I am proud to say I built that fire. With my own two hands. It took a little doing, and fairly soon I’m going to have to put some more wood in there. Building fires (in fireplaces), and enjoying their warmth on a chilly evening might be one of my favorite pastimes. It’s not a very good picture, but it is a good fire.
If you can’t tell, there are also a few xmas decorations in that picture. Basically, the house exploded with christmas fever yesterday. I’m pretty impressed with our early enthusiasm, we’re sticking with the Jones’s this year! Granted, the tree isn’t totally put together yet, but it’s a work in progress.
Thanksgiving is almost upon us! Quickly, make the stuffing, set out the decorative gourds!!
Wait wait, stop. Calm down.
Thanksgiving can generally be classified as one of my favorite holidays. For many and varied reasons, some of which have to do with the decadent feasting fare. However, setting the feasting portion aside, it’s also a time for giving thanks, which is all too seldom forgotten or dispensed with prematurely. That may have made no sense, but please, bear with me.
So, to put myself in the right frame of mind for the impending holiday and all that goes with it, here is a short list of what I am thankful for this year:
1. The color red. It is the color of my face whenever I am embarrassed, or nervous, or hot. It is also my personal favorite on the color wheel, because it is bold and bright and takes no prisoners.
2. My family. I guess this should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: family includes my friends.
3. Pandora. I don’t know what I would do without it at work. It makes the pleadings and various chores I have to do so much more bearable! let alone introducing me to all sorts of wonderful new artists. Tis a beautiful thing.
4. Lincoln, NE. This one is weird, I’ll give you that. The color red was totally reasonable, but this one is pretty out there. This one makes the list because it recently became a place for me to get away when I started to have claustrophobia in the big city I’m currently living in. It may be counter intuitive to go to a smaller place to feel like you can breathe, but go with what works!
5. Patient Clients. Oh the joy of a client who understands that they are not the only client you have, and in fact gives you encouragement. That may be partly due to most of them knowing I just started practicing, so I have a little more wiggle room. It is the nicest thing ever though when a client is able to put their own case in perspective!
6. Flowers. A couple times this year, I was surprised with flowers on random days that were not anywhere near to a holiday. What a joy that is. Whenever that happens, it is impossible to do anything but smile for the rest of the day.
7. Pie. Mostly, what I am thankful for in regard to pie is the creative outlet it has provided me with. I never would have guessed I could be so passionate about something so simple. Although they require a bit of patience, they are always worth the effort.
8. Pinterest. Love it.
Ok, that is enough for now. This could go on and on.
I believe in a world where every weekend is a three day weekend. Unfortunately, that is not the world I live in presently. I have to wait patiently, like so many other poor souls, for good old Friday to roll around so that I can get excited about my weekend and all it’s fun activities. I’ll start a petition, and we’ll get this 3-day weekend thing under control.
In other news, this week I have decided that the holidays are getting entirely too close for comfort on my calendar. What the holidays mean for me, among many wonderful things, is lots of temptation (specifically from the ever-growing list of things Rachel shouldn’t eat because it goes straight to her hips). So, I’ve decided to go on the offensive this year. Instead of waiting until after the holidays are over to start kicking my workout routine into high gear, and to start eating vegetables again, I am starting now. Might as well try to get it under control during the holidays instead of just throwing my hands up in the air and letting the pounds go where they like. No, this year, I am going to feel good enough that on Christmas morning, I could go for a walk. Granted, the weather may not cooperate with that plan, but you get the point. I do not want to be in a sugar coma for most of the next month. Nor do I want to be in a butter-induced daze. I want to be alert, focused, and ready to take on the holidays with all of their might!
Is it bad that I have just managed to make the holidays sound like something I have to wage war against?
On the upside, I will still be making plenty of pies, I just won’t be eating them. So place your orders now! Thanksgiving is next week, don’t ya know!
Also, in the war against the Holidays, my sister and I will hopefully get a lot of the xmas shopping done this weekend. That is super in advance for me. I am usually not done shopping til…xmas eve. Granted, we probably won’t actually get it all done, but we are going to get some of it done, which will be nice. I just have to be sure not to forget that I’ve gotten any of it. That tends to happen every year. Someone hides a present for a month, and then forgets to give it on the day. Oh well! It’s the thought that counts, right?
Pretty soon, I’ll also be making xmas sugar cookies. Not sure you’ll want to order them, but they are really good. I may have to have one of those. But just one, I swear!
Sagacious Student 