Dealing

I suppose it takes a special kind of fortitude to deal with life's curves. Last night the computer man came to bring back two laptops and in a blink of an eye, our old lame dog ran over to him and bit him on the leg. He went to the ER and got a tetanus booster, and is going to another doctor tomorrow, but does not have insurance. The questions are: will the dog people come and take the dog, euthanize the dog, how much will the doctor bills be, and so on. If we could only go back in time. All this worry in the midst of Christmas preparations. My husband and I shopped and finished purchasing gifts. We now have some stocking stuffers to buy, but I enjoy this, because these gifts are fun, not worth much, and nonsensical. Christmas preparations are coming along. Gifts to wrap, easy sugar cookies to bake, a trip to the church for a special service, and a tree and outside lights. Oh and gifts for the pets, even though one pet doesn't deserve anything. Tomorrow, I am having lunch with a work colleague. We have been trying to get together for weeks, so tomorrow we are going to "carpe diem." I also am staying with my mother while my dad goes for a check up. As far as the friends site, I have decided to limit my time on the computer as the sitting is making me stiff. I haven't made any real friends. Better that I visit with the people in my life that I can see and hear.

Christmas Preparations

Yesterday we celebrated the second Sunday of Advent. I put up the Nativity--the traditional figures and also figures of children bringing eggs, musicians, dogs, cats, geese and a fox. I set up the Christmas village on the mantel. My husband told me that he liked the village. I found a good spot on the hutch for cloth carolers and Santa and his rein-dog with presents galore in a boat. I have two animated Santas--an old one of my mother in law's who rings a bell and looks scary with his red eyes and another one who sips hot chocolate and a cookie. I set up pine cones in a fireside basket, not by the fireplace but up on a shelf. Today I put stamps on the Christmas cards, so they are ready to go out, and picked up some candy for the stockings.

A Decision

I have registered on a site where I can chat with people from around the world--the UK, Canada, Scotland, Wales, the US and other countries. I have been invited to post a story that I wrote on this site. However, I am not sure that I want to do this. Because people from many different countries are on this site, I do not think my novella will be relevant. I write to work through situations and to organize my thoughts so that I can move forward in the proper direction. I do not write to seek attention. I do not want to put my work on the web, only to have it criticized.

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

A Pinkie Promise

Last night, my sister, friends and I attended the Advent by Candlelight Dessert Night at her church. At the beautifully decorated table, we shared a delicious cake with whipped topping and strawberries, and a cup of chocolates and maple walnuts, with tea or coffee. We chatted for awhile and then moved into the church. Several women talked about the meaning of the four Advent candles--peace, hope, joy and love. And we made a pinkie promise to the women next to us to live a life of peace, hope, joy and love--not just at Christmas but throughout the entire year. It is good, I think, to be accepting of each other.

The Thanksgiving Jinx Continues

I wish we could just move the calendar to the Friday after Thanksgiving. We went to my nephew's beautiful house and had a delicious dinner. He was fighting a virus. This evening all six of us who went to his house, are sick. Hard to know if we got it from him or from something we ate. One Thanksgiving, my husband was sick. Another he was in the hospital. One year, we drove to my brother in law's home to find out that his wife's son had died Thanksgiving morning. Another year, my husband drove over the median and damaged two tires. I would like to skip Thanksgiving.

Special events

My daughter and I got up early yesterday, picked up two friends and headed off to zumba at the rec center. In lieu of an entrance fee, we brought some items for the local women's shelter. There was a good turnout, perhaps not as many as last year, the instructor said, but still a number of people showed. It was a nice break for my friend and her husband who are struggling with finding a nursing home for an elderly aunt. My sister and I are attending the Advent dessert by candlelight at her church on Monday. First the dessert and fellowship and then the talks on the four candles of the Advent wreath--peace, hope, joy and love.