Random thoughts…

I’m just sitting here thinking I probably should write a blog post since it has been 3 weeks since my last post.  I have a few ideas but not sure they really all fit together to make anything that would seem coherent.  So, maybe I’ll just write snippets and random thoughts and see what you think of that approach.

Apology to rabbits - they did not eat my tulips!
Apology to rabbits – they did not eat my tulips!
  • Studying Brene Brown’s Daring Greatly book in the Thursday morning book group at church.  We watch a video of Brene discussing her concepts and then have group discussion on the points.  Brene says we sacrifice relationships and opportunities and “turn our backs on our gifts” when we try to be perfect and “bulletproof” every time we walk into the “arena”.
    • Love Brene’s style both in her video presentation and her writing.  She is very down-to-earth and relatable.  Not afraid to use everyday, common language to describe things and make her point (e.g., something “pisses” her off; or, something is “crap”).
    • Daring and being vulnerable – the main topics of the book – are very hard concepts for me.  I know I have major issues with these ideas.  I’d rather keep my walls up and not let anyone see I don’t know what I am doing.
    • Vulnerability is feeling disconnected (e.g., no one else is this stupid; no one else would make this kind of mistake).  I like that definition.
    • Stress occurs when your values are being challenged.  Take time to identify your values and it may help you determine why you feel stressed.  Example:  being thorough in your work may be a value – not having enough time to be thorough on a project will cause you stress.
  • Somewhere recently, and unfortunately, I can’t remember where, I read of a great approach to take when faced with a task or experience that seems insurmountable – instead of saying “I can’t” say, “How can I?”  Saying “I can’t” is disempowering.
  • One of my friends from book group who always has great ideas on how to approach life (Jules, you know who you are!) recently said she goes about considering how to act in situations by asking herself “what is the loving thing to do”.  Great approach.
  • We are all more resilient than we think we are, and adversity is a great opportunity for growth.  A good way to learn how capable we are is to find an activity that causes us to feel vulnerable and embrace it, see how it goes.  Scary, right?  One of my scary activities has been taking classes about writing at The Loft.  There I encounter persons who seem to be much better writers than I am; I can feel really inadequate.  But, I have gotten through the classes, learned a lot, and no one has called me stupid!
  • I try to remember that no one can get at my safe place – my spirit/ my heart/my uniqueness – which was pure when I came out as a newborn baby, and remains pure today.  Obviously, I have messed up the rest of me in many ways since birth, but that original pureness is still deep inside and safe.  This helps me remember I can act courageously and confidently.

So, this is a mess of a post.  Let me know if any of these points resonates with you and perhaps I can delve deeper in a future post (no promises).  Feel free to leave your comments below.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Throwing caution to the wind…

It’s Monday morning – Monday is my stay-at-home day.  I love that I can address the day in a very leisurely fashion, no need to hurry anywhere.  This morning I indulged in a breakfast of Frosted Mini-Wheats and bacon…and, that is the inspiration for this post.

I have paid pretty close attention to my diet and exercise programs throughout my life.  My quest has been to live healthily so as to feel good all the time.  That’s not to say I haven’t fallen off the wagon several times a month (sometimes, several times a week).  I have read enough articles, books and doctors’ manuals  however, to know what activities constitute a healthy lifestyle.

A breakfast of Mini-Wheats and bacon is not part of a healthy lifestyle!

cereal

I know that eating cereal is like consuming several teaspoons of sugar.  Add in the fact that I was eating a sugared cereal, and my eating error is magnified many times over.   The fact the cereal was whole grain added a trifle bit of wholeness to the mess, but not much.  And, I think we all know that bacon has no redeeming health benefits.  My thought process this morning was it would add protein to the mix.  Yeah, right, but mostly just a lot of fat.

But, WOW, did I enjoy eating this junk this morning!

Which brings me to my new strategy about life that I wanted to share with you.

Now that I am in what I call the last third of my life, I have decided to indulge in a few actions that up till now I considered bad choices for helping me to be healthy.  My thought process – whether an intelligent one or not (RC thinks I am crazy!)  – is yes, I would like to live to a ripe old age (as long as my body and mind hold out); but, when it is time for me to go I don’t want the process to take months because my body won’t give up.  So, to help prevent that from happening, I have decided to indulge in the following not-so-healthy activities as frequently as I want:

  • eating cereal for breakfast; and when it is oatmeal adding brown sugar and half and half rather than milk
  • visiting the Dairy Queen or Culvers for an ice cream treat
  • eating bacon
  • exercising only 3 times a week instead of 5
  • not working out with weights (I know, I will have no body strength and my balance will be off so I’ll likely fall and break my hip – but, so be it)
  • drinking a “real” Coke once in awhile
  • eating the croutons on a salad, and using full-fat dressing

All of these activities make me happy – that is the trade-off for the negative effects they may have on my body.  Actually, when I think about it, I have done all of the above and more on occasion, throughout my life – now, I am just choosing not to feel guilty or worry about my mistakes.

I realize this new strategy somewhat contradicts what I touted in one of my early posts regarding taking care of my body…see Taking Care of My Vessel.  I still believe in the points I made there; I’m just loosening up my stance a bit.

For those of you that are still youngsters (in my eyes under 60) disregard this proposed strategy – you should still be exercising and watching what you eat – making wise choices.  You need energy and a healthy body to raise your families and further your careers.

So, for today anyway, this is my new approach to life.  What is marvelous is I can change my mind and behave however I want on any given day.  Retirement and old age is wonderful…I can pretty much do what I want provided it doesn’t harm anyone else.

Anyone want to join me in indulging in some not-so-healthy vices once in awhile?  I’d love to hear what some of your ideas for questionable activities might be (or, maybe you’d like to side with RC and tell me I’m crazy) – feel free to leave comments below.

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Clothes, clothes everywhere and nothing to wear…

Do you ever stand in front of your closet, which, if like mine, is full of clothes, and bemoan the fact that you have “nothing to wear”?

How can that be?

Well, it may mean some of our clothes are all wrong for us, no longer work for us.  Like me, perhaps you have accumulated clothing you thought you needed, or because it was on sale, or because it was the latest fashion trend, or because it looked great on someone else.  We keep outfits that are no longer our size (because we think we can be that size again), are not in a color that compliments our skin tone, are of a style that doesn’t suit our body type, or have been in the closet for many, many years, because we think we may “need” them someday.

Do you LOVE all your clothes?  If you do, never having anything to wear is not your problem, because you feel good in every single piece of clothing in your wardrobe.  Hooray for you.

If you don’t, it’s time to make a change.

In Minnesota where we have distinct seasons (usually 4 of them, but sometimes we get robbed of a nice fall or spring), changing out our wardrobe is a logical thing to do as we move into the next season.  Right now, it is time to trade our heavy sweaters, boots, and winter garb for brighter, lighter spring and summer clothes and shoes.

sandals

So, too, now is a great time to rid our closets and dresser drawers of those clothing items we hate, no longer wear, or no longer fit into.  Think how great it would be if everything in our closets made us feel comfortable and, dare I say it, beautiful?  Never again would we have to say “I have nothing to wear!”

This is not a time to feel guilty about getting rid of the outfit we paid good money for and have only worn once.  If we don’t LOVE it, we need to get rid of it.  Donate it, consign it, so that someone else for whom it may be better suited, can love it.  Make room for shirts, pants, dresses, skirts that we really like, that fit well, and suit our lifestyle.

There are a couple of ways to go about scrutinizing our wardrobes and making changes.

  • Peruse the entire closet or dresser drawers all at once, tossing:
    • anything not worn for a long time
    • anything that no longer fits
    • anything that is “out of style” (how about the dress pants I’ve had since 1990?)
    • anything that we don’t LOVE

sweaters

  • Using that same criteria for discarding, consider items in categories one at a time – pull out all the sweaters and go through them; then pull out all the tee-shirts and go through them; then consider all the pants, etc.  You get the idea.  This is an approach touted by Marie Kondo in her book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up:  The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing.  I actually have done this exercise and was amazed at all the tee-shirts, for example, that I owned and didn’t wear.  I now have only tee-shirts in the drawer that I actually like and wear.

As we do this purging process, it’s helpful to have a couple of boxes or bags handy for sorting the cast offs – one for donate or consign-worthy items; one for items that should only end up in the garbage can. (Or, if you are really ambitious, gather things to add to a garage sale and make some money that way. The garage sale being more work than I am willing to do!)

By the way, we can also attack our fashion accessories in this way – jewelry, scarves, handbags, etc.  If we don’t love an item – we need to get rid of it!  Make room for pieces that make us feel good.

A bonus to this process – after getting rid of all the unsuitable, unlovable clutter, we have room to purchase a couple of new pieces that we can enjoy wearing or using.

You can see this post is aimed at women.  Men, however, could benefit from this purging process also.  I’m thinking about RC’s many ties and how he never wears a tie anymore.  We could donate several and keep just one or two in case he needs to wear one to a funeral or wedding or somesuch…removing some of the clutter in his closet!

Happy purging – let me know how it goes for you.  When you are done, I hope you never have another day that you don’t feel wonderful in what you are wearing.

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A space all your own…

During the past several months I have been creating my own personal space in what we have been calling “the boys’ room”.  In the room is a trundle bed that the grandsons sleep in when they spend the night.  We also have kept their books and toys in this room.  As the boys have gotten older, their toys have changed from trucks, Fisher Price farms, and wooden blocks to electronic devices; so, less space is needed for their things, leaving more space for mine!

The toy cupboard was replaced with a small desk.  It holds some of my toys – like my coloring book and colored pencils. The rocking chair is still in the room, but now is surrounded by my books and writing tools. chair I’m using an empty popcorn tin, originally received as a Christmas gift, as a side table.  It houses some of my personal stuff like lip gloss, hand lotion, and a coaster for my cup of tea or glass of wine.  A bulletin board hung above my desk is the latest addition to what I now think of as my room.

(Side note:  the beds are still in the room so Jack and Max can come and stay overnight at Grammy’s house.  So far, they are still willing to do that once in awhile.)

Those of you living in larger homes probably have had a space you call your own all along.  I live in a very small house so this is a new concept for me.  RC has his own TV room, but I rarely go in there to sit as he has paper messes everywhere – envelopes, catalogs, notes, magazines that he will “someday” get around to reading.  My room is just my own messes and they are a bit more orderly (at least in my mind).  And, besides, RC should have his own personal space also.

I have read or heard more than once it’s beneficial for a person’s mental health to have a space that is designated as their own.  A place to go to be alone – contemplate, pray, read, nap, write, create.  A place where one can just “be” and not have to be “doing” unless it is doing something that is rejuvenating.  A place where one can find comfort and lighten up a bit.

You don’t need much room to create a personal space.  If you’re fortunate to have an extra room you can seize for your own, you can go all out in decorating it and furnishing it with things you love.  But, if you don’t have the luxury of that much space, any nook or cranny can suffice to work as your spot.  Think of a cozy corner in your bedroom, kitchen or even your basement, if need be.  Surround yourself with things that make you smile, inspire you, or comfort you.

Here are some ideas for your hideaway (adapt as space allows) –

  • a comfortable chair for reading or napping
  • a small table beside your chair to hold a cup of tea or glass of wine, a vase of flowers or a green plant, a candle
  • an afghan or quilt to keep you warm (remember the body cools down as you relax)
  • a small desk (not the one that houses all your bills and important paperwork – you’re goal here is to get away from your responsibilities)desk
  • an iPod or CD player to listen to your favorite music
  • a bulletin board for inspirational clippings, stickers, cards, souvenirs
  • framed pictures of loved ones or pets, etc.
  • a clock – I have a small pendulum clock in my space because I find the ticking sound very soothing.
  • at the very least, capture a shelf somewhere to hold things that are special for you; take a moment each day to look at the items and reflect on why they are important to you

I hope you all have the opportunity to take a little time each day for yourself – to relax and just be.  Don’t be afraid to tell family members they are not allowed in your space unless invited; and, to leave you alone for a few minutes.  Personally, I like alone time surrounded by some of my favorite things.  I highly recommend you treat yourself likewise.

I’d love to hear your ideas for creating a space all your own.

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Blast from the past…

Follow-up to my previous post about reading my mother-in-law’s Grandparent Book.  See the post here.

I received comments on that post from some of you agreeing it was a good idea to write about your growing up years for the benefit of your offspring, but indicating you didn’t think your life was very interesting.

I shared my disappointment about these comments with my husband.  I countered that just describing everyday life from many years ago would intrigue and interest next generations because everyday life has changed so much over the years.  The world is a very different place than the one we knew as kids.

RC and I then had fun recalling memories of how things were when we were children in the 1950s.  I think it will be obvious to you how these contrast with what children of today experience.

  • Gasoline – 25 cents/gallon and an attendant would pump the gas for you while washing your windshield and checking your oil.
  • Radio – only AM stations.  If we were lucky, late at night we could sometimes pull in stations from far away.  My favorite memory is being able to listen to WLS which was broadcast from Chicago (I lived in Austin, MN).  Somewhere late in the 50s or early 60s transistor radios were all the rage.  They were small and ran on batteries so could be carried in our pocket wherever we went.
  • TV – access to only three network stations – ABC, NBC, CBS.  In fact, we didn’t have a TV in my family until I was about 5 years old.
  • Printed mattermanual typewriters.  If we wanted multiple copies of a document we used carbon paper.  Correcting a typo was risky business as we used a special eraser which would rip the paper if we rubbed too vigorously. (How exciting, the day erasable bond paper was developed!)
  • Telephones – rotary-dial wall or desk phones.  Long-distance calls were made by dialing 0 for the operator who assisted you; phonethe calls were expensive and if you talked too long you could rack up quite a bill.  Party lines were common so it was not unusual to pick up the receiver to make a call and find the line already in use.  If you were out and about and needed to contact someone, you found a phone booth and paid a dime to make your call.
  • Automobiles – no air-conditioning or seat belts.  Car trips on hot summer days involved riding with all the windows down.  Child car seats were either non-existent or some sort of contraption that just hung over the back of the seat.  It was not unusual for small children to ride in the front seat of the car standing next to the driver.  In the event of a quick stop, the driver would just throw their arm out to prevent the child from being thrown forward.
  • Microwave ovens – didn’t exist.
  • School – filmstrips and chalkboards.  If teachers used a filmstrip to enhance learning, some sort of a beep would indicate when the filmstrip was to be advanced. As students we sometimes had the job of erasing the blackboard at the end of each school day…messy white chalk dust everywhere.  letter
  • Mail – letters written in longhand, and sent in an envelope via snail mail.

This is just a starter list of changes.  If you decide to write down some memories for your children/nieces/nephews to read in the future, perhaps this list will jog your memory.  You could likely elaborate on each of the points above.  I’m quite sure even those of you in the generation after me could write about the many changes that have occurred in your lives.

It would be fun to expand the list above.  If you can provide some memories or more detail for any of the points, I’d love your comments.

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Finding the light…

camelia

I know I have previously written about or mentioned my issues with lack of daylight during the winter months.  But, today, though we’re still in the midst of winter here in MN, I have found some light/bright spots.  Read on…

  • We sang the hymn, Christ Be Our Light in church on Sunday – a very favorite hymn of mine.  Google the lyrics (and, read through all the verses) and see if you don’t agree it has a powerful message.  And, the message it sends me personally is there are many people in the world with far greater problems than my measly issue with not having enough daylight.  Get over myself and get out and help others find some light!

Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts, Shine through the darkness.

  • So, one of the things I am doing is volunteering at my grandsons’ school on Wednesday mornings – helping in a Kindergarten class and a 2nd grade class.  I get to help the kids paint or read or recognize their numbers and letters.  It is fun to see how some of the kids bask in the extra attention their teacher doesn’t always have time to give to them; and, I believe it also lightens the teacher’s load.
  • I received an Aero-Garden by Miracle Grow as a birthday present from RC.
    The Aero-Garden
    The Aero-Garden

    Basically, it is a grow light and some sort of phenomenal plant food that is causing my 2 kinds of basil, mint, dill and parsley to grow so quickly I have to raise the light nearly daily.    It is great to be growing something green and useful when all outdoor plants are dormant under a foot of snow.  I don’t even need a bright window to make the plants grow – the light does all the work.

  • There are places in the metropolitan area in which I live that offer indoor garden-like settings – great for mid-winter field trips to provide a taste of summer.  I spent an hour or so on Saturday wandering through the Como Zoo Conservatory in St. Paul where I was able to feel warmth and humidity reminiscent of MN summers as well as smell that wonderful earthy fragrance of plants and flowers growing.  Helpful too – it is a very bright, light place to hang out.
  • Como Zoo Conservatory in St. Paul
    Como Zoo Conservatory in St. Paul

    The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum also has a conservatory.  Both of these places are great for providing a respite from the dark and cold of winter.

  • January and February, though they can be bitterly cold in Minnesota (thank heavens not as much as usual this year), can provide lovely, bright sunny days.  Add clean, white snow reflecting the sun’s rays and the brightness can be almost blinding…though, certainly beautiful, in my eyes.
  • For Christians, Lent begins this week – that means there are only six weeks until Easter which signifies, among other things, rebirth/new life, more light, and spring!
  • Lastly, we now have daylight until at least 5:30 in the afternoon.  The days are getting longer!  We’re going in the right direction.

Maybe the fact that I have been taking a Vitamin D supplement (the sunshine vitamin) all winter has helped me tolerate the darkness better this year.  Probably doesn’t hurt that I am now also retired so my stress level is greatly reduced.  I find joy in each day.

It’s Valentines Day on Sunday – find the light, make it special and show somebody how much you love and appreciate them.

(Really, let’s do that every day!)

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Write it down…

Corky weighed 13 lbs when she was born – at home, because a storm made traveling to the hospital over snow-packed rural roads impossible so the doctor was brought to the farmhouse by sleigh and horses; she attended school in a one-room schoolhouse and because only 32 children attended the school, meaning grades had to be combined for the lone teacher’s convenience, she skipped 3rd and 5th grades and did 6th grade twice; her parents thought she would grow up to be a farmer’s wife tending to the household chores and raising children, therefore she only needed to know how to cook, clean and sew, so they didn’t allow her to go to high school…she left school after 8th grade.

These are some of the facts I have learned about my now deceased mother-in-law’s life while typing up the entries she made in The Grandparent Book; a book she received from her granddaughters to record her life story.

The Grandparent Book
The Grandparent Book

The book, which consists of questions about every aspect of a person’s life, provides enough space after each question to allow for responses.  It is designed for grandparents’ use to describe their life so descendants can know their story.

Though I knew my mother-in-law for over 40 years, I learned lots of things about her while doing this transcribing of her long-hand notes, that I never knew before.

How very interesting!

It was rather like reading a history book about life on a farm in rural Minnesota during the 1920s and 1930s.

So, why was I typing all this information that Corky had written into this book long-hand?

Questions about family
Questions about family
The early years...
The early years…

There are four grandchildren, and in fact, now four great-grandchildren with another on the way; and, there is only one Grandparent Book.  Daughter, Amy, and I decided it would be nice for all of the heirs – sons also – to have at least an electronic copy of Grandma’s story.  Since the book is bound, photocopying would be cumbersome, so Amy elected me to work on typing a copy in a computer file for sharing with everyone interested in having one.  Once I have completed the transcribing, I will be distributing a copy to family members.

Just coincidentally, Amy gave me The Grandparent Book several years ago when her first-born, Jack, was a baby.  The assumption, of course, being that I would write down my life story.  To date, I haven’t written a thing in the book.  Now, after seeing how much enjoyment one can get from reading about the life of one’s elders, I intend to sit down and begin telling my story.

I tell you this today, because I want to encourage you to share your story with your kids, grandkids or if you don’t have children, your nieces and nephews.  I feel certain they will enjoy learning about how things were in your life beginning with your childhood.  I truly wish I had a similar book or document telling about my own parents’ lives!

If writing isn’t your thing, find a book such as The Grandparent Book to prompt you with questions you can answer.  I don’t know if that particular book is still available but I’m guessing if you go online to Amazon or visit a bookstore you can find something similar to assist you with this process.

Yes, it will take you some time to record all the details of your life, but you don’t need to complete it in one sitting.  Take it slowly and work on it when you are inspired and have some time to reflect.  I’m thinking I have a terrible memory and don’t remember things about my childhood; in reality, when I sit and ponder about it, I really do have some things I could share that might be interesting.  I’m sure you do too!

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Another new beginning…

Another new beginning – a big one!

RETIREMENT

The first day of the rest of my life, as they say.

Yikes, a bunch of events all happened at the same time – the holidays, the last week and day at work, my birthday, my sister’s death, and a 5-day trip to Southern California for the funeral.  Given all that, the acknowledgement of my retirement was put on the back burner.

So, today, a Monday, is the first day the realization of my freedom is settling in, though it’s been almost 2 weeks since my last day of work.  I can’t tell you how great last night – Sunday evening – felt knowing I didn’t have to get up early this morning to commute 38 miles one way and face whatever stressors work would throw at me.  I’m especially grateful for not having to leave the house this morning since it is -2º below zero or whatever ridiculously crazy temp it is here in Minnesota today.

But, now what?? 

I have some very vague plans of how I want to spend my time as I live out the last third of my life.  And, it is of course, uncertain if it really will turn out to be a third of my life.  Sometimes I wish I had a crystal ball to determine just how many years I do have left.  With the recent death of my sister, I am aware it is now my generation’s time to start cashing it in.  A sobering realization!  I really do want to make the most of whatever time I have left on this earth.

During these last few months as I pondered my impending retirement and what I would do to fill my time, I thought in terms of a schedule – a plan to guide me through the days of the week.  You know, like, Mondays – laundry, Tuesdays – special projects, Wednesdays – volunteer work, Thursdays – errand day, Fridays – clean the house, Saturdays – time for fun activities…movies, sporting events, gatherings with family & friends, and Sundays – recognize the Sabbath and do nothing involving work, a time for contemplation, reading and meditation.

But, the likelihood of sticking to such a rigid schedule is probably ridiculous.  (Though, I am doing laundry today – Monday – as I write this!)  Perhaps it would be better to fly by the seat of my pants and see where I land each day.  I won’t say I’ll go where the wind blows me, as we all know I try to ignore the wind, my least favorite weather element.

I don’t know how this is all going to play out but I am extremely grateful that I have the opportunity to choose to go with the flow and see what happens, or to actually re-design my life.  And, that really is the essence of what retirement should be – a time to relax and just be, but be able to also do whatever I want!

My friend, Mary, from one of my book groups told me about a Quaker saying that seems appropriate to give as an answer when people ask me what I’m going to do now that I’m retired.

I will proceed as the way opens!

Seems like that would be a good mantra to adopt.

I would love to hear how any of you have dealt with the new gift of time afforded you by your retirement.  Please feel free to leave comments below.  For now, I will try out this schedule I have created and see how it works – no promises that I will keep it,  it could change tomorrow!

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Holiday traditions and nostalgia…

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At this holiday time of year, I find myself overcome with nostalgia – more so than any other time of the year.  All the sights, sounds, smells and activities of the season conjure up memories of Christmases past for me.  This in turn can bring a smile to my face, or emotional tears to my eyes.  But regardless if smiles or tears, I have established some holiday traditions just so I can experience that nostalgia.

This Santa Bear has been appearing at my house since 1986. My kids were 14 & 11 years old!

I love hearing Bing Crosby singing White Christmas on the radio as it brings thoughts of my dad to mind.  He has been gone since 1981, but I remember when I was growing up we had a whole collection of 45 RPM records of Bing Crosby singing Christmas carols , and how my dad loved Bing’s version of those songs.  (If you are too young reading this, you probably don’t even know what 45s are!)

My older sister Bonny, took me to see the movie, White Christmas, when I was about 7 years old, and I loved it; so, re-watching it every year is a tradition I keep, and that too, is a nostalgic activity for me.  The New England ski lodge setting of that movie, seems very appropriate for thoughts of lovely, snowy Christmases, so puts me in a holiday mood.

Another traditional activity during my childhood was making and decorating sugar cut-out cookies each Christmas.  So, I have now included that as a must-do activity with my two grandsons sometime during December.

Decorating cookies with my two favorite boys!
Decorating cookies with my two favorite boys!

I don’t know how much longer they will be interested in frosting and decorating cookies, but I am milking it for all it’s worth for now.  It just wouldn’t be Christmas without having a plate of those cookies available to put out for Santa with a glass of milk.  (I don’t really know if the boys put out cookies for Santa, but I’d like to think they do!)

Though I no longer spend hours in December making lots of Christmas cookies and candy, I have not given up on making fudge each year.  First, and foremost, I love the stuff; but, for me, it is another “must-have” to serve for Christmas celebrations, to give as gifts or to enjoy a piece with my Christmas tea.

When I was a kid, my mother would make a variety of cookies and candies, including fudge, to serve throughout the season as  family and friends came to call.  It was always fun to help put together the cookie/candy plate for serving during our family get-togethers on Christmas Eve.  I still enjoy putting together such a plate even though these days, I have far fewer varieties of goodies to put on it.

Here are some other activities I remember from my youth with fondness at this time of year.  Do any of them sound familiar to you?

  • having a cup of hot chocolate (and frozen toes) after an afternoon or evening ice-skating on the ice rink at the nearby lake – I no longer ice-skate, but I do indulge in a cup of hot chocolate now and then;
  • going through the Christmas ornament box and remembering the story behind each one while decorating the tree;
  • writing letters to Santa – making a list of what I hoped to get for presents, and actually mailing it to the North Pole;
  • participating in the Sunday School Christmas program – I got to be Mary one year simply because the “quiet” girl in my class who the teacher thought would be perfect for the role, didn’t want to do it and I was bold enough to speak up and say I would do it!

IMG_0622Sometimes the nostalgia experienced at this time of year seems painful – remembering loved ones who are no longer here.  But, maybe instead of being sad, I should be grateful that I have happy memories of my childhood Christmases.

I’d love to hear what traditions you keep during this special season.  If you are so inclined to share, please leave a message below.

Merry Christmas!

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Treat yourself to luxury now and then…

We’ve likely all been admonished by someone, or by something we have read to take care of ourselves – physically and mentally.  In that regard, the latest buzz words are self-care.  In one of my early blog posts I wrote about taking care of my vessel – my body, the ship that takes me through life – listing some of the things I do for my physical well-being.

But, what about just plain being good to ourselves – allowing ourselves to experience abundance, and creating some joy in our lives?

At any time of the year, but maybe even more so now as we head into the busyness of the holiday season, we all deserve to treat ourselves to a little luxury.  What that luxury is will be different for each person, but the idea is to experience a joyful feeling and perhaps, ease stress and its negative effects on the body.

You may think luxuries are the things in life that cost a lot of money…not necessarily so.  However, if you are so inclined and can afford it, go ahead and buy the Lamborghini if you think it will make you happy. (I don’t know if that vehicle is still made, and I don’t know if that is how you spell it – but, hopefully, you get my idea.)

Here is a list of a few things I consider luxuries and that make me happy – you see they don’t cost much…

  • tossing green or black olives in my salad
  • eating fresh raspberries, even if they are coming all the way from S. America at this time of year and cost $4.99 a box
  • lighting a candle while I cook dinner – especially at this dark time of year!
  • enjoying a “good” bottle of wine - by that I mean one that costs over the $8-10 normal limit I have for spending on a bottle
  • using a new box of fluorescent colored pencils as I “create” in my adult coloring book; see a previous post about enjoying coloring like a kid again pencils
  • indulging in one square of a dark chocolate bar for my after-lunch treat
  • visiting my massage therapist every 4 weeks for an all-over body massage – ok, so this is a more expensive luxury
  • drinking my tea out of a pretty china cup instead of an old mug  teacup
  • taking time for a little break – playing solitaire or Lexulous on the internet, checking the latest Facebook or Instagram posts, or coloring with my new pencils
  • eating chocolate chip cookies straight out of the oven – mind you, these were made from frozen dough already formed into the cookie shape, so no work on my part; AND, I am not going to eat all of these in one sitting! cookies

Many of us are not used to being good to ourselves.  People pleasers like myself think we need to make everyone else happy before we indulge ourselves, and therefore, may not often take time for the little things that can bring us joy.  Enjoying luxuries is a learned practice – BUT, it can be done and the rewards are great!

I’d love to hear what you consider to be luxuries – AND, do you indulge in them?  Feel free to share your comments below.

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