foreign food sections of the supermarket)
- I learned to say Sir and Ma'am (or is it Ma'm or Ma'm)
- Hey replaced Hi.... (I have been in South Caroline for 19 years now but my accent hasn't faded)
- I fly the Palmetto State flag outside my house (actually it is much prettier than the NY state flag          which no one flies outside their home...lol)

 Now that I live in the Lowcountry of SC, I am learning to embrace new things again:
- how great it feels to cross the bridge leaving Beaufort
- sunrises and sunsets (without city lights that might diffuse it)
- driving down an old unpaved road to buy fresh shrimp just a few feet away from the shrimper
- attending the Pat Conroy Literary Festival
- enjoying the view of the marsh as it continues to change throughout the day
- finally understanding what causes the distinct smell at low tide (we looked it up)
- taking pictures of historical ruins and also some locations made famous in movies

The Big Chill House...under renovation....

 The Prince of Tides (Tom's Mother's Home)

Ruins of the Sams Plantation

the roads home.....

also please note: Forrest Gump ran over this bridge although the sign was changed to "entering Mississippi"

As the saying goes.....there is a time to every season (yes, I know it's from The Bible- Ecc.3:1-8). My years in NY from childhood in the Bronx to being a Mom raising Jenn in Pearl River was as it was meant to be.  That was my time for PTA, Girl Scouts, Class Mom and all the things you go when your child is growing up.  The decision to leave NY was not an easy one but property taxes and thought of an affordable living away college experience weighed heavily into knowing it was time to move on.

Leaving Columbia was about me.  What did I want? Where did I want to live?  When I retire (although years off) where is the best fit? And of course, being in driving distance to the beach was a must.

I think I have found answers to all of those questions in my new residence in the Lowcoutry of South Carolina........a long way from the 5th floor walk-up in the Bronx where my journey began.

I am embracing this new life and embracing this new location.  I think that is one of the keys to happiness....embrace, embrace, embrace it all.....the sounds, the sights, the tastes, the smells, the traditions, the customs, the culture......embrace it all and you will know you are home.


See you next week......

So my elevator does not always go to the top floor.....

With the traveling I do Monday through Friday, routine is absolutely key to me getting everything done in order to not run late.

As soon as I walk through the door at night, I am in my kitchen.  I get my lunch ready for the next day, off to my bedroom to pull out my vitamins and pills that need to be taken in the morning, lay out clothes for the next day and take a shower right before bedtime in order to save precious minutes in the morning. Also, I make sure my work bag is in whichever car that will make the trip to Lexington the next day and my IPOD is charged for the ride.  I am just a tiny bit nicer if I have music for the ride.  I do not take coffee with me since that might mean a stop on the commute and every minute counts. Without my coffee....ugh....watch out!!

In the morning, the alarm goes off at 5AM.  I cannot even sit on the edge of the bed for a minute or two for fear of laying down and falling back to sleep.  I take out all the things I need from the cabinet under my sink.....hairspray, blow dryer, deodorant, moisturizer, makeup, toothbrush, toothpaste and vitamins.  Then it is back to my bedroom to moisturize and take morning pills and vitamins.  I cannot put on the news because it might slow me down. Now back to the bathroom to do my hair, brush my teeth and put on my makeup. By this time it is getting close to 6AM.  Bed made, everything back in order in the bathroom and head to the kitchen.  Most mornings Jenn's has already grabbed my lunch bag and put it in the car.  The goal is to be out of the driveway between 6:00 and 6:10.  The majority of  mornings we make it because of the routine we have adopted.

But just one small thing can happen which can cause you to miss a step.  Forget an earring, put your underwear on inside out.....I have even put a nightshirt on backwards....or a blouse on inside out....it happens......

I had a day like that this week and I promised my coworkers I would write about it today.....

One of the managers I work with stopped by my office.  We were talking about makeup.  She commented in how well my eye shadow lasts throughout the day. After she left my office, I looked in the mirror near my desk. Then I looked again.  Finally, I took off my eyeglasses and did a final check.

Yes, it was clear I had missed a step in my  morning routine.....

I lay out my makeup in the morning like a surgeon lays out their instruments.  I have a very specific order.  Jenn came in to talk to me during my makeup application process and my routine was broken.

What had I skipped or forgotten to do you ask?

I had only put eye shadow on one eye.  One eye !!! I had walked around all day looking like an idiot!!

It wasn't like I hadn't put it on both eyes....JUST ONE EYE.  I felt a need to only talk to people sideways so they wouldn't notice.  I told my work buddies who thought it was terribly funny.  I don't blame them for laughing I looked like an idiot.....I wasn't upset I just kept thinking how could I have missed one eye?? Then I remember talking to Jenn and obviously forgot where I left off.

You might think to yourself "skip the makeup and you won't have these kinds of issues"....not a chance I would go to work with no makeup.  I have only done that twice.......once because I had  a really, really bad cold and the other time I had 20 stitches in my face and there was no way of working around them.

In order for you to more fully understand the difference between no  makeup and makeup (yes, including hair done)....which would you prefer to look like all day?????

Why would I want to look like the picture below when with hair done and makeup applied I can look like this.....

OK I can't believe I am sharing this pic but here goes......no makeup or hair done.....

See the difference??????

OK so one other thing to share so you really get that I am not playing with a full deck.....just noticed this recently.......

the material for my dining room chair cushions.....

my underwear......

Really......same design????

I could sit on my dining room chair and blend in with the chair material (I know that would only happen if I was not wearing pants and just the undies which is not something I would normally do)???? Please note- I did not pick out the chair coverings and the undies were bought by me at a different time....

Well that is enough to leave you scratching your head and wondering how I have made it this far in life without serious therapy being suggested......

See you next week......