It's hard to believe but a week from today is Christmas Eve. As seems to happen every year, it all sneaks up on me. I can remember when my children were growing up I would have nightmares about it being Christmas Eve and all the stores being closed and me not having gotten anything in for Christmas. Anxiety dreams. I would have the same types of dreams before Halloween and Easter also. Any kind of occasion where I would have been expected to create holiday magic.
I don't really have anyone to create holiday magic for anymore, and that's okay. No pressure here. But when the children were growing up, I did it all. I think most mother's did. Bought the gifts, food, candy, wrapped everything. Decorated the tree. Cooked the dinners, etc. I did not mind in the least. I loved it. It was important to me to make sure that my children had the best Christmas ever. I hope that I built a lot of sweet memories for them through the years. I know I sure built some special ones for me.
Yesterday morning when I went to take my shower, I thought the water was quite hot. I didn't seem to be able to turn the temperature down much. It turned out there was a water main break, so I was getting water right out of the hot water tank, mixed with a very little bit of cold water. That made it a bit awkward for my cleaners who came yesterday morning, but to their credit, they still did a fabulous job. I am always well pleased when they leave. My place just sparkles.
Nutmeg always disappears when they are here. He hides under my bed or under one of the chair skirts. Cinnamon likes to watch them the whole time. She follows them around. At a distance of course, but they know that she is definitely there.
Then when they have washed the floors, which they do on their way out, she always rolls around on them. I don't know why that is, but it's not hurting anything, I guess.
I had a lovely facetime with my friend Tina in the U.K. yesterday morning as well. Believe it or not the settlement finally came through on the insurance from that accident she was in six years ago! It only took six years! If you recall she and my friend Mal were on their way to the Temple when a car spun around on some water on the motorway and hit them head on. Mal walked away with whiplash, but Tina had a broken back and all sorts. She has been in pain ever since. We were starting to think she was never going to get any compensation. Finally, however, she has gotten something. I did not ask how much because its none of my business, but they are leaving today to go to Australia to visit their daughter for Christmas, a very last-minute thing and they have been able to get Tony (her husband) a motorized wheelchair, so it is at least affording them some joy in these so-called golden years of life. I am so pleased for them. They were both such a support and help to me when I was leaving to come back to Canada, especially Tina.
My next door neighbor is having an open house this afternoon between the hours of 1 and 3, with eggnog, fruit cake and tea or coffee. I will pop over with a card for a short. It's not something I really do, but it was very nice for her to invite me. I think she has invited everyone on the street, as I know Glenna also got an invite. My neighbors seem like really nice people and I do want to figure out what the family connection is. Their last name is the same as the last name of the two little girls I found living with my great grandparents in the 1931 census, so I am keen to find out what connection there is if any. Mom always said that there were two little girls buried at the end of my great grandparent's property. I wonder if these are the two little girls??
Family history can often be a bit of a mystery, but it is something I am really interested in, and I know that these people next door come from that same hamlet.
We will be going out to dinner with my father later today. To the same place we always go and that he likes to go. The food there is not really all that good, but he likes it there, so we tolerate it. The main purpose is to spend time with him. I don't know why their food is always so substandard, and yet it's always super busy. Personally, I think they have too much on their menu and they do very little of it well. It is usually hit and miss. They would be far better served, in my opinion. to have fewer items and at least do some of them well. You can usually rely on their fish and chips to be okay, so long as they have properly drained it.
Maybe we are just too picky. There is a real absence of good places to eat around here.
I started watching some Christmas films, my old favorites last night. I told myself that I would have plenty of time to watch other things after Christmas and that I best be watching the Christmas stuff now before it was too late. I have my favorites that I watch every year like The Family Man with Nicolas Cage and Téa Leoni. (Love, LOVE that film.) Then there is The Holiday with Kate Winslet, and Love Actually. I also like Briget Jones Diary. Home Alone. The Santa Claus. The original Miracle on 34th Street. The Muppets Christmas Carol. It's a Wonderful Life. A Christmas Story. Little Women. And then there are a few Hallmark types of films.
Oh, and The Homecoming. Must watch that. What are your favorite Christmas films?
I don't know if I have enough time left to get all of mine in.
And I still have to wrap my gifts. And make some mince pies.
One thing which I have managed to do really well over these past five years is to keep the world outside my door. I am aware of things which are going on, of course. You cannot help but be, but I don't let it come into my house. That means I don't watch the news or anything like that. I try to only read, watch, view things which I find to be uplifting and inspiring. It is just better that way for me. I am an empath, and I feel things keenly. I have had enough tragedy and upset in my life without inviting it in from outside. I think my life is much better, much happier that way. Maybe that means I am uninformed? I don't know. I just try not to dwell on the negative if possible. There is not a lot we can do about it anyways. I do my best to be a kind and caring person and to do my bit for the world, right where I stand. The things I do may not have an impact in a larger sense, but they have an impact here. My home to me is Holy Ground. A temple of sorts. If I let the outside in, then it will not be so for long.
That is my survival mode. Leave the world at the door and don't let it get a toehold in my life.
It's what works for me and I am much happier for it.
Late Friday morning I am going to with Glenna to our friend Christine's house. There will only be a few of us elder single ladies who live on their own. A sweet get-together of friends. I am looking forward to it. We have all known each other for over a quarter of a century now. It is supposed to rain on Friday and be much warmer so the roads should be okay. I am going to make some mince pies to bring I think. That is my plan at any rate.
We do need to get up the mountain, Cindy and I, before too long, to get a Chicken for Christmas dinner. Hopefully they will have some. We got one there last year and it was really good. I need eggs as well. The shops are super nuts at this time of year, so I try to avoid them as much as possible. If I need any veggies, etc. I can get them at the farm market.
I also have a talk to get started on. I am giving a talk at church on January 25th and it will be here before we know it.
And with that, I best leave you with a thought for the day . . .
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
is a life of purpose.
~Robert Bryne• ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • •。★★ 。*
In The English Kitchen today . . . Cinnamon Fan Biscuits. Quick and easy to make. Buttery, flaky and oh-so-tasty!
I hope you have a beautiful day no matter what you get up to. Stay warm and safe. Don't forget!
