Practicing

I am a person who wakes up with a plan for the day and likes to get moving. But today was different, and I liked it. The snow we had yesterday created a beautiful picture outside. Something about snow makes everything seem so peaceful, and I went with that feeling.

Instead of jumping into things, I had a leisurely breakfast while watching Leave It to Beaver. I checked my email, played a few games, and read a few blogs. Then Ward decided the house was cold, so while we were waiting for it to warm up, we went back to bed and read a book about the history of Poland together (which, by the way, was pretty dense). 

After a while, I thought I should do something productive, so I made a phone call and promptly was put on hold for an hour before I gave up. Maybe the roads were too icy for the staff to make it to work?

While on hold, I started sorting boxes I brought home from work. One thing I brought home was a big stuffed dinosaur that we used for decoration in the children's area of the library. As it turns out, my sister works with someone who used to volunteer at the library when he was a teen in the 1990s, and he donated a big dinosaur to the library. I think this might be the one, so she is going to take it to him to see. His mother made it for him; it would be fun if her grandchildren could play with it now.

So, I actually left the house and took the dino to my sister to take to work tomorrow. And as long as I was out, I picked up a prescription. 

Tonight, Ward and I went to the rec center for our dance class. And a good time was had by all.

So, I consider today a good day to practice taking things at a slower pace and being okay with that. I know that it will take a while to find my new rhythm when I retire in a couple of weeks, but today was a fun day for me to try things out.

Until next time...

Hello, again.

 I haven't posted since New Year's Day. I've composed a few posts in my head and even started a Year in Review post but didn't get past February. Blog follow-through has not been my strong suit this month.

One of the pieces from the mantle I'm missing.
BTW, I don't display it with the ribbon. 😀

I guess I've been preoccupied with other things. First, there were the busy holidays which, by the way, we have only one last thing from them to put away. Everything is back in its regular place except for the two framed cross-stitch pieces that we display on our mantle. I put them away somewhere they wouldn't get broken, and I can't find them. I looked where I thought I put them and then every other place I could think of. They will show up eventually, I hope. The question now is whether I should wait to find them or find other things to put on the mantle. Right now, I am still waiting for them to miraculously appear.

The other mantle cross-stitch I'm missing.

Also, I am retiring at the end of this month. Besides trying to wrap my brain around this significant change, there has been a ton of confusing paperwork to turn in, but I have done that successfully. In addition, we've been trying to get various doctor appointments in before our insurance changes in February.

And with more time on our hands coming soon, we're planning three trips next year. We haven't made any big trips since before the Pandemic, so we're out of the practice of planning. But we have friends and family helping, making things a bit easier. Soon, details will fall into place, and I won't feel quite so overwhelmed. 

Ward shoveling our driveway last week.

Amongst those big things, we've started back to dance class, gone to my niece's first communion, and shoveled snow.

And speaking of work, I had better get ready. 

Until next time...

Happy New Year!

"Again, time elapsed."
― Carolyn Keene, The Secret of the Old Clock

The new year is a time to consider new beginnings. It brings with it endless possibilities and hope. As the busyness of my morning has faded into quiet alone time, I have been pondering my life. My life is good. I have no major health complaints. I have sufficient funds for a warm house, abundant food, and occasional extras. I have a loving and supportive husband and kids. I have good extended family and friends. (Not the least of which are you, my blog friends.) For everything that is important in life, I have all of the boxes checked. 

However, I have lived long enough to know that life isn't always like this. Mine certainly hasn't been. And because of this, sometimes I am waiting for the other shoe to drop. But in the new year, I will work on living in the here and now and appreciating what I have.  And not let worrying about the future rob me of the joy of the present.*

Is the new year a time for reflection for you? 

Until next time...

*Not intentionally, but living in the present seems to be a common theme among my posts. 

Note: When I sat down to write this post, I was going to tell you about my holiday week, starting with New Year's Eve and working backward. However, it went in an entirely different direction. The short version of my holiday week: We had a fun program for kids at work yesterday, Noon Year's Eve, where we counted down to the New Year at noon with lots of fun activities. Before Christmas, my sisters and families came for dinner and a gift exchange. Once again, the toddler provided fun entertainment. On Christmas Day, Wally and Theo came for breakfast and a gift exchange. Then we piled in the car and went to VA to celebrate with Ward's family. That was a loud, chaotic celebration where a good time was had by all (mostly).

Happy Birthday, Mother!

My mother, 8 years old

Yesterday was my mother's birthday. She would have been 96. She was born during the Great Depression and had a hard life growing up in poverty and a troubled family. But she always said that she had it better than her siblings. Because she was the baby, they took care of her first. 

Times were tight, and often, there was not enough money to have much of a celebration for Christmas, let alone her birthday. She vividly remembered the Christmas when the Salvation Army brought them presents. It was a very special time. That's why my sisters and I always put money in every Salvation Army kettle we see. 

When my sisters and I were barely aware of when my mother's birthday was.

When we were kids, my mother's birthday was not celebrated much. We were too involved with the magic of Christmas to think beyond ourselves. My aunt always brought my mother a gift, but we never got her anything. I'm not sure what my father did. 

Fast forward to when we were in college, and my mother decided that she had had enough of not having a birthday celebration, so she "moved" her birthday to March 26. We were usually on spring break then, so that was when we could be home for it. We still didn't have big celebrations, but she always said our visit was enough. But over the years, we tried to have a cake and presents. 

My mother on her birthday many years later.

Fast forward many more years to when my mother was having memory problems. When she moved to a nursing home, we told the staff that if my mother said her birthday was March 26th, she knew what she was talking about. They kind of looked at us funny but said okay. 

So Happy Birthday, Mother. I'd like to think you're in Heaven with Daddy, celebrating your birthday whenever you want.

Merry Christmas!

 

 ^"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill towards men.^"

"...And that's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown." 

 "A Charlie Brown Christmas"