off like a herd of turtles

Christmas flew in and out in record speed, and as the old saying goes: "It's the start of a brand new day, and I'm off like a herd of turtles." Went to bed last evening wondering, once again, how all that anticipation, preparation, and excitement can come and be gone so quickly.  Now on to the New Year.   2025 Here we go....

I will spend the rest of this week and perhaps even the first part of next finishing off leftovers, undecorating my house and getting everything ready to begin anew on January 1st with a clean and organized home.  It's a fresh start -- a new beginning that comes once every year.  Sort of nice, isn't it?  Then comes Spring and another chance to start anew. Double bonus.

Never one for New Year's resolutions, I do plan on on a couple of things.  I want to concentrate on mindfulness -- even of the "small" things... and also on personal growth... both of these in conjunction with quality time with family and friends.  I think it is a good plan.   Doable.  Doable is a good thing. Doable is much preferable over "impossible to accomplish" ... or "doomed to failure".  I believe in starting off with the positive.  "I can do this." Fingers crossed. 

Wishing you a Blessed New Year!

Yikes!

Recently I watched Psycho on Turner Classic Movies.  Remember what a stunner it was when first released? Good olde Alfred Hitchcock. Guess I have become numb to the horrors of the possibility of getting stabbed in the shower. I found it to be a captivating and relatively calm movie by today’s standards or lack thereof. I also found it rather amazing that the only two things I remembered about that movie were the shower scene and the one in which the rocking chair spins around and Norman Bates' mother is revealed in all her skeletal glory.  As for the rest -- it was like I was watching it for the first time.  Now I am wondering if Wait Until Dark is still as terrifying. One blind woman against three sadistic men who terrorize her and anyone watching the movie.  As for Deliverance ... the terror lives on a bit.  I still have a problem with banjo music.

To think that I spent years peering through the shower curtain while I showered and disliking to drive through the forests of southern states.  The transformation is astounding when I think about it. Nowadays it is people in hockey masks that scare me in a startling way... or .. anything that even smacks of the opening music of Jaws.  Actually my first encounter with Jaws was the book, and as I sat reading it in my back yard, I picked my feet up off the ground and looked around for fins.  Later on that summer when at Rye beach in New Hampshire, I didn't go into the ocean more than knee deep and even that was scary.  

Obviously, it's been a long time since I have been to a scary movie. Further --  I am totally out of my Stephen King phase - books or movies. It's more than the fact that he is now just way too woke for me. Guess I am at that point where I am no longer in the mood to be terrified.  The real world is sometimes scary enough.  Just watching the news can put me on edge. That's why I frequently go on "news blackouts".  I figure at my stage of the game, I am an easy target in way too many situations. The mere thought of walking through a parking lot to get to my car sometimes makes me sweat.  This nana no longer runs. 

The thing is -- I have not given up hope that things will be better after January 20th... Inauguration Day ... in case you have forgotten.  Things are already better.  I feel like the world is already a safer place than it has been for the past four years. One can feel the sigh of relief. I think of it as the great exhale. Then comes the fresh air. I think that I may even watch the news again -- at some point -- maybe.  

'Tis the season...

Tomorrow my son and daughter-in-law arrive for a long weekend. They are traveling from west of Indianapolis.  Call it Thankmas or Christgiving.  Either way -- good family time together. Just hope the weather cooperates and makes an easy trip for them.  My daughter and her family will be spending time here as well. I think I am ready with preparations, but most importantly -- I am ready for family together time. Trust me -- there is never a dull moment when we are together.  So fun! Time together -- best gift ever.

The tree is up. The food has been planned. The fridge is full. Presents wrapped.  Christmas CD's ready to pop into the olde Bose.  Life is good.  We will celebrate two holidays and then each celebrate Christmas once again in a couple of weeks. Bonus. Actually in my family, as I was growing up, Christmas was always celebrated early -- on Christmas Eve.  Santa even came early.  He had a lot of places to be. Had to start early. No problemo. I have carried on the Christmas Eve tradition.  It makes Christmas Day less chaotic somehow.  Anyway ...   

It doesn't matter a bit to me what day we celebrate.  It is the time together that counts. I am blessed to have time with my loved ones. I don't take it for granted; that's for sure.  Thankful here. 

To others celebrating early -- Merry Christmas whenever!  Ho... Ho... Ho...  'Tis the season....

Moving on now....

Thanksgiving is in the rear view mirror for this year and the Christmas season in barreling in.  Unfortunately some people are having still having a hard time with their unhappiness at election results here in the United States. It's remains, in some cases, a family and friend problem. What a waste of potential good family and friend together time.  If you aren't happy yet, you need to get on board. It may be a matter of perspective that you need to reevaluate or put on the proper shelf. Whatever. Fix it. Don't let another holiday pass without your family and friends-- even those with whom you may have differences of opinion.  Seriously. Talk about something else other than your unhappiness.  We all have our struggles. Hopefully it is as simple as that. It may not be, but trying counts.

The whole situation reminds me of the story of the Cherokee grandfather and the wolf.  I was reminded of this by a "dear friend/sister-cousin" who is often a source of inspiration when it comes to ideas for this blog. She was reminded of the story when it appeared in a Louise Penny novel. Recently I saw it on a Yellowstone rerun as well. It shows up here and there and everywhere these days.  Probably most of you have heard this story from one source or another, but some things are worth a "relook" once in a while ... especially when confronted by the challenges and struggles of living.

The story goes like this: 

"One evening, an elderly Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside each of us.

He said, “My son, the battle is between two ‘wolves’ inside us all. One is evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.”

“The same fight is going on inside you—and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf wins?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, ''The one that you feed.'”

                               (quote from online site:  mindful FAMILY MEDICINE)

Moving on now....