Longer Days

I keep humming a song… something like:
“The days are getting longer… seasons bound to change.”
I kept thinking it was by The Carpenters
But none of their titles fit.
Maybe it was a Mary Macgregor song.
Remember her?
Coming of Age music.
Wow. That takes me back.

Christmas shopping is DONE.
AND wrapped.
But not under the tree.
Ritz is confused about a live tree in the house
And why he shouldn’t lift his leg on it.
Not that I don’t think he hasn’t figured it out yet.
He has.
I think.
But I don’t trust him.

Someone mentioned on Facebook
That you know we are having a good winter
When the [Big Fat Lying Weatherman]
Can only talk about last winter.
And really,
We are having a good winter.

As far as winters go.

I rode Windy around the perimeter of the pasture today
To check fence.
And then let the herd out to run.
And they ran.
I was sorry I didn’t have the camera.

Speaking of pictures.
This is GinnyBelle.
You may remember her as Baby’s baby
Born here in 2005.
Quite a surprise.
She lives with my friends, Jules & Steve.
She became a trail horse extraordinaire this year.
Jules took this picture the other day.
She captured her perfectly.

My friend, Sheila, has moved to California.

Permanently

I'll miss her.

Catch her blog

Half-broke Horses

She is a great writer

And I'm looking forward to her

Sharing her new adventures

On the West Coast.

Seven, Six, Five…..

One week until Christmas. Usually by now I would have taken a day off work to pick up the last few gifts that I couldn't get online. (Online shopping is the bomb!) But this year, I did not even visit Amazon.com or any of my usual online stores. I have not shopped at all. I have a scrub Christmas tree that has one strand of lights and under the tree is NOTHING. I have been a bit panicked about it; I've felt like someone is sitting on my chest. Every time I think about going out the week before Christmas and not only STARTING to shop, but FINISHING it… I get heart palpitations. Surely this isn't what it's all about, is it?

I've only myself to blame. Years ago, I got caught up in the commercialization of Christmas; of seeing my boys' eyes light up when they came down the stairs on Christmas morning and finding Santa had dumped the mother lode under our tree! I wanted them to have the same feelings I had when I was their age. But as they have gotten older, finding the perfect gift is harder and more expensive. They've become individuals with distinct tastes. Shopping is a chore. Oh, how I long for the day when they were entertained, not so much by the gift, but by the box it came in!

THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS

Some good friends and I met today for our annual Christmas lunch. Just being around their smiles and friendship has lifted my heart. Jules provided each of us with a huge gift bag of homemade candies and cookies. The things she made were almost exactly what my mom would make every Christmas. I can't describe how much this simple gift has touched me this year. She given me so much more than just goodies; she has helped me feel Mom's presence again. And I've been weepy all day. But it's a good weepy. J

Then tonight, my oldest son asks if I could give him some of the money that I would normally spend on him so that he could buy small gifts for a few of his friends. It was more important that he give them a gift than to have me spend it on him. This has really touched me. Perhaps I haven't failed at all. And if I weren't weepy enough, this has started it all over again.